Creative Cultural Staff at Saints

Creative Cultural Staff at Saints
An introduction to the wonderful creative cultural extramural staff at Saints - DRAMA, ART, DEBATING & MUSIC

IN THE DRAMA DEPARTMENT...  meet Peta Hanly, Taryn Henning & Hayley Hurst

Petrina (aka Peta) Hanly was born in England where she attained a BA Honours in English Literature from London University. Passionate about the arts, she obtained professional qualifications in ballet, tap, modern and national dancing. She played double bass in the Hampshire Youth Orchestra, the Westminster Philharmonic and the Harare Symphony Orchestra and has performed at the Edinburgh and Salzburg Festivals as well as in the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.

At the age of 25, Peta decided to embark on a great trek and took six months to drive a Land Rover from London to Cape Town. She spent over a decade in Zimbabwe, where she taught at a local school, raised funds to build a theatre and started a family. In 2003, the Hanlys relocated to a farm at the foothills of the Drakensberg Moutains. There, Peta worked at Treverton College where she established the Drama Department and ran the theatre. In 2008, the family moved to Johannesburg and she joined the staff of St Stithians Girls’ College. She is currently HOD Dramatic Arts, the regional NSF representative and the IEB National Portfolio Examiner, as well as the Girls’ College Cultural Director.

Peta has three passions in life: her family, teaching and the arts. She is the author of several children’s books and plays, a seasoned director and producer, an avid reader and frequent theatre-goer. Her mission is to promote and facilitate the arts and artists in education. Follow @Peta_Hanly on Twitter.

Taryn Henning grew up in the green hills of KZN where she attended St Mary's DSG in Kloof. One of her highlights at school was being selected to go on exchange to Finland. Taryn has danced throughout her life. She attained distinctions in advanced modern, tap and ballet then proceeded to major in contemporary dance at Rhodes University, where she completed a BA in Drama.

Taryn began teaching at St Stithians Girls’ College in 2006 at age 22. During her 10 years here, Taryn has led the Cambourne House Committee (which won each year from 2007 – 2011), was Pastoral Director for the Grade 11/12 group of 2013 and she is currently a Tutor Director. In between all this, Taryn fell in love, married and had twin girls all in one year! Her little ones join the Junior Prep in 2017. Taryn's first love at school will always be the classroom, sharing moments of great self-discovery with the girls. And of course, as always... the stage! Taryn is a member of the Hip Hop Formation Team at Danceweb Studios; her first competition will be Battle of the Giants in August 2016, and in 2017 the IDO Championships in the States! 

Hayley Hurst was born in Cape Town where attained a BA Honours in Film and Media Production from UCT. She then worked in the fashion and advertising industry as a production assistant. Although this experience was fruitful, she decided that she wanted to move into education and in 2015 she relocated to Johannesburg where she started teaching as an assistant in the Dramatic Arts Department at St Stithians Girls’ College. Currently, Hayley is completing her Post Graduate Certificate in Education with didactics in English Language, Literature and Dramatic Arts. Aside from her career, Hayley is an avid hiker, yogi and really enjoys Cinema Nouveau.

IN THE ART DEPARTMENT...  meet Gary McIver and Ilana Cassarino

Gary McIver was born in Johannesburg. He attained a BA honours in Fine Arts at Wits University in 1993 and Higher Education Diploma in 1994. Gary has worked as a designer in the advertising industry, successfully completing various briefs in digital media including film and animation for companies such as SAA, Caesar’s Palace and Discovery Health. He has a certificate in film and video production from the AFDA School of film and television, specialising in sound, film editing and production design.

Gary taught at Redhill School for many years and thereafter at Michaelmount Waldorf School, before joining St Stithians. From 2009 to 2015 he was the IEB National Examiner for the subject Visual Arts. Gary is passionate about learning and teaching. He is an avid reader and lifelong learner, inspired by the intrinsic curiosity and natural ability of children to create, innovate and invent. As a creative artist, Gary has participated in numerous art exhibitions around South Africa. His paintings are represented in various private collections. 

Gary is a longstanding mindfulness practitioner and more recently, mindfulness instructor, having completed his training at the Mindfulness in Schools organisation in London in 2013. He runs the Dot B mindfulness training programme at St Stithians. For links to tweets, fascinating, thought-provokingly inspiring and creative, follow @GaryMcIverArt on Twitter. To keep up with the awe-inspiring art of the talented girls in the Art Department at St Stithians, follow @saintsgcart on Instagram.

