32 top brains hail from Wanganui

More than 30 students in the Wanganui region are in the elite 3 per cent of secondary school students nationwide to gain New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) Scholarships.

Thirty-two Wanganui Year 13 students won scholarships after gaining high marks in exams last year, putting them among the country's top academic honours students. The students' scholarships will average about $1000 each.

The scholarships were awarded to:

•Rangitikei College, Marton: physical education (2) and art.

•Nga Tawa Diocesan School for Girls, Marton: chemistry, biology and geography.

•Wanganui Girls College: English.

•Wanganui City College: Te Reo Maori.

•Wanganui Collegiate School: six scholarships.

•Wanganui High School: 18 scholarships.

High School associate principal Elizabeth Spooner said "unfortunately" the number of scholarships was all the information they could supply, and Wanganui Collegiate School did not give details of the scholarships either.

Cullinane College did not return the Chronicle's call.

Rangitikei College students Holly Osten and Renee Brady won two of eight PE scholarships awarded with 4383students sitting the exam. Sophie Tasker's art scholarship was one of 12 awarded nationally, with 3086 students taking the exam.

Nga Tawa Diocesan School student Libby Kofoed won one of six scholarships in biology (8987) and one of 27 in chemistry (7701). Annabel Bonnor won one of 174 (6939) awarded in geography.

Wanganui City College student Te Manawa Twomey-Waitai was one of the top 18 students awarded a Te Reo Maori scholarship (632).

A Wanganui Girls College student awarded a scholarship in English was one of the top 60 students of the 14,944 who sat nationwide.