Excellence everyday for 12 students

• Published date: 04 December 2020
• Date: 04 December 2020
• Publication title: Horowhenua Chronicle

The following are citation notes read out before each recipient came forward to accept their award.

Renee Smith — Academia

Renee has been a student at Horowhenua College for the last five years and over this time has shown herself to be an excellent scholar with a very good work ethic. In 2020 Renee completed a very successful year as Deputy Head Girl where she displayed excellent leadership skills.

Renee is a high academic achiever and is on track to achieve NCEA Level 3 with excellence endorsement. Previously in 2019, she also gained her NCEA Level 2 with excellence endorsement and at the same time gained three merit course endorsements and one excellence endorsement.

In her senior years, Renee has focused on the sciences and has become very proficient in biology, physics and chemistry. Renee’s science talents were recognised when she was chosen to represent Horowhenua College at the Otago University Advanced School Sciences Academy. Renee was also chosen as a participant at the Sir Paul Callaghan Eureka Young Science Leaders event.

Renee is an active member of the Student Volunteer Army having logged 76 hours of service. She has collected for Heart Foundation, Daffodil Day and local foodbanks.

Renee is planning to use her scholarship toward the costs of attending university.

Kate Nicholson — Academia

Kate is a top scholar and a very motivated Year 13 student at Waiopehu College. She has enjoyed all that her college years have offered, always working hard to achieve outstanding results. Kate’s academic ability has been recognised with Academic Dux awards in every year at college to date.

In 2018, Kate achieved NCEA Level 1 with an excellence endorsement earning subject endorsements in every class. In 2019 Kate achieved NCEA Level 2, again with an excellence endorsement. Although the 2020 NCEA results have not yet been published Kate has enough credits to qualify for a Level 3 excellence endorsement.

Kate has shown good leadership skills in serving as both the secretary and treasurer of the Waiopehu College Student Executive.

She has been involved in many co-curricular activities including netball, football, surfing and Stage Challenge. Kate is also a proficient piano player, having played since she was five. More recently she gained a distinction in Grade 2 Piano Music Theory and merit in Grade 1 Piano Music Performance.

Kate is planning to use her scholarship toward university accommodation costs.

Carter Maddock — Academia

Carter is a capable and conscientious student at Horowhenua College who works hard to achieve excellent results. Carter’s work ethic and motivation have seen her consistently achieve academic results to a very high standard.

Carter has achieved NCEA Level 1 and Level 2 endorsed with excellence. In 2019 she also achieved two courses endorsed with excellence, History and Social Studies, and two courses endorsed with merit — Mathematics and English. At the 2019 college prizegiving Carter was awarded first place for Level 2 English, and placed second for both Social Studies and History.

Carter was selected for the 2020 School Prefect team where she led the Social Action portfolio. This year Carter was also nominated for an HDC Youth Excellence Award in Community Service. Carter has a very well developed community conscience, as shown with her voluntary service with a local foodbank, the Cancer Society, the Heart Foundation, Amnesty International and the Fill-a-Shoe Box Christmas project.

In 2020 Carter’s work as a volunteer student leader for the 40 hour Famine earnedher a...