Verulam’s very own academic superstar, Katelyn Tatum Naidoo is brimming with excitement as she, along with a handful of other learners, were chosen from 159 schools across the country to attend an American academic tour.
The tour will allow for these learners to visit Ivy league universities such as Princeton, Yale and Harvard among others. The 15-year-old Grade 10 learner, who attends Northland Girls High School, said: “Believe it or not I never thought I have what it takes to go on a academic tour. I’ll hopefully be going to Boston, Washington, New York and Orlando, Florida, where I will attend lectures at the universities. Only two schools in KZN are going and only the top 20 in each grade was invited to the tour.”
Naidoo will depart in September, this year, on the condition that she raises enough funds to cater for the trip. “I need to raise near R100 000 to go on tour and I am short of R34 000 to reach the target. Going on this tour means a lot to me because it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m really looking forward to having a lecture in an Ivy league university, not many people get a chance like this,” said Naidoo.
Being selected for the academic tour came as a great surprise for Naidoo. The Grade 10-learner said she hasn’t always been a shining star when it came to academics.
She said: “However, at the beginning of the year I started doing really well. I came out in the top three in my class and top 20 in my grade. My favourite subject is probably French because it’s a very sophisticated language and I just took a liking to it. I also like biology and physics. Science is something I find very interesting.”
Unsurprisingly, the high-flying learner said she hopes to one day become a pilot. She said: “As a child I did a lot of traveling and still do. I love to explore and going on adventures, and as a pilot you get to fly to different places, meet new people and learn new things.”
Naidoo and her family are very appreciative of all the support received from the community thus far but are still looking for sponsors. For more information or to assist, contact Katelyn’s mother, Thiloshini Naidoo on 079 014 1536.
