Louie Hose
Louie Hose says the way to achieving your goals and actualising your dreams is all about dedication.
The St Kevin’s College head boy is aiming to study law at the University of Otago and his ultimate goal is to become a criminal lawyer.
The 17-year-old is an all-rounder with NCEA excellence endorsements, a college cultural leader, and an athletics and swimming champion.
To fulfill his career goal, he has focused on "English-heavy" subjects, including history, classics, English, physical education and religious studies.
As head boy, he says he has grown in confidence because of his many public speaking events, which include the Bishop’s Shield secondary school annual speech competition that St Kevin’s College won this year, school mass and assemblies, and an impassioned reply speech at the college’s annual rugby match to the head boy of 1975.
"I’ve learnt so much this year in this role about public speaking, and how I can balance my dedication and my time management."
Louie plays for the 1st XV rugby team, he was the school’s U14 and U15 boys’ swimming champion, he is the senior boys athletics champion, and he is in the senior A volleyball team.
Last year he was part of a team, that included college staff and teachers, who created the first of its kind "little league" volleyball team in Oamaru, by teaching intermediate students the sport in his lunch breaks.
The students went on to build an "inter-school exchange", with some inspiration from his father Alistair Hose, who is the head of physical education at St Kevin’s.
He credits principal Jo Walshe and teachers Mr Smith, Mr Devereaux and Mrs Herbst for "most definitely helping me through this year the most".
Louie also turns to scripture for inspiration.
"There’s one quote which has stuck with me since I was young, and it’s John 13:7, which is, you do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.
"What I’m doing now, even if it’s hard, it will always pay off," he says.
Achievements
Head boy (2025); NCEA level 1 endorsed with excellence (2023); NCEA level 2 endorsed with excellence (2024); Cambridge English (2023, 2024); school 1st XV rugby team (2024), school senior volleyball A team (2023-25); school senior boys athletics champion (2025); school student council (2025).
Role model
The disciple John.
Hopes for the future
To become a criminal lawyer and work overseas.
Leilanitiare De La Ford
Leilanitiare De La Ford wants to help others build "something beautiful" and says collaboration is key.
The St Kevin’s College head girl is weighing up studying architectural engineering or surveying at either the University of Otago or University of Canterbury after she takes a gap year to travel.
The 17-year-old is a Pasifika group leader at college, the deputy chair of the Waitaki District Youth Council and a board of trustees student representative.
Leilanitiare says understanding others and giving them a voice is really important to her.
"I want everyone’s opinions heard and then something can happen.
"If I become an architectural engineer, I can hear what other people would like, and what I would also like and incorporate that and make something beautiful."
Her British father, who is an architectural engineer and served in the Royal Air Force, is a "very big inspiration" in her life.
Leilanitiare’s mother is Fijian and "always tries to do the best for me and my brother".
She attended the Edmund Rice leaders conference in Dunedin this year.
"I learnt delegation is a really big thing in leadership because you can’t do it all by yourself."
She encourages youth engagement in environmental issues, such as the annual beach cleanup and charity events.
Leilanitiare also credits Waitaki district deputy mayor and Oamaru Pacific Island Trust chief executive officer Hana Halalele as an inspiration.
"I love how she built her way to the top, she has shown us the way you can do this is by having a team."
Achievements
Head girl (2025); deputy chair of Waitaki District Youth Council (2025); Race Unity Speech Awards (2023); NCEA level 1 merit endorsed (2023); NCEA level 1 merit endorsed (2024); board of trustees student representative (2025); St Kevin’s College Service Badges, 60 service hours (2023, 2024); NCEA level 3 endorsed with excellence, religious studies, mathematics (2023); University of Otago, BIBS112 Theology (2025); St Kevin’s College senior girls top 5 basketball team (2023); St Kevin’s College senior girls A volleyball team (2022-24); second in scripture reading (2023, 2024).
Role models
My parents.
Hopes for the future
To become an architectural engineer and to see myself and others around me succeeding in life.
