A team of 10 Year 11 students from Carmel College recently competed in the prestigious 2025 Brain Bee North Island Competition at the University of Auckland. After advancing through Round 1, the students participated in individual and team events alongside over 330 students from across the North Island.

A huge congratulations to Nakisha Wood, who placed 1st in the Individual Finals, and to Carmel Team 4 (Juliana Lee, Keira Cocks, Nakisha Wood, and Bernie Hoyo Gibson), who placed 2nd in the Team Finals. Special mention also goes to Emma Chen, Keira Cocks, and Nakisha Wood for winning spot prizes, and to Nakisha and Bernie, who were awarded internships at the Centre for Brain Research, sponsored by the Neurological Foundation.

The day also included inspiring tours of medical labs, hands-on neuroscience workshops, and opportunities to engage with researchers working on cutting-edge health science issues. The students represented Carmel with curiosity, compassion, and commitment—living out our Mercy Values every step of the way.

A heartfelt thanks to our student coaches—Yu Na Lim, Polly Walker, and Alisha Gonsalves—and to Ms Mistry for her guidance and support throughout the journey.