Achievements 2011-2020 – Wellington High School

High Achievers in 2020

Term 1:

Scholarships were awarded across 13 subjects. Sophie Mance was awarded six scholarships to go along with the Geography scholarship she was awarded in Year 12. Elijah Neilson and Ollie Markwell each achieved three scholarships with Ollie achieving a rare outstanding in Physics. Rilke Comer, Anna Liu and Sofi Dickinson-Smith all attained two scholarships.
Sofi Dickinson-Smith’s (Year 13, 2019) work was included in the Top Art touring exhibition of NCEA Level 3 Art.
WHS was approved for inclusion in DANCEwithME, a Ministry of Education Creatives in Schools initiatives. This project would benefit students in He Kākano who would gain the opportunity to work with creatives from the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
Naomi Melville’s (Year 13, 2019) Fashion Design portfolio was ranked highest in the country in Fashion, and 8th overall in the country.
Jasper Barkett Greenberg’s (Year 9) essay ‘Why the Hyperloop is the future of transportation’ was published in ToiToi issue 18.
By week 4, the junior cricket team was still undefeated, while the senior team had 1 win: 1 loss on their record.
WHS was represented at the Waitangi Day parakuihi by whaea Charlene James-Meijer, Whaea Suzanne Meijer were accompanied by student Kereama Hape to witness the blessing of the stone anchor by manawhenua.
Science teacher, Murray Chisholm, was selected to take part in the International Physics & Astronomy educator programme in the US.
WHS fielded two teams against Onslow College in the Wellington Young Physicists’ Tournament and were rewarded with silver and bronze medals. Bronze medallists were Alexa Lee, Julia Randerson and Hannah du Toit. Silver medallists were, Ryan Bright, Lydia Acton and David Lindsay.
Ash Dearnley and Cadence Chung were selected for Massey University’s Young Women in Leadership programme.
The Athletics Carnival saw 9 records broken:
- Ari Koed-Chang (Year 12) – Long Jump – 5.95m – broke his own record from 2019
- Frankie Coup (Year 10) – Javelin – 28.99m – broke the record from 2009
- Henry Chapman (Year 12) – Javelin – 41.22m – broke the record from 2009
- Tiopira Mulholland (Year 12) – High Jump – 1.73m – broke his own record from 2019
- Niamh Fyfe (Year 10) – Long Jump – 4.52m – broke her own record from 2019
- Ella Blakely (Year 13) – 400m – 1:03.51s – broke the record from 2010
- Ella Blakely (Year 13) – 200m – 27.37s – broke the record from 2014
- Ella Blakely (Year 13) – 100m – 13.39 – broke the record from 2014
- Ella Blakely (Year 13) – Long Jump – 4.79m – broke the record from 2012
Of the athletes who continued to compete at the Western Zone Athletics, Ari Koed-Chang jumped a phenomenal 6.12m; Frankie Coup won the Javelin at the Western Zone Athletics and Henry Chapman placed 3rd in Javelin at the Western Zone Athletics.
Anthony Cater (Year 12) was a runner up in the CSW Tennis Tournament
The WHS student team were the first recipients of a trophy celebrating the fastest time rowed in the 2020 Dragonboat Youth Festival.
The Welly High Warriors (staff team) placed 3rd in the Corporate A finals at the Dragonboat Festival.
Rowers Jessie Davidson, Indiana Ford, Georgia Savage, Lola Crocker and Emma Thirkell made it to the C Final of the women’s under 18 novice squad at the NZ Secondary Rowing Championships, a great achievement at the end of their first season.
Four Waka Ama teams competed in Porirua at the CSW championships.
- Whatonga (J16 boys) 2nd – Plate FInal 250m sprint, 1st – Plate Final 500m turn
- Hineakau (J16 girls) 5th – Plate Final 250m turn, 4th Plate Final 500m turn
- Taraika (J19 boys) 1st – Plate Final 250m spring, 4th Championship Final 500m turn
- Pukeahu (J19 boys) 2nd – Plate Final 250m sprint, 1st – Plate Final 500m turn
Sophie Mance (Year 13, 2019) was awarded the prestigious Girdlers’ Scholarship. Worth $67,000 a year for three years the scholarship will enable Sophie to study at Corpus Christi College, one of the colleges of Cambridge University, UK.

Term 2:

Lockdown brought a different flavour to notable achievements:

Our WERO leaders joined other Wellington student leaders to create a motivational, compassionate and supportive video for students across the city.
Fresh Avocado published a special lockdown edition.
The international department started a Bubble Positivity Project with each week having a different focus – challenge week, Easter week etc.
Former student, Matty di Leva, an essential frontline worker at Newtown’s New World was featured on Stuff.
Former student, Jack Buchanan’s Lockdown Boogie went viral and was viewed by more than 9 million people worldwide. Jack’s family went on to feature in Cookie Jar at the 48Hr film festival and Jack was later awarded a CBS News ‘ Sunny’ for Lockdown Boogie.
In the 48Hr Film Festival, Team Piwaiwaka, whose members included former student Ruby Arahanga, featured with their film ‘It was Sol’.
Sky Gobbi (Year 10) was listed as a finalist in the Doc Edge schools’ student short documentary competition. His film had been completed before lockdown began. He placed 3rd in the competition.

