Index QC Teacher, Donne Hartley, cycling from Joburg to Queenstown to raise funds for, what else? Queen's College!

I grew up on a farm outside Dordrecht, a small Eastern Cape town. I attended Balmoral Girls' Primary School and then Queenstown Girls' High School. Queenstown became my home. I have always wanted to be a teacher. I was privileged to nurture this passion while doing an internship at Victoria Girls’ High School for four years, teaching and studying through UNISA. 

After completing my PGCE at Rhodes, I came back to Queenstown to give back to my roots. I teach at Queen’s College Boys’ High School and feel privileged to go to work every day. Many people think that school is only about academics. However, people learn a lot about the functionality of life while they are at school. Queen’s, like most of our local schools, offers a holistic grounding for its learners. There are so many opportunities for young people. It is our duty as professional teachers to mould a group of sound young people who can fulfill their dreams and goals. Essentially teachers create the lawyers, doctors, accountants, businessmen and entrepreneurs. Hopefully, they will use these skills to give back to their own roots one day. 

It was a tough decision to make to do the ride - it is quite a treacherous task. However, I feel that it will be a personal achievement which can impact on many peoples' lives. Raising the funds gives learners the opportunities to attend an exceptional school. Here they can be equipped for the future and one day better society as a whole. It is also my way of giving back to education in our district as I received my education from these wonderful value-filled schools. 

Donate towards education in Queenstown and help Donne reach her fundraising target here:http://www.1965ride.co.za/sponsor-a-cyclist/.

February 2018