Avondale College recognise Jessica's
potential for a successful future, saying 'Jessica is a top
student. She consistently achieves at Excellence level even when
studying at advanced levels. Jessica's teachers regard her as a
student of the highest calibre, with a superb attitude, excellent
work ethic and a mature approach to her studies.' As a Year 11
student in 2009, Jessica had already successfully gained NCEA Level
1 with a Merit endorsement in the previous year, and managed to
achieve NCEA Level 2 with Excellence. Jessica was first in Year 11
English and second in Geography. She was also second placed in Year
12 (NCEA Level 2) Geography.
Jessica is an extremely talented performer in both singing and
dancing. In 2010, she completed her Grade 6 Certificate of Merit
for singing and Grade 5 theory. She has been a jazz and ballet
dancer from a young age and completed Grade 6 jazz with Honours.
Jessica auditioned and successfully participated in the Avondale
College show in Year 11 and in Year 12 she played the lead role in
'Guys and Dolls'. She also performs in Stage Challenge and is part
of the Year 12 organising committee that created and coordinated
the performance. For her efforts, she was elected to be the
Director of the Stage Challenge for 2011. Jessica's interest in
Performing Arts led her to the Playhouse Community Theatre where
she has performed in six shows outside of school time and
volunteered backstage in four other shows.
Jessica studied at the University of Auckland and completed
a Conjoint degree in Commerce and Science at the end of 2016 and
started at Fonterra as a Business graduate in 2016.
"Jessica is an articulate, intelligent and driven young woman who
is very well deserving of this award. Her maturity and
conscientiousness, mixed with her can do attitude was exactly what
we were looking for. Jessica truly valued all of the opportunities
the First Foundation Scholarship will afford her and it was this
and her well rounded personality that made her our top choice." Jyl
Lind, Telecom Retail