Top students’ efforts recognised
Hard work pays off for Cullinane College trio
Cullinane College, Whanganui, 2023 Proxime Accessit award was shared between Sandra Fernandez and Eloise Bradshaw, dux was Daniel Hiroti.
■ Sandra Fernandez was quite surprised when she found out that she was Proxime Accessit of Cullinane School.
She responded to set questions from Whanganui Midweek.
“My only goal for last year was to get as many excellent credits as I could. Nonetheless, I am still very grateful that I was rewarded with Proxime Accessit,” she said.
“For students aiming for great academic success, they should definitely prioritise time management and keeping up-to-date with all their classes.
“However, they should also find balance, as it is equally important to take care of yourself physically, mentally and spiritually, especially if you want to excel academically.
“I am still debating between studying medicine at Otago University or going overseas to Australia to study there. Once I graduate, I would like to work as a doctor.
“My favourite subject at school was chemistry. I found it to be the most interesting and thought-provoking topic, and I find the concepts relatively easier to understand. It’s just one of those things that seem to fit in my brain perfectly, which I like.
“If I had to pick my favourite teacher, it would probably have to be Miss Smee.
“She always pushed me to the best of my abilities, and frankly, I admire her deep passion for teaching and her intelligence.
“I was fortunate enough to gain a few scholarships. The one I accepted was the Leader’s of Tomorrow scholarship, which is worth $19,500 from Otago University. There are also a few other ones, such as the 140th Anniversary Academic scholarship from the University of Auckland, which I unfortunately had to turn down.
“I look forward to gaining new experiences and surrounding myself in a new environment, which will hopefully, help me grow and step out of my comfort zone,” she said.
Fernandez spent her primary school years at St Marcellin School.
■ Eloise Bradshaw wasn’t fully expecting the award “because you never really know where everyone else stands in the lineup and how you compare and what the criteria are,” she said.
“But I definitely had my hopes up and from talking to my peers I knew I was in the running but I was still surprised and happy with getting it.
“It was my aim, working towards the award, but not the sole reason for trying, through academics. Ultimately I was more just trying to better my grades for myself and to do well, but getting prox was definitely a factor. I was dux at my intermediate school so I knew it was something I wanted to work towards at high school as well and something I was capable of.
“My top tip for students just starting at High school about academic success would be to listen in class. If you listen and pay attention in class it means you don’t have to do homework and study and cram for exams.
“If you do all the learning when you’re in class, it’ll be so much easier to recall the knowledge for exams and it means you don’t have to study heaps. It also means the study you do need to do will be effective cause you know what you need to study.
“I personally hate studying and taking personal time for schoolwork and the only way around it is to work hard in class.
“I’m going to Massey University this year, in Palmerston North, to do pre-vet and then hopefully veterinary and I’m in the tree halls on campus.
“Long term work-wise I’m hoping to become a veterinarian. So far orthopaedics interests me but I would also love to do some wildlife work through vet as well.
“I had two favourite subjects at school, first — chemistry, because it challenged me mentally but I could still understand it and I found the material interesting and like a fun little code to unravel.
Second, drama, because that’s more of a passion of mine and it didn’t follow the normal structure of a class so it was a good break during school when my more academic classes were intense.
“My favourite teacher was Sarah Riley who was my drama teacher and it was because I felt connected to her on a more personal level, which meant that when learning I was more engaged because I really do respect her as a person.
“As drama is a more creative subject the way she taught was more inspiring and engaging than others. She made it a really fun class but was still teaching us through all the games.
“I got a scholarship to Massey University and it was the school leavers’ one.
“I am most looking forward to the things I will be learning, which will be more catered to what I’m actually interested in, and also I’m excited for more self-directed learning because I didn’t always like the way we were taught things at school. And also the student life and moving out of home and becoming more independent of course,” she said.
Bradshaw attended Anne’s Catholic School Whanganui.
■ Daniel Hiroti, head boy and dux Cullinane College, said he didn’t expect to win the award. “There are so many intelligent and particularly hard-working students in my year that I figured it would be between quite a few people.
“Dux was not an aim of mine this past year. My primary goal was to enjoy my final year at school and work hard in all aspects of my life, and from that success bloomed.
“My top tip to give students just starting at High school for academic success would be “work hard, surround yourself with people who push you to be better and most importantly, ask for help — everybody needs it at times,” he said.
“I’m going down to Dunedin to study at the University of Otago in the brand new hall Te Rangihīroa.
“In the long term work-wise, I want to help people, in any way I can. At the moment it seems that this path will lead me into the health sector as a doctor, but I’m open to wherever the future leads me.
“Biology was the subject that fascinated me the most as I loved to learn about how the human body and organelles worked.
“Ms O’Hara had to be my favourite teacher as she was always there for her students. Not just me, but every single one of her pupils, in ways some of us cannot even realise.
“I was fortunate enough to be awarded the Māori Entrance Scholarship at High Distinction from the University of Otago and the Tangiwai Scholarship for Academic Excellence from Victoria University of Wellington.
“The people are what excites me most about university next year. Over the past few years, I’ve come to learn that the friends and family you surround yourself with are really what makes life special. I’m excited to make some more friends.
“The primary school I went to was St Anne’s Catholic School, Whanganui,” he said.
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