Top achievers in the Words Open Worlds (WOW) School Media Competition for 2025 were honored on Saturday, April 11, during a prize-giving ceremony at Stellenbosch University (SU).
Schools and learners could compete in three sections:
- Section A (school-based entry): Best article or profile (feature); Best arts and culture report; Best general news report; Best news photo and caption; and Best overall entry (the combined scores of the article, reports, and photo).
- Section B (school-based entry): Best PDF school newspaper.
- Section C (individual learner entries): Best review or impression piece.
The editorial team from Klein Nederburg Secondary in Paarl won first prize in Section A’s category for best overall entry for the second consecutive year. They walked away with the most prizes again after also taking first place in the following categories: best arts and culture report; best general news report; best PDF school newspaper; and best review or impression piece.
“What touches me the most is seeing how our learners grow – not just as writers, but as young people with a voice, a vision, and the courage to tell their stories. Every day I see their perseverance, their creativity, and their dedication to making each edition better than the previous one. It is truly special for me to be part of that process and to guide them as they begin to recognize and live out their potential,” says Toyer Hefca, educator and school newspaper coordinator at Klein Nederburg Secondary.
Scott Adams, a matric learner and chairperson of the school newspaper at Klein Nederburg Secondary, says the WOW School Media Competition tested the editorial team’s discipline and perseverance.
“Every article had to be thoroughly reviewed and refined. During this process, we developed valuable skills, including creativity, self-discipline, and collaboration – traits that we can apply in our schoolwork as well as our daily lives,” says Adams.
Three more Boland schools excelled. Charleston Hill Secondary from Paarl took second place in the categories for the best PDF school newspaper (Section B) and best news photo and caption (Section A); and third place in the categories for best article or profile, best arts and culture report, best general news report, and best overall entry (Section A).
Bergrivier High School from Wellington took first place in the category for best article or profile; second place in the categories for best arts and culture report, best general news report, best overall entry (Section A), and best PDF newspaper (Section B); and third place in the categories for best news photo and caption (Section A) and best review or impression piece (Section C).
Tulbagh High School won in the category for best news photo and caption.
Click here for the full list of winners.
Prizes for the winners included a data projector for the top winner, hard drives, dictionaries, and language editing and writing resources.
“We want to inspire and motivate learners and schools to tell their stories, to reflect on their environments, to celebrate what they are proud of, to pay tribute to role models, to get excited about possibilities and opportunities, to ask critical questions, to find solutions, and to hold up a mirror to their communities – through school newspapers, newsletters, and social media. We hope this project will open, change, decorate, and illuminate worlds – while learners also acquire important communication and language skills,” says Jacolette Kloppers, content coordinator of WOW’s School Media Project.
Seven Western Cape high schools entered the 2025 competition, which was presented as part of WOW’s School Media Project. Throughout the year (and also during the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees), schools can attend workshops where experienced journalists and other experts discuss various aspects of journalism and school newspapers. Schools also receive resources and practical advice on how to expand and improve their school newspapers and school news. A series of training videos for school newspaper editorial teams is also available on WOW’s website.
This year’s first School Media Day – during which the prize-giving and a practical workshop were presented – reached the most schools to date. About 200 learners and teachers from 19 schools from across the Western Cape attended the day.
WOW is an empowerment initiative of SU and offers creative and educational programmes to schools aimed at promoting language, literacy, literature, and the arts. Read more about the WOW School Media Project here and click here for more information about WOW. Send an email to uswow@sun.ac.za to find out how your school can get involved.
