26 January 2000
MEDIA RELEASE
UNIVERSITY BURSARIES TOP SCHOLARS ANNOUNCED
Top Scholars in the 1999 University Bursaries examinations were announced today by the Qualifications Authority. Awards
are made to top overall candidates, male and female, and the top candidate in each Bursaries subject.
The overall Top Scholar award for males is shared by Caleb Ward, from St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton, and
Richard Kramer, from Westlake Boys’ High School in Auckland. The overall female Top Scholar is Wan-Chih (Amy) Peng, from
Epsom Girls’ Grammar School in Auckland. These three candidates scored the top overall marks from five Bursaries
subjects.
The top Mäori students are both from Auckland. Alice Karetai from Waiheke High School, is the top Mäori female, and
Isaac Hikaka from Auckland Grammar School, the top Mäori male.
The top male and female candidates of Pacific Island descent are also both from Auckland. Danica Aitken is from Epsom
Girls’ Grammar School, and Adam Dennison is from Auckland Grammar School.
Each overall Top Scholar receives $8 000. The overall Top Scholars and the top Mäori candidates receive Government
Commemorative Scholarships.
The Top Scholars in 28 Bursaries subjects have also been announced.
(See attached lists.)
Features of this year’s Top Scholar awards include:
Two-thirds of the Top Scholars are from the Auckland region.
Seventeen of the top subject scholars are female. Girls predominate in the arts and social sciences, while boys did
best in mathematics and science subjects. (In 1998, females won all of the science awards.)
Five schools have more than one Top Scholar.
Auckland Grammar School has a total of six Top Scholars – Mäori and Pacific Island Top Scholars, and top in French,
Japanese, Physical Education and Physics.
Epsom Girls’ Grammar School has three Top Scholars – the female overall Top Scholar and the Pacific Island Top
Scholar, and top in Mathematics with Statistics.
St Cuthbert’s College (Auckland), Rangi Ruru Girls’ School (Christchurch) and St Andrew’s College (Christchurch), have
two top subject scholars each. (St Cuthbert’s College also had four in 1998.)
Outside greater Auckland, awards are spread across the country: Thames, Hamilton, Hawera, Darfield, Wellington (two),
Christchurch (five), Dunedin and Invercargill.
Small schools that continue a good record in the Top Scholar awards include Waiheke High School (top overall male in
1998) and James Hargest High School (a subject award in 1996).
The top candidate in each Bursaries subject receives $5 000 (apart from Latin where there were fewer than 100 candidates
so the top candidate gets $2 000).
Two students shared the award in History. There are no awards this year in Chinese (Second Language) or Indonesian. In
these subjects there were relatively few candidates and chief markers considered that no eligible candidate had achieved
the required Top Scholar standard.
To qualify for a Top Scholar award, candidates must be studying at least three Bursaries subjects and be a New Zealand
citizen or permanent resident. In foreign languages, candidates identified by their schools as first language speakers
are not eligible for Top Scholar awards.
All top scholars will receive their awards at a Government House ceremony on 7 April.
In addition to the Top Scholar awards, students who achieved scholarship results in five or six subjects will receive
monetary awards. Those with scholarships in six subjects receive $3 000, while five scholarships earn $2 500.
Scholarship results are awarded to the very high achievers in each subject, generally the top three to four percent of
candidates. These prizes will be mailed to successful students in April, following the confirmation of final Bursaries
results.
Release ends
EDUCATION REPORTERS PLEASE NOTE:
The full Top Scholars lists follow. We have provided the list in two forms - one by subject and the other by region.
Almost all top scholars have agreed to have their contact details released to the media. Please call us if you want this
information.
