Logan Park High School

Savarna Yang

Savarna Yang has learnt the art of delegation this year.

The 17-year-old says it has become necessary, because of all the school and community commitments she is now juggling.

The young violinist has played in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra for the past two years. Last year she was part of an ensemble which won the New Zealand Chamber Music Otago District Competition, and this year she has taken on the role of concertmaster in the Dunedin Youth Orchestra.

Playing the violin requires a lot of time and commitment from her — about an hour every day.

Aside from playing the violin, Savarna is also very busy with the school’s senior girls’ football A team, various school committees, and her duties as head girl.

She is also a high academic achiever, having gained NCEA levels 1 and 2 with excellence, and first in class placings for classical studies, media studies, music and calculus in last year’s prizegiving.

Savarna says it has been a "bit of a juggle" managing all of her extra-curricular activities on top of school work, so she is now relying on her peers and the people around her more, to share some of the workload.

Next year, she plans to study law because she is interested in human rights and politics, and she wants to help make a difference in people’s lives.

Achievements

Head girl (2025); formal committee (2025); music prefect (2024-25); Dunedin Youth Orchestra concertmaster (2025) and principal second violin (2024); Dunedin Youth Orchestra member (2021-25); NZ Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra (2024-25); 1st NZCT Chamber Music Otago (2024); NZCT Chamber Music Otago highly commended (2023-24, 2023); NCEA levels 1 and 2 with excellence (2023-24), NCEA level 2 biology, calculus, classical studies, English and music endorsed with excellence (2024); NCEA level 1 English, history, mathematics, science, music and fabric technology endorsed with excellence (2023); school prizes for classical studies, media studies, music and calculus (honours in English, 2024); Blues for chamber music and orchestra (2024); school prizes for mathematics, chamber music and orchestra (2023); honours in English, history and science (2023), senior girls’ football A team (2024-25); completed Suzuki violin teenage teacher training (2023); 1st NZPS poetry competition haiku junior section (2023).

Role model

My violin teacher, Tessa Petersen, and my spinning, knitting and weaving teacher, Keri Smith.

Hopes for the future

To be able to travel.

Isaac Simons

When Isaac Simons’ parents took him to his first football training session, he admits he was reluctant to go.

But within two weeks, he was hooked.

Now, he can’t imagine his life without it.

The 17-year-old fullback began playing in the premier league with the Northern Football Club team last year, one of his proudest moments in the sport.

The thing he loves most about the game is that it provides a way to relax and get away from the business of his school life.

At school, he is a high academic achiever with a string of school prizes in various subjects.

But he says his best trait is that he is generally seen as one of the nice guys at school.

He has made a lot of positive connections with teachers and fellow students, which probably played a major part in his appointment as head prefect this year, something else of which he is very proud.

He believes being nice equals happy people.

"Seeing other people happy is great and I don’t see why you wouldn’t be nice."

During his journey through school, he has learnt much about leadership and organisation.

They were skills that would put him in good stead for any future career he pursued.

Next year, he plans to continue his studies at a university in the United States, perhaps on a football scholarship.

Achievements

Head prefect (2025), sports prefect (2025), school 1st XI captain (2025) and member (2022-25), school 1st XI co-captain (2024), school 1st XI golden boot winner and most valuable player (2024), Dunedin Northern men’s premier team (2024-25), year 12 chemistry prize (2024), year 12 physical education prize (2024), honours in history (2024), honours in triathlon (2024), NCEA level 2 excellence endorsed (2024), excellence endorsements in physical education, history, chemistry and merit in classics and calculus (2024), Dunedin Northern men’s 2nd XI team (2024), Southern United U17 rep team (2023-24), Blues in school football (2023), northern youth coaches’ player of the year (2023), year 11 physical education prize (2023), year 11 science prize (2023), outstanding achievement in level 1 hard materials technology (2023), honours in math (2023), honours in history (2023), NCEA level 1 excellence endorsed (2023), runner-up junior dux (2022), service to sport prize (2022).