Once we were back on campus notable achievements returned to more familiar territory:

Yuki Doyle, Ritesh Raji, Leonor Jackson-Oliver and Hazel Till designed a social event for the Sorted in Schools ‘Money Jam’ competition. Their efforts resulted in a $500 Rebel Sports voucher for WHS to spend on sports equipment.
The University of Otago Junior Mathematics competition was held online with Jasper Barkett Greenberg, Tom Bonert, Atom Gush, Tulip Kumar, AJ Leatigaga, Samantha McPherson, Lias Morris, Ruby Nicholson, Violet Patterson, Mila van Stokkum and Carren Yan participating.
Students Lily Parkin, Willow Ashby, Xandi Gobbi (Year 13) and Sophie Leadbetter (Year 9) were interviewed by Radio New Zealand’s John Gerritsen. Also interviewed were Principal Dominic Killalea and Head of Science Nicola Dow. The RNZ broadcaster interviewed the group about lockdown and their return to school.
International student Anh posted a vlog following her lockdown experiences.
The Wellington Regional Debating regionals were held via Zoom. Corwin Heath Cameron (Year 11), Julia Randerson (Year 12), Xandi Gobbi (Year 13 and Roman Barlow (Year 13) participated. Julia was selected for the Wellington regional team that would progress to the national competition.
Cadence Chung (Year 12) was the recipient of a NZ Society of Authors Youth Mentorship space, one of four awarded across the country.
Felix Barber (Year 13, 2008) completed his PhD at Harvard University. He is now a postdoctoral associate in Quantitative Microbiology at NYU Biology Department’s Centre for Genomics and Systems Research.
Isabelle Stewart (Year 13, 2010) completed her DPhil at the University of Oxford’s Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine.
Lucian Petherick, Keizo Preece and Vita Lawson had worked included in ToiToi.
Ruby Nicholson and Lias Morris placed in the top 10 in the NZ Online Mathematical Olympiad.
Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, visited WHS as part of the Creatives in Schools initiatives. He Kākano students had the opportunity to share what they had learned prior to lockdown. The Prime Minister also met students passionate about the Creative Arts and took time to talk to them about their interests.
Sarah Bennett and Rachel Woolcott (Year 13) attended a Cullen Breakfast at the Wellington Club where they listened to speaker Dr Alan Bollard.
Amelia Smith (Year 13) qualified for a place in the National Bridge Speech competition and was also successful in the regional Chinese Speech competition.
WHS fielded a junior girls’ football team for the first time in many years.
The Boys’ 1st XI football team beat St Patricks’ Silverstream 5-1, at the beginning of a very successful season.
Over 400 families were welcomed to WHS at Open Evening.
‘En Passant Films’ and ‘Look Away’ were both finalists in the Roxy5 Film Competition.
The first Music Evening of the Year took place with an array of students from Years 9-13 participating in choirs, ensembles, jazz bands and more.

