Doing good – part of study process for Ossin

Many matric pupils can become totally consumed with their studies, but Yeshiva College Girls High School student Eliya Ossin dedicated much of the time to helping others.

She organised a netball tournament fundraiser for the second year in a row, raising funds for Summerwood Primary School to help upgrade its sports facilities.

“Living near Summerwood Primary School, I noticed that its sporting facilities seemed to have deteriorated,” Ossin says. “I’ve always had a passion for helping others and for sport, specifically netball. I was determined to do something positive to help uplift other school’s facilities so that they would have something similar to what we are privileged to experience.”

The netball tournaments were both held at the Yeshiva College netball courts and “brought together teachers, coaches, students, and community members from the Summerwood, Jewish, and Johannesburg sporting community”, Ossin says. “More than 20 teams participated in each event, including two student teams and one staff team from Summerwood.”

Ossin believes it’s important to do good things for others no matter what stage of life one is in, even if you’re in matric. “That being said, organising the tournaments was incredibly time-consuming. However, I felt strongly about the commitment I had made to Summerwood, so I was determined to balance my studies with the organisational time it required.”

She found it heartwarming to host Summerwood’s principal and vice-principal, who contributed to the initiative, at her tournament. “I was also grateful to my parents as well as all the umpires and netball clubs like Net Set Go for bringing their teams to play and giving advice about the running of the fixtures. Hugo’s Heroes for first aid and the CSO (Community Security Organisation) for security ensured that everything ran safely and efficiently.”

Ossin describes the vibe on the day as amazing, with music and dancing, creating a sense of camaraderie. “The events featured a DJ; a chip ’n dip station; face painting; and a tuck shop. Students from Yeshiva College were great in helping run the tuck shop and ensuring that everything went smoothly. I’m proud to say that we have raised nearly R20 000 to date.”

Ossin’s secret to balancing her studies, organising the tournaments, and playing netball herself in matric was seeing extracurricular activities as part of the studying process. “I saw netball as a way to decrease stress, remain fit, and socialise, which would ultimately improve my productivity. Having weekly extramurals at set times was beneficial as it became part of my routine and eliminated the need for me to make time for them. Shabbos was also a great time to spend with my family and friends without the distractions of technology and studying.”

One of the biggest challenges she faced in matric was managing the heavy workload. “On the other hand, some highlights included going on my school’s Shabbaton; participating in my school’s netball league; and the unforgettable moment of walking out of my final exam – such an amazing feeling!”

She’s hoping to go on the Bnei Akiva gap year programme, Limmud, this year.