Taranaki Diocesan School names student leaders for 2024
Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls’ 2024 head girl is Karleigh Moir and the deputy head girl is Tatjana Hanne.
Karleigh, 17, says being named head girl is an honour she is thrilled to have received.
“It’s been an aim of mine since I started at school here. I really admired the student leaders then, and looked up to them, so it became something I wanted to do one day, seeing the way they supported the younger students and were so involved in all the parts of school life. I am looking forward to now being that person for the other students here.”
Karleigh, who attended Kakaramea Primary School and Patea Area School before joining Taranaki Diocesan in Year 9, says she loves the sense of community at Taranaki Diocesan.
“It’s a really family-orientated and inclusive school. We are encouraged to give things a try and given lots of opportunity to explore ideas and subjects that interest us.”
For Karleigh, those subjects in Year 13 include chemistry, biology and physics as well as statistics and English.
“I probably enjoy biology and English the most out of those, but I like all of them.”
After she completes Year 13 at the end of 2024 Karleigh plans to head to Massey University to study veterinary science.
“I plan to become a large animal vet, specifically in the dairy industry. I love animals, and have grown up on a farm, and over the years have
seen just how vital vets are for farms. Being a dairy vet will mean I am able to support farmers, because the animals on their farms are the core of their business, it’s their life.”
Whether working on the farm or tramping around the maunga, the outdoors are Karleigh’s happy place, she says.
“Overall I am an outdoors person. I do a lot of tramping, and I play netball and hockey.”
She is also a member of the Ha¯ wera Brass Band, where she plays tenor horn.
The past four years at Taranaki Diocesan have been packed with great experiences, she says, and she’s looking forward to one last year of memory making.
“I think one absolute highlight so far was the year ten camp at TOPEC [Taranaki Outdoor Pursuits & Education Centre], that was a lot of fun.”
Taranaki Diocesan School gives students plenty of opportunities to have fun and challenge themselves, she says, and her advice to younger students is to grab every opportunity possible.
“Take all the opportunities when you see them. Some only come around once, so don’t hesitate. Give things a go and see what happens.”
Tatjana, 15, says one of those opportunities offered to students was in 2022, when she was a Year 10.
“As the seniors went onto exam leave, our Year 10 group was given the chance to be student leaders, helping out with the Year 9s and organising fun events. It was really good and gave me an idea of what student leadership is like at Dio.”
Tatjana, who attended St Joseph’s
Stratford before Taranaki Diocesan, says the best way to meet people and make new friends is by getting involved with things.
“I am a member of the No 48 Squadron Air Cadet unit as well as the Stratford District Youth Council. Both of these groups give me lots of chances to help in the community through volunteering. I also volunteer at Womad helping in the kids zone.”
Taranaki Diocesan students are encouraged to volunteer their time and skills, she says.
“For example we help with the Women’s Refuge annual appeal. I really like how the school encourages us all to become community-minded and to find ways to help. It’s not just the learning we do in each lesson at school, but the chance to learn from doing by volunteering.”
The learning Tatjana has gained from those volunteer opportunities have helped her realise what sort of job she wants after school, she says.
“I don’t know for sure what I will do exactly, but I know I want to be in a career where I can make a difference to people and communities. Maybe in the defence force or the health services, or maybe youth work.”