An “Outstanding” award for painting is among seven scholarships earned by Trident High School students in the 2025 New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) Scholarship examinations – a programme recognising the country’s top secondary school achievers.

Over at Whakatāne High School, three students achieved the scholarships – including Riley Rutter, who achieved a remarkable four scholarships.

The 2025 WHS dux said of his scholarships in in physics, calculus, technology and digital technologies: “It was great being able to pass the scholarship exams as it helps a lot with the expenses of university, but also the exams themselves were a great opportunity to push myself with new and challenging learning.”

This year, Riley is studying computer science and mathematics at the University of Canterbury.

Trident’s Isolde Camburn was only in year 12 when she submitted her Level 3 painting portfolio, titled Remembering the Future.

Her work explored what she describes as “a time loop of people repeating the same mistakes”, delving into themes of memory, family and the distortion of time.

“I like doing quite detailed pieces; I don’t mind what the subject is, although I like painting people,” Isolde said.

She describes her style as realistic, working primarily in acrylics.

Though art is a passion she hopes will remain part of her life – perhaps even as a side venture – Isolde plans to study psychology after completing year 13 this year. She is particularly interested in humanitarian work.

“I would like to do Red Cross work.”

Art teacher Glenn Barr said Isolde’s “Outstanding” result placed her among the top painting scholars nationwide – an exceptional achievement for a year 12 student. “She is a bright, hardworking and technically gifted student who excelled in Level 3 Painting last year,” Mr Barr said.

Fellow student Paige Rowe, now in year 13, also gained her English Scholarship while in year 12.

“I’ve always loved English – since primary school it’s been my favourite subject,” she said.

Paige prepared with extra study sessions before school each Wednesday, supported by teacher Nicola Bowe.

The three-hour exam required her to write essays on an unfamiliar text, a selected poem and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, which she studied in class.

She hopes to major in English at university next year, exploring literature from medieval to modern texts.

“I’m really interested in how authors warn future generations,” she said.

“In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald wrote about corruption in the class system and how power can be misused – and we’re still seeing that today.”

Other 2025 scholarship recipients from Trident High School were former year 13 students Leah Bowe-Green and Keryn Sleep (painting), Ryan Somerville (statistics), and Lilly Collombet and Jayden Heiberg (English).

At Whakatāne High School, students Catelyn Santos (earth and space science) and Quinn Waters (painting) also earned scholarships.