News24 | Five Grade 11 pupils head to Antarctica on adventure of a lifetime

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and five pupils take a picture before the pupils head off on the journey of a lifestime.

• Five pupils have been selected for the Students in Antarctica (SIA) programme, a journey designed to inspire young conservation leaders through firsthand experiences in Antarctica.
• During a ceremonial jacket handover, Cape Town’s mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis emphasised the importance of inspiring youth and highlighted Cape Town’s critical role as a gateway to Antarctica.
• Headed by famed explorer Riaan Manser, the pupils each have their own unique aspirations, from promoting robotics for sustainability to preserving ecosystems through art.

Five Grade 11 pupils are set to depart for the Students in Antarctica (SIA) expedition programme after a heartfelt send-off and special jacket handover by Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.

The SIA jacket handover event took place at the mayor’s office at the Civic Centre in Cape Town on Wednesday morning.

The five pupils were selected from hundreds in a months-long application process - and found out last week that they will head on an adventure of a lifetime with renowned explorer Riaan Manser this coming week.

The expedition is an educational journey to Antarctica, providing pupils with an extraordinary adventure that ignites a passion and commitment to the environment.

It is an opportunity for pupils to explore critical issues related to sustainability and environmental preservation, empowering them to make a real impact in their communities.

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Manser said he was looking forward to the expedition and hoped the pupils would have a better perspective on conserving the environment.

“The ability for these students to stand out above the crowd is almost natural,” he stated on Wednesday. “I find they have it in their blood to make sure that they think about what they are trying to communicate and articulate. But these students are special. Before they even say a word, you can see from their body language, you can see from the way that they approach a question that you may have posed to them.

“The environment is a spoken-about thing in every single boardroom. Every single politician has an opinion. However, we’ve seen little to no results in the real world. I know many people are discussing it, but no one is actually taking action.

“We would like these students to come back with renewed energy when it comes to conversation around the environment.”

Five lucky teenagers from around southern Africa

Selected from hundreds of applications, the five successful pupils received custom jackets from the mayor and were given an opportunity to ask him any question.

In their application videos, the pupils shared what they were looking forward to on their adventure in Antarctica.

Aaminah Choonara from Lenasia Muslim School said: “My goal would need to create a campaign … showing that protecting the planet’s coldest place helps sustain life in the warmest and driest parts of the Earth.”

Allegra Merlane du Randt from Thomas More College stated: “A trip to Antarctica is literally the most inspirational experience I could have if I were to be an architect, because it’s the perfect combination of the natural world, science, and just in general being insanely beautiful.”

Ntokozo Nkuna from Khanyisa Education Centre said:

Luke Boswell from Pearson High School stated: “If I can teach one child to love the nature of our world the way I do, my purpose will have been fulfilled. I will be extremely honoured to be able to learn from the scientists and environmental experts who dedicate their lives to preserving this remarkable continent.”

Naethan Mol from Bishops Diocesan College added: “To inspire others, whether in school … to live more sustainably, and to believe that even small ideas can grow into something big.”

Gateway to Antarctica

Hill-Lewis said the programme was good for Cape Town tourism and that the jacket handover was an important event to wish the children well before their trip.

“The City is very keen to promote Cape Town as a gateway to Antarctica, because it’s actually really close. The flight is just five hours from Cape Town, and throughout the summer, you can go down there and experience one of the most remarkable visits of your life.

“It’s heartwarming to see that the children are getting that opportunity and to be able to congratulate them personally and welcome them to Cape Town for those who don’t come from here and to hand over this ceremonial jacket,” he said.

He added he hoped they remained inspired to protect wild and natural spaces, “because that’s really important for all of us and for the many generations of Capetonians who are still to come”.

Murray Williams, the manager of Ultima Antarctic Expeditions, which hosts the SIA students in Antarctica, said it was essential to involve young people in explorations and expeditions like the SIA programme, allowing them to experience the wild and care for it.

“If you want to protect wild, precious wilderness places, you cannot simply put a chain and a lock around them. For people to care about precious places, they need to experience them for themselves.”