ACADEMIC AWARDS

Last week we held our formal Academic Awards assembly. This was an opportunity to recognise our top academic achievers of 2023 and showcase their achievements. Former student and Head Prefect, Niamh O'Donnell was our guest speaker and she gave some powerful messages for all students to take on board. She graduated from Waimate High School in 2017 in Year 13 and was named Dux and received the B. P Blampied Dux Scholarship, The University of Otago Dux Scholarship and she was also awarded the University of Otago Academic Excellence Entrance Scholarship, University of Otago Prestige Scholarship in the Arts, and the Ministry of Defence Freyberg Scholarship to help her towards tertiary study.

She then embarked on her tertiary study journey at the University of Otago, studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics and a Master of International Studies with Distinction from the University of Otago.

After graduating Niamh now works in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in Wellington. She works in a team that advises on events and developments relevant to New Zealand's national security and international relations.

Congratulations to the following students on excellent achievements:

Students who have gained subject Achieved Endorsement in more than 3 subjects at a particular level.

Rua Taupo – L1 - Science, English History

Reigven Bok – L1 – PE, Science, Visual Art, Maths and Statistics

Jayla Davis – Science, Agriculture, PE, Geography

Dan Patterson – PE, Science, Maths and Statistics

Jayden Stevens – Science, Maths and Statistics, English, Geography

Annaleise Cromie – Food Technology, Biology, ESS

Lauchie Douglas – Physical Education, History, English

Chad Jalac – Classics, ESS, English, Economicsby DL

Ruby Shortus – Agriculture, Maths, Geography, Physics

Ken Calderon – Absent PE, Maths, Physics

Logan Clarkson – Absent English, Classics, Photography

Students who have gained subject Merit Endorsement certificates have gained 14 or more credits at Merit or Excellence in a subject at a particular level.

Level 1 Merit subject endorsements:

Maddison Matthews – PE

Jayden Stevens – Digital, History

Level 2 Merit subject endorsements:

Evie Anderson – English, History

Leslie Del Mundo - English

Nadia Ferreira – Food Technology, Geography

Jashlie Gascon - Food Technology

Karys McKenzie – Biology, Chemistry, English

Arwen O’Donnell – Chemistry, Geography

Ericka Peji – Biology, PE, Physics

Micah Roberts - Food Technology

Antonie Sceglinskas - Food Technology, Geography, Maths and Statistics

Georgia Soper - Food Technology, Geography, Maths and Statistics

Isiah Sy - Food Technology, Geography, English

Danielle Woods – Chemistry, History, Maths and Statistics

Mia Tagaloa – Photography 

Level 3 Merit subject endorsements:

Jack Gillespie - Statistics

Danelle Rens - Chemistry, Physics

Kate Toomey-Smith – Painting

Level 1 Excellence subject endorsements:

Rua Taupo - PE

Sam Hobart - PE

Emily Cooney - PE

Level 2 Excellence subject endorsements:

Abbie Joyce – Food Technology

Karys McKenzie - Food Technology

Arwen O’Donnell - Painting

Ericka Peji - Food Technology

Georgia Soper - PE

Mia Tagaloa – History

Level 3 Excellence subject endorsements:

Jack Gillespie – Chemistry, Geography

Tarona Taafaki – History

The next students who have achieved NCEA certificate endorsements receive a full colour. They are presented with a WHS certificate and colour badges. They receive a gold badge for endorsements with Excellence and silver for Endorsement with Merit.

To gain a Merit Endorsement, students need to have achieved at least 50 credits with Merit or better across all subjects. To gain an Excellence Endorsement students needed to have achieved at least 50 credits with Excellence across all their subjects.

NCEA Level 1 Certificates endorsed with Merit:

Emily Cooney

Jayden Stevens

NCEA Level 2 Certificates endorsed with Merit:

Evie Anderson

Nadia Ferreira

Antonie Sceglinskas

Georgia Soper

Isiah Sy

Sajin Tamang

Mia Tagaloa

Danielle Woods

NCEA Level 3 Certificates endorsed with Merit:

Danelle Rens

NCEA Level 2 Certificates endorsed with Excellence:

Karys McKenzie

Arwen O’Donnell

Ericka Peji

NCEA Level 3 Certificates endorsed with Excellence:

Jack Gillespie

Rebecca Saunders-Tack