Term 3

Art Teacher, Tim Li, who is a keen fisherman renowned for his marine-themed art work, was chosen as the subject of a section for Clarke Gayford’s Fishing Show. The show filmed Tim and his senior art students at work on a printmaking exercise.
The Junior Premier debating team of Liv Calder, Sky Gobbi, Fergus Martin-Edgar and Tom Bonert reached the quarter finals.
Nadya Macey (Year 13) was placed runner up in the Open Junior section of the NZ Poetry International Poetry Competition for her poem ‘Clean Smoke’.
Cadence Chung (Year 12) had her poem ‘To Adolescence’ published in the 10th edition of Starling Magazine.
TA Joe Sione received the July Cadbury Dairy Milk volunteer award for his work with our netball teams.
Blank Canvas, the annual art exhibition, again attracted a large number of contributions from staff and students.
The Shakespeare Society’s 29th production (The Tempest) was a sell out.
Jean Cleaver-Parris (Year 11) presented at a Celebration of Reading event at the National Library alongside the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.
Former WHS teacher, Poppy Lekner, won the 2020 Parkin Drawing Prize for her piece Forward Slash.
The NZIFF featured Kiwi Shorts, one of which was ‘Democracy’ a film produced by former Library Assistant Finnius Teppett.
Theo Wilkinson competed in the CSW Secondary Schools Cross Country championships and placed 8th.
Xandi Gobbi and Alex McLeod convened an election panel debate in which political candidates Geoff Simmons (TOP), Jan Logie (Greens), Nicola Willis (National) and Greg O’Connor (Labour) took part.
Three WHS teams have managed to break through to their quarterfinals (the top 8 teams), which is a very impressive result!
- Our Senior Premier A Debating Team, comprised of Xandi Gobbi, Roman Barlow, Joshua Bluck, and Harrison Scott
- Our Senior Premier B Debating Team, comprised of Julia Randerson, Rata Petherick, Alex Buyck, and Corwin Heath-Cameron
- Our Junior Premier Debating Team, comprised of Sky Gobbi, Liv Calder, Fergus Martin-Edgar, and Tom Bonert
The Junior Premier Debating Team who have made their semi-finals after winning their quarter-finals on Tuesday. They are in the top 4 teams in Wellington for their age group
Ruby Nicholson (Year 9) and Carren Yan (Year 10) were awarded merit certificates for being among the top 15% of entrants in the University of Otago Junior Mathematics Challenge.
En Passant Films won the Roxy5 best score with their film ‘The work of an artist’. Look Away productions won the Roxy5 best costume / art for their film ‘Hey Cassie’.
Aaron Kong (Year 13, 2016) won the University of Canterbury’s Iris Fisher Scholarship.
Brooke McCloy, Sophie Lee and Ursula Palmer Steeds worked with students from the Wellington Home Education Network to participate in the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival. The scene work from this group took five awards.
Meg Marshall and Vita Lawson had their work published in ToiToi’s 20th edition. For Vita this was a double success as it was the second edition of the journal to include her work.
The DancewithMe, Creatives in Schools project culminated in a performance featuring students from He Kākano and the WHS lunch time dance club in addition to welcoming groups from St Anne’s School and EBIS.
Ruby Nicholson (Year 9) qualified for round 2 of the NZ Mathematical Olympiad competition.
Cadence Chung and Nadya Macey were selected as finalists for the Katherine Mansfield short story award. Nadya won the award for her story ‘Matahiwi’. Cadence’s story ‘The End of the World’ was highly commended.
Cadence Chung also won 1st and 3rd prizes in the Year 12 section of the Poetry New Zealand Poetry Competition for her poem “Hey Girls’.
Four poems from WHS students were accepted for the NZ Poetry Society anthology.
- Nadya Macey ‘Gisborne Airport Fence
- Michael Canovas ‘I never seem to reach it’
- Lucy Brennan ‘Lucy’
- Maggie C Thoms ‘Pine cone hunting’
The Junior Prem and Prem B teams made their regional finals for debating.
In the Wellington black regional team, Julia Randerson made it to the national semi-finals after the team won four of their preliminary debates.
Gala Baumfield (Year 13) scored 85/100 to win the senior girls’ section at the regional Skateboard Championships.
In Winter Tournament week:
- The girls Football 1st XI finished their round robin in the Regional Premier 2 competition in 3rd place.
- The Boys Football 1st XI finished their Round Robin D1 competition unbeaten.
- The Boys Hockey 1st XI were in 2nd place in the P3 division and hoping to compete in the finals.
- The Senior A netball team won their grade for the second year in a row
- The Senior B netball team also won their grade
The Junior Prem debating team won the WGT Wiggs Trophy, only the 3rd time since 1974 that WHS have won this title. The team of Sky Gobbi, Fergus Martin-Edgar, Liv Calder and Tom Bonert were mentored and coached by Year 10 Dean, Kelly Jean-Louis.
Senior Prem B were runners up to Wellington College in their final.
Ryan Bright won 2nd in Class 5 of the NIWA Science Fair, also gaining a VUW Faculty of Education prize and the VUW School of Mathematics and Statistics prize. Lydia Acton won the VUW Faculty of Science Innovation prize, 1st in Class 5 and the NIWA prize for best overall exhibit.
Arunan Noble and Matthew Wood were elected as student board representatives for 2021.
The Senior Boys’ basketball team won the Division 2 championship.
The Senior Girls’ Football team reached the final of the regional premier 2 competition.
The Senior Boys’ Football 1st XI reached the Division 1 final and were beaten by Scot’s College in the penalty shoot out.
The Senior Girls1 Badminton team of Lily Parkin, Charlotte Hofmann-Body, Grace Medlicott, Eden Kettles and Leandra Hovelberndt came second in Division 2.
The Junior Boys 1 Badminton team came second in Division 2.
The Junior Girls 1 Badminton team of Frances Till, Hazel Till, Tulip Kamar and Tatiana Colina Mosquera won the Central Wellington Division 2 title,

