Class Act Awards

SIAN Hutchins is naturally leaning towards science and intends to use that to New Zealand's advantage.
The 17-year-old St Peter's College pupil plans to study Health Science, ``hopefully at Otago'', with a goal of becoming a GP.
Science was a subject she had ``always loved'' and was fascinated by.
``You go into a science lesson and you come out and go `Oh, that's how that happens'.
``Chemistry makes the most sense.
``Physics is quite theoretical and biology is a lot of work in theory, whereas chemistry you can see things happening and you can also understand the molecular aspect of it.''
Outside of the classroom Sian was also a talented musician, playing the saxophone and flute, and is a trampolinist.
She fell into the sport when she started doing gymnastics as an after-school activity, where trampolining happened afterwards.
``It just looked exciting and that really got me into it.''
She started about 10 years ago and in 2016 won the Southland Age Championships Synchronised Trampoline title and came second in the Otago-Southland Championships.
It had taught her resilience and how to overcome challenges.
``You've got to be able to keep going even when you fail, because you have to work through challenges.
``You might muck up and get injured, so it's really important to be able to come back from that, bounce back, as it were.''
No longer competing, Sian now mentors other athletes and had started judging, something she was keen to continue.
Ten years from now, all going to plan, Sian will be about to graduate from university, which was a daunting prospect.
``It's about six years' medicine, two year residential and then three years to become a GP, it's quite a long process on top of what I've already gone through.''
Role model:  Father, Clive, a teacher, because of the effort he put in to his job, the care he has for his pupils and the dedication he showed.
Hopes for the future:  Working as a doctor and helping people.
Achievements: Student Services leader; NCEA Level 3 Excellence Endorsed (2018); student council member; trampoline mentor (2015-18); NCEA Level 2 Endorsed with Excellence; Excellence subject endorsement in mathematics, religious education, physics and chemistry; Merit subject endorsement in english and biology; Elementary Trampoline coach and judge, Out of School Music Senior Flute Trophy (2017); SADD committee member (2016-17); NCEA Level 1 Endorsed with Excellence; Excellence subject endorsement in mathematics, science, history and religious education; Merit subject endorsement in english and geography; Incentive Award Level 7 Trampoline; Southland Age Championships Synchronised Trampoline, 1st place; Otago-Southland Age Championships Synchronised Trampoline, 2nd place (2016); Portobello Science extension course (2015-16); Out of School Music Senior Flute Trophy (2015); Rotary Young Achiever Award (2013); Out of School Music Saxophone Trophy (2012-16).


REMEMBER the name Katie Reed.
In years to come she may well be donning the `C' or `WA' bib for the Steel or Silver Ferns netball teams.
The Riversdale 18-year-old is one of St Peter's College's Class Act recipients for 2018, with a string of sporting achievements to her name.
One of five children  all sporty Katie started playing tennis when she was about seven-years-old and then turned her hand to hockey during the winter.
It wasn't long, however, before the appeal of a netball drew her in, first taking up the sport when she was about nine-years-old and never looking back.
Katie has been an Eastern Southland netball team representative for the past three consecutive years, and this year was named in the Invercargill U19 team, which travelled
to Tauranga to compete in the nationals last month [JULY].
``It's really exciting,'' she said of her selection.
``I didn't really expect it because ...  Certain people get selected to trial and it was a surprise for me to make the team``It's ...  good to play with the Invercargill players too, and get to know more people.''
While on the tennis court she prefers singles, ``because then if you let someone down, you're only letting yourself down'', netball is her preferred sport.
``I just like how it's fast-paced, the endurance, it's just fun.''
Up until the nationals, held from July 9 to 12, Katie had netball practice 5-7 days a week, including an Invercargill U19 practice every week.
Balancing that with her studies had been challenging, she said.
``It's pretty busy ...  but I have a study period once a day so I just have to use that wisely and in the time when I don't have netball I need to do my homework and internals, but I do find it quite hard, especially lately.''
Her proudest academic achievement to date was having both her level 1 and 2 NCEA excellence endorsed, she said.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, PE was her favourite subject at school and she intended to focus on that in her tertiary studies, planning to complete a Bachelor of Applied Science,
majoring in physical education at Otago University or polytech.
While she did not, as yet, have a firm career path mapped out, she wanted to use that qualification in her long-term future  and hoped her skills on the netball court would pay off in the short-term and set her sports career in motion.
Role model:  Steel and Silver Fern midcourter Gina Crampton
Hopes for the future: Selection for a Beko trial.
Achievements:  Invercargill U19 netball team member; Southland Senior tennis teams event (2018); Eastern Southland U17 netball tournament team member; Australian netball tour (2017); Eastern Southland netball team player; Southland U16 tennis teams event (2016-17); Senior A netball player (2016-18); Senior A Most Improved netball player (2016); Eastern Southland U15 netball team; St Peter's 10A netball captain and MVP; Southland U14 tennis teams event (2015); St Peter's 9A netball MVP; Southland U14 teams event (2014).
 



​

---