Hard work pays off: Gisborne high schools celebrate top students

Gisborne's city high school duxes for 2024 are, from left, Marcus Bull (Gisborne Boys' High), Joanna Burn (Gisborne Girls' High), Melissa Lamb (Lytton High) and Angus McInnes (Campion College). Marcus is heading to Auckland University next year while the other three will be starting degrees at Waikato University. Photo / Kim Parkinson

Gisborne city high schools’ top scholars have been named and all four are heading to university next year with a focus on science and psychology.

The respective duxes of the city’s four main secondary schools for 2024 are Marcus Bull (Gisborne Boys’ High School), Joanna Burn (Gisborne Girls’ High School), Melissa Lamb (Lytton High School) and Angus McInnes (Campion College).

Marcus is heading to the University of Auckland next year to start a Bachelor of Science majoring in computer science.

His best subjects this year were calculus, physics and chemistry. He was top of Level 3 calculus and chemistry at Boys’ High, the top overall student in science and mathematics and received the Gold Patu for full completion of Level 3 standards.

Marcus said his parents Angela and Bernie Bull “were very happy” for him.

Likewise, Joanna’s parents James and Lucy were extremely proud of her achievements.

As well as being named Gisborne Girls’ High’s dux, Joanna received a Year 13 academic award for psychology and drama, the Janet Roderick Trophy for excellence in mathematics for statistics, and a Hinetu Award for demonstrating the school value of maiatanga (confidence).

Joanna is going to the University of Waikato next year to begin a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in psychology and criminology.

She hopes to pursue a career which incorporates psychology and is considering becoming a criminal psychologist.

Melissa said she was thrilled to be named Lytton High’s dux – a reward for all of the hard work she put into her schoolwork.

She is going to the University of Waikato next year to do a Bachelor of Social Science, majoring in psychology.

Melissa has a few ideas of what she would like to do as a career.

“I’m considering becoming a clinical psychologist or doing counselling as I want to help improve people’s lives in Tairāwhiti.”

She also loves painting and took art throughout high school.

“It allows me to express and share my Filipino culture.”

Angus’s top subject at Campion College was biology and he also enjoyed chemistry and geography.

His parents Christine and Iain McInnes were “incredibly proud” when he won dux and thought it was a well-deserved achievement after all his hard work in school.

Angus was top of his year for biology, chemistry, geography and religious education, and got school Colours for Special Character, and the Christ Cross for all-round contribution to the school (academic effort, leadership, service, sport and culture).

He also won a scholarship from the University of Waikato, where he will be studying towards a Bachelor of Science with a double major in ecology and biodiversity.

Angus wants to pursue a career as a conservationist.

When asked what advice he would give to other secondary school students heading into their final year of school in 2025, Angus replied: “Try to focus on the subjects that are going to be important to you.”

Runners-up to dux were Jake Millar (GBHS), Grace McVey (GGHS), Amandine Mariette and Manaia Mill (Lytton), and Philip Du Preez (Campion).

Most of the high schools have also selected their head prefects for next year.

They are Maxwell Kennedy (GBHS), Isobel Robertson-Reri (GGHS) and Ana Jones (Lytton).

Campion College is yet to name its head prefect for 2025.