Dilworth’s top scholars for 2024 were celebrated at the annual Top Scholars Awards held at Senior Campus last Thursday, 1st May - a very special evening on the Dilworth Calendar.
Current Senior Campus students, past students (class of 2024), their whānau, staff and guests came together to celebrate the significant achievements of students who received Excellence course and certificate endorsements in NCEA Level 1, 2 and 3 and also those who gained an Excellence Certificate in Year 11, Dilworth Diploma.
Head of Senior Campus, Mr Tom Murdoch, opened the event and welcomed guests, handing over to Mr Dan Reddiex, Headmaster, for the opening address.
Mr Reddiex opened by saying:
“There is much to celebrate as we reflect on last year’s achievements. We continued to exceed the national averages by large margins regarding pass rates in NCEA. And for the first time last year, our Certificate endorsement rates at NCEA Level 2 and Level 3 surpassed the national averages at both Merit and Excellence”.
He also commented on the Dilworth Diploma, successfully launched last year to more effectively serve the needs of Dilworth students and prepare them for the challenge of NCEA Level 2 and beyond.
Regardless of their ability to achieve excellence, Mr Reddiex told students that it was important for all students, not just those outstanding achievers on stage tonight, to make the most of their educational opportunities, saying it was part of the Dilworth ethos and an expectation regardless of whether that translates into Excellence grades.
He put it this way for students:
Whether you are passionate about music, gaming, engineering, or social justice, education helps you turn that passion into something tangible.
The education journey you are on is not just about books and exams, it is about furnishing you with more opportunities, choices and stability in your future, equipping you to meet your needs and those of the people you love”.
Of course, the evening belonged to the students who had excelled academically in 2024. Mr Reddiex read out impressive citations detailing each student’s achievements, and incredible talent was evident across a range of subject areas, and for many students, across multiple disciplines.
It was exciting to see a theme of progression emerging, with many students building on their grades from the previous year, particularly at Level 3.
After the presentation of School Colours for Success in the Dilworth Diploma, NCEA Level 2 and 3, the final suite of awards was the Scholarship Awards and Outstanding Scholarship Awards, the pinnacle of the New Zealand education system from an academic perspective.
Mr Reddiex explained, "Scholarship examinations are the most challenging test of understanding, intuition and thinking in our academic framework; they are competitive and the competition is intense and are only awarded to a very small percentage of students across the country”.
He said that only 3% of students who sit the Scholarship examination in a particular subject are awarded a scholarship. To be awarded an Outstanding Scholarship means you are one of the very best in the country, and that, usually, 0.3% of students sitting a scholarship examination are awarded an Outstanding Scholarship.
In 2024, Dilworth raised the total number of scholarships to 14, which Mr Reddiex was delighted about and urged more young men to push themselves towards scholarships in 2025.
It was wonderful to hear the citations of graft, heart, and excellence as each student walked across the stage to accept their medal from the Director of Curriculum, Mrs Madeline Thompson.
But it didn’t finish there! Two Dilworth students had excelled, performing at their absolute best in scholarship examinations.
Joshua Futi, 2024 Head Prefect, received an Outstanding scholarship for his efforts in Drama, and Aliki Wilson-Lousi was awarded the Top Scholarship in Aotearoa, New Zealand, in Drama.
When Aliki Wilson-Lousi (who was only in Year 12 when he sat the examination) took to the stage, he received a standing ovation from staff, students, and guests alike.
Mr Reddiex commented:
“The last award of the evening is one you don’t get to award all that often in your leadership career. This is my 18th year as a Headmaster and only the 4th time a student in a school I have led has been awarded this honour.
I will have the privilege of accompanying this young man next Wednesday to Wellington for the New Zealand Scholarship Top Scholar Awards Ceremony in the Parliament Buildings. “
He congratulated all the young men awarded Dilworth colours as Top Scholars for 2025 and thanked the incredible Dilworth teachers who guided them on their way.
Huge congratulations to all our Top Scholars for 2025
Please see the complete list of winners below...