Billie Allan
The 17-year-old’s passion for aerobics and her desire to help people have helped form who she is today.
She first started aerobics in year 10, but found herself struggling with it.
"It was a lot of hard work. It was not natural to me."
Despite that, she never thought twice about if it was right for her.
Instead, she knuckled down.
In 2020, she took the sport to a new level during the lockdown and started finding her own methods to improve through the internet.
"I watched so many different tutorials."
She found herself making a lot more progress and became intrigued about how different methods could work for different people.
Now she coaches athletes from primary to secondary level and uses that wisdom to experiment with their routines and develop methods which work best for her students.
One of her strongest interests was in people and she liked helping them discover more about themselves and their own potential, she said.
It was one of the reasons she wanted to study both sport science and psychology.
Her progress took a lot of hard work, but it paid off as she was awarded national titles, including an international third place for her duo last year.
She also spent her time working to better the world around her.
One way to do that was through her school Interact group, which was dedicated to service.
The group worked on at least three service projects a year: one for the school, one for the local community and one internationally.
They included bake sales for Haiti, the Relay for Life, random acts of kindness and volunteering at local charities.
As deputy head girl, she enjoyed the connections she got to make with both junior pupils and school staff.
It was a unique position which allowed her to help out more at the school, which she appreciated.
Achievements: Deputy head girl (2022); Zonta women in science prize (2021); Queen’s young scholar award (2020, 2021); academic blue (2020, 2021); 1st in biology, calculus, chemistry, physics, PE (2021); year 12 speech cup (2021); aerobics blue (2021); QHS senior aerobics champion (2021); NZCAF aerobics nationals 1st senior open novice individual, senior secondary team (2021); artistic excellence trophy (2021); FISAF international online aerobics championships 3rd duo (2021); Interact president (2022); school council (2018-22); UoO Young Women in Leadership Programme (2021).
Role model: Her head girl Mereana Martin, her teachers and her coaches.
Hopes for the future: Double major in sport science and psychology at the University of Otago.
Mereana Martin
Whether it be playing waterpolo, swimming or taking part in surf life-saving competitions, the Queen’s High School head girl always tries her best.
Growing up, her mother was a part of the St Clair Surf Live Saving Club and both her parents both played waterpolo.
Many of their family holidays involved the beach and her parents thought it was important for her to learn to swim early.
She ended up really enjoying the water and as she grew older became more involved in water sports.
"I love being in the surf especially," Mereana said.
Now 18 years old, she spends about 10 hours a week in the water over six sessions.
"I come out like a prune."
That time spent in the water has paid off for her, as she was awarded the most valuable under-16 women’s player award for Otago Waterpolo in 2020 and in the under-18 category last year.
This year she came first in the 17 to 18-year-old 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke at the Otago Secondary Schools Swimming Championships and holds the Otago Secondary Schools Short Course girls 15 and over 50m backstroke record.
Aside from that, she spends her time as a volunteer lifeguard for the St Clair Surf Life Saving Club and competes in local competitions and events.
Although she loves competing, volunteering her time to be a lifeguard is just as important to her.
At school, Mereana regards being head girl as a real privilege, but tries to be seen as more of a peer than a leader to her fellow pupils.
Her classmates and juniors were all sharing the experience together and she wanted them to be comfortable around her, she said.
"I just happen to be head girl."
Both in class and in the water she tries not to worry too much about her image or her results.
"I don’t feel any pressure that I have to be amazing."
Achievements: Head girl (2022); Otago waterpolo most valuable U16 (2020), U18 women’s player (2021); Aqua Queen’s waterpolo captain (2022); Opie Mason Cup (2021); St Clair U19 women’s surf race McAlpine Cup (2022); Open St Clair Surf Race Otago Cup (2022); excellence PE, statistics, painting (2021); Queen’s young scholar award (2020, 2021); academic blue (2020, 2021); Level 1 (2020), Level 2 (2021) excellence endorsement; waterpolo blue (2021); service to sport — netball (2021); senior athletics runner-up (2021).
Role model: Deputy head girl Billie Allan, for being an incredibly kind and reliable person.
Hopes for the future: To study marine science at the University of Otago.
