Taupo-nui-a-Tia College's head girl, Chloe Jaques, got more than she bargained for when she took up drama as a Year 12 student in 2016.
Her path's taken her from participating in one of the college's entries in the Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival to joining the Young Shakespeare Company on a trip to study at the Globe Theatre in London.
"When I was first informed about my selection for the Young Shakespeare Company, I thought they had rung the wrong person," she said.
National Shakespeare Schools Production is a competition in which students act in short scenes from Shakespeare's plays, all gunning for the opportunity to be selected to travel to London and attend Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
Here they will work with professional drama actors to build skills in the performing arts.