MAHIKENG MAIL - MAHIKENG: In a special gesture to recognise and celebrate exceptional literary talent, oom Jackie Gouws from the Rustenburg Herald and Mafikeng Mail recently honoured Omogolo Phakadi for her outstanding achievement in the Spelling Bee competition, where she took third place.
As part of the newspaper’s commitment to fostering a culture of reading and writing, Omogolo was presented with a special gift in recognition of her impressive linguistic skills and dedication to literary excellence. This gesture not only acknowledges Omogolo’s achievement but also encourages young learners to continue striving for excellence in the world of words.
When receiving her gift Omogolo Phakedi said, “I feel so happy with the gift I have received. I feel so confident and I have to belief in myself in everything I do. I’m going to do so much more in future competitions. Thank you to oom Jackie Gouws and Mafikeng Mail for giving me this wonderful gift. I was really not expecting it. Thank you!”
When speaking to Omogolo’s teacher about the journey, Refilwe Lehohla said she taught Omogolo from Grade 5 and took note of her ability to grasp English words and saw her potential as a member for the Spelling Bee Club.
“I had recently started alongside Ms Paballo Makhooane, a coach who took on the challenge of helping prepare the students for the various spelling bee competitions. I encouraged her to join, and she did. We prepared our learners at the very start of the year for the competitions to ensure sufficient practice and to build confidence for the task ahead.
“This meant that after-school practices as well as weekend practices were on, the parents obliged and we got to work. For us to have reached the national level in this competition was most desired and this was our first time our school achieving such a milestone. Special thanks to God for this privilege to teach, to my principal for the good support, to the families who gave encouragement and believed in their children’s potential,” said teacher Lehohla.
