For the first time in 60 years, the entire Kuranui College student body attended the school’s senior prize giving. Operating under Alert Level 2 Delta guidelines meant the annual event could only involve staff and students.

Unfortunately, parents, caregivers, whānau and the rest of the community were unable to attend, however, as it was held during school time, the event provided a unique opportunity for Year 9 and 10 students to join in and celebrate the successes of their senior classmates.

Kuranui Principal, Simon Fuller, said in his address to the school that despite the Covid-challenged environment there was a lot to celebrate. “However you choose to measure success, whether it be academic, in sport, through culture or students engaging in a meaningful pathways for life, our college remains strong and a leader in education in our country,” he said.

“There are a huge number of successes that prove this. Our national title in Showquest. Our Māori students being the highest achieving cohort at NCEA Level 3. Being named Wairarapa Hunting and Fishing College of the Year for sport. Our Ignite curriculum being copied by a huge number of schools around the country. The list goes on and on.”

Fuller credited this success in what is a new and unpredictable environment to the strength of the school’s community. “To be able to achieve these things despite the uncertainty we all live in is a real testament to the people that make up this college.  It is our people that are our greatest asset, it is our people that do the mahi, it is our people that unify us and it is our people that support each of us in hard times.

“Whether you are student, a staff member, a parent or volunteer, our people have gone the extra mile this year and our success is that of the collective. I would sincerely like to thank all of our people for their amazing contributions, for staying loyal to our college and standing beside our students to give them the best possible education.”

Emma Rose was awarded DUX for 2021.  Beginning her career at Kuranui College in 2017, Rose has topped her cohort in four of her five years at the college, gaining multiple course endorsements and overall Excellence endorsements throughout NCEA Level 1, 2 and 3. She has also made huge contributions to many areas of the school community while demonstrating an outstanding commitment to her education, setting very high expectations in all areas of her study and often working above the expected level. 

Rose also received the award for the Greatest Contribution to Literature, the Huia Literary Cup,  and the MINOLTA NZ Cup for outstanding leadership in the wider life of the college.

She will begin her Law studies through the University of Canterbury and has been awarded the Win Hastings Bright Futures Scholarship, University of Canterbury Go Waitaha Scholarship, University of Canterbury Bright Start Scholarship.

The Proxime Accessit to the Dux for 2021 was awarded to Patel Schenk. She will begin her tertiary studies by distance learning and has been employed by World Vision to promote their cause in our wider community.

The Head Student Leaders for 2022 are Aimee Clouston and Joshua Wiegman, supported by Deputy Head Students Jorja Holden, Meg Hunter, Will Isaacs and Charlie O’Connell.

Kuranui’s continues to grow and this year the college welcomed 14 new staff and received six new temporary classrooms to accommodate a 20% increase in the roll. Next year, the school roll will be 800 students or more and the college will welcome another 16 new teachers, as well as additional support staff and extra guidance counsellors.

“We are introducing new subjects such as business studies and Japanese, and continuing to broaden the already extensive Ignite courses on offer to students. All of this adds up to one thing and that is amazing opportunities for our students,” added Fuller.

DUX 2021 – The medal for Dux of Kuranui College 2021 goes to the Year 13 student who has reached the highest level of academic achievement.

Emma Rose

Proxime Accessit to the Dux for 2021

Patel Schenk

SPECIAL AWARDS 

HUIA LITERARY CUP

Emma Rose

KURANUI COLLEGE SENIOR PREPARED SPEECH CUP

Charlie O’Connell

TE HIRINGA TROPHIES – Awarded to the student who has consistently displayed our school value of Te Hiringa in pursuing their studies.

Year 11 Eden Walford

Year 12 Grayson Hart

Year 13 Michael Hartley

FIRST OVERALL IN LEVEL 1

Featherston Lions Club Cup

Lola Holbrook

FIRST OVERALL IN LEVEL 2

Lisa Rose Cup – Donated by the Rose family [1991] in recognition of Lisa’s achievements. Lisa was Dux of school in 1990.

Joshua Wiegman

GREYTOWN LION AND LIONESS CLUBS ENDEAVOUR TROPHY – for a senior student who has striven and succeeded against the odds.

Thomas Morland

ROTARY CLUB OF SOUTH WAIRARAPA SHACKLETON CUP – in recognition of resilience, growth and success in secondary schooling.

Te Ahurei Aporo

TOCKER CUP – for significant contribution to the wider life of the college. Donated by the Tocker family (foundation pupils) and first awarded in 1965. Mr and Mrs Tocker were both foundation members of Parents Association.

Anna Laybourn

Briar Matthews

MINOLTA NZ CUP – for outstanding leadership in the wider life of the college. Donated by Minolta New Zealand, first awarded in 1999.

