Zaria Muirhead

A longrunning rivalry, a passion for her studies and a love of community has driven Zaria Muirhead far in life.

The 17yearold deputy head girl is an active member of her school kapa haka group, the school choir, the council and excels in her studies.

She enjoys the community feel of kapa haka group, even though getting up on stage could be nervewracking.

Despite her anxieties, she really enjoys performing and likes getting immersed in her team’s production.

It was a very social group which learned routines in unique ways, which she really enjoyed.

One method they used for learning songs and chants was to sit in a dark room and listen to an instructor then repeat the words back to them.

It is a style of learning she had not found elsewhere.

As a New Zealand European she feels lucky to have grown up and share in Maori culture.

She also enjoys singing in the school choir, which was a different style of community.

She finds choir to be more about spending time with friends than learning the discipline of Kapa Haka.

Together they are two sides of the same coin which stem from her love of music.

That passion had led her into roles of responsibility.

As well as deputy head girl, Zaria acted as a school cultural leader and was responsible for helping out with school events, like the planning of school

Talent Quest.

She is also cocaptain of her netball team, which allows her to get to know girls in different year levels and travel around the region with them.

Part of what drove her was a loving rivalry with her older sister, Kayla.

Being three years younger, Zaria always wanted to try and oneup her sister.

She is very academically driven and enjoys trying to improve her grades.

She is still uncertain about her future, but wants to go to the University of

Otago and hopes to keep shooting for high grades there.

Achievements: Deputy head girl (2022); cultural leader (2022); board of trustees student rep (2022); Kapa Haka blue (2021); top year 12 maths (2021); academic achievement award (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020); science and biology award (2021); year 12 academic excellence award (2021); Senior A netball cocaptain (2022); Polyfest (2017, 2019, 2021), Grade 5 music theory exam distinction (2021). Role model: Her older sister Kayla. Hopes for the future: To continue her studies at the University of Otago.