Attitude the key, PM tells top pupils

Karley Wilden Palms and Caitlyn Cunningham Tisdall, of Otago Girls' High School with Prime...
Karley Wilden Palms and Caitlyn Cunningham Tisdall, of Otago Girls' High School with Prime Minister John Key. Photo by Christine O'Connor
Prime Minister John Key offered words of advice, with tongue in cheek, to the 57 outstanding pupils from 29 secondary schools during the 2015 Otago Daily Times Class Act awards ceremony at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery yesterday.

''If your parents are here tonight, my advice is this is a good night to hit them up for extra pocket money, cash ... They'll be in that loving, giving feeling after this.''

 Slideshow: Class Act 2015 presentation

On a more serious note, he said: ''What I always think is, you get out of life what you put into it, and I think for a lot of students, they tend to think the defining thing in their life will be ability.

''There's no question ability helps, and you all have ability in a range of different disciplines. That's why you're here this evening.

''But I also think the biggest single defining factor is attitude. Do you want to succeed badly enough that you want to put in the effort? Do you believe that you can do it?''You're already demonstrating you have those attributes.''

Allied Press managing director Sir Julian Smith said the recipients of the 16th Class Act awards were the cream of Otago's secondary school elite in 2015.

They were nominated by their schools on the basis of their achievements and their potential for success. He said the criterion given to schools when nominating their Class Act recipients was, simply, excellence.

Academic, sporting, social, artistic or cultural excellence, leadership qualities, or a combination of those, was the standard by which pupils were nominated.

The 2015 award winners now join the ranks of the 895 other Otago school pupils who have won Class Act awards since they were established in 2000.

University of Otago vice chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne also praised this year's award recipients and gave credit to their parents for guiding them.

''This level of success does not happen by accident.

''Your son or daughter's success is due in large part to their hard work, but it's also a reflection of your aspirations for their future, and your consistent and loving support of their academic and personal success.''

This year's Class Act award recipients will receive an automatic entitlement to a University of Otago scholarship for 2016.

All Class Act recipients will receive a minimum of $6000 through the Otago Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship and, if he or she is dux of their secondary school, the value of the package will increase to a minimum of $9000.

Nicholas Shaw, of Tokomairiro High School, said the event had inspired him to continue on his path of success.

''It was pretty inspiring listening to John Key talk and being around all the other students.''

Aaron Anderson, of Bayfield High School, revelled in the recognition of the awards ceremony.

''I thought it was fantastic getting to see all the other people who have received Class Act awards. It just makes everything feel a bit more worthwhile to get recognised for all the work you've done.

''A lot of people do some really good work and don't really get recognised, so today is about that.''

-john.lewis@odt.co.nz

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