Term 4

Alex Quinn, Lily Mair, Parker Kemp and Roman Barlow competed in the inaugural 24 hour play competition at the Gryphon Theatre. They received two awards, one for ‘Pinteresque Pauses’, the other for ‘Fantastic Structure and Acting’.
Ryan Bright won a place at the 2021 Rotary National Science and Technology Forum.
The Underwater Hockey Season finished with the Junior Open A team narrowly losing to Wellington College A in the gold medal final.
Six teams from Year 9 and 10 competed in the EPro8 Chalenge with teams placing 4th, 5th, 6th and 12th.
Bella Vo (Year 13) was awarded the Victoria International Excellence Scholarship for 2021, receiving $20000 towards her Bachelor of Commerce degree.
Ella Blakely, Zoe Crane, Grace Crysell, Xandi Gobbi, River Hann-Ellen, Molly Henry and Samuel Power were awarded VUW Tangiwai school leavers’ scholarships. Sascha Vekula was awarded a Totoweka School Leaver scholarship.
Milly Woodbury competed at the NZ U18 interzone championships as vice captain of the Central Zone A Underwater Hockey team. The team made the final and were silver medallists.
Ian Blackburn, Nova Moala Knox, Zoe Crane (Year 13) and Reuben Tyrie (Year 13 in 2018) were accepted into Toi Whakaari’s three year acting course.
At the Manawatu Jazz Festival, Duvan Coetzee was named best drummer, Louis Holland best Trombone player, Miro Holland best Trumpet player and Nico Buhne best piano player.
The 3×3 basketball came 3rd in their competition.
At the AWD swimming sports, Rohan Lane-Turnbull placed 1st in the 50m freestyle and Dominique Gilling placed 3rd. Dylan Belke placed 1st in the kickboard race. Hamdiya Yusef participated in the free swim race and walk.
Two WHS teams competed in the NZAJLT Japan Trivia championships with one of the teams taking 3rd place in this national competition.
Renee Acton, Anika Green and Inese Velde presented at the NZ Outdoor Education conference talking about the projects that Outdoor Education students have been developing.
As part of the Cullen’s Breakfast Club series for school leaders, Emily Rosemergy and Xandi Gobbi (Year 13) met Dr Ashley Bloomfield.
Lucy Brennan, Hannah Halliwell, Emma Kane, Dan Moskowitz and Zita Daly had worked accepted for publication in Redraft, a prestigious publication for students’ writing.
Teacher Rowan Heap received a gold award in the Best Design Awards (Designers Institute New Zealand) for the creative output from his Masters of Design.
WERO leader Grace Crysell attended the opening of Parliament with other Wellington student leaders.
Former student Aaron Kong won the Jane Rounick memorial prize in Sculpture in his first year at Ilam Fine Arts School.
Former student Keijahan Ranginui was featured in the Dominion Post and Stuff as part of an article looking at women in the construction industry.
The Junior Girls’ Volleyball team reached the final for their competition.
Otis Brown received an award from Squash Wellington and was recognised as 3rd in the list of most improved players nationally. Hannah du Toit was selected for the Wellington region’s junior development squad.
The WHS Junior Girls team finished 2nd to Sacred Heart in the water polo competition.
Christopher Francis, Summer Steele, Rose Geiringer, Neo Silcock, Kaius Heighway, Tommy Barnett, Finn Vautier, Domingo Muazzam, Pelagia Sutcliffe, Levi Keddy and Jett Partridge, who were enrolled on Wellington Trades Academy courses at Whitireia or WelTec all achieved over 30 credits as a result.
Four teams from Year 9 and 10 completed in the Wellington Junior Science Tournament with the Standard Models team finishing 4th.
Shoko Ueshima won the Wellington International Student Excellence Award for Sport.

High Achievers in 2019

Kristina Sundin represented NZ at the Asia World Cup qualifier for women’s Floorball qualifications in Thailand.
Scholarship successes for Gwen Palmer-Steeds who achieved three scholarships including an Outstanding result in English.
Aroha Millar (class of 2018), received a $5000 scholarship to attend Toioho ki Apiti – Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts College and University in Palmerston North.
Alumnus Dominic Faherty won the gold medal in the 200m at the Special Olympics held in Dubai.
Year 13 Drea Parai-Tupene was awarded a fully-funded University of Otago ‘On Campus Experience’ scholarship.
Frankie Coup won silver in the NISS Athletics Championships in Tauranga.
Josh James attended the Oceania Fencing cadet championship where he was selected for the NZ ‘A’ epee team. They won gold in the team event against Australia.
Year 13 Reza Zareian Jahromi was selected as a recipient for the NZ Society of Author’s Youth Mentor Programme, paired with poet Ivy Alvarez.
Amelia Mance, Sophie Mance, Morgan O’Hara and Khalid Adam were selected into the NZ National Junior U20 Ultimate Frisbee Training Squad.
Liberty McIntyre-Reet brought home bronze in the 1m and 3m springboard and 2m in the synchronised diving at the Singapore National Diving championships.
Anna placed 1st in the Year 13 category of the Wellington Regional Japanese Speech contest, with a thought-provoking speech on bullying.
WHS’s jazz band collected a number of awards at the Manawatu Jazz Festival:
- Best drummer: Sebastian Macaulay
- Best woodwind player: Keeson Perkins-Treacher
- Best pianist: Hunter Davidson
- Best combo: Wellington High School
Sophie Mance captained the NZ team at the International Young Physicists’ Tournament in Warsaw, Poland.
Nikita Dyer and Euliz Samson placed gold and bronze respectively at the NZ Chefs’ Association competition.
Year 9 Frances Till’s poetry was published in ToiToi, a journal for young writers and artists.
Bus Stop Productions won the regional round of the 48 hour film competition and the overall final in Auckland for their film ‘The Talk’
Seth Mitchell-Webster, Futsal goalkeeper represented Wellington at the Futsal national championships.
Sam Power won bronze in the open boys category at the National Secondary Schools’ Judo competition.
Lydia Acton and Ryan Bright competed in the NZ team at IYNT in Minsk, Belarus. The team took the overall title.
Year 11 Joy Williams competed in the World Youth Climbing Championships in Italy.
Year 13 Zoe Ioannou was accepted into the New Zealand School of Music jazz programme for 2020. Peer Keeson Perkins-Treacher was accepted into the classical programme.
Gryffon Hester and Neo Silcock gained Highly Commended and a Silver Crest award in the NZIFST and Royal Societies Food Innovation Challenge.
Theo van Toor won first place in the secondary senior category of the 13th New Zealand Chinese Essay Competition.
Elijah Neilson (Year 13) won the inaugural Sargeson Prize, the University of Waikato’s prize for literary talent.
Julia Randerson’s entry in the Smart Alex Creative Writing Competition was awarded Highly Commended in the Year 11-13 category.
The Community Education Centre was the recipient of the Excellence in Marketing Award at the Learning Resource Network Conference in San Diego.

