9 minute read
Senior Prize Giving top awards
CELEBRATING THE successes
OF OUR STUDENTS
If the last three years have taught us anything it is carpe diem –seize the day and make the most of these moments before the next curve ball comes our way.
The speaker at the recent Sport Awards, Sulu Fitzpatrick, reminded us that life is not always played in a straight line, that disappointments, roadblocks and failures can be as frequent as successes. But, especially in the examples of people we only know remotely, we are often unaware of that. It can seem to us on the outside that success comes easily to successful people. Sulu was courageously honest in her retelling of her story and the struggles she faced in getting into the Silver Ferns, being dropped after 15 minutes of court time and fighting to regain her place. The most telling thing she said in my opinion was that she came to realise if she was a good person off the court she would be a good person on it; that being a decent person could and would affect the way she trained and played and the team member she would be. Translate that into the school setting, and being honest, respectful, empathetic and a person of integrity will impact on the way you learn. It may not mean you are automatically School Dux, but it will mean you are able to be satisfied with your achievements, can genuinely celebrate the achievements of others, have fun and enjoy the learning and the journey you are on.
I look around tonight at all our successful students – it is for that we acknowledge them tonight. My hope for you all is that you are enjoying the journey, and that at the end of the day when you look in the mirror you are satisfied with the way you have lived the day. And for those of you who will not walk across the stage tonight, the advice remains the same: the world needs good people and everything else will fall into place after that.
It is my pleasure to welcome you all – students, staff, parents, grandparents, invited guests. I hope you enjoy the music, the speeches, the awards, and most of all celebrating the contributions of all the senior pupils at Diocesan for 2022.
Margaret van Meeuwen Head of Senior School
Eliza Edwards Award - Lola Wood
Eliza Edwards Memorial Award
We congratulate Lola Wood on being the recipient of the Eliza Edwards Memorial Award for 2022. This is awarded to a student leaving the School who throughout her schooling has contributed to many school activities, shown high personal standards, and has exhibited the qualities inherent in the foundation of the School. Named after former headmistress Eliza Edwards, the qualities that define it are etched on the window at the back of the Chapel. Lola embraces those qualities: ‘love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, humility, faithfulness and self-control’.
Lola is an outstanding young woman; intelligent, articulate and a natural leader whether that be as Selwyn House Leader or on the football pitch with the 1st XI. She makes others around her feel important and through her commitment and deeds, peers have recognised and appreciated the huge contribution she has given to them and to Dio. Lola is kind and empathetic, always approachable and a tremendous role model to younger students.
Dio’s 2022 Duxes, from left to right: Erica Hu (IB Dux), Amie Cummack and Lucy Russ (joint NCEA Duxes) and Ella Riley (Proxime Accessit). LEARNING
The IB Dux for 2022 is Erica Hu
Erica Hu has completed the Diploma with distinction this year, and we expect her final score to be well in excess of 40 points out of the possible 45. Erica is prepared to put in 100% effort and her teachers note her willingness and self-discipline to continually challenge herself to achieve at the highest level. The creativity, activity and service (CAS) requirement of the Diploma challenges students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning. This was most evident in Erica’s effort to learn braille and make a card game for blind people. This demonstrated her commitment to the service aspect of this course. Erica also sought opportunities to challenge herself, such as working with children to teach them science. Outside of the classroom Erica is fully involved in the instrumental music programmes, particularly the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. Erica will study at the University of Otago with a Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship in 2023. Congratulations Erica!
The NCEA Dux for 2022 is a joint award to Amie Cummack and Lucy Russ
Amie Cummack is no stranger to academic success. Since arriving at Diocesan in Year 7, Amie has crossed the stage many times to receive awards across a range of academic subjects, culminating in the joint NCEA Dux. Her teachers use words like exceptional, focused, committed and perceptive to describe her. But what they most appreciate from Amie is her willingness to question and her intelligent contributions in class that raise the level of the discussion for everyone. This year Amie was one of 25 students in New Zealand who attended the training camp for the NZ Bio Olympiad, a magnificent achievement that recognised her love of the sciences. Amie has been the Academic Prefect this year and she has risen to the challenge of leading the council with good humour, collaborative leadership and approaching challenges with bravery and bold risk taking – always a bonus in the COVID environment. Alongside her outstanding academic success, Amie has been a long-term member of the Kapa Haka, handbells, Dio Cantoris and the DioVersity group. Amie heads to the University of Auckland next year on a Top Achiever’s Scholarship. Congratulations Amie!
