Cape Town - Cassidy Hendricks, 8, won the Western Cape round of the SA Literacy Association's annual Reading Competition at the National Finals in English First Language Grade 1.
The Western Cape was represented along with the Free State, Limpopo, KZN, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga at the finals on October 21.
Cassidy, the only primary school pupil from the Cape to compete, came second in the finals in 2022, and is determined to take first place this year.
“I worked on improving my pronunciation and presentation every day, even on the weekends,” said Cassidy.
She accomplished an A++ in every prior round and read the Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl, considered to be Grade 3 to 7 level literature.
Brenda Hendricks, Cassidy's grand and mentor, said she was proud of her granddaughter, her guts, steely resolve and hard work.
“As a true overachiever she doesn't accept less than 100% and was not willing to settle for silver again,” she said.
At a celebration event for her fans on October 28, Cassidy gave a speech in which she expressed her desire to see other kids being able to read and to love it as much as she did.
“She calls out 15-letter words with ease for dictation and spelling tests, which many learners still find challenging,” said her Grade 5 teacher, Natalie Knipe.
Vanessa Randelhoff, deputy chief director, Western Cape Education Department (WCED) Foundation Phase, Metro South, said the result would be posted on their website. Cassidy scored 99%.
According to her grandmother, she has read over 100 books, including classics like
King Solomon’s Mines, The Three Musketeers, Lorna Doone.
She also enjoys Greek mythology and has fallen in love with The Iliad by Homer.
The WCED Metro South District Offices sent congratulations to Cassidy.