Meet our 2022 Student Leaders!

Macy Morgan

Hi Everyone!
I’m Macy Morgan and I’m super excited to be one of your Head Students this year. We have heaps of cool ideas and it’ll be great to get to know you all. A little bit about me; I was born in Wellington but moved to Nelson when I was five and spent 8 great years at Māpua School. It’s super cool to have some other Māpua kids in the leadership team this year as well as getting to know others from the year group.
I live with my Mum, Dad and sister Edie who is in Year 11 this year. I have a very old dog called Marley and the ponies Rangi, Harry and Sweetie. This year I am taking Biology, History, English, Chemistry and Classics. I really enjoy the writing subjects and Classics is my favourite. I wish I had room to take more arts subjects though - I love painting in my spare time. I’d love to endorse this year with excellence, and think I’ll study a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and a Bachelor of Arts at Vic next year.
Outside of school I work at Connings and enjoy horse-riding/dressage, op-shopping and wharf-jumping. During my time at Waimea I’ve made the most of the great opportunities we have access to like the Speech Competitions, the Junior Leader programme and Get2Go as well as many others. As a Head Student this year I’m looking forward to getting others involved in extra-curriculars they’ll love. I’m hoping to be a friendly face around the school this year and help to make 2022 a fun, successful year for Waimea College. 

Izzy Thurlow

Hi! I’m Izzy Thurlow and I’m so excited to be one of Waimea’s Head Students for 2022.
Before coming to Waimea College in year 9, I attended Māpua School for 8 years. I have lived just out of Māpua my whole life and am very proud to call the Whakatū area my home. I have three siblings, Milly, Bryn, and Kady who have either been students at Waimea in previous years or are still there now. My Parents Karla and Ben also went to Waimea College back in their day!
This year I am taking Classics, Psychology, Economics, Physics, and Statistics. My academic goal for the year is to endorse with excellence. At the moment I am aiming to study Radiology at ARA next year but am also interested in radiation therapy or paramedics. I want to have a fulfilling job where I can help people every day and make people smile.
Sporting wise, I play netball in the Senior A school team and have also just recently been named in the Te Waipounamu (South Island) Under-19 Māori netball team which I’m stoked about because I can meet new people, become a better netball player and be more involved in my culture all at once. I am a keen runner and swimmer as well as an occasional fill in for hockey games.
I hope to make a positive impact on the Waimea community this year and use my role as Head Student to bring our school closer together. I can’t wait to work with my Head Student team to make this year a great one.

Briea Anderson

Kia Ora, I’m Briea Anderson and I am super excited to be one of the Head Students for 2022 alongside the rest of the amazing team. I am looking forward to help grow all the aspects within our school's community and see what awesome things we can achieve this year!
To get to know me; I was born here in Nelson, New Zealand where I attended Richmond Primary School, Waimea Intermediate and now Waimea College. I have been lucky enough to have spent lots of time travelling overseas, making my way around Europe and living in the UK.
Alongside travelling, I am a passionate dancer and dance tutor who has dedicated 13 years to the dance studio! As well as dance, I enjoy exercise/fitness, art, sport, socialising with friends and family, and making memories! This year I am taking Statistics, Biology, Psychology, Dance and Health. As for future studies, I plan on studying sports science, specialising in sports psychology and nutrition in 2023 which I am thrilled about!
My goals for this year are focusing on my academics/scholarships (and hopefully an endorsement) as well as making the most of my final year at school, being a smiley and approachable person around school, and role model for all who helps to maintain a positive environment here at Waimea College where future leaders can grow and succeed! I am passionate about including all, creating leaders, and looking after one another. I wish you all the best for this year and I can't wait to see you all around school!

Baxter Richards

Kia ora Guys, I’m Baxter Richards and I am really looking forward to being a part of your Head Student team for 2022. My aim for the year is to get as many people as possible at Waimea to have a good time. Born in Wellington Hospital as the eldest child of my two mums, who would have another son Otto two years later, before moving down to Nelson at the age of four. To leave the bustling and busy city lives my parents decided to move to a large patch of land in Dovedale where we would grow peonies to help with some city life escapism. Not long after settling down in Nelson my youngest brother Bruno was born. Up until my time at Waimea I had only ever attended small country schools, so when I walked through those white gates for the first time there was this immense culture shock. Since I started at Waimea I have been as involved as mush as possible in the Music Department, and this year I am arranging two charts for the Waimea College Jazz band/ensemble. This year the subjects that I am taking are Music, Painting, English, History and Drama. In 2023 I am hoping to study law at Canterbury, and potentially work at community law firms. On my last day of Year 8 my teacher told “give everything possible a try, you always regret the shots you don’t take.” Those words have stuck with me because I think that it is the perfect mindset for college as it is the time where our opportunities are there for the taking.

