Dux for 2025 at Ashburton College is Bella Dawson.
The 17-year-old said she felt ‘‘very privileged’’ at the year 13 prizegiving last week to be named the top academic student, as she had not expected it.
‘‘I was so shocked when I heard my name, because there as so many amazing people that would have deserved it,’’ Bella said.
Bella plans to study law at Canterbury University next year, aiming to work in the field of human rights.
‘‘I have always loved helping people and I feel I want to have the ability to do that as a job and make a genuine difference in their lives,’’ she said.
The student welfare committee member received awards and scholarships, alongside being named top student in history, economics, law and society, and jointly in German.
Receiving the runner-up award of Proxime Accessit was Lily Zhen.
The 17-year-old said it was wonderful to have received the award, something she put down to studying ‘‘quite a lot’’ for exams and internal assessments.
‘‘I feel pretty great,’’ she said.
Next year Lily planned to study at Canterbury University.
She was aiming to do a conjoint degree in engineering and commerce.
Those fields related to her career goal options, as she either wanted to be an engineer or work in the field of commerce.
The head of the canteen and environment committee received awards and scholarships, alongside being named top student in mathematics with calculus, accounting, physics, chemistry, and Japanese.
