Northland-raised Tikipunga teen named King’s College’s 2023 head boy

Raniera Whiu is King's College's head boy for 2023. Photo / Simon Watts

Raniera Whiu has an aptitude for putting himself out there, so it is no surprise he has been named this year’s head boy at King’s College.

The 17-year-old of Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Whakaue and Ngāti Awa descent was raised locally in Tikipunga and attended ABC Kamo North, Whangārei Primary School and Kamo Intermediate School.

But his parents, Paula Wilson and Tomika Whiu, wanted to their son to have the boarding school experience.

Whiu described how King’s College had offered their son the perfect place to sate his hunger to try new things.

“It creates the environment where they don’t just want you to be a scholar,” he said.

“There’s this saying at King’s that you don’t send your students for the academics alone, you send them for the people they’ll meet.”

He said the friendships Raniera has made and his experiences were unmatched.

Becoming a leading prefect hadn’t always been on Raniera’s radar.

“I didn’t go to the college thinking, ‘Oh, I want to be head boy’,” he said.

“I arrived at the college and just thought I’d try heaps of new stuff and see what happens.”

But the idea struck Raniera halfway through Year 12, and what followed was a comprehensive application process.

Staff and students had to vote, then those vying for the top spots attended a leadership camp where they were assessed on how well they could cope under pressure. A series of interviews followed before finally, a shortlist.

“King’s is pretty intense,” Raniera said. “Which was cool, because it was a fun experience in itself.”

At the moment, the teen is busy enjoying a wide variety of sporting and cultural activities.

In 2023, he participated in rowing, hockey, volleyball, badminton, concert band, premier concert band (winning gold at the KBB music festival), chapel choir, chamber choir and All the King’s Men (Chamber and ATKM winning silver and gold at the national Big Sing Finale), kapa haka (winning the Mau Rakau section in the ASB Polyfest) and debating.

He was also a member of the King’s College Student Advisery Panel, Māori Pasifika Student Advisery Panel and a senior library assistant.

As for the future?

Raniera said he doesn’t know “exactly” what he wants to do yet.

But he’s taking biology, maths and chemistry in a bid to ensure he can pursue environmental science or environmental engineering. His first choice for study at the moment is the University of Canterbury.

Mum Paula said Raniera “always puts his hand up for everything”.

She said King’s College has offered so many “incredible opportunities”.

“A boarding experience is so much of a different experience. You gain friendships for life and bonds for life,” Wilson said.

Various scholarships - such as the Mark & Angela Clatworthy Scholarship, the Henry and William Williams Memorial Trust Scholarship, the St Stephens Queen Victoria Trust Board Scholarship and Heartland Bank Scholarship - allowed Raniera the opportunity to attend King’s College.

“I’ll forever be grateful for the people who have helped me along the way,” he said.

“I try not to forget where I came from.”