Jesse Rumball Smith

Kia ora koutou, I’m Jesse Rumball Smith, a student at Wellington College.

There’s no short answer to my passion, but it’s a question I’ve been having fun trying to solve for the past 16 years. I enjoy challenging myself in all facets: sporting, cultural, and academic. I push myself to achieve at the highest level but more importantly, to make the most of every opportunity that is presented - both in and out of school.

In the sporting world, I’ve had the opportunity to compete at national levels in both cross country and rowing. After pivoting from football, I’m a new, though not particularly good, rugby player.

Outside of sports, I’m an avid debater and public speaker, with my Wellington College team winning the regional competition and being the recipient of the Dunsheath Shield Wellington Regional Public Speaking Cup. After winning the North Island Ethics Olympiad in both 2023 and 2022, my team was invited to the internationals, where we placed 13th.

Opportunities like these have helped develop me into both a confident speaker and leader, as well as a member of a team.

Academically, I was fortunate enough to achieve the dux of the year in both 2021 and 2022, and in 2023, I was top in English, Spanish, and Te Reo Māori. In 2023, I won 6 prizes at the Wellington Regional Science Fair for my project on equitable road safety interventions and will be representing New Zealand at the Taiwan International Science Fair in 2024. Additionally, after receiving the Transport Group New Zealand Research Grant, I will be presenting my research at an international forum in Germany in April 2024. I really enjoy science and engineering, and after interning at Kea Aerospace in 2023, I am certain this is a field I will continue to explore.

I’m looking forward to my pinnacle journey and can’t wait to see what will come.

Ngā mihi nui,
Jesse