Waterberg Academy student Lucy Calcott has been selected by Yale University to join its student body for a four year undergraduate course. Yale, a top Ivy League college, is one of the most prestigious, and selective, universities in the world. Out of the tens of thousands of high flying students who apply to Yale from the USA, and across the globe, less than 1 in 15 are successful. Until three years ago no student from Limpopo had ever been accepted to attend any US Ivy league university. Lucy Calcott is now the second student in just three years to be accepted into Yale from The Waterberg Academy. This almost certainly means that over the last three years Waterberg Academy’s acceptance rate into Yale (9%) is the highest of any school, not only in South Africa, but in the world at large.
When asked to what she attributed her success, Lucy replied, “Hard work, of course, but also the incredible personalised attention the teachers of Waterberg Academy give to every student. No student in Waterberg Academy is just a name. Every single learner is known and cared for passionately and individually by the staff. The small class sizes mean that the dedicated teachers can provide this level of support for every student in their classes – and they do.”
In 2018, Lucy obtained distinctions in all seven IEB matric subjects she studied, with an average mark of 94%. She came in the top 5% in RSA in 6 subjects and in the top 1% in RSA in 5 subjects and was thus recognised by the IEB with their Outstanding Achievement Award.
Lucy is at present attending a Discipleship Training School with Youth with a Mission in London, UK, before travelling to the USA. Lucy hopes to major in Educational Psychology, but also looks forward to sampling the diverse menu of course modules that Yale offers.
Waterberg Academy is an English Medium independent school founded in 2003, in the heart of the UNESCO Waterberg Biosphere Reserve in the small town of Vaalwater, Limpopo, South Africa. Born out of a desire to take the best from traditional schooling, and combine this with critical elements that are sometimes overlooked, we are committed to an education informed by environmental, social and economic responsibility.
Today’s independent schools are highly competitive environments. Learners are required to perform at a high level socially, academically and on the sports field in order to find acceptance and value from both peer and school. We value above all the importance of creating a safe, structured environment in which impressionable young people can grow in self confidence and self-knowledge.
Situated on a 10 hectare property on the outskirts of Vaalwater, the Academy is surrounded by large tracts of relatively undisturbed indigenous Waterberg mountain bushveld, stretching for hundreds of kilometres to the north and north-west. This is an ideal classroom, where Nature is the teacher We recognize that educating our youth in traditional values, morals and ethics while equipping them with essential life skills and knowledge, is vital to securing their future. A pupil centered approach, modern curriculum design and committed educators ensure the fulfilment of these ideals. Our secure and peaceful environment allows us to grow learners in an a way that cannot be achieved in the city.
Located only two hours north of Pretoria, the Waterberg Academy offers the ultimate alternative to city education, complemented by the provision of upmarket, quality boarding facilities (for Grades 4 to 12) and an enviable lifestyle.
We invite you to invest in your children’s future by becoming part of something remarkable…
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