Breaking the Mold: Imagine Scholar Student Receives 7 Distinctions on Matric Exams
Author: Adelaide Columnas
Enky Mhlongo, student at Imagine Scholar, Grade 12 student at Sidlamafa Senior Secondary School, and resident of the Nkomazi region of the Mpumalanga Province, receives 7 distinctions on the matric exams.
The Nkomazi Region of rural South Africa has a population of 393, 030 individuals.
7% have reached higher education, 39% are affected by HIV/AIDS, 62% are living in poverty, and 43% of youth are unemployed.
At a glance, these statistics do not show a lot of promise for young people to go beyond these numbers; however, Enky Mhlongo has defied these odds by receiving 7 distinctions on her matric exams. She is following her dreams and has become an inspiration to her peers who want to follow their own.
Throughout her studies, Mhlongo proved herself to be a natural born leader and took great interest in the math and sciences:
“I loved being in groups whether it was to sing and act, or to just write an assignment, because I knew that I would once again get a chance to lead. I have always been a leader wherever I find myself, so whenever I got an opportunity to lead, I took it with both hands. I also found learning subjects such as Math, Physics, Life Science, and English as my favorite time spent at school.”
Enky Mhlongo received 7 distinctions in Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Sciences, Geography, Siswati home language, English, and Life Orientation.
When asked how Mhlongo achieved such an accomplishment, she says:
“Getting a perfect score for all my subjects was never the plan. I just wanted to do my best in all of them and put as much effort as I could […] I wanted to make the most of my final grade year and get exactly what I wanted if not even higher.”
The passing rate of matric exams in South Africa is 43.7%; it is an even lower percentage for rural learners passing in all 7 subjects. Through strong determination, Mhlongo managed her time and adjusted her priorities to set herself up for success.
“One thing that really helped me to achieve a perfect score in my subjects was to change the way I learned. I needed to revisit my study techniques so that I could get rid of the ones that were not helping and adapt new ones […] Once I had a working studying system for myself I was able to learn as much as I could which changed me into an even better student than I was before.”
When it came to her free time outside of school, Mhlongo comments, “Discipline and self-control! These two life skills are the core pillars that stemmed my success in handling both school and life outside of school.”
It is clear that Mhlongo has exhibited great independence in her studies, nevertheless she credits her relationships and role-models that have guided her along the way:
“Being a part of Imagine Scholar (IS) has been more than an enhancing experience for me. I started when I was in Grade 9 and have been part of the IS family ever since […] Everyone is equal and respected in his/her own caliber. I found my second family, loving brothers and sisters whom I know have my best interest at heart.”
Mhlongo also thanks Corey Johnson, founder of Imagine Scholar, for being an inspiration in her life.
“Corey has become one of the most inspirational people in my life. He makes me want to give back to my own community […] I want to use my achievements and successes to better my community, while also spreading the feeling of paying it forward to others.”
Most importantly, she expresses her admiration and gratitude towards her grandmother:
“My grandmother is also one of my personal role models. I admire her grit, willpower and just mere look on life as a whole […] She has fallen more times than I can remember but she has risen just as many times. And that in itself gives me no reason to fail at anything in my life […] I literally have never heard her saying she feels like giving up, instead she always tries to teach us that whenever the going gets really tough there is definitely a solution on the way.”
Mhlongo wants students to know that they can rise above their environment and circumstances.
“I want them to know that their future is in their hands, a person is not made of what they’re surrounded by, but by what they think of themselves inside […] They should not to follow other’s dreams; they should make their own and follow them.”
“One thing that I have learned from my achievements is to never underestimate my strengths, or rather my abilities to achieve anything I set my mind to […] I know now that nothing can really be impossible for me, nothing at all, and that is all the motivation I need to carry on being an extraordinary person and aiming higher.”
Faith in herself, focused motivation, and an unwavering support system has lead Mhlongo to achieve great heights and be an inspiration to others. Receiving 7 distinctions on her matric exams has opened doors of opportunities for her future. Mhlongo has been accepted into an international university where she will continue her studies to make her dreams come true as a dietitian.
