Kieran Davidson has excelled at football and academic studies while at John Paul College.

Kieran has been playing football since she was five and has represented the John Paul College First XI since Year 8, proudly captaining the side for two of the three years they won consecutive championships out of all the Rotorua and Taupo schools.

She was also part of the under-17 WaiBOP side that won the national title.

Leadership and mentoring others is something she naturally loves doing.

'It is really enjoyable to help others. Everyone has to start somewhere and people have helped me get where I am so it is nice to just do the same to younger players,” says Kieran.

Like so many of the outstanding 2019 Rotorua Young Achievers, Kieran loves to give back to others through coaching.

She has helped out with the school's junior football and basketball teams.

'A lot of students in senior years at John Paul College are encouraged to help out with the younger students whether it be academically or in their sporting fields.

'I like to give back as well. I have been in junior school and had a lot of fun being coached by the senior students so it is nice to reiterate that with the younger students.”

Academically Kieran has also been a high achiever. She has endorsed NCEA Levels 1,2 and 3 with Excellence and passed a law course offered by Waikato University with an overall grade of A.

In 2020, Kieran begins a conjoint degree of LLB/Bachelor of Commerce at Auckland University.

'I am majoring in Law and International Business and Finance. I took Economics and Legal Studies at school which are really interesting subjects to me so I can see myself doing that for many years.”

Kieran was honoured to be selected as one of the 2019 Rotorua Young Achievers.

'I think it is important to highlight students who work hard not just in academics but in a cultural and sporting environment as well. Just seeing everyone's accomplishments together it means so much to be acknowledged as one of them.”

* The annual Young Achievers awards are sponsored by the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust (RECT) for success across sports, cultural, community, academic and leadership fields.