A learner of High School Hermanus will head to Armenia to compete in the International Biology Olympiad after ending in second place in the National Science Olympiad.
What makes Daniël van den Heever’s achievement even more noteworthy is the fact that he had less than 24 hours to prepare for the selection round for the NSO International team.
On 13 February Miralese Wiegman, subject head for Life Sciences and a teacher at Hermanus High School, received an email from the National Science Olympiad (NSO), inviting select learners to participate in the selection round for the international team.
She immediately asked Daniël, a Grade 11 learner with a keen interest in Life Sciences, whether he was interested in taking part. The young man was up for the academic challenge.
The dedicated student took the Grade 11 answer series textbook with him on the bus home to Kleinmond that afternoon to study for the test the next day. On his way to school the next day he went through the content again.
Daniël said: “I decided that I would have to count on my short term memory for this.”
A short while later Wiegman received the exciting news Daniël had ended second in the national Olympiad and had been selected to represent South Africa at the International Biology Olympiad to be held from 3 to 11 July in Yerevan (Armenia).
Of course this trip to Yerevan is not free, and Daniël’s parents had 48 hours to commit to him going and paying the cost a few days later.
Manie van den Heever, Daniël’s dad, said he had mixed feelings.
“I felt extremely proud, but I wondered how I would be able to tell him that we can’t afford to send him,” he said.
Van den Heever said he didn’t have much to worry about. When he contacted the school the next day he was informed several businesses had been approached to help fund Daniël’s trip. Within 12 hours all his son’s expenses for the trip were covered by the generous support of five people.
“Hermanus High and Nanette Ras, the school’s marketer, are really awesome.
“It took them less than a day to raise the necessary funds, which simply bowled us over,” Van der Heever said. “We hardly know how to express our surprise and gratitude to the various people who pitched in to make sure that Daniël can seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am still overwhelmed.”
The school thanked the generous sponsors – Ryno and Retha Viljoen, Value Chain Solutions, Xpedient Medical and the Rotary members – for supporting and investing in Daniël and affording him this opportunity.
They also thanked Mrs Wiegman for recognising his potential and encouraging him to chase his dreams.
Hermanus High’s principal Francois Hooneberg believes Daniël will be the perfect ambassador, not only for his school and Hermanus, but also for the country.
“Daniël is a very hard-working, respectful, well-mannered young man and he definitely deserves this opportunity,” he said.
“We are very grateful to the community and local businesses who made this possible by contributing financially.”
The young man also expressed his sincere gratitude to the donors, thanking them for making this opportunity possible.
He said: “I hope this will help so the right people will notice me and make it easier to get a bursary so I can study ornithology, arachnology or entomology.”