Ilana Cassarino was born in Bloemfontein. She completed her Fine Arts studies in Pretoria. She worked in a variety of creative industries before qualifying as a teacher in Johannesburg. Her favourite artists are Marc Chagall and Stanley Spencer. She finds her inspiration from magazines, books and Pinterest. Her favourite part of an Art lesson is that moment where the magic of collaboration takes place between her, the students and their art. To relax, she creates: painting, drawing, and pottery. She has a seven-year-old daughter, and together they enjoy going to yoga and dance classes.

IN THE DEBATING DEPARTMENT...  meet Leanne Horwitz

Leanne Horwitz is a passionate History teacher who believes in the transformative power of the past. She received a BA in History and Philosophy at Rhodes University before completing her Post Graduate Certificate in Education, specialising in History and English teaching. In 2003 Leanne joined the staff at Parktown High School for Girls where she built up the Debating Society and became Head of History in 2010. In 2008 Leanne returned to university part-time to complete her Honours in History through Wits University. In 2011 Leanne was selected as a Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Fellow, one of three South Africans in that year’s cohort. As part of this programme she spent a semester in the USA studying education through the University of Maryland, College Park and observing the work of a Youth Centre in Washington, DC. Under the guidance of notable Peace educators and activists Tarek Maassarani, Edy Kaufman and Colman McCarthy, she developed a workshop programme drawing on the experiences of the South African TRC in order to teach conflict resolution skills to secondary school learners.

Leanne is devoted to the arts, and in particular to Debating. She debated throughout University, serving as the Chief Adjudicator at numerous national competitions. Leanne has coached the Gauteng Schools Debating squad and adjudicated at national level as well as having organised the Gauteng league for a number of years. In 2010 she was selected to adjudicate at the World Schools Debating Championship in Doha, where she advanced to the finals panel.

In 2012 Leanne was delighted to join the staff at St Stithians College. Here she has continued to explore her passions in Debating and History, as well as her commitment to transformation and an equal society. In her home life, Leanne is interested in permaculture and sustainable urban food farming as well as being a voracious reader and DIY enthusiast. She believes in keeping both her mind and hands busy, creative and engaged with the world.

IN THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT...  meet Carita Bleeker, Jaline Oelofse and Linelle Wimbles

Carita Bleeker was born in Pretoria where she obtained a degree in BMus Honours in Harmony and Didactics from the University of Pretoria in 1994. A year later, she attained her Teacher’s Licentiate in Piano from UNISA, studying under Professor Joseph Stanford. Carita worked as a subject music teacher at Waterkloof High School before relocating to the UK. There, she attained her PGCE from the University of Birmingham and taught GCSE and A Level music in London, before returning to South Africa in 2008 to take up full-time teaching posts first at Cornwall Hill College and then Reddam House, Bedfordview. She was appointed HOD Music at St Stithians in 2013, as well as director of the College Orchestra and Chapel Ensemble. Carita is skilled at writing vocal and instrumental arrangements. She is an ardent music lover and has effectively raised the profile of music throughout our school. In her spare time, Carita enjoys walking her four dogs (a Labrador, Spaniel, Maltese and Border Collie) at Walkhaven, gardening and DIY.

Jaline Oelofse grew up in a family who loved playing music and singing together. She began her piano tuition at the age of four and has been tickling the ivories ever since. Jaline went to The National School of the Arts in Braamfontein and later finished high school at Linden Hoërskool. She studied B.MUS at North-West University and received masterclasses under the guidance of Helmut Deutsch (a well-known lieder pianist from Germany) and Caroline Oltmans (piano lecturer from Youngstown University, USA). Jaline accompanied the North-West University African Choir and was also the répétiteur for student opera productions. She has been involved in teaching music at various schools for the last eighteen years and is currently a subject music teacher, accompanist and choir mistress of the St Stithians Girls’ College Choir.

Jaline is married and has two daughters who are in Grades 5 and 8. In high school, she sang in a vocal group with Karen Zoid (Greef) and was close friends with Paula from 7de Laan. In addition to her musical accomplishments, Jaline played netball for Gauteng and absolutely adores the sport.

Linelle Wimbles obtained a B.Mus degree (Cum Laude) from the University of Potchefstroom majoring in Practical Music (singing) under Professor Werner Nel. She went on to attain a Diploma in Higher Education and then studied overseas at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in München. Linelle is the recipient of various bursaries and took part in several competitions such as the SABC Singing Competition; the International Belvedere Song Competition and is the recipient of the ATKV Forte Category Prize for Singing.

As a voice teacher and long-standing head of our prestigious Amazwi iAfrika Choir, Linelle has had a profound impact on the quality of singers produced by the Girls’ College. She herself has sung in various operas including Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Le Nozze di Figaro and Phantom of the Opera, as well as a large number of oratorios such as The Messiah, St John’s Passion and Weinachtsoratorium. She performs with the group Trio Four One Five (soprano, recorder and harpsichord) and also performs regularly for Salon Music.