Curro Midrand Sagewood wins History Channel competition

11 November 2025

Grade 10 learners from Curro Midrand Sagewood have achieved national recognition in the History Awards Schools Competition, hosted by the History Channel. The challenge invited participants to create short films retelling either the Anglo-Boer War or the Anglo-Zulu War from their own perspective, encouraging them to explore both the told and untold sides of South African history.

This first-ever History Awards competition aimed to inspire learners to take ownership of historical storytelling, giving young voices the chance to present their interpretations of key events that shaped the nation.

 

 

Top honours for creativity and storytelling

Curro Midrand Sagewood’s Manqoba Mzimba earned first place among all participating Johannesburg schools for his powerful film on the Anglo-Boer War. His work impressed judges with its creativity, emotional impact, and thoughtful perspective.

The judges said: ‘What I loved most was the emotional and narrative impact of your video. It was engaging, resonated strongly, and showed real creativity in how you shared history. This is an accomplishment worth celebrating, and I have no doubt that your skills and passion will continue to grow from here.’

Manqoba received the History Award Trophy, while Curro Midrand Sagewood took home the floating trophy as the overall winning school.

 

 

Celebrating young storytellers

‘We are incredibly proud of our learners,’ said the school. ‘This is an amazing achievement that highlights their creativity, collaboration, and commitment to excellence.’

The Hearst Network team later visited the school to personally present the trophies and celebrate Manqoba’s success. They also treated his history classmates to sweet treats in recognition of their shared effort and enthusiasm.

Curro Midrand Sagewood hopes to continue inspiring young historians to rediscover and retell Africa’s stories with authenticity and pride. As the school put it: ‘We hope to keep this prestigious trophy on Curro soil for many years to come.’