Beyond the ‘green gates’.
With their graduation caps in hand, a bit of tie adjustment going on (involving several safety pins and lots of laughter), six Dilworth alumni - Quinn Gray, Ngana Finau, Jonathan Haydon, Harrison Dudley-Rode, Dylan Petherick and Shaan Johari - recently posed for the camera in the Dilworth foyer, in front of the statue of Sir James Dilworth, the Founder of Dilworth.
They were returning to their old school to celebrate. All six graduated in May across a range of disciplines from Auckland University. All were recipients of a Staples Education Foundation Scholarship (SEFS) which assisted them over the course of their university journeys.
Accompanied by Karen Bennett, General Manager SEF, the students were met by Mr. Tom Murdoch, Head of Senior Campus at Dilworth, who congratulated the young men and talked to them about the inspiration their achievements had given to everyone at Dilworth – both students and staff alike.
It was an added bonus and honour when Haydn Staples, Founder of the Staples Education Foundation, arrived to meet the students for lunch in their old dining hall. Dilworth’s Catering Manager, Craig Johnston, put on some lovely kai and alongside some of their previous teachers, the young men talked over their stories and of course, debated whether the food was better these days! The visit concluded with a trip to the new High Performance Sports Centre and the new Year 9 Boarding House. This definitely got the graduates concluding that today’s Dilworth students have some great new facilities.
It was an inspiring day and the achievements of each these young men will be told over coming months. Their stories are so different and each one, so deserving – with the common link that each of them was awarded a Staples Education Tertiary Scholarship at the end of their time at Dilworth.
Each scholarship constitutes generous financial support - $5,000 per year for the first three years of tertiary study, as well as holistic support to help students transition into university life beyond the ‘green gates’ of Dilworth. The Foundation provides networking opportunities for students and matches them with a mentor and a dedicated buddy. It also provides ongoing training through the Support and Development Programme and offers two weeks’ work experience per year in the profession or industry of their choice.
This scholarship is one that every Dilworth student, intending to go to Auckland University or AUT, should have in their sights. With the School’s focus on academic performance this term, the achievement of these six young men highlights the benefits of working hard and receiving this scholarship at the end of Year 13.
There is no doubt that from the perspective of these young men, the Staples Education Foundation Scholarship is an amazing gift that changes lives.
Applications open on 31st July and close on the 28th August. Applications are coordinated through the Dilworth Careers and Pathways Learning Area.
Dilworth Alumni & Staples Foundation Graduates 2023
Quinn Gray, Bachelor of Arts
Ngana Finau, Bachelor of Commerce
Jonathan Haydon, Bachelor of Commerce
Harrison Dudley-Rode, Bachelor of Science
Dylan Petherick, Bachelor of Engineering
Shaan Johari, Bachelor of Architecture