Penelope Hare
Penelope Hare
Your future is only as bright as your mind is open.
That’s why Penelope Hare is taking time out from study next year to look more carefully at her options before choosing a career path.
The 17-year-old Columba College chapel prefect is a high achieving academic, having gained NCEA level 1 and 2 with excellence over the past two years, and a New Zealand Scholarship in English while still in year 12.
She is a skilled orator, debater and leader, with a passion for singing and theatre.
So much so, she recently directed Columba College’s award-winning production of Macbeth at the National Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival as well as being a cast member, crew member, producer, publicist, co-ordinator and fundraiser for the production.
She has many interests, but deciding which ones to pursue has been difficult.
"I haven’t decided what to study yet — there’s so many options — but I’m thinking something along the lines of classics, philosophy, world religion, maybe theatre studies.
"It’s always been my dream to direct a Broadway musical, a play, or maybe even a film — but I’m not sure if that’s what the future holds for me."
Penelope says her passion for theatre comes partly from her love of working with people, but that love of people could be put to use in other ways.
"I’m really interested in social structures of community, anthropology — I’m also considering psychology, so that’s another road I could go down.
"There’s so many things that I could pursue."
When she does start her tertiary education, she plans to take lots of different papers in her first year, then narrow her focus as much as possible.
Philosophically, she says: "My future is an open book. I’m just trying to work out what chapter to start next.
"I’m taking it one step at a time."
Achievements: Chapel prefect (2021); NCEA level 1 and 2 with excellence; NZ Scholarship English (2020); academic Blue (2019, 2020); Otago Southland debating rep (2020); NZ Schools Debating Tournament (2020); 1st college speech competition (2019, 2020); Madrigal Choir (2019-21); academic tutor (2020, 2021); National Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival production director, cast member, crew member, producer, publicist, co-ordinator, fundraiser (2021); National Schools Shakespeare production award nominee (2021); student chapel committee (2020, 2021).
Role models: Her mum, and director, musical writer and Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Hopes for the future: To take a gap year before studying at the University of Otago.
Caitlin O’Brien
Caitlin O’Brien
Caitlin O’Brien is a big believer in the pillars of holistic health and wellness.
Everything the 18-year-old Columba College prefect does is aimed at satisfying her intellectual, spiritual, social, emotional, physical and nutritional wellbeing.
"People talk about those pillars of doing something for your soul, something for your body, something for your mind, something for other people — I feel like that’s really important for me.
"I have to have the balance of everything to be able to excel in anything."
She has a large variety of activities, ranging from multisport, duathlon and rowing, to art, writing, and giving service to her school and surrounding community.
And she excels in all of them.
In the past year alone, she has been selected for the New Zealand duathlon team; she has won both the South Island and the Canterbury Club Rowing championships women’s club coxless pair; she’s been named in the Otago University High Performance rowing squad; and she is a New Zealand representative in the ITU Multisport World Championships sprint duathlon (16-19 age-group).
To balance that, she spends a lot of time painting and writing because it is good for her spiritual and emotional wellbeing.
And of course, her high academic achievement is the result of her continued intellectual stimulation.
She feeds her social side by giving back to others as a student council member, acting as a citizenship prefect and volunteering in the community, which has earned her a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Because these things are the pillars of her wellbeing, she says she is unlikely to give any of the activities up while studying for a bachelor of arts and science degree at Otago University next year.
Achievements: Citizenship prefect (2021); student council (2021); peer tutor (2021); NCEA level 1 and 2 with excellence; academic Blue (2019, 2020); NZ duathlon team (2021); sports Blues (2017, 2019, 2020); school rowing squad (2020, 2021); 1st Canterbury Club Rowing Championships women’s club coxless pair (2021); 1st South Island Club Rowing Championships women’s club coxless pair (2021); Otago University High Performance rowing squad (2021); ITU Multisport World Championships sprint duathlon (16-19 age-group) NZ rep (2021); 1st U19 Tri NZ South Island Sprint Distance Duathlon Championship (2020); 1st South Island Secondary Schools Duathlon Championships senior girl (2020); 1st South Island Secondary Schools Duathlon Championships intermediate girl (2019); 1st South Island secondary schools 12-hour adventure race (female) (2019); Hillary Challenge National Adventure Race (2020, 2021); Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award (2021); multi-sport captain and coach (2019-21); NZ Wallace Arts Trust junior art award finalist (2020); senior choir (2019-21); arts Blues (2019, 2020); Outward Bound scholarship (2020); college Enviro club (2021).
Role model: "My parents and my art teacher Teresa Andrews."
Hopes for the future: To study for a bachelor of arts and science degree at the University of Otago.
