Something that helped Madelline Eastham to stay motivated and to work hard in her schooling was to focus on “all the little wins”.
The 17-year-old Paeroa College student said she didn’t look too far ahead because that “just made me overwhelmed” – so she focused on one assessment at a time.
It’s what makes her recent achievement so remarkable.
The year-13 student snapped up the Paeroa College dux award for 2025 and told The Profile: “it feels like all my hard work has been recognised”.
“When my name was called out as dux my heart dropped for a second and then I just felt proud and really grateful.
“It was surreal and I felt like that for a while after but it made everything I’d worked for worth it,” she said.
“The support from all my friends and family was the best feeling as they believed in me throughout.”
The young dux winner said she would go to Otago University in 2026 to study sports science.
“I’m not sure yet what career I want to lean towards but I know what I’m interested in so I’m going to take the classes and figure out my career from there.”
“I was lucky enough to receive the New Frontiers Excellence Entrance Scholarship which was worth $6500 and because I got Dux I received the University of Otago Dux Scholarship which was worth $3000,” she said. “All of this money will go straight to my accommodation for my first year.”
Something Madelline enjoyed outside of school and study was playing football.
She played for the first XI football team at her old high school in Papakura and also for the Papakura City FC women’s team, she said.
It meant she would drive up to Papakura for all the training and games which was around four times a week, she said.
Even though it racked up a lot of time and petrol – playing football was “worth it” to Madelline.
It was something that “helped me get through the year”, she said.
“At the beginning of this year I didn’t even think Dux was possible and I hadn’t even thought about it until term two, where I realized that I had gotten excellence in every assessment so far,” she said.
Her friends encouraged her to work toward the goal.
“I knew I had a lot on and I wouldn’t have a lot of free time – but I love to push myself and aim high. Once I received it I felt accomplished and proud for pushing myself,” she said.
Sometimes times were tricky for the young achiever.
“I think juggling sports, school, doing assessments while having a social life was hard at times,” she said.
“Although I was busy a lot of the year I liked being busy and I’m thankful I figured it out in the end because I don’t regret anything.”
Meanwhile, Kylie Harris received the proxime accessit to dux award, with Justin Smith third.
By DAVIDDA HIKATANGATA
