KEY POINTS:
One of the best things about this time of the year is opening the paper to read about the many excellent students this country produces.
Usually, one only reads about teens when they're up before the courts or being buried after killing themselves in an act of stupidity.
But when exam results come out, it's great to read about those quiet high achievers who don't seek out publicity but whose proud teachers and parents insist they have their moment in the sun.
They come from all backgrounds and it's lovely to take a moment to acknowledge their success. Just this week, we've seen Ella Tunnicliffe-Glass from St Cuths collect four Outstanding Scholar awards and a fifth scholarship.
Thirty-seven students achieved top marks in the world in the Cambridge International Exams - including Arkesh Patel from Westlake Boys who has collected five top in the world awards over the last two years.
And we read about Paige Beanland from Melville High School who won an excellence award and achieved outstanding passes in maths, biology, physics and chemistry.
A magnificent achievement - especially when you consider she's been battling acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and had the stress of seeing her firefighter dad terribly injured in the Tamahere coolstore fire.
What a remarkable group of young people and it's great to see column inches in the paper devoted to these fabulous kids.
* www.kerrewoodham.com