High Achievers in 2018

Amelia Mance, Sophie Mance and Abi Liddell were selected for the NZ U20 Ultimate Frisbee team and competed in Waterloo, Canada.
Diver Anton Down-Jenkins (class of 2017) was selected to compete for NZ in the next Commonwealth Games.
Michael Edmeades and Kate Lindsay (Year 12) won $2000 Victoria University scholarships.
Josh James picked up his first regional title in the Central Age Group Fencing Championships U17 Epee category.
Ari Koed-Chang and Ella Blakely were selected for the NISS Wellington Athletics Team.
At the 41st National Youth Jazz Competition, Island Birdie won a Combo Gold Award. Harper Wilson was named as the Most Outstanding Drummer, receiving the Hill/Wilcock Trophy and Keeson Treacher-Perkins received the Errol Christiansen Trophy as Most Outstanding Flautist.
Orlando Cristobal-Mandel (Year 10) won three gold medals at the AON National Age Group Championships for swimming: 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke events.
Liberty McIntyre-Reet won gold in 4 events at the National Diving Championships in Dunedin.
Alexandra Cochrane, Tom Divehall, Ella Blakely, Millie Rea, Asher Wilkinson and Lydia Acton represented New Zealand at the International Young Naturalists’ Competition in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Anthony Cater won the College Sport Junior Singles Badminton Championships held in June.
Christo Matheson and Josh Campbell were selected to represent New Zealand in the U19 Mens Floorball team, competing in the World Floorball qualifiers.
Liberty McIntyre-Reet represented NZ in Diving in Singapore and placed 1st in 3m synchro.
Year 12 Sophie Mance was awarded the Summerset Group Gold Scholarship and gained $5000 towards tuition fees in a course of her choice.
Year 13 Seth Robertson claimed second place in the 2018 national Chinese Bridge Speech competition in Auckland and won a place to compete in Kunming, China at the international championships.
Aleia Spendiff won her grade at the College Sport Wellington Squash championships.
Year 12 Molly Doyle was awarded a scholarship to be a global ambassador for Southern Cross.
The Junior girls underwater hockey team competed in the national championships held in Rotorua.
Zuni Preece won a Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Education prize and Luke Roeven won prizes from VUWs School of Education and the School of Mathematics and Statistics. Ensai August won the Kainic Medical Communications prize. Ryan Bright won the Engineering NZ Prize.
Sophie Mance was a national finalist in the NZ Eureka Science Challenge.
Ash Iwikau and Mollie Hobley developed a ‘Reme Reka’ dish designed to be exported to Singapore. They were awarded a Team Silver Challenge CREST award and gained first place in the NZIFST CREST Student Product Development Challenge.
Gwen Palmer-Steeds made the ‘Best of’ selection in the annual NZ Songwriting competition.
Benjamin Yin and Khoi Nguyen won International Student Excellence awards at Parliament.
Team Cassius got to remake their film ‘Nightlight’ with Park Road Post Production and WETA staff.
Abi Liddell and (Ultimate Frisbee) and Marie Sundin (Floorball) won CSW Sportsperson of the Year awards.
Marie and Kristin Sundin were selected for the NZ Women’s Floorball team, invited to compete in the World Cup Floorball Qualifier in Thailand in January 2019.
Year 10 Dominique Gilling was offered a place in the Wellington Special Olympics Equestrian Programme for Term 1 2019.
In the Otago University Junior Maths competition, Atom Gush placed in the top 100 Year 9 entrants and Thomas Stevenson placed in the top 100 Year 10 entrants.

