NCEA Dux for 2024
The Dux award represents our most outstanding academic achievement. This year the NCEA Dux went to Anno Fukutake who was top in every one of her classes: Art Design, Economics, Business Studies, Mathematics and Statistics.
Anno’s progress through the senior school has been nothing short of outstanding. While she has always been a hard working student who achieved well, she has this year collated a string of Excellences in her assessments and as you have heard already, been awarded the prize for top in class in all of her subjects: Art Design, Economics, Business Studies, Mathematics and Statistics. Her teachers comment on her positive attitude and proactive approach to challenge herself further. Her critical thinking, depth of analysis and engagement with all the subject matter has meant that she is well placed for her future studies. Anno is returning to Japan to Waseda University to begin a Liberal Arts degree.
Congratulations Anno on being the 2024 NCEA Dux.
IB Dux for 2024
The IB Dux Award was also a joint award to Lucy Kilgour and Amelia McIntosh.
Lucy has completed her two years of the IB Diploma with outstanding results across her six subjects. She works hard but also with a real passion for learning that means she shows great joy in the daily accomplishments of the programme. One teacher described her as having “lofty goals and working with a laser focus to achieve them”. Lucy is a principled critical thinker, who demonstrates a solid ethical foundation in her approach to learning and problem-solving. This is demonstrated in her CAS projects where she developed a crochet club and volunteered at the “Everybody Eats” organisation. Lucy has not let the demands of her academic programme stand in the way of a wider commitment to the school, especially in debating, mooting, underwater Hockey and the Ethics Council. Lucy is heading to the University of Auckland to start a BCom/LLB.
Congratulations Lucy on winning the joint IB Dux Award for 2024.
Amelia has had an outstanding two years in the Diploma programme always approaching her work with an open mind and a positive attitude. Amelia has been a key contributor to all her classes where her insightful contributions enhance the level of discussion, and she fosters a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere. A key part of the Diploma Programme is the Theory of Knowledge or TOK. Her TOK teacher noted that she is the perfect TOK student – constantly asking questions that challenge her own preconceptions of the world. Her natural curiosity has benefitted her across all her subjects. Amelia has been a valuable contributor to the co-curricular life of the school, particularly in Orienteering, and as the Deputy Head of the Academic Council.
Amelia is going to Canterbury University to study to Engineering.
Congratulations Amelia on winning the joint IB Dux Award for 2024.
Proxime Accessit to the Dux
The Proxime Accessit – or runner-up to the Dux Academic Award for 2024 – was a joint award to Harriet Fletcher and Vanessa Huang. Both students achieved a complete set of Excellences and both achieved in the top range in their subject areas and were unable to be separated in terms of achievement scores.
Harriet has completed another impressive year or academic results – a full set of Excellences, and a willingness to stretch herself further with entry into three Scholarship papers. Harriet’s teachers describe her lateral thinking, her analytical and perceptive approach to her studies and the ability to write essays which reflect her detailed command of resources and data. Her subject choices span the Sciences, the Social Sciences, English, Mathematics and Media Studies – a true Renaissance woman! Alongside her academic success Harriet has led the School as Deputy Head Prefect with an energy and enthusiasm that has had an immeasurable impact on everyone around her.
Congratulations Harriet on winning the NCEA Proxime Accessit joint award for 2024.
Vanessa is an outstanding student whose achievements in all her subjects this year have been at the highest level. She had also been judged the top student in three of her classes: Digital Technologies, Latin and Physics. Vanessa’s teachers use phrases like “impeccable work ethic”, “meticulous attention to detail”, along with “a self-motivated and independent approach to her work”. She demonstrates skills and strategies that will benefit her in her tertiary years. Alongside this Vanessa is an absolute giver of her time and energy to helping others, as a tutor in Science, as a librarian, in the Chapel and Dioversity groups. She is also a very talented Fencer whose team took out the National Secondary Schools Foil title this year. Vanessa is heading to the University of Sydney to start a BSc in Physics and Computer Science.
Congratulation Vanessa on being a Proxime Accessit joint award winner.
