REACH FOR THEIR HEIGHTS.
WHS Foundation is passionate about supporting WHS to foster a culture of excellence in learning, culture, sports and the arts. The WHS commitment to delivering a great all-round education is reflected in the success of its students which we are proud to share and celebrate.
2019 ACHIEVEMENTS
#2 in NZ
co-ed state schools for University Entrance in 2019
92%
of our WHS students achieved NCEA Level 2 in 2019 vs the national average of 78%
80%
of our WHS students achieved University Entrance in 2019 vs the national average of 49%
22
Academic Scholarships were awarded to WHS students in 2019
$500,000+
worth of academic, leadership and
all-round tertiary scholarships awarded to WHS students
RECENT STUDENT SUCCESS
From world-class skiers, winter Olympic athletes, NZ mountain bike champions to student representatives at the World Science Forum, youth philanthropy group founders, award-winning musicians and passionate artists, WHS enables and supports all students to reach for their heights in their chosen interests. Here's a small snapshot of recent successes our students have had on a National and International level. Due to student privacy these are provided anonymously.
Arts
Arts Highlights of 2019 (MPA)
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Senior Art Exhibitions at the Lakes District Museum and Queenstown Contemporary Gallery
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Haven won 2nd place Nationally in the Rockquest Final
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Two students reached the top 10 overall of Rockquest Soloists
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Trainsurfers were Regional winners at Rockquest
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Murphys Law receive Best Song at Regionals
- Jazz Ensemble - winners of the Ensemble Category and received a Gold Grading at the Blenheim Jazz Festival
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Jazz Combo received a Gold Grading at the Blenheim Jazz Festival
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One student received Best Sax Soloist at the Blenheim Jazz Festival
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One student received Most Outstanding Drummer at the Blenheim Jazz Festival
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One student received a Drama Award at Showquest
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Arts Highlights, so far, for 2020 (MPA)
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Bandemic Album released featuring various students
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One student received automatic entry to audition for the Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Globe Theatre in London.
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One student gained an entry of the World Championships of Performing Arts
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Community
WHS students are proud and active members of the Wakatipu community. The below are just two of many ways that WHS students give back to their communities.
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Youth Philanthropy New Zealand Group
Generation Give programme developed and ran at WHS by three past students who facilitated a comprehensive 20 week curriculum, delivered by the students themselves as well as a range of amazing speakers from our local community. The curriculum was specifically designed to assist students to be current, and future, philanthropists. 2019 concluded with the students distributing $35,000 to deserving charities in the Queenstown community.
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Give Time
A website created by WHS students to quickly connect Wakatipu youth with opportunities to volunteer their time and skills with charities and organisations that require assistance.
Sports
WHS has a legacy of athletes representing New Zealand and the Otago Region at a National and International level. These students accomplishments include the below
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Winter Sports
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Alice Robinson - New Zealand's youngest-ever Winter Olympian in Pyeonchgan and Wolrd Junior Champion in GS.
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1st NZ and Oceania U19 Women’s Downhill Mountain Biking 2019
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Three students on the NZ U18 Men’s Ice Hockey Team 2019
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One student on the NZ U18 Women’s Ice Hockey Team 2019
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One student on the NZ U20 Men’s Ice Hockey Team 2019
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One student was a NZ U18 Women’s and NZ Ice Fernz
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One student was on the NZ Snowsports National Development Team (Freeski)
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One student was a member of the NZ Youth Alpine Ski Racing
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Two students represented NZ in the Ice Hockey Team at the Winter Youth Olympic Games.
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Youth Winter Olympic Games - one student won a bronze medal in ice hockey in Switzerland.
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Two students represented NZ in Freeski at the Winter Youth Olympic Games
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New Zealand Junior Freeride Tour Under 16 title
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Cross Country 2020
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One student came 1st U16 girls Southland Cross Country 2020
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Coast to Coast
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A team of three students came 1st in the school's mixed category with a total time for the 243km journey from West Coast to East Coast of 12.23:49 hours.
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Cricket
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Four Otago Age group cricketers
Golf
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Top secondary school golf team in Otago, qualified for the 2020 national secondary school champs.
Touch
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Four Southland touch reps; with one student also named in the U20 NZ wider training squad for the Youth World Cup in 2022 (delayed).
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Rowing
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A team of four students won Bronze in the Quad at NZ Club Men’s Champs
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3 golds, 4 silvers, 1 bronze at the SISS Rowing Champs 2020
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Four students selected to represent Southland in the Under 19 grade at the Interprovincial Champs
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