Head Girl Teri Wathen-Smith has been offered a $25,000 scholarship to the University of Waikato.
The Te Paewai o te Rangi Scholarship will cover Teri’s first year of fees and halls of residence cost and then contribute some funds towards her second and third year of university.
The 18-year-old says being awarded the scholarship is a “real honour."
“I was really surprised! It’s mainly for academics, something I never thought I'd do so well in,” she said.
The University’s website states students must showcase a strong academic portfolio as well as leadership and community involvement.
Teri says the culture of achievement at St Paul’s – where hard work and getting involved are the norm – helped her achieve as well as she did.
“I believe St Paul’s teachers and the whole culture of achievement at the school opened the doors for me to be awarded this scholarship.”
Teri achieved NCEA Level 2 endorsed with excellence (97% GPA) and 100% in three Level 2 subjects (Biology, History and Sports Science). She also achieved NCEA level 1 with a merit endorsement in Year 11.
On top of her academic achievement, Teri is also chairperson of the junior sports committee, captain of the Open A netball team, co-curricular head of Hall House, a member of the Over the Fence Ministry service programme and has volunteered at Waikato Hospital and for a number of fundraising projects.
She plans to study environmental engineering at the University of Waikato in 2017.
