For the first time in Columba College's history, two of its pupils have been awarded prestigious German language scholarships in the same year.
Modi Deng (16) has won the Padagogischer Austauschdienst scholarship and Ella Barclay (17) has won the New Zealand-German Student Exchange scholarship - both awarded by the Goethe Institute, the German National Adviser.
Modi will spend four weeks in Germany in July next year, on an all-expenses-paid trip to several German cities where she will attend school and get to know the communities she is staying in.
Ella will spend between two and three months living and studying in Germany, starting later this month. She too will be immersed in the German language and culture, staying with German families and studying at German schools.
It's not the first time Modi and Ella have won awards in languages this year.
In June, Modi won the year 12 section of the Young Authors' International French essay competition, and Ella was runner-up in the world language perfect championships.
Modi was born in China and came to New Zealand when she was aged 2. As well as playing the piano, she has a passion for languages, particularly French and German.
She was excited to have won the award, not only because she had not been to Germany before, but because it would give the young pianist an opportunity to experience the culture of a nation which has contributed so much to the world's music catalogues.
''It will be great to be immersed in the environment, the culture and the language.
''You do your best learning when you have no choice but to speak the language.
''The bonus of learning German is that a lot of the words and culture are closely associated with music.''
Ella was also delighted with her scholarship, and the opportunity to be able to experience all she had read about first hand.
She is also relishing the opportunity to represent New Zealand during her trip.
''It will be great to show Germans where New Zealand is on the map and what we have to offer.
''I could be an ambassador for our country,'' she said.
