Congratulations to Chloe Wong in Sculpture - Teacher Miss Genevieve Craig
Alexa Langsan in Painting - Teacher Mr Tim Webby
Caleb Mills in Art Design - Teacher Miss Amy Petrie

New Zealand Scholarship is an award that recognises the top 3% of secondary school students in each field. The top students in each subject are given the opportunity to do NZ Scholarship assessments to achieve this award. This is extra work on top of the Internal and External achievement standards they complete in class. 

In our department, we believe all students are capable of gaining subject scholarship so we offer the opportunity to all. We believe this attitude is what supports and encourages our students to do so well. NZ Scholarship assessments are designed to be challenging for the most able students in each subject. Assessment in Visual Art is an 8-page A3 workbook where they articulate the ideas they have explored in their art projects throughout the year.

To be awarded the NZ Scholarship, students are expected to show a deep understanding of the subject, demonstrate high-level critical thinking and the ability to apply their understanding to complex situations. Students who achieve the NZ Scholarship receive a $500 monetary award towards their tertiary studies.

I would like to note Caleb, Alexa, and Chloe have all been in the visual arts department from Years 11-13. It confirms when you choose a subject pathway and stick to it the building of specific specialist knowledge and skills pays off. It has allowed the students to build a level of deep subject understanding to succeed at the highest level. They are all carrying on studying in the arts in university and we are extremely proud of them. 

I would also like to acknowledge the Art Department staff. Miss Amy Petrie who has for the fourth year in a row had a scholarship success gained in her classes. This is illustrative of her outstanding commitment to high quality teaching and the support and aroha toward her students to do their best. I would also like to congratulate Mr Tim Webby, this was his first year teaching Level 3 painting. This is a fantastic achievement that he has supported Alexa towards scholarship success so early in his career. This solidifies his excellent subject specialist knowledge and pedagogy. I am very proud of the team and all the hard work they consistently put in.

Below are the students' Excellence level folios which accompanied their scholarship books. They are also updating us on what they are studying this year, some tips for Visual Arts students and what they got out of being a Visual Arts student in their senior academic journey

Alexa Langsan - Painting

This year I will be studying for a Bachelor of Communication Design at Auckland University of Technology.
Visual Arts subjects helped me practice skills I could use in and outside the classroom, such as generating ideas and time management. Arts also gave me a way to express myself without the use of words. It taught me and helped me practise using visuals like colours and imagery, to evoke an emotion or convey ideas. This skill also helped me in business studies when creating packaging design for products.
My 3 Tips for Visual Arts Students are to:
*Find fun in what you are doing and if you could choose your theme, pick something you are interested in or are passionate about. If you are having fun, schoolwork won’t feel like a chore to do.
*Spend time looking at inspiration. For me, it helped me so much in generating and developing ideas for my work by imitating what an artist does.
*Regularly ask your teacher for feedback and ask them questions. This helped me keep my work going in the right direction. 

Caleb Mills - Art Design

This year I'm studying a Bachelor of Design Innovation at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. Over the years, visual arts has influenced me more and more to think outside the box, always try new ideas, but also to be a bit silly sometimes. Most importantly, visual arts has taught me the infinite value of taking risks and embracing the things that go wrong. By doing so, I became better at accepting mistakes and learning from them, which allowed me to pursue bolder ideas. There is more value in making a mistake and learning from it than in getting a good grade, and your worth is not determined by the grades you receive.
My 3 Tips for Visual Arts Students are to:
*Be ambitious
*Commit yourself
*As cliché as it may sound, listen to the teacher. They are there for a reason, and they are there to help!

Chloe Wong - Sculpture

Chloe was the Te Taumata Toi Award winner for 2023.
This year I’m double majoring in Theatre and Film, minoring in English Literature at Victoria University of Wellington.
Visual Arts for me at school was a safe haven and the perfect opportunity for me to connect with my head and take some time to rest in the midst of things such as exams, social issues etc and focus on creating something special instead.
My 3 Tips for Visual Arts Students are to:
*Don’t take your time for granted! Staying on top of your work as an Arts student is the most important thing!
*Look at basing your work on things that are personal to you/something you connect with. It doesn’t matter if your work isn’t aesthetically beautiful, the best stuff comes from your heart and it’s about telling a story.  
*Recognise your teachers! Your Arts teachers spend so much time and put in so much hard work and effort to help you reach your full potential. Don’t take them for granted.