Spirit Education Foundation 2.8

The Spirit Education Foundation provides financial support for tuition at selected high schools, mentorship, and extra-curricular support to all scholars enrolled in our programme. We create a partnership between the scholars, their families and the schools they attend to ensure that they maximize their high school education and emerge with every chance at success in their tertiary education and as they move to independence and adult life.

Spirit schools of excellence are carefully selected to ensure that our scholars receive top quality education – selection of schools is based on the academic, sporting, cultural, community service, leadership and disciplinary ethos of the school. Means tests are done when interviewing scholars to ensure that there is genuine financial need. School reports, applications and references are studied and then personal interviews conducted with each scholar and their parents to determine the scholar’s potential, motivation and will to succeed.

Scholar facilitators are involved with the scholars and their schools on a personal level. Goal setting is done early each year and progress and achievement recognized and rewarded via letter, SMS, a phone call or a gift. After school fees, the first priority of the Spirit Education Foundation is to help provide extra lessons and academic support in any subject.

Mentorship is ongoing via school visits, home visits, camps, workshops or outings with small groups. Support and effective intervention is provided where help is sought for social problems or difficulties with home and family environments and living conditions. Where the problem is too great for Spirit staff to handle, the advice of appropriate professionals is sought.

Our whole programme is designed to fulfil the fourth goal of our mission statement. All of the above three goals, successfully implemented, will contribute to its success. The Spirit Education Foundation realizes South Africa’s need to produce a stable and energized middle class who will help build the economy.- we see this as a necessity rather than a lofty goal. It is for this reason that we do not ‘steer’ our scholars into certain careers so that we look good when we produce lawyers, doctors, engineers or CEO’s. We want our scholars to choose what is right for them and then to be the best paramedic, lawyer, teacher, accountant, motor mechanic, doctor, plumber, engineer, fashion designer, builder, and journalist – whatever – they can be.