The selection process picks out well-rounded Year 13 students who are identified as fine role models and have achieved beyond expectation in one or more fields of endeavour — be they academic or non-academic.
Award winner, Sacred Heart head girl Grace Burrell, said she loved meeting people, learning new skills and encouraging others to reach their potential.
She is the school's representative for the Crown/Maori Relationship Hui 2018 and plays netball and hockey and has received awards for both.
After leaving school she is looking to either go into officer training for the Royal New Zealand Navy or go to university to study law or international relations.
For Napier Boy's High School prefect Findlay Campbell art and sport are strong in his life and has had his work on display at the MCL 2018 Art Hawke's Bay 12th Annual Art Exhibition.
His schoolmate and fellow prefect and deputy head boy at the hostel, Connor Molloy, is an acclaimed public speaker and has picked up several honours for it.
He was the student representative on the school's Board of Trustees and has been a councillor on the Hastings Youth Council.
On the sports front he was coxswain of the national title-winning rowing team in 2017.
Napier Girls' High School scholarship prefect Francesca Gross is also a strong public speaker and an impressive debater, and has been selected as a member of the New Zealand Development Squad for debating.
Netball, orienteering, lifesaving and swimmer all line up as her sporting pursuits and on the music front her activities are chamber music and orchestra.
She is currently completing her Gold Award in the Duke of Edinburgh programme and plans to study commerce at university.
Rosalia Samia, also from Napier Girls' High School, has represented NZ in basketball, volleyball as well as excelling in academic studies. She gained three awards at the Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools Sports Awards last year.
Casey Hales is Head of Sports at Taradale High School and is a New Zealand representative athlete in canoe slalom and polo, being awarded most valuable under-18 womens' player among her string of accolades.
Head of Arts at Taradale High School is Joshua Jamieson who has long been involved with music, both percussion and choir work, and tutoring. He is also part of the National Youth Brass Band. ".
For William Colenso College's head girl Michelle Kirkpatrick helping people and enhancing their quality of life has long been something she is passionate about.
She is a volunteer for Presbyterian Support East Coast helping out the elderly and people with disabilities.Mikaylah Selby is head girl at Tamatea High School and is also part of the Napier Youth Council.
She helped in the organisation of the YouthX event and participated in the Te Kahui O Tautoru Rangatahi Leadership Summit.
She is also a swimming instructor and has completed a National Certificate in Recreation and Sport.
Her long-term plan is to study to become a forensic scientist as well as learning te reo Maori.
For Jacob Mill from Fairhaven School his interest in the outdoors, particularly bees and gardening, has helped develop his learning abilities.
He has been a volunteer in conservation work and worked in a wide range of outdoor settings including the Cape Sanctuary where he helped look after an aviary and has built nesting boxes to protect native birds.
Julian McLaren from Hohepa School has excelled in mathematics and music and has performed with both piano and violin at several public events.
He is a valued member of the Virtuoso Strings Orchestra of Porirua and performed with them at both Government House and at the Attitude TV awards two years ago.