Jaxon James

Kia ora everyone, my name is Jaxon James and I’m thrilled to be a part of your 2022 Head Student team! I am looking forward to all the amazing opportunities this role will bring accompanied by its challenges, as well as the new people I will meet.
A bit about me; I was born in Nelson and lived in Murchison until I was five years old. I attended Richmond Primary School for six years. From there I spent two years at Waimea Intermediate and then transitioned into Waimea College. I come from a loving family of five which includes me, my Dad - Steffan, Mum - Marie, Brother - Kees (who is currently in Year 10 at Waimea College) and my sister - Lily (who is at Richmond Primary School).
Outside of school I play basketball, golf and I love to hang out with friends and family. This year I’m taking Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Calculus and English. My goal is to endorse NCEA Level 3 with Excellence while trying to maintain a balanced lifestyle.
Beyond school, I plan to take medicine at Otago University which will be an entirely new challenge that awaits. I cannot wait for this year; I wish to act as a role model for the younger students at Waimea College and to be a friendly face anyone can approach and chat to. I want to inspire everyone to strive and reach their personal best while increasing the awesome school culture we are lucky enough to have here. To help make my last year here, the best one yet! I look forward to seeing everyone’s smiling faces at school and throughout the community.

Noah Fay

Hi everyone! I’m Noah Fay and I’m super excited to be one of your Head Students alongside five other amazing leaders this year. In 2022 I’m looking forward to being in a position where I can make positive change and help others.
I was born in Dunedin but moved to Mapua with my parents and sister Mia so Nelson has always felt like my home. I went to Mapua School for eight years before coming to Waimea, a school that my youngest sister Zoey still attends.
Outside of school, I work at the Apple Shed Kitchen & Bar in Mapua. I am an avid listener and collector of music in the form of records and CDs. I also have a love of art - both painting and drawing - as well as socialising with friends whenever I get the chance. Over the years at Waimea, I have been part of the Junior Leaders, a Student Librarian and a member of the Debating team. I have also taken part in both the International Buddy programme and the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship at Henley School, though sadly both these opportunities have been put on hold this year due to the current pandemic. This year I am taking Visual Art Design, Physics, English, Business Studies and Design and Visual Communication with a focus on getting Excellence Endorsements where I can.
Throughout the year my goal is for people to see me as a responsible leader but also as someone who is easily approachable and fun.
Beyond Waimea I have plans to study architecture in Wellington with every intention of starting a business sometime in the future. I can't wait for the exciting year ahead of us which is sure to be the best year of school yet.

Leon Caslavsky

Kia ora everyone, my name is Leon Caslavsky, and I'm Student Representative on the Waimea College Board of Trustees. After two years of campaigning, losing by only 7 votes in the 2020 election, I secured the confidence of over 500 Waimea College students in the 2021 election and won.
I've already attended a number of board meetings, but the work really begins this year. I look forward to getting stuck in and advocating for the opinions of the Waimea College student body. It's a tough time for any school, and I look forward to helping us persevere through this pandemic.
On the personal side of things, my parents immigrated to New Zealand from the Czech Republic, and I was born in 2004 at Nelson Hospital. I went to Henley Primary, Waimea Intermediate, and then Waimea College. A lot of the friends I have in my year group I've known since I was 5 or 6 years old.
At school, I study Advanced English, History, Economics, Classics, and I've just picked up the Drama this year on top of it all. I'm enjoying my subjects, and I'm ecstatic to have finally escaped math class, after 12 years of education. Additionally, I'm a member of our Debating Club, and I can't wait to compete in the regionals and (hopefully) crush Nayland. I've also signed up for the Shakespeare competition, where we will be performing Titus Andronicus.
Next year, I aim to study law, along with other courses in economics, political science, and history. I'm planning to attend either Victoria or Auckland University. It will be a great year, and despite all the challenges it will hold, I look forward to it. I intend to make sure to take every opportunity I can and make 2022 unforgettable.