Lucy Russ is a Dio Champion in more ways than one – not only has she been at Diocesan for all of her schooling, she has excelled academically. Her Year 1 report complimented her on being able to count forwards and backwards to 20! By Year 13 she has shown the rare ability to succeed at the highest level across all areas of the curriculum, having completed Level 3 courses in English, languages, sciences, mathematics and social sciences. Lucy showed us just how talented she is by receiving her Gold Scholars’ Award this year after achieving three scholarship passes as a Year 12 student in 2021. This is a feat normally achieved as a Year 13 student. Lucy’s teachers are in awe of the breadth and depth of her knowledge, but also with her willingness to debate and question wider concepts. Most importantly, Lucy’s strong moral compass guides her and enables her to consider a wide number of views and perspectives. Lucy has been heavily involved in the wider life of the School in debating and mooting, as a chapel reader, as part of national winning cross country and orienteering teams, and this year she led the Ethics Council as their prefect. Lucy has been awarded an Academic Excellence Scholarship from the University of Otago for 2023. Congratulations Lucy!
Proxime Accessit to the Dux for 2022 is Ella Riley
Ella has spent all her years of education thus far at Diocesan, and in that time she has fully embraced every opportunity she has been offered. This year Ella has been Deputy Head Prefect, and has led the School with enthusiasm, maturity and with clear communication. It is inspiring that Ella has maintained outstanding academic results alongside her leadership responsibilities and her contribution to the wider life of the School, principally in the arts. Ella is a member of the Symphony Orchestra, the Concert Band and choirs Dio Cantoris and the St Cecilia Singers. Ella’s academic talents extend across the curriculum from drama to biology, from statistics to English. That broad ability and enjoyment of a range of subjects means that her future can take her in multiple directions. Ella is an outstanding Dio graduate who is heading to Victoria University next year with a Raukaraka Scholarship. Congratulations Ella!
The Heritage Foundation Dorothy Shrewsbury Bursary - Christina Cai
The Heritage Foundation Dorothy Shrewsbury Bursary - Alexandra Graney
Named after a former headmistress Miss Shrewsbury, this bursary is awarded to the top academic student in Year 12.
This year it is awarded to two students, one from the IB Programme and one from NCEA, congratulations to Christina Cai and Alexandra Graney.
IB Diploma Learner Profile Award
This is awarded to a student in Year 13, who, throughout the two years of the Diploma, has consistently demonstrated the attributes of the IB Learner Profile. The recipient of this award is Daniella Kassir.
The IB Learner Profile can be considered as a map of a lifelong journey in pursuit of international mindedness. It aims to develop active, compassionate and lifelong learners and to prepare students to make exceptional contributions both at school and beyond.
The IB mission is to encourage students to be inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, openminded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective, thus educating the whole person for a life of active, responsible citizenship.
Board Academic Scholarships
Year 11
Sydney Bell Amelia Frear Ruby Hollister Zoe Wong Amanda Yu
Year 12
Christina Cai Alexandra Graney Rebecca Hounsell Alex Wackrow
Arts Scholarship
The recipient of this scholarship demonstrates an exceptional level of skill in their chosen discipline and has had success at national level. This student displays a positive attitude and is fully involved in the Diocesan arts programme, including representing the School in competitions and events, and demonstrating a commitment to the wider arts culture within the School. The Arts Scholarship for 2022 is awarded to Elizabeth Peters.
Sports Scholarship
This year this scholarship will be awarded at the Junior High School Prize Giving.
Principal’s Awards
Up to eight Principal’s Awards are made for each year level to a student who, through her dedication and contribution to her studies and to others, has demonstrated:
Reliability and commitment, creative thinking and innovation, resilience and persistence in accepting challenges, personal excellence and demonstration of the School motto Ut Serviamus.
Year 11
Alexandra
Fletcher Charlotte Hannah Emma Imrutai Gillian Le Sienna Payne Riley Shrive Ruhani Thakur May Wang
Year 12
Grace Allan Felicity Bannatyne Jessica Barclay Georgia Broadbent-
Berge Georgia Haskell Sydney Sparks Maddison Tongue Grace Wellington
Year 13
Alyssa Callander Josephine Christie Sophie Gardiner Piper Grammer Millie Quin Bethany Simmonds Caitlin Tam Sunny Zhang
2022 and 2023 Head Prefects, from left to right: 2022 Head Prefect Emma Parton, 2023 Head Prefect Aniva Clarke, 2023 Deputy Head Prefect Samantha Smith and 2022 Deputy Head Prefect Ella Riley
Head Prefects for 2023
At Senior Prize Giving, the Head Prefect and Deputy Head Prefect for 2023 were announced. They are Aniva Clarke and Samantha Smith respectively.
Arts Awards
Sports Awards
Senior Prize Giving
Scan these QR codes to see the full list of prize winners.
www.lindesayconstruction.co.nz
