The Headmaster’s Prize for Proxime Accessit: D. L. Johnston
Daniel Johnston is an outstanding academic, having maintained a place in the top two of the A stream throughout his five years at Auckland Grammar School.
Daniel’s academic strengths have been in evidence across the disciplines. In Form 6, he scored 89% is AS History, 93% in AS English, 96% in A Level Mathematics, 97% in AS Physics, and 97% – and Top in New Zealand – in AS Economics. He also received an NZQA Outstanding Scholarship in English, and Scholarships in History and Calculus in 2021, and was a 2021 University Entrance Scholar. These levels of achievement saw him invited to join Proceres Grammatici, the School’s elite group of our most promising scholarship candidates, in 2022.
Daniel continued these exemplary academic standards in 2022, being top in class in all of his subjects after the mid-year examinations. In the Term 3 examinations, he was first in A Level History and A Level Economics, second in Physics and third in Scholarship Mathematics.
His high achievement has been recognised in previous years with the award of the Flying Officer Alfred P. Fogerty Memorial Scholarship, the Headmaster’s Prize for the Outstanding Scholar in Form 6A, and the Sean McRae Economics Prize in 2021. He was also awarded the Dr Kidd Memorial Prize in 2020. This year, his strength in breadth is recognised by the award of the Kenneth Commons Prize, the Rhodes Memorial Prize for History, and the Special Commerce Prize for Economics.
Daniel’s contributions to his extracurricular activities have also been impressive. He has played Cricket and Football throughout his time at Grammar, he has been a member of the Interact Group in Forms 6 and 7, and in 2022 he has served as a School Prefect.
Daniel is held in the highest regard by his masters. He has maintained a straight-A average for his attitude and effort in every end-of-year report. He embodies the Grammar values, especially in his humility, and has been described by masters as ‘a true scholar’, an intellectual ‘of the highest calibre’ and one who manages to combine logical reasoning with creative thoughtfulness.