Commitment, determination and a goal-oriented mindset; these skills helped Jade Erasmus (Meridian Pinehurst, class of 2022) go from competitive learner to employment at Curro’s centralised office.

Jade received a Ruta Sechaba Foundation scholarship

Jade joined Meridian Pinehurst in Grade 8 in 2018, after receiving a Ruta Sechaba Foundation scholarship. ‘Curro made it possible for me to go to one of their schools, which broadened my expectations and opportunities that I would have never even considered. For this, I’m extremely grateful and blessed,’ Jade shared with us.

A top achiever in his first year

In the year that Jade joined the school, he shot straight to the top 5 for Afrikaans in the entire Grade 8 class – and that’s from 105 learners! Jade shared that he worked hard to meet his goals. In his own words, ‘For me, as a person of colour, I wanted to prove to myself that I can do this. Another proud highlight for me was receiving my matric jacket, as I succeeded while some of my classmates had to leave due to their circumstances.’  

Happy memories from his time in Curro

Jade has so many happy memories from school, such as the school camps and his friends. ‘I really enjoyed the free periods as well!’ He also feels like his Curro journey has made a full circle, from receiving a scholarship from Curro to actually working for Curro! He also shared that his family’s support and the education he received prepared him for life after school. ‘Sometimes I did well, other times not so much – but that’s life! We learn as we go.’

From here, Jade plans to keep improving and pursue his dream job. Above all, he wants to enjoy what he does and succeed in it too. ‘I want to excel in everything that I do.’

Did you enjoy this Curro Alumni read?

Here’s another story from a Meridian Pinehurst alumnus – Joshua Slyce – who moved to Chicago, USA to study a BA in Psychology.