Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) has celebrated the academic achievement and service of its junior students at its 2023 Junior Awards ceremonies held on Thursday and Friday (December 7 and 8).

MAC principal Nicola Jacobsen said the awards recognised academic, artistic, sporting and service achievement. 

“We pride ourselves on being a place for all students to grow and be proud of who they are, and encourage our students to not only make the most of the curriculum opportunities available, but to get involved in all aspects of school life,” she said.

Highest academic achievers Year 10 (L-R): Denali Emmitt, Phoebe Laker, Zoe Gumpatzes, Ruby Smith, Maja Griffith-Jones and Kasey Brooks.

“Academically, our results are well above the national average and reflect our focus on the core skills of numeracy and literacy, as well as a range of other subjects designed to prepare our students for their future pathways.”

Nicola said the school also places “a strong emphasis on our values which represent what we stand for as a school community and inform how we treat ourselves, each other and our environment”. 

“I am very proud of our junior students and thankful for the support they receive from their families and whānau and our local community.” 

The best all round student awards went to Alice Chaly and Elliot Lovelock (Year 7), Holly Radford and Sammy Watkins (Year 8), Isabel Martin and Cooper Norman (Year 9), and Jack Sides and Nico Pettit (Year 10), and the whole-hearted contribution prize went to Nico Pettit. 

Highest academic achievers Year 8 (L-R): Emma Head, Liam Thomas, Theo Guilleux, Niamh Nolan, Bella Wright, Merryn Foster and Amber Gemmell.

Academic awards for the highest achievers in each class went to: (Year 7) Emily Anderson, Charlie Cave, Camilla Foskett, Toni Guy, Alex McErlich, Nadia Thomas, and Matilda Verbeck; (Year 8) Merryn Foster, Amber Gemmell, Theo Guilleux, Emma Head, Niamh Nolan, Liam Thomas, and Bella Wright; (Year 9) Nieve McRae, Sam Irvine, Phoebe Cervelli, Emily Hunt, Olivia Coad, Lily Garrett, and Tim Heiler; and (Year 10) Denali Emmitt, Kasey Brooks, Maja Griffith-Jones, Ruby Smith, Phoebe Laker, and Zoe Gumpatzes.

In addition to the presentation of awards, the ceremonies featured a number of special performances, including a haka pōwhiri performed by Te Mākahi o Tititea (MAC’s kapa haka group), the MAC junior band performing ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood MAC, and students performing original music and cover songs. 

PHOTOS: MAC 

See the full awards list below:

Year 7-8

Year 7 highest achievers (class): Charlie Cave, Camilla Foskett, Toni Guy, Matilda Verbeck, Emily

Anderson, Alex McErlich, Nadia Thomas

Year 7 high achievers (subjects): Charlie Cave, Camilla Foskett, Ford Mills, Chloe Chisholm, Elliot Lovelock, Lea Moylan, Asha McPhee, Finn Butland, Emily Peters, Toby Hartnell, Belle McIntosh, Tama Chaney, Peri Chisholm, Livia Borges, Charlie Burgess, Troy Brett, Beatrix Smith, Jack Davies, Paige Boomsma, Alice Chaly, Georgie Kitto, Paige Lunny, John Quirke, Max McClean, Malcie Cervelli, Matilda Verbeck, Theo Taylor, Naiah Beazley, Henry Coad, Dean Coll, Billie Picard, Mackenzie Williams, Blake Lindner, Ahi Townsend, Sophie Fulford, Sebastian Persson, Gemma Cragg, Toni Guy, Alex McErlich, Nadia Thomas, Ashton Abell, Issy Asberg, Caleb Cotton-Everitt, Cienna Hearle, Sophia McClintock, Sofia Davidson, Sam Seville, Finn Tomes, Kyan Gawn, Eva Huggett

Year 7 high achievers (subjects and Tititea trophies): Emily Anderson, Logan Davidson, Zara Jennings, Hana Carnie, Joel Gemmell, Matilda van Urquhart, Ayilo Emasu, Mia Tooley, Kate Russell

