Dunedin pupil awarded seven scholarships

Former King’s High School pupil Cam Fraser holds a French textbook, one of the seven subjects for which he was awarded a scholarship. PHOTO: CHRISTINE O’CONNOR

Despite not receiving a formal education in more than half of the subjects, Dunedin pupil Cam Fraser was awarded seven scholarships for his studies last year.

Results for scholarship exams were announced this week, awarding financial assistance to top-scoring pupils as they further their studies.

Of the seven scholarships he received, four of the subjects Cam (18) did not study in school.

He was awarded scholarships for classical studies, English, French, geography, history, media studies and an outstanding scholar award for health and physical education.

He only sat NCEA for English, history and French.

He said going into the exams without the formal education was almost a benefit, as he felt "bogged down" by the academic structure of the subjects he was taught in class.

There was no pressure or expectations he felt he had to meet.

Humanities was a theme among his subjects and he used what he learned in some subjects to better his work in others.

His success in health and physical education was a prime example, as his submission focused on how identity related to health.

He attributed his success to "a lot of hard work," but said he never would have been able to achieve it without his mother or his teachers as they were the ones who kept him on the right path.

As an outstanding scholar he would receive $5000 annually for three years during his studies at the University of Otago, where he would study law, philosophy, politics and economics.

Fifty-one outstanding scholarship awards were given out across the country.

Kings’ Rector Nick McIvor said the school ranked fourth overall in the South Island, as well as being the top boys school.

It was an exciting result as the success came despite the pupils dealing with three years of disruptions with Covid-19 during their NCEA studies.

Logan Park High School pupil Alexander Sun also received seven scholarships, and the school received 20 overall.