Emma Rose

STUDENT TRUSTEE CERTIFICATE – for contribution to Board of Trustees 2020/21.

Will Isaacs

STUDENT TRUSTEE for 2021/22

Joseph Laybourn

ARTS AND CULTURAL AWARDS 

GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO EVENT TECHNOLOGIES

Joshua Wiegman

GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO LITERATURE

Emma Rose

GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO TIKANGA MĀORI

Ārana Edmonds

GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO VISUAL ART

Connor Hislop

GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO DANCE

Anna Laybourn

GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO DRAMA

Jack Lewington

GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC

Kikorangi: Adam Butler, Sasha Francis-Murray, Alex Hartley, Rowan Higgins, Amethyst Sutherland, Amon Terry.

SERVICE AWARDS – these awards are for those students who go the extra mile to enhance the daily life of our college community:

Aimee Clouston

Jorja Holden

Sarah Hyde

Will Isaacs

Jack Lewington

Jessica O’Neill

Patel Schenk

Abby Swanson.

SERVICE BLUES – these awards are for those students who have made an outstanding and consistent contribution to the daily life of our college community:

Te Ahurei Aporo

Rowan Higgins

Briar Matthews

Emma Rose

Joshua Wiegman.

SVA AWARD – TOP VOLUNTEER 2021

Sarah Hyde

The SVA Service Award is a national award programme where secondary school students record their voluntary service in their school, family or local community. The students are working towards Bronze, Silver, and Gold badges to acknowledge the awesome work they are doing for others. Kuranui is running this programme for the first time this year. Each year, a Top Volunteer pin is awarded in each school. Sarah has gained the Bronze award and logged 135 volunteering hours. Throughout the year, she has volunteered for Featherston Booktown, on the prom committee and for the Masterton miniature railway. 

ASSISTANCE WITH TERTIARY STUDY 

This year there was a total of more than $85,000 worth of scholarships.

Te Ahurei Aporo receives the University of Victoria – Totoweka School Leaver Scholarship

Billie Banks receives the University of Otago – New Frontiers Entrance Scholarship

Kahlan Delamere receives the University of Otago – Māori Entrance Scholarship

Anna Laybourn receives the University of Waikato – Ko Te Tangata School Leavers Scholarship

Briar Matthews receives the University of Otago – Māori Entrance Scholarship

Manish Narayan receives the Prime Minister’s Vocational Excellence Award and the Mito NZ Level 2 Automotive Award

Nathan Raj receives the UCOL Accomplishment Award

Hazel-Claire Rippey receives the Keystone Trust Award

Emma Rose receives the  Win Hastings Bright Futures Scholarship, University of Canterbury Go Waitaha Scholarship, University of Canterbury Bright Start Scholarship

Caleb Te Hira receives the University of Otago – Māori Entrance Scholarship

Martinborough Fair Trust Bursaries worth $4,500 each.

Te Ahurei Aporo

Ayla Lindsey

The Rotary Club of South Wairarapa owns and manages the Rotary Martinborough Country Fair, and the majority of the proceeds from the sale of stall sites at this event are put back into the South Wairarapa community each year in the form of grants and bursaries, such as this one. 

The Rotary Martinborough Fair Bursary consists of two awards, valued at $4,500 each, and is awarded to students attending Kuranui College who reside in South Wairarapa, and who, from their responses during our interview process, have demonstrated a clear understanding of what they want for their futures and how they intend to get there; this includes a well-planned tertiary education programme as well as an ability to be able to complete that programme (as evidenced by their academic record while at Kuranui College).  

FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE LIFE OF THE COLLEGE AS STUDENT LEADERS in 2021 

Te Ahurei Aporo

Paige Beattie

Ceejay Dennes

Jayden Drinnan

Rowan Higgins

Cameron Laing

Anna Laybourn

Jack Lewington

Briar Matthews

Jessica O’Neill

Hazel-Claire Rippey

Luke Rodger

Emma Rose

Patel Schenk

Abby Swanson

Lachlan Taylor

STUDENT LEADERS FOR 2022 are:

Head Students:

Aimee Clouston

Joshua Wiegman

Deputy Head Students:

Jorja Holden

Meg Hunter

Will Isaacs

Charlie O’Connell

Leaders:

Matthew Edwards

Alex Hartley

Angelique Hicks

Joseph Laybourn

Halee Norman

Charlie O'Connell

Kitty Regnault

Jonty Spicer

Amethyst Sutherland

Zac Taylor

Serenity Wilson

Written by Catherine Rossiter-Stead. Article added: Wednesday 01 December 2021