NCW scholarship winner honours women’s suffrage
Kate Sheppard chosen for her role in ‘significant event’
Whanganui High School s t udent Brianna Walker has won the i naugural Wynne Costley Research Scholarship.
The award was presented at a f unction organised by t he Whanganui branch of the National Council of Women (NCW) to celebrate the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage.
Wynne Costley, a long-time member of NCW, a teacher of English, Latin and French, and a staunch advocate for women, believed strongly in encouraging students to aim high academically.
The scholarship was open to all students who had completed a research assignment during the year on a New Zealand woman, or women, who had contributed or was still contributing in a distinctly defi nable way to s oci et y, Whanganui branch presi dent Jenny Saywood said.
Subjects c hosen by t he Whanganui High, Whanganui Collegiate and Whanganui Intermediate school students included Kate Sheppard, Jean Batten, Dr Emily Siedeberg and Lesley Elliot.
The senior prizewinners were Brianna Walker ( 1), Hannah Lawler (2) and Rhian Robertson (merit) with Olivia Bedwell and Sophie Bedwell placed equal first in the junior section.
Brianna was the overall winner, receiving $500 and a trophy in addition to the $500 for winning the senior category.
“If Wynne had been here she would have been thrilled to think that her branch of NCWNZ were recognising the endeavours of t hese bri ght young women,” Saywood said.
Brianna, 17, wrote her essay about Kate Sheppard and the suffrage movement.
“I thought it was a really significant event for our country,” Brianna said.
“It’s really important to our history and world history in general. I’m proud that our country allowed women to have that right to vote.
“I was overwhelmed because I didn’t think I’d win. I’m really grateful that I had the opportunity to win it because it will help a lot next year when I go to university.”
Brianna will study law at Victoria University of Wellington and plans a career in criminal law.
To acknowledge the 125th year of suffrage, NCW put together a display of Whanganui women who were involved at the time of the suffrage movement and made a s i gnif i c ant c ontri buti on to Whanganui.
Margaret Campion, who did the research, spoke at the function about the women’s work.