For more information contact:
Bill Lennox Phone 04 802 3008 025 575 783
Fiona Pattison Phone 04 802 3094 Fax 04 802 3426
Top Scholars: 1999 University Entrance, Bursaries and Scholarships Examinations
REGIONAL LIST
AUCKLAND Accounting Timothy Walker, Pukekohe High School
Chemistry Stephen McCracken, Avondale College
Economics Isabella Fu, Diocesan School for Girls
English Howard Ho, King’s College
French (Second Language) Buddhika Rajapakse, Auckland Grammar School
Geography Fiona Connor, Senior College of New Zealand
German (Second Language) Anthe Crawley, St Cuthbert’s College
History (equal) Susan Lane, Lynfield College
History of Art Anna Rassie, Carmel College
Japanese (Second Language) Adam Walls, Auckland Grammar School
Latin Christina, Robertson, St Cuthbert’s College
Mathematics with Calculus Jen-Chen (Mark) Huang, Macleans College
Mathematics with Statistics Che Wah (Sarah) Young, Epsom Girls’ Grammar School
Physical Education Jonathan Keir, Auckland Grammar School
Physics Wing Chuen Chan, Auckland Grammar School
Science Heng (Allen) Lee, The Manurewa High School
Sculpture Rebecca Killick, Long Bay College
Te Reo Rangatira Stephanie Martin, Te Kura O Hoani Waititi Marae
Top overall Mäori scholar – male Isaac Hikaka, Auckland Grammar School
Top overall Mäori scholar – female Alice Karetai, Waiheke High School
Top overall Pacific Island scholar – female Danica Aitken, Epsom Girls’ Grammar School
Top overall Pacific Island scholar – male Adam Dennison, Auckland Grammar School
Top overall scholar – female Wan-Chih (Amy) Peng, Epsom Girls’ Grammar School
Top overall scholar – male
(equal) Richard Kramer, Westlake Boys’ High School
WAIKATO Top overall scholar – male
(equal) Caleb Ward, St Paul’s Collegiate School, Hamilton
Spanish (Second Language) Sally Garden, Thames High School
TARANAKI Agriculture and Horticulture Adrian Blake, Hawera High School
WELLINGTON Classical Studies Helen Tat, Wellington Girls’ College
Music Blair Harris, St Bernard’s College
CANTERBURY Biology Oliver Mueller-Cajar, Darfield High School
Design Junita Browman, St Andrew’s College
Painting Charmaine Reveley, Rangi Ruru Girls’ School
Photography Victoria Burkhart, St Andrew’s College
Printmaking Kate Loader, Rangi Ruru Girls’ School
OTAGO History (equal) Andrea McCready, Queen’s High School
SOUTHLAND Graphics Joanne Schaab, James Hargest High School
Top Scholars: 1999 University Entrance, Bursaries and Scholarships Examinations
SUBJECT LIST
Accounting Timothy Walker (Pukekohe High School)
Agriculture & Horticulture Adrian Blake (Hawera High School)
Biology Oliver Mueller-Cajar (Darfield High School)
Chemistry Stephen McCracken (Avondale College, Auckland)
Classical Studies Helen Tat (Wellington Girls’ College)
Design Junita Browman (St Andrew’s College, Christchurch)
Economics Isabella Fu (Diocesan School for Girls, Auckland)
English Howard Ho (King’s College, Auckland)
French (Second Language) Buddhika Rajapakse (Auckland Grammar School)
Geography Fiona Connor (Senior College of New Zealand, Auckland)
German (Second Language) Anthe Crawley (St Cuthbert’s College, Auckland)
Graphics Joanne Schaab (James Hargest High School, Invercargill)
History (equal) Andrea McCready (Queen’s High School, Dunedin)
Susan Lane (Lynfield College, Auckland)
History of Art Anna Rassie (Carmel College, Auckland)
Japanese (Second Language) Adam Walls (Auckland Grammar School)
Latin Christina Robertson (St Cuthbert’s College, Auckland)
Mathematics with Calculus Jen-Chen (Mark) Huang (Macleans College, Auckland)
Mathematics with Statistics Che Wah (Sarah) Young (Epsom Girls’ Grammar School, Auckland)
Music Blair Harris (St Bernard’s College, Lower Hutt)
Painting Charmaine Reveley (Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, Christchurch)
Photography Victoria Burkhart (St Andrew’s College, Christchurch)
Physical Education Jonathan Keir (Auckland Grammar School)
Physics Wing Chuen Chan (Auckland Grammar School)
Printmaking Kate Loader (Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, Christchurch)
Science Heng (Allen) Lee (The Manurewa High School)
Sculpture Rebecca Killick (Long Bay College, Auckland)
Spanish (Second Language) Sally Garden (Thames High School)
Te Reo Rangatira Stephanie Martin (Te Kura O Hoani Waititi Marae, Auckland)
Top overall Pacific Island scholars Adam Dennison (Auckland Grammar School)
Danica Aitken (Epsom Girls’ Grammar School, Auckland)
Top overall Mäori scholars Isaac Hikaka (Auckland Grammar School)
Alice Karetai (Waiheke High School, Waiheke Island)
Top overall scholars Caleb Ward (St Paul’s Collegiate School, Hamilton)
Richard Kramer (Westlake Boys’ High School, Auckland)
Wan-Chih (Amy) Peng (Epsom Girls’ Grammar School, Auckland)
Notes: The award for History is shared by candidates deemed to be of equal merit. No candidate is named for Chinese
(Second Language) and Indonesian as Top Scholar standard was not reached by eligible candidates.