Beacon Valley pupils celebrated for resilience at special lunch

Twelve matric pupils from Beacon Hill High School and Oval North High School were honoured at a special lunch hosted by Beacon Valley mother Suraya Petersen, who wanted to recognise their resilience and hard work during their matric year.

“Beacon Valley is a red zone, but these pupils still gave their best during matric,” Ms Petersen said.

She said her son, Yaseen, had faced many challenges but made her proud, inspiring her to give back to other pupils in the community.

Ms Petersen organised the event from her own pocket and invited former teacher Roberta Jackson, who retired after 38 years, to assist on Sunday, February 8.

The pupils were treated to lunch, dessert, and snacks. Each pupil received a certificate for bravery and words of encouragement. They were also allowed to invite one person who had inspired them during their journey, and those guests received certificates of appreciation as well.

“The pupils could also choose to give their certificate to a parent if they wanted to,” Ms Petersen said.

She explained that she could not invite everyone and had to identify 12 pupils who had faced significant challenges during the year.

“There is still such good coming from Beacon Valley. I salute all pupils for their bravery and for completing their schooling last year,” she said.