Chloe Gray
Raising her voice for others is not unusual for Chloe Gray.
Chloe, 18, a Queen’s High School academic prefect, is a member of the school’s madrigal choir and, Polyhymnia, a combined choir with King’s College.
Polyhymnia has qualified at The Big Sing, a regional secondary schools choral festival and Cadenza, a two-day competition between 12 of the best secondary school choirs in the South Island.
"I love singing because it's really fun to express yourself," Chloe says.
She jokes her two siblings "probably don’t love me singing around the house" but Chloe is passionate about all types of music, especially choir and jazz.
She joined a music class in year 5, playing piano and singing, and credits her music teacher with helping develop her love of music.
"My primary school music teacher, Alison Tay, was awesome."
The Queen’s young scholar of 2022 and 2023 has a passion to succeed and loves being in groups.
Her academic record reflects this. Among her prize-winning achievements are excellence in music and visual art, English, history, biology and mathematics and her contribution to the performing arts.
Her involvement in leadership roles include being the lead in this year’s school musical production and major musical roles throughout her time at Queen’s High School.
Chloe has grown up going to camps at CYC Waihola. She has been a leader-in-training since she was 14.
Her dedication to music and enjoyment of working with children is driving her goal to be a primary school teacher.
She says her parents and her youth group leaders at Grace Bible Church, in Dunedin, are her role models.
Chloe plans to go to teacher’s college or get a degree in education at the University of Otago and then a master’s degree.
Achievements: NCEA Level 1 and 2 endorsed with excellence (2021, 2022); academic prefect (2023); Queen’s young scholar award (2022, 2023); academic blues (2020, 2021); top scholar (2021, 2022); Barbara Mann Cup for service to music; Juliette Bernard Tray for service to madrigals; cup for drama and music; madrigals blues; year 11 speech cup; Alison Morgan Trophy, best contribution to the
performing arts by a junior student; Queen’s Charitable Trust mid-year academic scholarship (2019); musical lead (2023); marine science
extension programme (2021).
Role Models: Her parents and youth group leaders.
Hopes for the future: To become a primary school teacher.
Martha McAuley
Queen's High School head girl Martha McAuley has taken all the right steps so far.
She has been a competitive dancer since the age of 7 and her credentials now include dozens of awards in hip hop dancing, including as a hip hop coach.
The fitness needed to achieve so much
and a desire to help people on the path to good nutrition and healthy habits is fuelling her drive to study nutrition for sports and exercise.
"I’d really like to work for a sports team as a dietician and travel with the team," the 17-year-old says.
"I’ve always really enjoyed helping people and if I had a job with the ability to do that, that would be really cool."
The discipline required to compete also shines through in her academic career, with an impressive record ranging from excellence in dance and drama to excellence in biology, chemistry, history and science.
She has NCEA Levels 1 and 2 endorsed with excellence and won Queen’s Young Scholar Awards in 2022 and 2023.
Martha’s group in the Otago Regional Shakespeare competition was runner-up and she was selected to attend the September national schools’ Shakespeare production.
The all-rounder has a passion for drama and acting. Her love of performing and public speaking helped her win the Year 12 speech cup.
"Becoming head girl was a great opportunity. Being able to do speeches and perform, it's very fun. I’ve really enjoyed it."
When she was young, Martha’s parents allowed her to explore different interests.
After experimenting with ballet, Martha fell for hip hop. She has gone on to amass an impressive prize list of wins at the New Zealand Competitive Aerobics Foundation regional competitions every year since 2019.
Martha credits her family as her role models and is grateful to her parents for allowing her and her siblings to always "be ourselves and do whatever we wanted to do".
Next year, Martha plans to study for a Bachelor of Science at the University of Otago.
Achievements: Head girl 2023; NCEA Level 1 endorsed with excellence 2021, NCEA Level 2 endorsed with excellence 2022, NCEA Level 1 excellence subject endorsement in history, Level 2 excellence subject endorsement in English, dance and biology; Queen’s young scholar award 2022, 23, academic blue 2020, 21; cultural blue for hip-hop 2022; 2022, 1st with excellence in dance, 1st with
excellence in drama, excellence in biology, merit in chemistry, English and statistics; 2021, 1st with excellence dance, 1st with merit dance, 3rd with excellence in English; merit in history and science; 2022 The Shakespeare Prize for drama.
Role model: My family.
Hopes for the future: To study nutrition for sports and exercise at the University of Otago and to travel.
