Senior students’ academic, cultural and leadership accomplishments were recognised at Cromwell College’s prize giving on Thursday.

Principal Mason Stretch welcomed guests, friends, whanau, students and staff in multiple languages to reflect the increased diversity in the school and community.

Ongoing growth linked to record immigration this year has the current school roll of 615, higher than at the start of the year.

“Diversity brings a richness of lived experience from beyond Cromwell and so brings different ideas and perspectives, perhaps . . . on what is important in education and work and a different world view.

“This is a huge opportunity for learning, learning to listen, learning to accept, to respect, to understand, to manaaki and to care,” Mason said. 

Dux was shared by Tori Davis and Kaia Hutchinson and Proxime Accessit went to Grace Naylor. 

Both Kaia and Tori received excellence on their internal assessments and performed at a very high level in the mock exams. 

Due to a miscalculation Kaia was not acknowledged at the prize giving, and the school has issued an apology for this.

Bridie Nichol was the top academic student in Year 12, and Becky Thomson the top academic student in Year 11.

Mana Pounamu awards for 2023 (on left) Baxter Dimond and Sondre Langvik-Owen and PHOTO: Supplied

Pictured (from left) are Anthea Husein and Isabella Misisco, who shared the lead and inspire award. PHOTO: Supplied

Head students for 2024 are Maddi Pask and Oliver King.

The academic prefects are Hannah Dicey and Bridie Nicol. Art prefects are Chirlene Vorster and Taine Borthwick and environmental prefects are Caylin Geel and Louis Bickerstaff. Zanjoe Valentin is the sport prefect and Milasa Finau cultural prefect, Maori and Pacifica pou. 

Due to space constraints The Central App is unable to publish individual subject, diligence distinction awards and junior and outstanding performances in sports awards.  A list of the special awards is below.

Premier awards

Olivia Piebenga; for contribution to the sporting life of CC

Anethia Husein and Isabella Miscisco; lead and inspire trophy

Angus Drinnan; for responsibility and leadership in Years 11 – 13)

Bjork Swain; for epitomising school values and making a difference to the lives of others

Flynn Wilson; for contribution to the life of CC.

Service and cultural awards

Isabella Miscisco and Angus Drinnan; contribution made to CC by the head students

Grace Naylor; for a student showing promise in the arts

Sullivan Sonntag; services to CC music group performance

V Young; for service to the performing arts

Grace Tiko; most talented musician, contribution and leadership in kapa haka

Kees Johnson; for contribution and leadership in kapa haka

Sondre Langvik-Owen; senior mana pounamu young māori achiever

Baxter Dimond; junior mana pounamu young māori achiever.

Endeavour and excellence awards 

Anthea Husein; endeavour in social sciences

Mac Anderson; endeavour in mathematics

Georgia Weir; endeavour in science

Kaia Hutchinson; endeavour in English, excellence in distance education and technologies

Erika Wilson; endeavour in the arts

Jayden Hansen; endeavour in technologies

Amelia Dickey; endeavour in distance education

Taine Borthwick; commitment, achievement and endeavour in physical education

Grace Naylor; excellence in english and individual research

Maddi Pask; excellence in physical education

Leo Wiltshire; excellence in mathematics

Kate Spriggs; excellence in social sciences

Oliver King; excellence in outdoor leadership

Tori Davis; achievement in sciences and excellence in the arts

Ben James; displaying courage and commitment to improving self through personal effort.

Duke of Edinburgh awards

Gold: Kate Spriggs, Kaia Hutchinson, Edward Lawrence and Grace Naylor

Silver: Louis Bickerstaff, Kieran Hancock, Sam Jansen, Bridie Nichol, and Flynn Wilson.

Senior sports awards 

Olivia Piebenga and Greer Ferguson (rowing U18 double sculls); team of the year

Olivia Piebenga; most valued player (MVP) in senior girls basketball, most improved player (MIP) senior female football,  player of the SISS netball tournament, MVP senior netball, most outstanding rower

Flynn Stuart; outstanding athlete of the year

Mac Anderson; most outstanding male volleyball player

Isabella Miscisco; most outstanding female volleyball player

Kees Johnson: most outstanding senior male touch player

Baxter Dimond; MVP senior boys’ basketball, most outstanding senior male touch player Nevaeh Reddy; most outstanding senior female swimmer and swimming champion

Amelia Dickey; senior female rugby player of the year

Flynn Stuart and Thomas Piebenga; most outstanding senior rugby player

Clay Dawson; MIP senior rugby 

Milasa Finau; player of the SISS netball tournament, most outstanding senior female

touch player

Bridie Nichol: contribution to, enthusiasm for netball and commitment to a team

Hannah Dicey; MIP senior netball

Angus Drinnan; MVP senior hockey

Leo Wiltshire; MVP senior male football

Tori Davis; MVP senior female football

Theo Emeny: MIP senior male football

Joshua Ede; MVP senior cricket 

Becky Thomson; MIP female senior basketball 

Cormick Fitzgerald; MIP male senior basketball

Find previous Central App stories on some of the Cromwell College winners below.

Dunstan High School senior prizegiving also recognised students achievements last week.

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