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GYPSY LANE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT
SCHOLARSHIP FOR HEADSTART HIGH IN BLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA
In November of 2006, some of the GYPSY
LANE members went to South AFrica to visit HEADSTART HIGH and hand out
deserving scholarships to two VERY musically talented young students
entering their final year of schooling. Unlike AMERICA, schooling in
South AFrica is not free. Private schools are completely
unaffordable to many South AFricans who live in poverty, and goverment
schools are also very much unaffordable to some........In a world
where knowledge is power, BONITA COETZER decided to provide the VERY
poor who wanted to learn, with the opportunity. By slashing the school
fees down to a fraction of what goverment schools charge,
she managed to build a school from 7 students to over a 1 000! With
the help of her family and a fabulous staff (including her
headmistress Numsa of Royal descent), she is providing quality
education to many who otherwise would never see the inside of a
classroom. She provides as many scholarships as she can, but still
needs as much outside help as she can get! When we visited Africa in
2002, the students put on four hours of traditional concert for us and
we were inspired to do something! This year we decided to provide two
students with the final year of education which is the most important
and unfortunately most expensive! BUT what's expensive for South
AFricans is only $250 - $300 per year per student for us, so we took
action! the local paper came to tell the story and already another
student has been sponsored by an anonomous angel .... my hope is that
many more angels will come forward .....in any capacity..........
Here are the stories of the GYPSY LANE
scholarship winners .....
I was born on June 7, 1988. I currently attend Headstart High in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
I was born in Bloemfontein?s Pelonomi hospital on the afternoon of September 9, 1986. My mother is Julia Nontsikelelo Madolo and we are three children. Two sisters and me the only boy and the youngest. We live in Magengenene street, Phahameng location. I started school at Nozala Primary School for my elementary education. I then attended Ihobe Intermediate until Grade 9 went I went to Vulamasango High School. From this year I am attending Headstart High School. I started singing Choral music at Nozala Primary when I was doing Grade 4. My first performance was held at the Assembly of God church. Then in 2003 I started singing opera. I especially loved the music of Mozart. I was singing duets and baritone solos. My first performance was held at the arena of the Vista University in my home town. I was very scared at first of the enormous crowd in the arena. Fortunately I overcame my fears and went on to get a second position for the baritone solo. I am now a member of the Free State Belcanto Voices. I joined this choir in 2004. It is an adult choir based in Bloemfontein and the current champions in the Free State. My dream is to become a champion baritone singer representing South Africa in the International world. I am a Christian attending the Sabbath Adventist church and I conduct the choir in my church. The choir started when I was only 10 years old. At that stage I sang soprano but now I sing both baritone while also conducting the choir. My role model is my mother because she was the one that always encouraged me to sing. She always said that one day I would be on TV and that people from all over the world would know and love me. But she has now died with her good words and will never have the privilege to see her son on TV. I thank God that her wish has now been fulfilled with my scholarship. I know that she would be proud of me. Most of all I really want to thank God for giving me people who really believe in me and who are supporting me through the good and the bad times. My sisters and my school.
Student with anonymous sponsor and his Marimba group     The HEADSTART HIGH Choir
To contact Bonita Coetzer directly, you can email her at headstart@shisas.com In April 2008, GYPSY LANE hosted a student from SOUTH AFRICA ... here is her story: Hey you all My name is Jaclyn-Chanèl Coetzer. I am a 15 year old girl but will be turning 16 on May 27. So please take note that I am actually closer to 16 than 15. (This is VERY important in the life of a teenager.) I have 1 brother and 1 sister and I have the decided fortune (OR misfortune) to be born first. I attend a girls’ school in Bloemfontein called Eunice High. I am in Grade 10 and this is the very first year that I have been able to choose the subjects that I want to take (and not the subjects that the Education Department decides will be good for me.) I have in my subject package, English Home Language, Afrikaans Additional Language, Mathematics, Life Orientation, Visual Arts and Computer Application Technology and Business Studies. I chose America and the band because it is in line with so many of the careers that interest me. Larry and Karina are involved with my mom’s school in Africa. They sponsor 2 kids with musical talent every year. Because of their commitment and dedication to my country and the disadvantages children in South Africa I wanted the opportunity to work with them in the States. My school: Eunice High School for Girls Eunice High School is one of the best schools for girls in the Free State. I am happy to be one of the 850 girls privileged to be at the school. For 4 years our school has been awarded the top school in the province and we also hold the award for being the top school in Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Not only is my school rich in academic tradition but we are also regarded as one of the top sporting schools in the country. Eunice has a Euro-tour every two years but the one in 2010 will most likely be cancelled due to the Soccer World cup that is to be played in my country that year. My school is very involved with upliftment programmes in the poor areas of our city and we dedicate ourselves to helping children that are less fortunate than we are. Eunice is proudly green and we wear our uniform (green of course) with pride. This picture was taken during one of our sporting events. We believe in team spirit and are dedicated to cheering for our team. Because we are a school for girls, we have a brother school which is Grey College. This is the school that my own brother attends. We support our brother school by attending all their sporting events. My city: Life in the city of roses Bloemfontein is an amazing place, Right in the middle of our country we have no ocean and very few mountains but our province is a farming one and we produce vast amounts of foods for our country. I live in a city which is famous for something very unique. Bloemfontein is the only city in the world that has an entire wild reservation within the confines of the city. The reserve is called Naval Hill and you can see it clearly from my house. Our favourite sport is rugby and our local team, the Cheetahs, have won the cup for the past 3 years. As you will see from this map, we are proudly orange and at rugby matches we make sure that our team is supported by a sea of orange. The orange blood really flows strong through all the people who live in the Free State. My country I am proud to call myself a South African. Our country has achieved great things and I am dedicated to helping to make this country free, fair and equal for all the citizens. We are called the rainbow nation and the bright flag symbolizes the diversity in our country. You could really say "the world in one country". Here you will find all cultures, traditions, religions and peoples living together as one. My friends I have 4 best friends Liza she is really fun and she is amazing she will always makes you laugh Bianca is funny. She is my amazing Afrikaans friend I talk Afrikaans to her all the time Janine is funny and loud and we love her Elri is so cute. Her nick name is hamster. I love her so much I love to hang out with my friends. |
