Goal driven student 'fine role model'

Keanu Flavell, 16, is a high achiever looking to do well in all areas. Photo / Stephen Parker

You would think high school was hard enough without having a weekend job on the side, but for one Western Heights High School student the sky's the limit.

Keanu Flavell, 16, is a Year 12 student taking all three science subjects - biology, chemistry and physics - as well as Cambridge maths, English and geography on top of working for Sky Sport in the weekends.

Keanu affiliates with Te Arawa as he has grown up in Rotorua, but his ancestors were originally from Ngati Maniapoto and he receives funding from them for his schooling.

"I work with Sky Sport, that takes its time. I'm part of the production crew, we do the live replays, so I have to go to the live events. It's pretty cool, it's how people see all the replays across their screens."

Keanu said he was asked to become a director for Sky Sport earlier this month.

He said he was waiting for the paperwork to come in and once he signed he would be the youngest director they had by about five years.

He travels all over New Zealand during the weekends for his job and uses the travel time to keep up with school work.

"I enjoy learning, in the future I would like to be a surgeon, so anything science related does interest me quite a lot," Keanu said.

He said he balanced his school work and part-time job well last year and he was quite happy with his results.

"I got in the top 90 to 99 per cent for the Cambridge mathematics. It just goes to show that hard work pays off, I'm pretty stoked at that result."

He said this year's focus was on science.

"I hope to absolutely excel at it and blow it out of the water. I'd like to be an orthopaedic surgeon one day.

"I have family who have done medicine degrees and are now doctors and have shown me the tools you work with, and how every day is not the same, there is always something different that you come across ... I like being at the hospital and seeing how it all happens."

His sister, Fallyn Flavell, studied at Otago University for nine years doing commerce, psychology, and a Bachelor of Science.

"She has been an inspiration, she always pushes me, she is good to be around. My mum has always been there for me too, she knows when I need my space and that's awesome, she pushes me as well."

He said he aspired to be a prefect when he got to Year 13 and secretly hoped to become school Dux.

His mum, Sherrill Flavell, said she could not be more proud of her son.

"I'm just so proud of him, he has always been a high achiever. He is a really 'out there, go get them' type of kid.

"He has support from both sides of his family, his sister has been his role model, he really looks up to her."

Western Heights High School principal Jim Gemmell said Keanu was an outstanding young man and a fine role model for other students.

"Here at Western Heights High School we always stress how success in school and life in general, stems from having the right attitude. Keanu certainly possesses this attribute."

He said it was hard to believe that a young man of his age had already achieved so much.

"One can only imagine the exciting future which lies ahead of him. We are very proud of his efforts " Mr Gemmell said.