Taranaki Diocesan School names student leaders for 2025

Taranaki Diocesan School Deputy Head Girl for 2025 Sophie Ogle with some of the awards she received at the school's 2024 prizegiving.

Te Kura o Pi’opatanga o W’akaa’urangi Taranaki Diocesan School’s leaders for 2025 have been announced.

The head girl is Tatjana Hanne and the deputy head girl is Sophie Ogle.

Both young women said they were “thrilled” to have been chosen.

Sophie, 17, is also the school’s head boarder for 2025, a role she also held this year.

It’s a role she has enjoyed and is looking forward to continuing with in the new year, she said.

“I love the girls in the hostel, and also they matrons. They are like another family to me, and I am so close to everyone there.”

She would recommend boarding at the school to anyone, she said.

“You form friendships not just in your own year group but across all levels. We create bonds that are so special.”

Sophie, who went to Auroa School before Taranaki Diocesan, said being a school leader was something she had hoped to achieve.

“When I was in year nine I remember looking up to the leaders and hoping I would have a leadership role later on.”

In 2025, she will be studying Biology, PE, English, photography and agriculture.

After school, she hopes to gain “lots of work experience” on sheep and beef farms, or attend Lincoln University - either way, the long term goal is to work in farming.

Living on a dairy farm herself, farming is something she understands the value and importance of, she said.

“I am looking forward to learning more as I carry on.”

Jugging two leadership roles in 2025 will be a challenge she said, but one she will enjoy.

“I am looking forward to working with different people.”

Her advice to students just starting their high school journey in 2025 was simple.

“Join in with everything and have so much fun. School is a lot better when you are having fun and enjoying your time.”

Taranaki Diocesan School head girl for 2025 Tatjana Hanne with some of the awards she received at the school's 2024 prizegiving.

Tatjana, 16, is also no stranger to a leadership role, having served as deputy head girl for 2024.

The highlight of that role, she said, was being part of the school’s Big Sister programme in which senior students are matched up with a new student to the school, providing support as a “big sister” would.

“This year I was involved in organising some of the activities for the big and little sisters to do together, and I really enjoyed that.”

Tatjana, who is studying history, health, drama, English and stats in 2025, plans to go to university when she finishes high school to study either international relations, law or politics before joining the military or working in peace keeping in some way.

She said while she is looking forward to her future, she doesn’t want the next year to go by too fast.

“I’m looking forward to working with all of the student leadership team and we will be making our final year at Dio our best year.”

Her advice to new students is to make every year their best year.

“Make the most of your time at Dio, take every opportunity that the school provides you with even if they seem hard or scary.”

Te Kura o Pi’opatanga o W’akaa’urangi Taranaki Diocesan School leaders 2025:

Head Girl: Tatjana Hanne

Deputy Head Girl: Sophie Ogle

Head Boarder: Sophie Ogle

Deputy Head Boarder: Isabella Sunman

Sacristan: Meadow Wellington

Arts Captain: Georgie Vickers

Deputy Arts Captain: Charlotte Tippett

Sports Captain: Ava Taylor

Deputy Sports Captain: Zara Roberts

Head of Wilson House: Neisha Taylor

Deputy Head of Wilson House: Kate Johnson

Head of Roberton House: Meadow Wellington

Deputy Head of Roberton House: Justine Issac

Head of Fleming house: Bryda Barr

Deputy Head of Fleming House: Lilly Cowan and Myah Johns

Head of Stanford House: Charlotte Tippett

Deputy Head of Stanford House: Isabella Sunman

Head of Student Council: McKenna Norris

Academic Captain: Alicia Laird

Wellbeing Captain: Tess Hooker

Environment and Sustainability Captain: Bryda Barr

International Captain: Emma Steele

Head Libarian: Tess Hooker

Ilona Hanne is a Taranaki-based journalist and news director who covers breaking and community news from across the lower North Island. She has worked for NZME since 2011.