At the recent Roncalli College Prizegiving, Hyeokjun (Jun) Kwon swept the field in a marvellous display of academic success.

With typical trademark humbleness, Jun accepted a raft of prestigious awards culminating being crowned Dux of the College for 2019 and receiving the Mr and Mrs J Matheson Cup. Previously Jun's extreme talent was evidenced across a range of subjects including Biology, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics and Statistics. What is more impressive is that Jun also received the Pavletich Cup for First in NCEA Level 3 History, an amazing feat for a student where English is a second language, and excelled in Stage 1 Mathematics papers through the University of Canterbury.

Among these prizes Jun also received scholarships from both the University of Otago (for Dux) and University of Canterbury (the International First Year Scholarship for academic achievement, leadership potential and involvement in cultural, sport or community activities, worth $15 000). 

Arriving in 2016 as a Year 10 student, Jun quickly impressed with his natural academic talent. His intelligence and dedication to achieve to the best of his ability has been inspiring, as a Year 13 student choosing to study six academic subjects plus a university stage one Mathematics paper. 

The small, family environment that typifies Roncalli, mixing with staff and students alike, soon brought out his unique sense of humour with a quick wit and dry smile. The Maths staff will miss his passionate deconstruction of exams, his gentle approach to finding 'deliberate' mistakes, and who can forget the quiz he developed to bamboozle the Maths Department let alone the rest of the staff!!

As Jun considers offers from St Andrews, Bristol, Manchester and University College of London, and prepares for his interview at Oxford, we wish him success and happiness. 

Remember, Jun, you are always part of a special group of people, you are a Roncallian!