Celebrating the tall poppies

The top scholarship students from around New Zealand gathered at Government House in May for the 2005 New Zealand Scholarship Top Scholar Awards.

The students received their awards from Governor General Dame Silvia Cartwright, joined by Education Minister Steve Maharey and the Chair of NZQA, Sue Suckling.

There were two types of awards: premier scholarships and top subject scholarships.

Premier scholarships were awarded to the very top candidates who attained at least three scholarships at 'outstanding' level. Each of the 13 awardees is granted $10,000 each year for three years as long as they maintain at least a 'B' grade average in tertiary studies.

Top subject scholarships were made to the top performer in each subject. Each of the awardees was granted $2,000 each year for three years as long as they maintain a 'B' grade average in tertiary study.

Sue Suckling told the top scholars at the awards that New Zealand Scholarship provides a real challenge.

"The scholarship exams are difficult - really difficult - a very big stretch. Only a very small percentage - about 3 per cent - of potential year 13 candidates succeed. Of course to be a Top Scholar you must be in a very small subset of that small subset - which is not easy.

"Today is your day to stand very proud and to be celebrated as glorious tall poppies in New Zealand's society. I've learnt that the personal characteristics and capabilities of those who lead are pivotal to success or failure. So we see here a group of young people who will be pivotal to New Zealand's success in the years ahead," Sue Suckling said.

About NZ Scholarship

New Zealand Scholarship is designed to extend the best secondary students and enable top scholars to be identified and assisted with tertiary study.

Students enter one or more scholarship standard assessment(s) as well as their level 3 NCEA assessments.

The aim is to assess a student's ability to synthesise and integrate concepts - to apply higher-level thinking to what they've learnt.

2005 premier scholars

* Foreign fee paying student. Not eligible for financial award.