Year 7 Tititea trophies: George Kendrick, Finlay Brown, Jade Lunny, James Allan, Chatalhea Viesca, Ngakau

Akuhata, Fern Goodwin, Vivi Mohr, Estelle Stewart, Ruby Hales, Amy Thomas, Finn Eyers

Year 8 highest achiever (class): Liam Thomas, Emma Head, Merryn Foster, Theo Guilleux,

Niamh Nolan, Amber Gemmell, Bella Wright

Year 8 high achievers (subjects): Lily Brown, Joel Foskett, Sierra Emmitt, Sophie Bull, Ivy Craig, Laia Mactaggart, Jack Dobson, Alex Winterbottom, Frankie Dodds, Charlie Nisbet, Duncan Turner, Zoe Fahy, Zack Wilson, Grace Derby, Elsie Dale, Oscar Searle, Holly Radford, Eli Wilson, Luke Evans,

Trinity Pullar, Tom Allibone, Sammy Watkins, Theo Guilleux, Niamh Nolan, Amber Gemmell,

Gabriel Viloria, Hannariina Laukkanen, Fergus MacRae, Brynn Smith, Liam Thomas, Emma

Head, Merryn Foster, Bella Wright, Lucas Simpson, Deacon Gwilliam Browne, Blanka Lewis,

Annabelle Grant, Stella Harper, Konstantin Shiya, Indigo Strange, Blake Cotton-Everitt,

Galileo Griffith-Jones, Poppy Jackson

Year 8 high achievers (subjects and Tititea trophies):

Laila Telfer, Jack Chisholm, Izzy Ashford, Mack Hay, Bess Wilson, Mackenzie Smith,

Shannon Tisch-Wickes, Natasha Thurston

Year 8 Tititea Trophies: Zara Brown, Iyaz Basco, Xavier Cross, Penny Rutledge, Leo Cliff, Billy Brown, Bonnie Raynes, Anika West, Olive Woolley, Will Dulin-Shattky, Joplin Gerlach, Matthew Jurczyluk,

Charlotte Sheppard

JUNIOR PREMIER AWARDS: Elliot Lovelock, Alice Chaly (best all round Year 7 students), Sammy Watkins, Holly Radford (best all round Year 8 students)

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT:Matilda Verbeck (ice-skating), Brooke McLachlan, Ivy Craig, Scarlet Henshall (teams triathlon) Olivia Noble-Kirkbride (dance)

SPECIAL ACADEMIC & SERVICE AWARDS Pippa Hartnett, Lucy Wellington, Madix Chandler, Flynn Robinson, Laia Mactaggart, Zara Brown, Charlie Lovelock, Luke Silipo, Laila Telfer, Alex Winterbottom, Madeleine Hewson, Grace Derby, Charlotte Schurink, Izzy Ashford, Leo Cliff, Billy Brown, Oscar Searle, Holly Radford, Eva Small, Olivia Smith, Anika West, Vienna Harley, Zoe Fahy, Charlotte Macandrew, Mackenzie Smith, Bess Wilson, Shannon Tisch-Wickes, Amber Gemmell, Harrison Lovelock, Ollie Henton, Matthew Jurczyluk, Brynn Smith, Sammy Watkins, May Foxley, Theo Guilleux, Amy Cotter, Ila Duncan, Merryn Foster, Sienna Clark, Charlotte Sheppard, Blake Cotton-Everitt, Blanka Lewis, Angus Wilton, Oscar Adams, Emma Head, Liam Thomas, Olivia Noble-Kirkbride, Emma Throne, Lucas Simpson, Indigo Strange, Bella Wright (William Pike Challenge) Ford Mills (speech), Oscar Searle (commitment to sustainability), Hannariina Laukkanen, Lily Brown (accelerated learning)

Year 9-10

Year 9 highest achievers (class): Nieve McRae, Sam Irvine, Phoebe Cervelli, Emily Hunt, Olivia Coad, Lily Garrett, Tim Heiler

