We are delighted to announce the winners of our National School Science Essay Competition for 2025, generously sponsored by the Claude Leon Foundation. The Society salutes all the learners, from all parts of the country who entered and the Teachers who encouraged them to do so even if it meant extra work for themselves.   All winning schools will be contact shortly with regard to Certificates and Prizes.  A fuller report will be posted on this website once all the awards are made. CONGRATULATIONS!

The Winners for 2025 are:
Topic 1 – ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems all but inevitable now. How will AI benefit or harm society in the long run?
First Prize – Jade van Tonder, Grade 11, Collegiate Girls High School, Gqeberha
Second Prize – Bethlehem Belay,  Grade 11, Hyde Park High School, Johannesburg
Third Prize – Zia Venter, Grade 12, Huguenot High School, Wellington
Merit Prizes: Harry Savvides, Grade 10, SAHETI School, Johannesburg and Lehlohonolo Thipe, Grade 11, African School For Excellence, Brakpan.

Topic 2 – ‘Is graffiti vandalism or art, or can it be considered a medium of social consciousness?’
First Prize – Nilaya Jhilmeet, Grade 6, Hamilton School, Ladysmith, KZN
Second Prize – Toccarra Robertson, Grade 11, Rocklands High School, Mitchells Plain, Cape Town
Third Prize – Lina Abrahams, Grade 10, Rocklands High School, Cape Town
Merit Prizes: Gabriella Deftereos, Grade 12, Newberry House Montessori School, Somerset West and Amber Brooks, Grade 10, Rocklands High School, Cape Town

Topic 3 – ‘Stem cells can be used to model disease. What approaches are acceptable and useful? Why?’
First Prize – Sinelethu Mgedisi, Grade 12, Alexander Road High School, Gqeberha
Second Prize – George Cox, Grade 12, St Alban’s College, Pretoria
Third Prize – Kelsey Zaphi, Grade 12, Rhenish Girls High, Stellenbosch
Merit Prizes: Ashley Chikobvu, Grade 11, Parktown Girls High School, Johannesburg and Kira Vassen, Grade 11, Springfield Convent of the Holy Rosary, Wynberg, Cape Town