Hunor Peter
The 18-year-old has always been passionate about the environment and wants his work to make a difference.
He said he was a massive Sir David Attenborough fan because he spent his life fighting climate change and having cool experiences.
‘‘There’s a few of his documentaries I’ve seen so many times, like Life on Our Planet.
‘‘It’s about climate change and his personal experiences and I think it’s a totally fascinating one that everyone should watch.’’
He was a part of his school’s science club and Enviro group because it gave him a chance to make changes to his environment, he said.
Next year he plans to study biomedical science at the University of Otago.
He said he was not necessarily keen on becoming a doctor but was keen to help people by doing research and finding cures.
Hunor is also a water baby.
He started playing water polo in primary school because his older brother also played and ended up falling in love with it.
He said his love for the water came from his family, who were all into water sports.
Achievements
Maslin Memorial Cup (2023); Philip Aldridge Memorial Award year 12 mathematics (2023); Hands-on at Otago, Canon Scholarship (2023); NCEA level 2 with excellence (2023); NCEA level 1 with excellence (2022); environmental leader (2024); environment committee 2023-24); Students Against Dangerous Driving committee (2023-24); peer support leader (2024); health committee (2024); athletics senior trophy (2023); KVC cross-country 1st place (2023 and 2024); water polo most valuable player (2022 and 2023); cultural blue for kapa haka (2023); cultural blue for production (2023); certificate of senior merit: music performance (2023); guitarist for Aotearoa production band (2023); Maranga Rangatahi Award: contribution to kapa haka (2023); Otago water polo U16 team (2022); sporting blue for water polo, (2022); Liz Welch Trophy for best all-round junior student (2021).
Role model
Sir David Attenborough.
Hopes for the future
Be a part of medical advancements that help people and environmental research.
Yelizaveta (Liza) Piatova
She said she liked learning new things, meeting new people and being very involved in school life.
‘‘I don’t like standing back and I like showing what I can do,’’ she said.
Yelizaveta said as a year 7 pupil, she looked up to the head students and wanted to be in the same position.
This year, she was the deputy head student and cultural leader at Kaikorai Valley College.
She helped organise the school’s talent quest, cultural day and Otago Polyfest performance.
Her favourite subjects were science and human biology.
She was planning on knuckling down for first year health science at the University of Otago next year and aimed to get in to medicine.
Achievements
Deputy head student (2024); cultural leader (2024); student representative on board of trustees (2023); Dunedin Youth Council liaison (2023); chair of Joint Dunedin Student Council (2023); peer support leader (2024); camp link student (2024); environment group (2022-24); Students Against Dangerous Driving committee (2019, 2023-24); health committee (2024); NCEA level 2 endorsed with merit (2023); awarded Canon Scholarship for Hands On At Otago (2023); NCEA level 1 Phillip Craigie Award (2022); NCEA level 1 endorsed with excellence (2022); senior A netball team (2023); cultural blue for production (2023); cultural blue for kapa haka (2023); trophy for cultural student of the year (2023); Davis Music Cup for excellence in instrumental (2022 and 2023); school talent quest (2023); under-17 girls Otago development team touch rugby (2022); McKinlay Trophy for all-around performance and contribution to girls’ sport (2021); Otago representative for softball (2019-20).
Role model
Older sister Victoria Piatova.
Hopes for the future
To help and inspire other people.
