Hudson Park High School grade 11 pupil Lezario Passmore won a silver medal at the SA National Geography Olympiad (Sango) 2025, outsmarting nearly 2,000 other bright sparks across the country.
Sango is an online olympiad, featuring multiple-choice questions covering a wide range of topics related to geography.
Lezario ranked in the top 10% out of 1,883 participants from 110 schools across the country.
He said winning a silver medal felt like standing at the summit of a mountain he had dreamed of climbing for years.
“It is not just a medal, it’s the weight of thousands of map lines I’ve traced with wonder, every late night study session, every question I asked out of curiosity rather than obligation.” he said.
Being placed in the top 10% was a humbling experience for him, he said.
“I feel proud, but more than that I feel deeply inspired.
“This achievement isn’t the end; it’s a compass pointing towards greater horizons,” the determined young pupil said.
The competition’s different tasks were challenging and required participants to answer questions on geographical themes including climate, hazards, resources, landforms, tourism, population, and environmental, agricultural, economic, development, urban, and cultural geography.
Lezario said: “We were challenged with a range of tasks that tested both our knowledge and critical thinking and some questions involved solving real world geographic thinking to complex scenarios and that is what made it so engaging and rewarding.
“Some questions were topics outside of my comfort zone but I saw those moments as chances to grow rather than obstacles.
“I stayed focused on doing my best and treated it as an opportunity to enjoy what I love doing.
“I went in with the mindset of learning, giving it my all regardless of how tough the other participants were.
“When you are truly passionate about something you don’t worry too much about who’s around you.”
Lezario participated in the Olympiad last year but did not win a medal, which he said pushed him to go all out this year.
He added: “This medal holds deep meaning for me, not just as a symbol of achievement but as a reflection of who I am becoming.
“Geography has always been more than a subject to me. It’s a way of understanding life, people and the invisible thread that connects everything.
“Winning this medal feels like recognition of that inner drive, questioning patterns, exploring cultures and dreaming beyond borders.
“It tells me that I’m on the right path and that my curiosity has a place in the world.
“I feel encouraged to keep reaching further.”
His proud teacher, Erin Lentz, said Lezario’s achievement had put Hudson High in the top percentile of schools nationally for geography.
“He has put our school on the map and given the other learners permission to aim high and become involved with their subjects in ways that transcend the classroom,” Lentz said.
To cement Hudson’s status in the top 1% nationally for geography, the school said it would build on incorporating quizzes and activities similar to the olympiad in classes.
Lentz has also created her own version of 30 Seconds- style geography quiz cards to prepare pupils to make quick connections between practical application and theory.
This will be vital as the school prepares for the grade 8 and 9 geography Olympiad on September 16.