High Achievers in 2017

30 scholarships including 3 Outstanding Scholarships
Irene van Dyk, former Silver Fern, joins the netball coaching team
Marie Sundin (Year 12 ) received MVP in the Women’s WFCQ game against Malaysia at the World Cup qualification tournament
Kaea Parata (Year 9) selected for the Wellington U13 Softball team
Rachel Pike (Year 9) selected to represent NZ in the NZBA International Basketball tour of Las Vegas.
Welly High Warriors (staff team) win Gold at the annual dragon boat festival.
Rebecca Heath, WHS teacher aide, won gold in the giant slalom at the Special Olympics
Lauren Jack is selected as Violin 2 Principal for the New Zealand Secondary School’s Symphony Orchestra course
WHS Cricket team win the junior/intermediate 8 a side 20/20 cricket grade
Anton Down-Jenkins (Year 13) competes for the NZ men’s diving team at the Grand Prix circuit in North America. He finished third in the men’s synchro, with a score of 345.60, just shy of the national record, and in the mixed 3m event, he won bronze.
Ben Roberts, Year 13, attends the ASB Young Leaders Rugby Experience.
Wellington High School students win the 2017 Roxy5 Short Film Competition. The team of year 10 students (Grace Medlicott, director Finn Culver, and team members Rune Benzon, Zoe Crane, Cerys Wiles, Nadya Macey, Emily Rosemergy and Thomas Woodward) created a five-minute film called Shelter, about a group of friends connected by their issues at home.
Two WHS Jazz bands went to the Queen’s Birthday weekend competition and won 8 out of the 11 available awards. These awards were:

Best combo/band

Best drummer – Harper Wilson

Best bass player – Davin Ojala

Best Guitarist – Ashton Cane

Best Pianist – Christo Matheson

Best Flute player – Keeson Perkins-Treacher

Best overall musician – Ashton Cane

Best Singer – Grace Slaughter
Year 9 student Tiana Krafft-Soffe dances in the national production of Iolanthe
Rahel Mueller (Year 13) received 1st place in the Solo Duo Category at the Regional Smokefree RockQuest
Wellington High School team (Zuni, Tristan, Anna, Sai, Luke, Jack and Ethan and teacher, Murray) wins the 5th annual International Young Naturalists Tournament in China.
Year 13 student, Lauren Jack, wins the NZCT Chamber Music contest as part of Druz’ya Quartet.

High Achievers in 2016

Clara Bossard awarded the i-D Fashion Week Sustainability Scholarship.
Isobel Caffrey, Ana Menzies, Amit Noy, and William Robinson had short stories selected for publication in Re-Draft #16, The Dog Upstairs.
Lawrence Webster, College Sport Sportsperson of Year for Volleyball
Qona Christie College Sport Sportsperson of Year for Judo
Girls 3rd XI Football team won the Wellington Central competition
Lawrence Webster selected for the NZ U19 Development Volleyball team
Frankie MacKenzie who has been selected to attend the National Youth Science Forum in Canberra
Kaya van de Wiel, 3rd place at the Taekwon Do National Championships
James Matheson, Lucas Early, Josh Campbell and Oliver Sundin selected to represent NZ in the U19 men’s national floorball team at the Asia Oceania world cup qualifier in Japan.
Kathleen Rose competed with the New Zealand U18 Girls Inline Hockey team in Hawaii
Nova Waretini-Hewison appeared in two films at the NZ International Film Festival; Judgment Tavern, a short film that has been selected by Lee Tamahori as one of the NZ’s Best selection and full-length feature Chronesthesia
Gabe Laing-Aiken selected for the NZ Men’s U18 Underwater Hockey team
Stella Ulrich has had her 2015 external fashion folio work put up on NZQA website to demonstrate what excellence fashion work is in Design Visual Communication.
Alka Nana-Ahirao and Siobhan Peacock selected to design the South Wellington Intermediate School’s new logo.
Jack Tregidga and Rose MacKenzie were selected for the NZ Young Physicist Tournament squad. Jack was selected for the team to represent NZ in Russia.
Qona Christie competed in the NZ Judo Competition for 2016. She won 5 Gold Medals – 2 in Cadet Women, 2 in Junior Women and 1 in Senior Women. She also had success at the OJU Championships. Her medal haul included three golds (Cadet U52, Aust vs NZ Cadet team and Aust vs NZ Junior Women Team) and one silver in Junior Women U52. She won 3 gold medals at the NZ Judo Championship. The gold medals were won in the Junior, Cadets and Senior Women’s divisions.
Rebecca Heath, a staff member, was selected as a NZ representative for the Special Olympics (skiing)
Senior Boys Volleyball team won the College Sport Regional Volleyball Championship
WHS continued its winning ways in the New Zealand Young Physicist Tournament, taking second and third place in the inter-school regional event held at Victoria University Wellington. Silver medalists are Joseph Ivory, Jack Tregidga, Rose Mackenzie and Bronze medalists are Otis Rea, Katya Sellen and Sophie Edmeades.
James Matheson played for the New Zealand Men’s floorball team in the World Cup Asia-Oceania regional qualifier held in Pattaya, Thailand.

