|
|
|
|
|
Youth Awards
The Youth Awards showcase Central Otago’s youth talent. There are three categories: Leadership and Community Service, Culture and Enterprise.
The Leadership and Community Service Award recognises a young person who has exhibited leadership qualities in several roles over time. The Culture Award recognises someone who has excelled in one or more cultural disciplines, and the Enterprise Award gives recognition to a person who has displayed initiative in extra-curricular activities.
The candidates for the Central Otago Youth Awards were of a consistently high calibre this year. The judges were very impressed, saying that these remarkable young people were achieving to a very high order and greatly deserved recognition.
|
Alex Pasco (Leadership & Community Service and Enterprise)
Alex is a highly motivated and enterprising young leader who contributes to his community in big way. A Year 13 student at Roxburgh Area School, he is a hard working and committed Deputy Head Student.
Alex is making a special point of difference and adding real value through cricket. A skilled and passionate player, he is a driving force behind the sport’s development, locally. He plays for the Cromwell senior team (there isn’t one in Roxburgh) and won a cricket scholarship, which gave him the opportunity to travel to Dunedin for regular practices. In an extraordinary display of enthusiasm and commitment, Alex went every Friday afternoon for two years. On top of that, he used some of his scholarship money for a new cricket net for school and community use; as well, he coaches younger students, encourages others to play and is a member of the school sports council.
Alex is a person of great integrity. His school describes him as self motivated, resourceful, calm and constructive; a young person who believes in fairness and equality and has the nous to stand up for them.
Exceptional interpersonal skills and respect for others are hallmarks of his successes. As the Director of the school’s Young Enterprise company, which designs customised flags for businesses, Alex has built strong professional and community relationships. He has helped to organise many school galas over the years and recently sailed on the Spirit of New Zealand where he was voted into the position of First Mate by the other trainees – a real tribute to his communication and leadership skills.
The judges say all of Alex’s wonderful attributes shine through, from his huge commitment to cricket to the excellent relationships he nurtures. They were extremely impressed with his consistent input to school galas and his support and sharing of knowledge and skills with younger children, leading them to comment: ‘What exceptional initiatives!’ |
|
|
Marnie Murphy-Mannering (Leadership and Community Service)
Marnie is a community-spirited and hugely energetic young person who embraces diversity and responsibly and sensitively uses her leadership abilities to support others. A Cromwell College student, Marnie is a Prefect and leading light on the school council.
Marnie’s list of achievements and contributions is a long one, demonstrating a sustained commitment to adding value in her school and the community. Her commitment to hockey features strongly. She has played in school regional representative teams, is a member of the Cromwell Hockey Club, holds a Level 1 Hockey New Zealand coaching certificate and coaches junior teams. She also holds Duke of Edinburgh Awards in bronze and silver and will soon complete her gold.
Marnie has been awarded scholarships by the Cromwell Lions Club to sail on the Spirit of Adventure and more recently to attend an Outward Board school leaders’ course – one of only 28 students from throughout New Zealand to be selected. She has used these opportunities to make a real difference. On her return she confidently gave an informative presentation to the club and helped with Lions’ community projects such as catering at the races and cleaning up at the speedway, prompting one of the judges to comment: ‘I loved that she has rolled up her sleeves and supported the Cromwell Lions [in return]’.
Another stand-out undertaking was Marnie’s initiative and full involvement in fundraising events for Canterbury following the Christchurch earthquakes.
The judges were incredibly impressed by the diversity of Marnie’s community involvement, noting that her contributions extended well beyond her school.
Marnie is known as a positive, forthright and considerate young woman who acts with integrity and has a genuine desire to make a difference. The judges summed this up, saying: ‘Marnie is an excellent, inspiring role model for not just young people, but all people of Central Otago. |
|
|
Ella Borrie (Culture)
Ella is a confident, skilled and entertaining speaker and performer who has grown as a leader, inspiring others through her actions, dedication and upbeat approach towards cultural enterprise.
Ella is a cultural prefect at Cromwell College. With four years of speech and drama lessons to her credit, she has starred in many productions, last year giving a stunning portrayal of Madam Desfarge in the lead role of Pimpernel.
Such is Ella’s enthusiasm, she helped form the school’s Cultural Department, which gives students opportunities to be involved in the arts. Through this venture she adds immense value organising events and competitions like portrait painting and photo competitions and also produced Phantom, a student written and publicly performed play.
In 2010, demonstrating great respect for others, Ella represented the Waitaki District at Youth Parliament and has since become a youth advisor to the Ministry of Youth Development. She is on the school debating team, is a student representative on the board of trustees and won the Kennedy Award for creative writing in 2010. This year she attended the National Youth Drama School in Hawkes Bay and was instrumental in organising a 40-hour famine event.
Ella is currently volunteering in the Salvation Army shop as part of her bid for the gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, having already attained silver and bronze. She is also a member of the Cromwell Presbyterian Church Youth Group. At every turn, Ella embraces diversity and makes a special point of difference.
Of her many interests Ella says: ‘I think it’s important to contribute to the community you live in. I have tried to make my world a better place by what I have chosen to be involved in.’
Cromwell College describes her as self-assured, trustworthy, leading by example and encouraging others. The judges agree and were particularly impressed by her sense of community and her focus on the future, describing her as ‘an outstanding young women’ with an ‘awesome attitude!’ |
|
|
Greer Paterson (Enterprise)
Greer is an outstanding leader who exudes personality and has presence. She is a very popular Head Girl at Roxburgh Area School and is active and highly regarded in the community.
Greer plays netball in the school’s A team, where she adds exceptional value by being thoroughly reliable and always sticking with it when the going gets tough. She is heavily involved in the team’s fundraising activities, which requires a great deal of community interaction.
Well known at school for embracing diversity and giving everything a go, Greer regularly takes assemblies and writes the weekly newsletter. She is also instrumental in sporting and nutrition projects like ‘fuelled for school’, which aims to improve students’ nutrition and activity levels.
Communication skills are real strength of Greer’s and show the respect with which she regards others. Described by her school as outgoing and inclusive in her dealings with others, she has an innate ability to relate well to students of all ages, and has a special way with the little ones, in particular.
Amongst her many community activities, Greer is a vocal supporter for having swimming pool in Roxburgh and has trained as a life saver in her own time with the aims to make a real difference by becoming a life guard this year.
Greer consistently demonstrates many wonderful qualities across a wide range of activities. She is a sixth generation local and in the words of her headmaster: ‘Greer exemplifies what it is to be a part of a small Central Otago community. |
|
|
|
|
|
|