The cream of Gisborne's academic crop

TOP ACADEMICS: Emma Muir from Gisborne Girls' High School, Kaitlin Abbott from Lytton High School, Hayden Jeune from Gisborne Boys' High School and Shaun Huang and David Gordon from Campion College make up the region's high school dux for 2015. The group were given the top honours at their respective awards this week. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

YEAR 13 students said goodbye to high school this week and an elite group of them ended it on an academic high as dux of their school.

Top honours went to Kaitlin Abbott of Lytton High School, Hayden Jeune of Gisborne Boys’ High School and Emma Muir of Gisborne Girls’ High School while Shaun Huang and David Gordon were named joint dux of Campion College.

Kaitlin, 17, topped classical studies, graphics and English alongside Aaron Whitehead. She was also top Year 13 girl.

“I was shocked and really grateful to my teachers,” she says.

Kaitlin is heading to Victoria to do a degree in English.

“As a primarily arts student, I think it was more of a surprise for my teachers. It was nice for them. No one expects the artsy ones to get dux.”

Kelsey Coronno and Aaron Whitehead were runner-up dux. Hayden topped history, statistics, calculus, chemistry and economics to earn the dux title at Boys’ High.

He has also been awarded the Kelliher Economics Scholarship, which grants him $18,000 over three years towards his fees if he keeps his grades up.

“It was really 50-50 who would get dux out of me or Lewis Green,” said Hayden. “We both made it clear we were going for dux since the start of the year. It has been good he pushed me to achieve higher.”

Excellence in historyLewis was runner-up. The pair tied for the Green Family Cup for excellence in history, donated by Lewis’ older brother Elliot, who was dux of the school in 2007.

Hayden, 18, is going to Auckland University next year to do a conjoint degree in engineering and commerce. He starts his studies with a $2000 cash scholarship from Auckland University’s faculty of business.

“I am looking forward to another challenge. I never considered myself an academic. It was only during Year 11 prize giving — when I was sitting, not listening, and my name was called for top of Year 11 — that I decided ‘hey I can actually do this’.”

Emma, 17, topped chemistry, English and won the statistics cup at the Girls’ High prize giving. She was shocked when her name was called for the dux title.

“I just thought there were people smarter than me. It was really nice, I was so stoked.”

Next year she will start a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry at Otago University.

Lara Watson and head girl Beth Kennedy were runner-up dux.

Top in sciencesShaun had been confident he would be dux at Campion College. He topped biology, chemistry and physics.

“There was a lot of hype so I was not really shocked. I am really grateful for the support from my school.”

Shaun studied two hours a day and said the dux honour was an acknowledgement of his hard work. He will study engineering at Auckland University in 2016.

Campion’s other dux was not so ready for the nod. David tied for top of religious education and was runner-up top in biology.

“Shaun has this reputation of being a genius at our school so to be on the same level as him is pretty surreal,” said David.

“There must have been a solid five or so people it could have gone to, so it was really amazing. There was probably two or three points either way, apart from Shaun of course.”

David will Study a Bachelor of Science in biology and psychology at Victoria University.

The group do not have long to celebrate their academic victories. The NCEA scholarship drama exam was yesterday, with sit-down exams starting on Monday.

High school prize giving results will be in The Herald next week.

Kaitlin is the daughter of Teau and Andrew Abbott.Hayden is the son of Simon and Lynne Jeune.Emma is the daughter of Ross and Bev Muir.David is the son of Andrew Gordon and Rev. Joan Edmundson.Shaun is the son of Dexin Huang and Rona Li.