A strong, cohesive community is central to our success at the American International School of Cape Town (AISCT). Each year, we recognize those who have made substantial contributions to our community through two key awards: the Outstanding Contribution Award and the Community Champion Award.
AISCT Community Awards
The Outstanding Contribution Award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to AISCT. The award is given annually to a member of the community who embodies the mission and vision of the school, who has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to the school, and who has made a significant, positive, and far-reaching impact on the community.
The Community Champion Award recognizes an individual who has significantly influenced the organization from behind the scenes with a positive attitude, a willingness to help in whatever capacity necessary, and a commitment to excellence.
The school receives several nominations from the school community for both of these awards, and there is a review team that is made up of school-wide representation across a number of community members including a member of the School Council, a member from the PATA executive team, the High School Student Council President, the Middle School Student Council President, a member of our office staff, and a member from the administration team.
2023 Award Winners
The winner of the Outstanding Contribution Award was Franscois Bezuidenhout. “Mr. B,” as he is affectionately known, has worked at AISCT since 2015 and served as a music teacher across the school. Most recently, he has been leading the high school marimba and band classes and can be seen showcasing our students’ talents both on campus and around the community.
Some of the nominating comments included the following:
- Mr. B. constantly goes above and beyond for the high school students and school community in everything he does. He does not seek recognition and is unfaltering in his support and attention to our kids.
- Mr. B.’s level of devotion and selfless caring for all students and the school itself defines his impeccable character and sets a leadership example for all of us to emulate. I cannot think of anyone whom I have known who is more universally adored and for all the right reasons. If we could all be more like Mr. B., the world would be transformed into an exponentially happier place. Simply put, Mr. B. is exceptionally remarkable and deserves so very much more than we could ever provide him.
- Mr. B. has shown exceptional dedication and talent in cultivating the skills of his students and inspiring them to reach their full potential. Mr. B.’s passion for music is contagious, and his commitment to excellence is evident in the remarkable progress and achievements of his students. His influence extends far beyond the classroom, and he has touched the lives of countless students.
The winner of the Community Champion Award was Paul Ryan. Mr. Ryan has worked at AISCT since 2014 within the estate team, starting out as a maintenance member, then driver, and now Deputy Estate Manager. At all the school events, Mr. Ryan leads up all the facility set-up needs.
Some of the nominating comments included the following:
- Paul Ryan keeps the school running smoothly, helps whenever he is asked, and does whatever he can to make sure that any event or production goes off without an electrical or operational hitch. He has an amazing “can do” attitude and has great relationships with those he manages and those he assists. Paul is truly an exemplary person and an amazing Community Champion; the school would not be what it is without him.
- Paul always brings a positive attitude and impeccable work ethic to any task that comes his way. He is able to organize complex tasks like International Day set-up or innovation term bussing and does so flawlessly and with no expectation for acknowledgement.
We are grateful to Mr. B. and Paul Ryan for all they do for the school, to all those who were nominated, and to those who contribute daily!
“The awards are a way for us to show our gratitude to the contributions our community members make, and the nomination process also gives our community the chance to recognize key individuals,” shared Head of School Dr. Daniel Jubert.
