I Hope You Will Never Regret

At 11:30 am, the reporters were standing outside the auditorium waiting for the award ceremony to start. Ben the reporter went to Principal Fritz and said, “Your school has taken this trophy for the past four years, are you confident that you will take it this year?” Principal Fritz looked at Ben the reporter coldly and replied, “How can I know since the results are not out yet? Also, I am not a soothsayer. I can’t predict the future. Can you please excuse me?” Then he walked in the opposite direction.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

The reporter, Ben, was so disappointed with Principal Fritz’s words; he didn’t know what happened because yesterday morning he received a call from Principal Fritz. He asked Ben the reporter to interview him before the award ceremony. Then he walked to Principal Glen and said, “Do you think your school will win this competition this year, Principal Glen?”

Principal Glen smiled brightly and replied, “I believe that the Lord is on our side this year and I don’t have a doubt in my mind that we will bring Glory to our school. My Mathematics teachers worked very hard to equip our learners.” Ben the reporter smiled and said, “I wish your school all the best, Principal Glen.” He was praying in his heart for the Trinity Leadership Academy to win the Mathematics Olympiad competition since Principal Fritz was arrogant.

At 12 pm, the organizer, Mr Stein, opened the award ceremony with prayer, and then he introduced the sponsor, Chairman John Taylor of the Taylor Group and Director Spinks. Mr Stein handed over to Chairman Taylor smiling. Chairman John Taylor smiled back at him and said, “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate every learner for participating in the Mathematics Olympiad Competition.”

Chairman Taylor looked around at the auditorium and his eyes stopped at Avery and said, “I was told that a five-year-old learner is participating in this competition and my heart swelled with pride. I cannot wait to see what she will become when she has grown up. Without further ado, we will hand over the laptops to all learners who qualified for the second round.” Then the Taylor Group staff members handed over the laptops to the three hundred learners.

The learners were over the moon when they saw that it was an Apple MacBook Air. Then Chairman John Taylor smiled broadly and said, “The moment we have all been waiting for, the runner up is Mr Aubrey Smith from St Thomas Private School. He obtained 80% in today’s exam. Principal Fritz, please come with Mr Smith to collect a cheque for fifty thousand rand and a silver medal.” The whole auditorium clapped their hands.

Principal Fritz smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes, he was really disappointed and embarrassed. He had told everyone that he would bring glory to his school. He reached out his hand and shook Chairman Taylor’s hand. Director Spinks handed over the cheque to Mr Aubrey Smith and he put the silver medal in his neck. Chairman Taylor congratulated Mr Smith on his achievement. Then Principal Fritz and Mr Smith went to their seats.

It was time to announce the learner who won the first spot. Chairman Taylor smiled brightly when he saw the name of the learner and said, “The 2023 Mathematics Olympiad Champion is Miss Avery Martins from Trinity Leadership Academy. She obtained a perfect score. Let us welcome Principal Glen and Miss Martins to the stage.” The Trinity Leadership Academy teachers and learners were over the moon. They stood up and clapped their hands.

Principal Glen lifted Avery up and walked to the stage with her in his arms, and then he put her down and shook Chairman Taylor’s hand, grinning from ear to ear. Chairman Taylor took Avery in his arms and said, “I am so proud of you, you took after your father’s intelligence.” He smiled brightly then he put her down. He gave her a trophy and a cheque of one hundred thousand rand, and then he put a gold medal around her neck.

The whole auditorium stood on their feet and clapped their hands. Chairman Taylor smiled and said, “The Trinity Leadership Academy has broken all the records. For the first time in history, the Mathematics Olympiad was won by a five-year-old learner. Secondly, all learners from Trinity Leadership Academy who participated in the competition qualified for the second round. Also, it is the first time for the champion to get 100% in both the first and second rounds.”

The whole auditorium erupted. They stood on their feet and clapped their hands. After they sat down, Chairman Taylor took another cheque of twenty thousand rand and gave it to Principal Glen. He looked at him and said, “This cheque is the reward for winning the trophy for the province. You made us proud. Say a few words.”

The netizens were shocked when they heard that the champion was a five-year-old child. Some of them were struggling in Mathematics. Some had tears in their eyes; they were so happy for her. Some looked at their five-year-old children who were playing with their dolls. They silently prayed for their children to be blessed with intelligence.

Principal Glen was smiling from ear to ear and said, “I would like to thank Chairman Taylor for sponsoring this competition. May the Lord send a blessing on your barns and everything you put your hand on. Chairman, you will not believe it if I tell you that Miss Avery has already studied Mathematics books to the university level on her own. The Lord has blessed us with a genius. Also, I would like to thank my teachers for their dedication and for having a heart for our learners.”

Chairman Taylor hugged Principal Glen and thanked him. Then he closed the award ceremony with a prayer. The reporters took so many photos, but they didn’t move. They wanted to interview Miss Martins. Chairman Taylor took Avery in his arms and walked to the parking lot. Mr Martins was waiting for his lovely daughter in the parking lot. He took her in his arms and kissed her.

Chairman Taylor beamed at his best friend and said, “Congratulations August, little Avery makes us and the whole province proud. I am expecting great things from her.” August smiled broadly and replied, “Thank you John, the Lord has blessed us with geniuses. I cannot wait to see what your son, Xavier, will become when he grows up. He is so intelligent.”

John was grinning from ear to ear when he heard August praising his son, Xavier. His heart swelled with pride. He looked at his best friend and asked, “Why don’t we go to His Grace hotel to celebrate Avery’s victory?” August agreed, and then they followed each other to His Grace hotel. August had advised Bridgette that he would be fetching his daughter from KZN University.