In a school hall modestly adorned with Maori koru patterns and serving as a shrine to past high achievers, friends and family gathered to welcome a new batch of Marlborough Girls' College students into the annals of the school's history.
The college celebrated their highest cultural and sporting achievers last night in their annual prizegiving, held at the college.
The biggest winners, Georgia Hammond and Megan Craig, experienced a moment of deja vu when both were named sportswoman of the year for the second year running. Megan picked up the award for the third consecutive year.
The problem of one trophy and two winners was easily solved – Megan would take the trophy for the year, because Georgia held it last year.
Cultural achiever of the year was awarded to Lily Harvey, for her involvement in the Sheilah Winn National Festival of Shakespeare and for being one of a select few throughout the country chosen to perform at the Globe Theatre in London this year.
Cultural group of the year went to choir Bella Voce, who, in August, won a silver award at the Big Sing competition in Auckland.
The guest speaker, Kiwi musician Monique Rhodes, spoke to the girls and the proud audience about her experiences singing for the Dalai Lama and Carla Bruni, wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Being prepared to fail in order to be extraordinary is what sets people apart as champions, she said.
"When you get up on stage and perform, you have a choice to make – you can get up and give a good performance without taking any risks, or you can take the chance to make it an extraordinary performance and go for a few notes you might not reach," she said.
Girls' College teacher Sione Niupalau acknowledged the work of parents and supporters in the achievements of the girls.
"They [the girls] didn't get here alone; they got here by your work as well as theirs," he said.
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