GBHS Dux: Ability + hard work = achievement
Papillon Gustafson, Golden Bay High School 2008 Dux. Photo: Neil Wilson.
"I've always liked doing well. Doing well means doing the best that I can do."
Golden Bay High School's 2008 Dux, Papillon Gustafson, explains her outstanding achievements directly and without emotion.
At last week's closing ceremony Papillon won the David Tunley Memorial Cup for Chemistry, the Network Tasman Award for the best year 13 girl, honours awards for excellence in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English, the Vern Eyles/Louise Spittal Lions Scholarship and the Board of Trustees trophy for Dux. Shortly afterwards an award for excellence in level 3 chemistry arrived from the Correspondence School.
"Some people think that doing well comes easily," Papillon said. "It's as if having a bit of ability makes success just happen. It doesn't. I work really, really hard. At times like this, when exams are on, all my time is study time but I'm really good at managing my time, so through the year I just do what I have to do."
This year, Papillon confronted the extra challenge of studying level 3 Chemistry by correspondence.
"By the time I was in year 11 I knew what I wanted to be studying in my last year of school so I set out to twist things around a bit to leave every possible door open," she said. "I did level 2 Geography when I was in year 11 and level 3 Geography and History when I was in year 12. That meant I could do all the sciences in year 13 and still have plenty of level 3 credits across a range of subjects. I wanted to work my way towards being Dux too ... I have learnt that I can achieve what I want to if I work hard enough."
She still speaks regretfully about an externally assessed standard in level 1 that she inexplicably failed. "I was crushed," she said. "All the excellences and merits I got that year didn't mean anything beside that failure." Putting that disappointment behind her, Papillon gained a Level 2 NCEA qualification endorsed with excellence last year, the first in which endorsed qualifications were offered.
Papillon attributes her success to several factors as well as hard work. "My mother has been so supportive. She's always right there to congratulate me. She reminds me to acknowledge my success because I'm a bit inclined to think about what could have been better. Mum encourages me to live in the moment a bit by bringing me back to reality when I start to let the stress get to me. She's never pushed me, though. My desire to do well comes from inside me."
Papillon also remembers a powerful learning experience from her time at Central Takaka School.
"I was about eight. My teacher, Jane Wayman, set up an extension programme for some of us. It involved independent research. We designed our own topics and chose the questions we wanted to find answers to. It was just what I loved to do most."
Papillon feels she was also well served by her teachers at Golden Bay High School. "I've always had the option of going to school in Nelson," she said. "But there was no point-Golden Bay High provided me with all the subjects I've wanted to do and fantastic teachers. Being a smaller school made it more flexible too."
Deputy Principal Stuart Machin said Papillon's achievement was the culmination of a school career characterised by hard work, perserverence and a love of learning.
"She has, in addition, the personal qualities of patience, tolerance and humility which have shone through in her time as a student at Golden Bay High School. She is a model for others to aspire to and whatever direction her academic future takes it is sure to be a successful one."
Papillon will study Biomedical Science at Otago University next year. She says she may end up in some kind of medical research position, but none of her decisions are binding just yet.
"I'm allowed to choose one paper outside the biomedical field so I'm going to do anthropology," she said. "Who knows? That might light a fire."
Appreciative as she is of her upbringing and education in Golden Bay, Papillon is excited about moving out and putting herself among larger numbers of people who are as serious as she is about achievement.
"I feel ready," she said. "It's time."
Neil Wilson
Golden Bay High School Senior Prize Giving
Major Awards: Dux, Papillon Gustafson; Proxime Accessit, Jonathan Shearing; MGS Charlton Plate and Prize awarded for Citizenship, Rachel Packard; Sportspersonship, Blair Riordan; The Arts Award, Tui Kraal; The Colin McDonald Award for Endeavour, Ben Allinson; David Tunley Memorial Cup for Excellence in Chemistry, Papillon Gustafson; Manawhenua Ki Mohua Trophy for Excellence in Maori, Xanthe Sangster; TAG Award for Art, Ben Allinson; Worthy Contribution to school life for Service & Citizenship, Robyn Gaffney; Worthy Contribution to school life for the Arts, Jack Tuffery; Golden Bay RSA Education Bursary, Blair Riordan.
Network Tasman Awards: Year 13, Papillon Gustafson, and Jonathan Shearing; Year 12, Hamish McDonald and Rose Stocker; Year 11, Bastian Joechle-Rings and Amanda Eggers.
Honours Awards For Academic Excellence In Nominated Subjects: Year 13: Johnathon Fersterer-Gawith, History; Lucien Schroder-Gay, PE; Tina Cottle-Hebberd, Home Economics; Year 12: Kip Clere, Chemistry; Andrew Mason, Geography; Jozef Benge, PE; Andre Crockford, Practical English, Building; Melissa Wells, Home Economics; Xanthe Sangster, Maori; Year 11: Timo Stoffregen, Mathematics , ICT, Science; Tui Kraal, English, PE; Monica Squires, Art; Jasmine Wintour, Social Science; Tessa Farley, PE, Legal and Classical Studies; Shanna van Sint Annaland, Social Science; Jessica Philp, Art; Patrick Ward, Automotive; Ella Dixon, Home Economics; Kerri Kohler-Saunders, ICT; Sophie Cox, English; Brenton Milne, Science.
Honours Awards For Diligence/Endeavour In Nominated Subjects: Year 13: Rachel Packard, Biology, Physical Education, Geography and History; Kayla Cottle, Maori, Home Economics, Photography, Trades; Ben Allinson, Physics, English, Art; Tina Cottle-Hebberd, Trades. Year 12: Andrew Mason, Mathematics; Jessica Lomas, Practical English, Home Economics, Photography; Shane South, Trades; Xanthe Sangster, Chemistry; Dan Reilly, Physics, Geography; Ella Causer, Equine Studies; Ryan Robertson, English, Outdoor Education; Jack Tuffery, Art; Fionn Murphy, ICT. Year 11: Arna Petterson, Transition; Sophie Cox, Mathematics; Lisa Gill, Mathematics, Science, Home Economics, Transition, Practical English; Shanna van Sint Annaland, Science, Physical Education, Art; David Hutchinson, Social Science; Tessa Farley, Mathematics, Economics; Ari Kingan, Social Science, Automotive, English; Karli Robertson, Science, Social Science; Blake Cottle, Resistant Materials Technology; Katelyn Whitaker, Social Science; Sean Crockford, Resistant Materials Technology; Anna Wilson, Art, ICT; Patrick Ward, English.
Sports Awards: Senior Girls Swimming Champion, Tui Kraal; Senior Boys Swimming Champion, Kerri Kohler-Saunders; Senior Boys Athletics Champion, Ben Allinson; Senior Girls Athletics Champion and Senior Girls Cross Country Champion, April Crawford; Senior Girls Sprint Champion, Tessa Farley; Senior Boys Cross Country Champion and Senior Boys Tennis Champion, Rhys Kerr; Chamberlain Trophy for Commitment and Contribution to GBHS Netball, Robyn Gaffney and Tina Cottle-Hebberd; Outdoor Pursuits Award for Excellence in Outdoor Pursuits, Jessica Philp.
