Senior Prizegiving - 29 October 2024

Premier Awards:

Louis Bevan is our 2024 Dux.  Louis received the Ōtaki RSA Scholarship, the Fun Zone Scholarship and the Andrew Philips Cup for Dux.  He also received the MI Turnbull Award for Top Year 13 Student.  Louis intends studying Astronomy (which combines his passion for Mathematics with his new interest in Physics) at Canterbury University and has received a $5,000 scholarship from the University for gaining an A+ pass in the 100 Level Mathematics Paper that he completed in 2023 as a Year 12 student.  Louis also received the Chairperson’s Award for All-round Excellence, a Bruce Anderson Memorial Trust Scholarship and an XŌtaki Alumni Trust Carla Hepplethwaite Scholarship to assist with his university studies.    

Joseph (JT) Byrne was Runner-Up to Dux.  Joseph received the Wakefield Lawyers Scholarship and Cup for Proxime Accessit, and the MI Turnbull Award for 2nd in Year 13.  In 2025 Joseph will begin his year on an Outward Bound Leavers' Scholarship and will then take a gap year in order to take part in Camp America.  Towards the end of the year he will be hiking the length of New Zealand along Te Araroa.  He will then go on to study commerce at Victoria University in 2026.  Joseph received the Kevin Crombie Memorial Commerce Award and the PG Accountants Scholarships to assist with his tertiary studies.

Madeline Simpson (Maddie) was the 2024 Everiss Scholar.  Maddie will travel to England and Scotland for three weeks in February 2025.  Madeline will visit Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen, home of the Otaki Scholar.  In 2025 Madeline will join the Airforce as a medic and there are already plans afoot for her to visit a Scottish Air Force Base and a trauma unit in London.  Madeline is extremely proud to have been given this opportunity to represent Ōtaki College and community overseas.  Madeline also received an Outward Bound Leavers’ Scholarship, a Bruce Anderson Memorial Trust Scholarship and an XŌtaki Alumni Trust - Defence Force Scholarship.

The title of 2024 Sportsperson of the Year went to Ned Butler for Excellence in Golf.  Over the last two years Ned has been a member of the top men’s interclub team for the Ōtaki Golf Club.  This year Ned was instrumental in the team winning not only First Division but all of their matches throughout the season. This team has now been elevated to the Championship Division for 2025 - for the first time since 1995.  Ned is currently the top junior golfer in the Wellington Region. With a scratch handicap, he was selected as a member (the anchor) of the Wellington Team that went on to win the prestigious Junior Provincial Tournament.   Part of the Junior Development Team, Ned has achieved multiple placings in both open and age group championships.  Ned has been selected in the Wellington Premiere Men’s Provincial Team, a huge achievement for a Junior Player.

Top Scholar in Year 12 was Yilin Lyu and second was Harriet Georgetti. Top Year 11 Scholar was Giorgio Bevan and runner-up was Danielle Wong.  All four students receive MI Turnbull Awards.

Ōtaki College would like to thank the many organisations, businesses and individuals who have sponsored scholarships and awards for our Senior Prizegiving, some of which were offered for the first time in 2024 and some of which have been in place for many years.  The College is hugely appreciative of the generosity of these people and the acknowledgement and support they provide for our talented students as they begin the next stage of their lives.

Also announced at prizegiving was the 2025 Ngā Ringa Whero – Heads of School Team.  Next year our Ngā Kākākura (Heads of School) will be Keita Broughton-Alp and Logan Boyer.  Tauawhiawhi (Deputy Heads) are Harriet Georgetti and Haki Ropata.  Ngā Kaingārahu (Associate Heads of School) are: Olivia Fogden, Logan Hughes, Mareikura Kaka, Kita Kanavatoa and Yilin Lyu.

The College would like to congratulate our 2024 leavers and wish them well as they embark upon their careers or take their studies to tertiary level.