Gianluca Agostinetto

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Created on Friday, 23 November 2012 08:37

Un nostro connazionale di 17 anni, Gianluca Agostinetto, sarà "Head of School" al St Johns College di Johannesburg nel 2013.

Figlio di Paolo Agostinetto e Caterina Forgiarini, Gianluca si ebbe alla nascita il nome di Vialli quale viatico per una brillante carriera da calciatore, fino alla conquista della mitica maglia azzurra. Traguardo che forse avrebbe potuto raggiungere se la natura non lo avesse dotato di un talento versatile e di molteplici passioni e interessi, primo fra tutti quello per lo studio e i successi accademici. Negli undici dei suoi diciassette anni che ha trascorso sui banchi di scuola, frequentando prima la St Benedict Primary School e successivamente, fino al presente, il St Johns College ha avuto la rarissima, forse unica, distinzione di chiudere ogni anno con il DUX Award e distinzioni in tutte le materie.

Si potrebbe pensare a un secchione, tutto studio e libri, e invece Gianluca è un ragazzo aperto, pronto alle battute di spirito e bravo in molti sport almeno quanto è capace di primeggiare nello studio. La sua squadra di hockey ha vinto il prestigioso Boden Trophy e lui è vice capitano della prima squadra di tennis, ma non ha dimenticato il cricket perché in questa specialità è capitano della seconda squadra. E gli riesce anche di inserire fra le sue attività la stagione calcistica, che tuttavia nelle scuole sudafricane non figura fra le priorità.

Ultimamente gli studenti e gli insegnanti del St Johns College, una delle più antiche e prestigiose scuole di Johannesburg, hanno eletto Gianluca Agostinetto, che ha nelle sue vene sangue veneto, friulano e campano, "Head of the School", il massimo riconoscimento al quale uno studente sudafricano possa aspirare. Congratulazioni a lui e alla sua famiglia.

Gianluca Agostinetto elected "Head of the School" for 2013 at St Johns College in Johannesburg

Gianluca Agostinetto was born on 22 May 1995. His father, Paolo Agostinetto, whose parents hailed from the Veneto and Friuli regions, attended Highlands North Boys High school in Johannesburg. His mother, Caterina Forgiarini  (in Agostinetto) descends from the Friuli and Campania regions in Italy.

Gianluca acquired his name after the famous soccer player Gianluca Vialli, with the hope that he would one day play for the Azzurri.  Gianluca showed remarkable talents at sports and represented Eastern Gauteng  in both club soccer and school cricket in his primary school years and excelled at cross country as well. However, Gianluca would prove that his probing mind and intellect brought him numerous awards where he finished primary school with the overall DUX Award every year since grade 4 and distinctions in every subject.

Gianluca is not one to sit on his laurels, so even though it was a tough decision to leave behind St Benedict’s Primary School as headboy  and a scholarship for the high school, he sought new challenges when St John’s College offered him a sport’s scholarship. The day he went to his interview and walked through this most picturesque stone building school, lined with oak trees reminiscent of famous schools in England and Scotland, Gianluca knew that he would thrive and be happy studying at such a fine institution. St John’s College is steeped in tradition and is 114 years old, making it one of the oldest schools in South Africa. Their motto “Lux Vita Caritas” (Light life Love) is the very essence of the school where their aim is to mould young boys into men, so that when they leave school  they will not only do their school, parents and country proud, but will be an asset to society.

Gianluca is extremely proud of his school. Their discipline and nurturing ways yields a brotherhood bond that extends beyond their school years and way into their adult life as “Johannians”.
The wonderful settings and brilliant education suited Gianluca and he once again began to excel and thrive under these conditions. On the sports field he enjoys hockey and was on the winning team for the prestigious Boden Trophy. He is Vice Captain for the 1st Tennis team, and still loves his cricket where he captains the second side. He also still manages to squeeze in the soccer season. He loves a round of golf when the occasion presents itself. True to his nature, Gianluca has excelled in the culturals and has represented Gauteng in Debating and currently ranks in the top ten speakers for Gauteng. He has received awards for public speaking since his primary school days, and as if that was not enough he decided to delve into the drama scene. Once again he surprised his teachers winning numerous awards, including  the overall DUX award every year since grade 8. He has his colours blazer for debating and honours blazer for academics.

Without a doubt, Gianluca’s biggest achievement and proudest moment arrived recently, when his peers, fellow students and teachers gave him their vote of confidence to lead St Johns College in 2013 as “Head of School”.