High Achievers in 2015

23 scholarships, 5 of these outstanding.
Shakked Noy gained 6 scholarships, 3 of these were achieved at an ‘Outstanding’ level.
Kasey McDonnell achieved 3 scholarships, earning him an award worth $2000 per year for 3 years
Denis Wright, English Teacher and Dean, publishes his second Young Adult novel, Nanotech
Kaiya Waerea, who graduated from WHS in 2014, is accepted by the world renowned Fashion Design University, Central Saint Martins in London
Tess Breitenmoser is chosen for the New Zealand International Young Physicist Team which competed in Thailand and was selected to represent New Zealand at The World Youth Science Forum in the UK. She also won a place at the Royal Society’s symposium for top young scientists –Powering Potential.
Jack Tregidga is chosen for the New Zealand International Young Physicist Team which competed in Thailand
Marietjie van Schalkwyk received the Subject Leadership in Technology Education award from Technology Education New Zealand (TENZ)
Owen Parker-Price has been called to play for NZ U17 Team at the Football World Cup in Chile.
Another success in the Junior Young Physicists’ Tournament with 3rd place in 2015. The team comprised of Luke Roeven, Catherine Edmeades, Rose Mackenzie and Otis Rea
WHS was one of twelve secondary schools to battle it out in a new Māori quiz show, Patapātai.
Gala Baumfield, Year 9 at WHS, earned her black belt in karate in a six-hour long test. In doing so, she is the first under-15 female in New Zealand to achieve this rating.
WHS student Jack Tregidga is chosen as one of just 23 students from the Lower North Island to attend the 2016 Rotary National Science and Technology Forum.
Wellington High School had three students College Sport Wellington awards, who were finalists in their category.
Marietjie Van Schalkwyk, HoF Technology, has been honoured with the National Technology Educator of New Zealand 2015. This is a very prestigious and highly esteemed award and acknowledges her outstanding contribution to technology curriculum education. This is the second year that a WHS Technology Faculty staff member has received this award. This is unprecedented as there have never been two educators awarded this from the same school.
The Arts Faculty ran Blank Canvas – Art Exhibition in July. Staff and students contributed work to this exhibition and there was great interest from our wider school community
Kasey McDonnell spoke at Parliament about Child Poverty being the biggest issue facing NZ. As a result of this, he was selected to be the Wellington Central, Labour Party Youth MP for 2016, working with Grant Robertson.
WHS CREST Product Development Challenge students won a first and second prize in the Student Product Development Challenge organised by NZIFST and CREST (Royal Society of New Zealand). The teams were First – Team Atkins and Co; Alexia Atkins, Julian Wood, Taiesha Zsymkowiak. Second – Team Menson and sons; Sian Menson, Bill Rattenbury, Maddy Mossman Hogg.
WHS Careers Advisor, Chuni Bhikha, coached his Wellington U15 Boys’ Premier Hockey team to win the National title in Dunedin.
Wellington High School again took out many of the senior prizes at the NIWA Science Fair. Awards were won by Daisy Abraham, Ruby Medlicott, Callum Davidson, James Matheson, Shakked Noy and Tess Breitenmoser. Jack Tregidga, fresh from captaining the NZ physics team, won first prize in Class 5 and received a $4000 Victoria University Wellington scholarship and a week long, all-expenses paid trip to the “Otago Hands-on Science” week.
Senior A Netball team had an outstanding season and won their College 1 Netball Grade

High Achievers in 2014

18 scholarships, 1 of these outstanding.
Sheryl Wong wins a scholarship award worth $2000 for 3 years of study in NZ for 3 scholarships achieved.
Michael Harcourt, WHS History and Social Studies teacher, received The Fulbright-Cognition Scholar Award in Education Research, a prestigious award enabling the recipient to undertake research in New York City for six months in 2015.
Wellington High School rock band Head Chef win the National Smokefree Rockquest Final. Band members are Carlos McQuillan, Leon van Dijk, Ted Bartley and Dylan Quinn.
Eddyn Perkins-Treacher wins sponsorship of $1600 to attend the Rotary National Science and Technology forum in Auckland in January 2015.
Anna Collett (Year 13) awarded the 2015 Zonta Club of Wellington Young Women in Public Affairs Award. This award recognizes young women for their demonstrated leadership skills, commitment to public service and civic causes and encourages them to continue their participation in public and political life.
Oliver Sundin, Lucas Early, James Matheson named in the U19 Men’s National Floorball team who will represent New Zealand in a two-game series against Australia in October 2014.
Luke Porteous, Stanley Sarkies selected to join the New Zealand International Young Physicists Squad to compete in a week long physics tournament in England in July 2014.
Kylie Merrick awarded a 2013 TENZ (Technology Educators New Zealand) award for her contribution to technology education.
Kathleen Rose (Year 9) selected to play for the 14U Junior Women’s New Zealand Inline Hockey team to compete against Australia at the Inline Hockey Oceania Championship being held in Hamilton this July 2014.
Fashion students again display work at Te Papa as part of World of Wearable Art.
Wellington High School U17 volleyball boys dominate the U17 Wellington representative team with 6 out of the squad of 11 being Wellington High students.
16 prizes for Wellington High School at annual NIWA Science fair – the highest for any school in the Wellington region.
Eva Tinga, chosen to represent Wellington in JENSYS Japanese exchange programme.
Lewis Wong and Rose McKenzie win Video2Vote national PPTA competition to help engage young voters and reverse the trend of a low turnout of young voters.
Joseph Ivory, James Matheson, Jan Mueller and Oliver Sundin (year 11 students) place 1st in the Wellington Region Senior Robocup Rescue Competition (testing teamwork, computer science and engineering skills).
Qona Christie (Year 11) chosen for the New Zealand Judo Youth Development Squad.
Henry Tutaka (Year 13) chosen to captain the New Zealand mens netball team.
Lucy Edwards (Year 12) chosen for the U18’s Wellington Schoolgirls rugby training squad.
Zach Mackie and Noah Allen-Collins (Year 13) gain a Gold medal in the NZ Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge Regional final.

