Academic successes – May 2024

Late 2023* Successes

* Please note the use of 2023 year groups.

Australian Mathematics Competition

Benjamin Yu (Year 7) and Cong (Zilong) Chen (Year 7) achieved perfect scores at the Australian Mathematics Competition, receiving prestigious Peter O’Halloran Awards. St Andrew’s won two prizes for the Top Student for every 300 students within their region and year group; 22 Distinctions (top 20 per cent); and 33 credits (top 55 per cent).

Creative Writing

Isobel Forsey (Year 12) was first overall in the St Andrew’s College Secondary School Creative Writing Competition for 2023, as well as first in the Prose category. She was the recipient of the Kerrin P Sharpe Cup for Promise in Creative Writing. Runners-up in Prose were Chantelle Xiong and Grace Kempthorne (both Year 12) with Dixel Vallabh (Year 12 receiving a special mention). First in Poetry was Ellie Zhou (Year 10), with runners-up Jenna Howell (Year 12) and Vivien Kuziel (Year 13).

Emma Geddes (Year 9) won a silver award in The Royal Commonwealth Society’s Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2023. Mabel Hart (Year 8) and Matthew Kenyon (Year 10) won bronze awards in this prestigious competition.

In the 2023 Vancouver Haiku Invitational International Haiku Competition, James Knowles (Year 9) received a Sakura Award for his haiku, petals scatter. Receiving Honourable Mentions in this competition were Heidi Smith (Year 9), with at the wedding, and Ella Withers (Year 13), with after the funeral.

Chantelle Xiong (Year 12) was shortlisted in the Michael King Writers Centre Signals Young Writers Awards 2023.

Ethics Olympiad

The StAC White team of Matthew Bluck, Jinyang (Yang) Zhang, Sam Foote, Ellie Zhou, and Daisy Huang (all Year 10) won the Middle School Ethics Olympiad South Island Regional Competition, qualifying for the international virtual event in February 2024.

French

The following students passed the International DELF French examinations. Emily Keith (Year 13) achieved an Outstanding score for her B2 examination, which is the required proficiency to study at a French speaking university. Results:

• Level A1: Katie Chan and Daisy Thake (both Year 10);

• Level A2: James Anthony, George Paterson, Elia Short and Katherine Simcock (all Year 11);

• Level B1: Brooke Hughes, Billie Revis and Joseph Ryan (all Year 12);

• Level B2: Emily Keith, Radha Vallabh and Kyle Sander (all Year 13).

Gallery 347 Technology Exhibition

The annual Gallery 347 Technology exhibition celebrated the 3D design work of Level 2 and Level 3 Design and Visual Communication (DVC) and Textile Technology students. Over 50 different projects were displayed in The Green Library and Innovation Centre, the result of hundreds of hours of students’ work.

Programming Māori Pacific Potential (PMP Haumi)

The St Andrew’s Business Studies PMP team was second overall in the national Programming Māori Pacific Potential (PMP Haumi) pitching competition in November. This team was led by Te Koha Ware (Year 13) and included Harata (Charlotte) Galvan, Hanna Papali’i Taimalelagi Malietoa (all Year 10), Maniah Taefu and Hanaatia Te Kane Hakiwai (both Year 9). The team narrowly lost to St John’s College from Napier.

Programming

At the national Programming Contest for Girls at the University of Canterbury Computer Science Department, Hannah Withers and Ellie Zhou (both Year 10) placed second in New Zealand to get silver, and Daisy Huang and Katie Chan (both Year 10) placed sixth, earning them a bronze medal.

2024 Successes

Kids’ Lit Quiz

The Preparatory School Team 1 comprising Harry Sibson, Emmett Lawler, Edward Garbutt and Xiaofeng (Alina) Deng (all Year 8) achieved second place at the Canterbury Kids' Lit Quiz Canterbury Regional Final, just one point behind The Cathedral Grammar School.

Olympiad Camp

Hannah Withers and Ellie Zhou (both Year 11) participated in the New Zealand Olympiad in Informatics (NZOI) summer camp in Christchurch in January as part of the Informatics Olympiad, competitive programming contest.

At the 2024 Academic Awards Night for top NCEA academic achievers from ethnic and migrant backgrounds in Christchurch secondary schools, three St Andrew’s College students nominated and awarded were Aaron Moore, Sea-Am Thompson and Chantelle Xiong (all Year 13). They achieved highly at Level 2, as well as completing Level 3 subjects as Year 12 students in 2023.