DURBAN - WENTWORTH teenager Kimberley Lucas achieved outstanding matric results last year, with four distinctions including 99% for maths, but due to the financial situation at home, she did not apply to study at a university.
When Kimberley’s matric maths teacher, Beverley Hargreaves, discovered that she had not applied for entrance at a university, she set about finding help.
Now, Kimberley, 17, has been given a full bursary to study actuarial science at Stellenbosch University.
Kimberley’s mother, Raylene Haines, said she was delighted that her daughter’s hard work and determination had paid off.
Haines said that her daughter had the passion and drive to perform well in matric.
“This was always her dream and I feel so proud to see it come true. She achieved four distinctions, and this was mind-blowing for us.
“Kimberley has faced so many challenges and I have been unemployed for 10 years.
“I didn’t have the finances to send her to study so we didn’t even bother to apply to a university. I’m so grateful to everybody who assisted to help Kimberley get her bursary.”
Haines said that Kimberley was a quiet person who focused on studying.
“We live in Wentworth and there are many challenges in our community with violence, gangs and drugs.
Kimberley has never let this affect her; she was always focused and pushed through, she has never joined the wrong company and never got involved in any trouble. I’m so proud that she has followed her dreams.”
Kimberley said she was very grateful to everybody who had helped her.
“It all happened so quick, over a few days. I am just so excited to be studying at Stellenbosch University and for the first time to not be concerned about the finances to study. During my matric year, I worked very hard. I drew up a study timetable at the beginning of the year and I stuck to it. I focused really hard on maths and studied every day and that’s how I was able achieve 99%.”
Hargreaves, head of the maths department at Umbilo Secondary, said that Kimberley was her top student at the school.
“I was very pleased when she obtained her 99%. We were surprised to learn that she didn’t apply to university and were not aware of her situation at home.
“I got in contact with a friend of mine, Marlon Burgess and explained Kimberley’s situation.
“We knew we had to assist even if it was just to help her to apply. We were so grateful that we were put in contact with Professor Singh, who in turn put us in contact with Professor Jonathan Jansen from Stellenbosch University.
“After the university saw her results, they offered her a full bursary with accommodation and flights paid for. We are very proud of Kimberley.
“When a student has so much passion to study we have to do something as educators.”
Professor Jansen, a distinguished professor of education at Stellenbosch University, posted about Kimberley’s achievements on social media, saying she had defied the odds.
He said after he was approached and the university saw Kimberley’s results, the offer to her was made “within minutes”.
Burgess said that she and Hargreaves had felt they had to help.
“We knew we had to assist. We are so grateful to Professor Singh and Professor Jansen for all their assistance.
“We will continue to support Kimberley as she continues her studies.”
THE MERCURY