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Renee Geddes
All-rounder Renee Geddes feels privileged to be the head girl of Queen’s High School in Dunedin, but does not let the title define her.
“A lot of people probably see me as that leader, but I’m also just a normal person.
“In our community, we have a broad range of people, so being able to understand work with them, I think that’s probably one of my greatest strengths.”
The 17-year-old plays hockey for the first XI at Queen’s and has represented Otago as a member of the under-18 women’s team, while also playing in the New Zealand representative under-16 team; and this year has been a part of the Taieri premier women’s team.
She has also represented Queen’s and Dunedin in netball and has participated in the secondary schools national netball development camp and the Southern Steel Steps accelerator programme.
She has also achieved in volleyball, triathlon, athletics and football.
When she isn’t on the sports field or in the classroom, Renee says she loves to perform and believes it is her passion.
“I don’t get to do it probably as much as I would like. I love it because I get to be creative … and there’s not that pressure.”
Next year Renee is hoping to study either sports nutrition or human nutrition at the University of Otago and would one day love to support a sports team.
Achievements: Head girl (2026); NCEA level 1 and 2 (excellence); Shakespeare festival (2025-26), award for best duo (2026); student council (2022-26); formal committee (2026); Taieri premier women’s hockey (2026); netball blue (2025-26); U18 Otago women’s hockey team (2025-26); academic blue (2024-25); hockey blue (2025); Queen’s first XI hockey (2022-26), captain (2026); secondary schools netball national development camp (2026); Southern Steel Steps accelerator programme (2023-26); Queen’s top volleyball team for age (2022-26); Go Hockey New Zealand representative U16 team to Australia (2025); Challenge Wānaka Triathlon 1st overall U16 girls team (2025); South Island secondary schools triathlon 2nd overall U16 girls team (2025); Amy Dunbar Trophy for service and involvement (2024); overall academic excellence award (2024).
Role model: Gemma McCaw.
Hopes for the future: To travel and explore the world and other cultures.
Abby McBride
Abby McBride says when she was younger it was considered “cool” to be a part of the kapa haka group.
Five years on it has grown into a genuine passion.
Not Māori herself, she wants to inspire others to “do Māori things and be in Māori communities and learn te reo Māori”.
She started kapa haka at intermediate, but really fell in love with it in year 9, when she started at Queen’s High School.
“I love the community, I love the people, I love like the kaupapa and … that’s how I’ve spent my last five years.”
In July, Abby travelled with the Queen’s and King’s kapa haka group He Waka Kōtuia to Tauranga to compete in Te Matatini, the national kapa haka festival.
“It was something we could all be proud of, it was 100% worth all of the work we had put in.”
She was particularly proud to be in a group from one of the only mainstream schools among several kura kaupapa Māori (Māori-language immersion schools) competing at the event.
Before an injury last year, being in the swimming pool was a big part of the 17-year-old’s life, as a national competitor, a coach and a water polo player.
Taking a step back from the two sports has given her more time to focus on her role as a prefect at school, for which she has had to use a lot of the skills she learned as a coach.
Next year she plans to study for a bachelor of science at the University of Otago.
Achievements: Student prefect (2026); NCEA level 1 and 2 (merit); board of trustees student representative (2025-26); formal committee co-chair (2025-26); He Waka Kōtuia (2022-26); Ngā Kapa Haka Kura Tuarua o Aotearoa (2022-26); New Zealand swimming championships (2022-25); volunteer swim coach (2023-25); jazz festival gold award (2025); year 12 speech cup (2025); academic blue (2024-25); water polo and kapa haka blue (2025); Otago secondary schools swimming (2022-24); year 11 speech cup (2024).
Role model: Her mother, Khyla McBride.
Hopes for the future: To continue to incorporate her passion for te reo Māori and tikanga Māori into her life and the lives of others.