“Live-wire character” Collingwood Dux set to fly
Halie Miller, Collingwood Area School 2008 Dux. Photo: Gerard Hindmarsh.
When Collingwood Area School acting deputy head teacher Steve Beck announced Halie Miller as both the 2008 school's Dux and Nelson Mail/Network Tasman top student last Friday night, he had good reason to describe her as "a real live-wire character who kept all the teachers on their toes."
The 17-year-old star student has already enrolled in a 28-week course at the Travel Careers and Training College in Wellington, starting early next year, where she will study airline tourism with an eye to getting a job in the industry.
"My goal so far is to become a flight attendant and travel the world," she says. "After that I could see myself coming back and settling down here again."
Halie's achievements make a long list. This year she was Collingwood's top student in NCEA level 3 for English and tourism, as well as first equal with Laura Riley in PE.
Halie also represented the school at netball, was selected for the Area Schools national netball team, and played in the local "Miller Women's Team".
"Collingwood has been a wonderful school for me. I've made plenty of friends and had some great one-on-one tuition from neat teachers who made it a highly memorable learning environment for me," she says.
Raised in Collingwood, the daughter of mechanic (and CAS BOT chair) Graeme Miller and shop assistant Roz Miller, Halie did her entire schooling (Years 1 - 13) at Collingwood Area School. Here, senior students can be few and far between; this year only five vied for the top prize.
Commented principal John Garner: "It varies from year to year; a few years back we had only one, so it wasn't too hard to pick the Dux that year. But Halie stood out this year amongst her peers because of her good all-round qualities-she's friendly, positive, gives everything ago, has shown great leadership and has a wonderful potential."
So how does Halie-who some may already recognise from her shop assistant work on Tuesdays at Interior Temptations and now at GB Gallery-feel about the future?
"It's kinda scary, but I'm really looking forward to it."
Gerard Hindmarsh
Collingwood Area School Senior Prize Giving
NCEA Level One Awards: 3rd in Information Technology, Hazel Kerr; 2nd in Information Technology, Esther Westrupp; 3rd in Mathematics and Science, 2nd in Geography, Toby Mapley; 3rd in Physical Education, 2nd in English and 2nd equal in Visual Arts, Robyn Tomlinson; 3rd in History and 1st in Information Technology, Samantha Thorby; 2nd equal in Visual Arts, 2nd in Science, 1st in Geography and 3rd overall in NCEA Level 1, Rachel Harvey; 3rd in English, 2nd in Mathematics, History and Physical Education and 2nd overall in NCEA Level 1, Tamsin Baxendale; 3rd in Geography, 1st in Mathematics, History, English, Physical Education, Visual Arts and Science and 1st overall in NCEA Level 1, Sara Isbister.
NCEA Level 2 Awards: 3rd in Mathematics, Brady Wells; 2nd in Outdoor Education, Josh Taia; 3rd in Outdoor Education and 2nd in Design Technology, Hamish Wells; 1st in Biology, Cristobal Morales-Vera; 2nd in English and Visual Arts, 1st in Graphics and 3rd overall in NCEA Level 2, Kristy Norton; 3rd in English, 2nd in Mathematics, 1st in Outdoor Education, Design Technology and Forestry, 2nd overall in NCEA Level 2, Braden Watson; 1st in Mathematics, English and Visual Arts, 1st equal in level 3 Physical Education and 1st overall in NCEA Level 2, Laura Riley.
NCEA Level 3 Awards: 2nd in Calculus, Cristobal Morales-Vera; 1st in Photoshop Applications, Anna Smith; 1st in Calculus, Jordan Hampson; 2nd in level 2 Biology, 3rd in Calculus, 3rd in Physical Education and 2nd Overall in NCEA Level 3, Lori Nalder; 1st in English, Physical Education and Tourism and 1st overall in NCEA Level 3, Halie Miller
Special Awards: Network Tasman Science Awards Y11 Toby Mapley and Sara Isbister; Y12 Cristobal Morales-Vera and Laura Riley; Y13 Lori Nalder; Visual Arts Award, Laura Riley; Cup for Social Sciences, Sara Isbister; Collingwood Rugby Club Award for Achievement in Sports, Laura Riley; Lions Prize for Most Improved Student, Rachel Harvey; Riley Cup for Most Co-operative Senior Form Pupil, Braden Watson; BOT Prize for Leadership & McLellan Shield for Student Rep. Kristy Norton; Prize for Consistent Academic Achievement, Sara Isbister; The Collingwood Area School Dux & Nelson Evening Mail - Network Tasman Top Student Award, Halie Miller.