High Achievers in 2013

26 scholarships, 2 outstanding
Waisale Tabuavou, Ruiha Evans named in the Wellington U17 Representative touch team.
Hana Olds (Year 10) selected as one of five finalists in the Westpac Women of Influence – 2013 Emerging Leader Awards.
Maia Holder-Monk, Hannah Van Seventer, and Frankie Berge selected to take part in Te Papa WOW project.
Junior debating team wins Wellington regional championships.
Senior debating team wins Wellington regional championships.
Junior debating team winner of the impromptu cup.
Ailidh Leslie selected as captain of New Zealand Senior Debating Team.
Jess Eaton, Lucy Brown and Isabella Sheppard (the Sassbandits) gain second place out of 24 Wellington teams in Wellington bridge building competition.
Shakespeare Society performs King Lear.
Lily Mason Mackay selected for the New Zealand team for the International Young Physicists’ Tournament to compete in Taipei in July 2013.
Morgan Christy-Jones receives prestigious Massey University Gold CREST award.
Troy Ruhe (2007 – 2011) gains a prestigious Maori and Pacific Island Entrance Scholarship to Otago University worth $10,000.
Bailey Price design used to promote Youth Week 4-12 May 2013.

High Achievers in 2012

23 scholarships, 4 outstanding
The WHS Junior Certificate Debating Team (Jess Eaton, Lucas Gosling, Tallulah Martin-Naylor) crowned the Wellington regional champions.
Evie Orpe and Lucy Roche (both Year 13) gain top award at the Wellington Class Comedians showcase.
Jess Eaton, Tallulah Martin-Naylor, and Lucas Gosling win the Wellington Speaking Union Junior Certificate debating competition.
Dominic Faherty and Matthew Di Leva are both finalists in the Athletes With a Disability category at the Sport Wellington Awards. Wellington High School is the only school to have two finalists in this category.
Lily Mason-Mackay attended the 2013 Rotary National Science and Technology Forum in Auckland.
Conor Ivory and Rennie Pearson (both Year 12) selected to be part of the first New Zealand squad to compete in the under-19 world championships in Ultimate Frisbee.
Caitlin Agnew-Francis (Year 12) selected to represent Wellington at ‘Enterprise in Action’, one of only 88 students nationwide – a very prestigious business opportunity.
Rachel Linton (Year 12 ) awarded Silver medal for her entry in the Pasta Main Course class of the 2012 Culinary Fare competition held at the Food Show Wellington.
Lucy Roche and Evie Orpe (Year 13) gain the top award, “Nailed It On The Night” for their performances at the International Comedy Festival as part of the Class Comedians Showcase.
Trisha Castillo, Novia Karaitiana and Jon Pilalis (with their product ‘Times Two’) win the Wellington Crest Award. Milan De Maule, Louis Robinson and Kris Devereux (TCo) and James Malcolm, Vanessa Taal and Scarlett O’Callaghan (Fizzpop) are awarded Highly Commended.
Matthew Di Leva, Adrian Gordon and Dominic Faherty win Gold, Silver and Bronze at Trans-Tasman Special Olympics.
Hana Olds, Year 9, writes and publishes a book about Professor Swee Tan.
Mereana Latimer awarded a Discovery Science Scholarship, a scientific scholarship for Maori students by Victoria University.
Henry Tutaka (Year 11), receives the College Sport Wellington Sportsman of the Year 2012 Service to Sport award. Henry also received a Sport NZ Wellington Region Sport Volunteer award.

High Achievers in 2011

26 scholarships, 3 outstanding
Felix Borthwick receives an Outstanding Scholar award worth $5,000 for 3 years of tertiary study
Prue Kelly was awarded the Wellingtonian of the Year in the category of Education.
Renee Andrews a finalist (top four) in Shakespeare Globe New Zealand costume design competition.
Runners up in mixed A grade division final of dragon boating championships.
Drew Brice-Ford film a finalist at the Last Ocean Online Short Film Competition.
Dominic Faherty highest game score at AWD 10 pin bowling championships.