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14/02/2008 12:13 PM - (SA) Fifteen-year-old tackles varsity life 150208
"Except for one thing - when Robin finishes his Mechanical Engineering course in four years time, he will be the same age most other students are when they only start their tertiary studies - 19!" Robin was 15 when he wrote and passed the required A-level subjects of the Cambridge UK exams last year at the International School of Helderberg in English, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. He will only turn 16 on June 20. Is he too young for the challenges of varsity life? "No," says Isabel Tarling, another former teacher. "He is probably one of the most gifted and dedicated people you will see on the varsity campus." She ascribes this to various factors, including fantastic parenting; excellent work ethics and a well balanced life. Miss Tarling should know. She was his teacher the first year he came to the International School at age eight, after finishing grade 1 and the first term of grade 2 at Gordon's Bay Primary. Robin, who turned nine in June that year, was such a bright child, that he was placed in grade 3 at his new school and later also did grades 5 and 6 in one year. She also tutored him in various subjects since then. "I have every faith that Robin can achieve anything way beyond what he sets his mind to do," she said recently shortly after handing him the Isabel Tarling Dux Trophy at his old school's assembly. Robin is the son of Michael and Tracey Prenter of Gordon's Bay. He also has two brothers, Cameron (14) a grade 9 learner and Andrew (10), who is in grade 5. His parents told DistrictMail they did not think Robin would finish his final school year at such as a young age. "We encouraged him to do it over two years and even suggested that he maybe go overseas as an exchange student, but he was very keen to do it all in one go. Everything he has achieved, he has done on his own accord." His mom says they had Robin evaluated when he jumped grades, and was told that he would be okay if he was kept in the same school environment and that it would work out well, because of his high IQ. School has always been easy for Robin, says teacher Ross Arendson. "Our classes are small and learners get a lot of individual attention." She said Robin also had a lot of tutoring on a one on one basis. Robin agrees and informs us there were only three learners in his Maths and Science class last year. "It is not like I'm some freak and studied all the time," Robin says. "I hardly sat down with my books. I played sport, socialised and played in our school band for a few years and also played soccer at De Beers until the year before last." Robin plays the guitar. Their school band, he says, was the only band from an English school among all the Afrikaans ones that had participated in Die Burger's competition for school bands. "I don't know if we finished last, but we definitely did not come first," he said tongue in cheek. He does not have long-term future plans. He first wants to finish his studies and would like to do the first three years of his four year course at Stellenbosch and maybe finish his degree at another varsity. He would then like to find work and hopes there will be a company interested in offering him a job when he finishes his degree. If not, says his parents, he may just use his "American connection" - girlfriend, Chelsea Wolf - to gain some overseas experience in his field of study!
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