What a fantastic evening of celebration at our Senior Academic Prizegiving last night! There was so much pride in the room as we recognised the hard work, dedication and achievements of our senior students. It was wonderful to see so many whānau, staff and supporters coming together to celebrate our young people.
Dux and Proxime Accessit
A huge congratulations to Zoe-Beth Naisby, who was named Dux of Waihī College for 2026, receiving the Waihī Lions Scholarship and Harry Shepherd Cup. Congratulations also to Zara Clare, who received the Coombes Cup for Proxime Accessit (Runner-Up to Dux).
Special Award Winners
Our Special Awards recognise students who have gone above and beyond, celebrating not only academic excellence but also leadership, service, resilience, creativity, culture and contributions to school life. Congratulations to our 2026 Special Award recipients:
Isla Menary – Best All-Round Girl, Board Chairman’s Award and Martha Women’s Club Award; Kurt Hahn Award
Rian Morgan – Best All-Round Boy and Board Chairman’s Award; John Combes Memorial Cup for Science and Mathematics; Department of Conservation Award
Cleopatra Huang – John van der Zwan International Student Award
Alexis Hughes – Bronwyn Wightman Memorial Trophy; Ethel Madgwick Cup – Rural Women NZ
Mahana Magee – Ara Poutama Award
Luke Stephens – Ryan Aluminium Trophy for Service to School and Community
Aysheia Domasing – Chandel Cup for Consistent Effort
Aliya Smith – Jack Silcock Memorial Cup
Rylee Morgan – Maia Short Memorial Scholarship
Stella Shave – Board Chairman’s Award and Waihī Beach Lions Trophy
Tiana Reynolds – Rogers Calculus Cup; Grover Plate for Year 13 Art
Cade Tucker – Penny Bowden Trophy for Performing Arts
Zara Clare – Sel Baker Cup for Humanities
Honoka Kobori – Golden Apple for Year 12 Art
Ruby Wilhelmi, Ella Troughton and Ana Whatarau – Principal’s Award
Zoe-Beth Naisby – O’Leary Cup for Leadership
Each of these awards tells a story of commitment, perseverance and the many different ways our students contribute to our kura. We congratulate every recipient on their well-deserved recognition.
Year 11 Academic Achievements
Congratulations to our top three Year 11 students:
1st Place – Daria Galey
2nd Place – Eli Townsend
3rd Place – Tessa Menary
Year 12 Academic Achievements
Congratulations to our top three Year 12 students:
1st Place – Jessica Yeh
2nd Place – Carlee Huang
3rd Place – Auriol Stronach
These students have demonstrated outstanding commitment to their learning, and we look forward to seeing what they achieve in the years ahead.
Scholarships and Future Opportunities
This year’s Prizegiving also celebrated the many scholarship opportunities awarded to our senior students, with an impressive $127,000 in scholarships recognising achievement and supporting future pathways. These scholarships make a real difference as our students prepare for tertiary study, training and life beyond Waihī College. A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Sponsors. A huge thank you to: Alitech Window Systems, Aries Publishing Ltd, Baker’s Joinery, Barden & Co Law, Beach Road Garden Centre, D & J Smeaton, DLA Architect, Gilmours, Goodyear Autocare Waihī, J Baker (Sel Baker Family), Maia Short Memorial (B Habberfield), Martha Women’s Club, Meares Electrical, OceanaGold, Photolife, Pioneer Fire & Security, Printec Digital, Silcock Trust (Paterson/Silcock Family), Waihī 100% Electrical, Waihī Beach RSA, Waihī Family Dentist, Waihī Lions Club, Waihī Paperplus/Toyworld, Waihī Tyres, Waihī Agricultural Education Trust, White Cliff Timber Ltd, and Waikato Graduate Women Education. Trust Your support is genuinely appreciated, and we thank you for investing in the success and futures of our students.
Congratulations to All Our Students While we have highlighted some of our major award recipients, the evening was a celebration of so many students who have worked hard, challenged themselves and achieved success throughout the year. Whether receiving a first, second or third placing, an Endeavour Award, a scholarship or a special prize, every achievement deserves recognition. We are incredibly proud of our students and grateful to the whānau, teachers and wider community who continue to encourage and support them. Congratulations to all our 2026 award recipients – what a fantastic year of achievement for Waihī College!
Look out for our Special Edition Senior Prizegiving newsletter out soon, and as always – head to the School Photos section of our website to check out all the photos.