Gianluca is a fun loving, modest person who loves practical jokes. His determination, seriousness in whatever he tackles and his quest for knowledge is balanced with a love for humour. He is a typical Italian/South African who loves his mother’s and grandparents food. One of his loves in life is to walk in the forests and pick "porcini". He enjoys travelling abroad to see the different ways of life, and as one can guess he is fanatical about sport.  On top of his list he is first and foremost a Ferrarista.  Juventus, Ac Milan and Udinese (in this order) are his favourite soccer clubs, and if Manchester United is not attempting to dethrone an Italian team, then he will support this  premiership side. It goes without saying that anyone representing Italy or the Azzurri has his dedicated and passionate fan base. He praises  Italian golfers, especially Matteo Manassero and what he has achieved at such an young age. The same has to be said for any South African side, be it athletics, waterpolo or soccer. However, when it comes to rugby, and especially cricket, you cannot tear him away from the Proteas and Springboks. Strangely enough he is an ardent supporter of the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.
 
Gianluca’s leadership qualities are probably where he will want to steer his future career, either in the engineering or accounting fields. He subtly reminds us that he will one day exercise his skills at Scuderia Ferrari.  He has been invited to attend the International Youth Leadership Conference in June 2013. He cannot wait for the opportunity to experience first hand the debate at the United Nations.

Gianluca is extremely proud of his heritage and will always strive to do his best.  

St Johns College: a brief historic profile     

St John's College was founded in Johannesburg on 1 August 1898 and is an Anglican school. It was founded by Rev. John Darragh the rector of St Mary's Anglican Church, Eloff Street, Johannesburg. He persuaded his parish council of the need to establish an Anglican school for boys. His curate Rev. JL Hodgson was appointed the first Headmaster. The first classes started in a house in Plein Street, Johannesburg with two desks and seven pupils aged six to 14. However the school was forced to close a year later at the end of 1899 owing to the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War. St John's re-opened in 1902 two months after the signing of the peace treaty, and grew rapidly under Rev. Hodgson and eight staff. Soon there were 180 boys which was too many for the Plein Street premises, and St John's moved to larger premises in a wood and iron building near the Union Grounds between Joubert Park and the old Wanderers (now Johannesburg’s main railway station).
However, the British colonial government under Lord Milner was ideologically opposed to private schools, believing that they were not beneficial to society. Over the next few years the school’s enrolment plummeted as a result of policies introduced by the Transvaal administration, including the creation of public schools (such as King Edward VII School) within a short distance of their private counterparts. By 1903 45 state schools were open across Johannesburg.

In 1904 the St Mary’s parish was relieved of the responsibility for StJC which became a Dioscesan institution. However by 1905 St John’s was facing closure, and an approach was made by the Diocesan Board of Education to the Community of the Resurrection (an Anglo Catholic order of missionary priests and lay brothers) to take over the school. In 1906 Father James Nash became the new headmaster and oversaw the move north out of the city to the current site on 56 acres (230,000 m2) across Houghton Ridge.

In 1907 the School had opened in Houghton and accepted its first boarders. By then it had 100 boys, and four College houses had been instituted: Nash, Thomson, Alston and Rakers (which became Hill in 1910).

Sir Herbert Baker designed the new Houghton school buildings and initially used rough-hewn quartzite quarried on the site, but subsequently rock was sourced from Krugersdorp and hand-chased by Maltese craftsmen. The school is arranged around a number of quadrangles, each with its cloisters. Leonard Fleming later worked with Baker on certain of the buildings.

The College has two chapels, a main one and a crypt chapel. Construction began in 1915 on the Crypt Chapel designed by Frank Fleming as a foundation for the main chapel. The Crypt Chapel seats about 100 pupils, and is adjacent to the Garden of Remembrance. Each House of the College has a week in which it is to attend the chapel service in the crypt. Above the Crypt Chapel is the War Memorial Chapel. The superstructure was completed in 1925 and dedicated in 1926 to commemorate staff and pupils who fell in battle. Inside the War Memorial Chapel is the Delville Wood (All Souls) Memorial Chapel, which houses one of only five Delville Wood crosses in the world. It seats about 500 pupils, including staff, and has a fully functioning pipe organ and a choir gallery at the rear of the chapel above the main entrance. Its pipe organ is the largest of its kind in South Africa. The War Memorial Chapel has an "M" engraved into one of its outside walls. This bears a great significance to the political and educational front in South Africa as it records Lord Milner's concession that his policy was wrong and that private schools had a place in society.