Noteworthy achievements bring rewards

Outstanding students at Solway College have been celebrated for their exemplary work at the school prizegiving for the year.

Year 13 Dean Sue Franck said student Katherine Murray was named dux of Solway College for 2012 at the ceremony on Saturday, receiving the Burkhart Senior College Dux Trophy and Board of Trustees Award.

Mrs Franck said Katherine this year studied Level 3 physics, a combined NCEA Level 3 and NZQA Scholarship programme in art painting, English, chemistry, science and biology and a Massey University extramural paper in cell biology.

Katherine achieved an overall NCEA Level 3 excellence endorsement this year as she had undertaken some Level 3 studies and achieved with excellence in Year 12.

In her extramural paper on cell biology at Massey University, she achieved the top mark of 96.7 per cent in the term test, which was the highest mark of all extramural students, as well as the top mark of 92.7 per cent in her assignments.

Katherine also was chosen from 92 applicants as one of three finalists for the AMP Regional Business Scholarship. Her fellow finalists included the co-ordinator of a national organisation and a practising lawyer.

Next year Katherine intends to study at Massey University and has been awarded a Massey University Vice-Chancellor's Academic Excellence Scholarship of $3000. On the basis of a submitted essay she was the recipient of a 2013 NZ Pharmaceuticals Massey University chemistry bursary to the value of $2000. "Katherine's academic achievements have been simply outstanding," Mrs Franck said.

The Marie Hennah Memorial Trophy was awarded at the Saturday ceremony to Mikayla Cahill, who this year displayed exceptional leadership skills, sportsmanship, school spirit, excellence in house and class activities and an exceptional involvement in school life overall.

The proxime accessit of the senior school for 2012 is Holly Webb, and Mrs Franck said both Mikayla and Holly intended to next year study health science at Otago University.

The Lawrence Thompson Memorial Bowl was this year presented to Rose Collis by Elizabeth Whitehead, a great granddaughter of Solway's founding principal, Marion Thompson. The award recognises the student who, throughout the year, has shown outstanding qualities of character and leadership throughout the school and who most closely matches the spirit of Solway College.

Rose intends to next year begin studies towards a Bachelor of Science at Massey University, majoring in Genetics and Biochemistry.