Year 9 high achievers (subjects): Sam Irvine, Nieve McRae, Amos Wells, Lily Garrett, Ivy Adams, Milo Adams, Isaac Lam, Phoebe Cervelli, Olivia Coad, Zoe Waddington, Winifred McAllister Brown, Monte Halliday, Madison Smith, Ethan Shirley, Rossco Rowley, Vera Jacobsen, Jordan Joachim, Lyndajayne Kitto, Indi Picard, Cameron Shore, Maia Wheeler, Maxwell Persson, Mia Gemmell, Arnaud Mackenzie, Isabel Martin, Nicholas Norton, Kody Bloxham, Max Evans, Rui Fukaya, Tom Simpson, Hannah Thomas, Grace Underwood-Vize, Emily Hunt

Year 9 high achievers (subjects and Tititea trophies): Charnee Turner, Fia Warburton, Tim Heiler, Georgia Beale, Moby Cave, Charlie Gibson, Jayden Robertson, Vinnie Vickers, Fleur Jansen, Cooper Norman, Aroha Osborne, Joe Cruden, Zac Sedon

Year 9 Tititea trophies: Vinnie Vickers, Edward Ives, Emily Heathorn, Cameron Tippett, Charlie Colebrook, Jj Pittaway, Theo Irvin, Emma Cartlidge, Hank Weathington

Year 10:

Year 10 highest achievers (class): Denali Emmitt, Kasey Brooks, Maja Griffith-Jones, Ruby Smith, Phoebe Laker, Zoe Gumpatzes

Year 10 high achievers (subjects): Kasey Brooks, Maja Griffith-Jones, Oli Wyeth, Zoe Gumpatzes, Ruby Smith, Phoebe Laker, Tommy Cotter, Hugo Van Maren, Priya White, Sophia Menlove, Jacob Toomey, Mikayla Botting, Belinda Hope, Mhaya Pereira, Heidi Jarvis, Fenella Millen, Isaac Baker, Jack Stanley, Harry Smitheram, Olive Sinclair, Ruben Harley, Ethan Highsted, Hinato Watanabe, Ruby Holsted, Madi Lovelock, Alyssa Fellingham, Mabel North, Quinn Bailey, William Noble-Kirkbride, Ramone Millar, Millie Slaven, Maxene Ursua, Sam Harper, Susannah West, Max Bagley

Year 10 high achievers (subjects and Tititea trophies): Alianna Hay, Tasmin Murphy, Denali Emmitt, Nico Pettit, Riley Miller, Cooper Foskett, Rhian Telfer, Hana Jones, Kevin Schafer, Kaitlyn Tooley, Dan Russell

Year 10 Tititea trophies: Hunter Armstrong, Toby Mills, Luka Cowan, Finn Woolley, Caroline Smith, Elijah Valentin, Domenico Robinson, Aaliyah Davidson

JUNIOR PREMIER AWARDS

Isabel Martin, Cooper Norman (best all round Year 9 students), Jack Sides, Nico Pettit, (best all round Year 10 students), Nico Pettit (whole-hearted contribution – junior)

SPORTS AWARDS Phoebe Laker, Luke Harrold (junior sport)

NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT Tim Heiler (dance), Nova Arnott (skiing), Nico Pettit (biathlon and cross country skiing), Phoebe Laker (athletics)

INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

Isabel Martin (dance), Sophie Fountain, Heidi Kendrick (equestrian), Sam Harper (cricket), Fia Warburton (sport climbing), Daisy Woods, Luke Harrold (skiing)

ACADEMIC AWARDS

Nieve McRae (monologue) Mikayla Botting (debating and mathematics), Tommy Cotter (mathematics)

CULTURAL AWARD Rāhana Brett (Te Kura Ara Mai)

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD Nico Pettit

ARTS AWARDS Kasey Brooks (whole-hearted contribution – junior)

SERVICE AWARDS Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary award: Zoe Waddington, Ivy Adams, Susannah West, (bronze) Nico Pettit (silver)