School dux wants to fight inequality via her career

• Published date: 02 December 2022
• Publication title: Oamaru Mail

The Waimate High School dux will begin a bachelor of arts degree majoring in sociology and Maori and indigenous studies at the University of Canterbury next year

Inequality — be it based on race, income, or neurodiversity— was a problem she hoped to help people overcome.

‘‘That’s my overall goal in my career,’’ she said.

She was excited to be named dux, as although she studied hard it was competitive and she had not been expecting it.

This year she studied English, statistics, chemistry, biology and painting.

Painting was a relaxing subject, and she enjoyed the academic challenge of maths and science, but the social issues raised in works her English class made it her favourite subject.

Finding a balance between school work, her part-time job, and social activities had been the biggest challenge of the year.

‘‘Obliviously I wanted to hang out with my friends, but I really wanted to do well in school,’’ she said.

However, her favourite revision technique managed to combine studying and spending time with friends. This was to talk over what they had been learning.

‘‘If they struggle with it I can explain it to them, and it also helps me better understand it.’’

Outside of school she...