10-Year-Old Cassidy Hendricks wows Premier Winde with reading skills

Lotus River’s very own reading superstar, 10-year-old Cassidy Hendricks, got a special surprise this week when Western Cape Premier Alan Winde visited her at home to wish her luck for an important competition.

Cassidy, a Grade 4 learner, has been chosen as the only finalist from the Western Cape to take part in the South African Literacy Association’s (SALA) annual reading competition. This means she will represent the whole province!

Reading has always been Cassidy’s favourite thing to do. By the age of eight she could already spell more than 459 words and was happily reading long classics like Oliver Twist. These days, she’s hooked on Greek mythology stories about gods, heroes and magical creatures that many adults find difficult to read!

Her journey with SALA has been exciting too. She came second in 2022, won the competition in 2023, and after taking a short break last year, she’s back stronger than ever. This year, Cassidy will be reading from Charlotte’s Web, a much-loved story about a clever spider and her piglet friend.

During Premier Winde’s visit, Cassidy gave him a sneak peek of her practice reading. She may be a little shy, but as soon as she opened the book, her words came alive, filling the room with excitement.

Her grandmother and coach, Brenda Tommy, watched proudly. “Very few kids, in fact even adults, can read on a level like this,” she said. “She insists on reading Greek mythology. If every child could have this type of passion for books, the world would be a better place.”

Premier Winde was amazed. “The Cassidy Challenge should be a thing!” he said. “If you can find a love for reading, you’ll be settled for life. Look at Elon Musk he read six to ten books a week when he was young. Cassidy makes us all proud, and I want her to bring it home for the Western Cape.”

Cassidy admitted to the Weekend Argus that she was nervous when the Premier first stepped into their front yard, but soon she relaxed. With her bright smile and her love for books, she is ready to take on the competition stage.

tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za

Weekend Argus