Editorial: Young NZ girls have pluck

Lydia Ko.

This year young female New Zealanders have shown the world what Kiwi girls are made of.

Girls can pick their role model of excellence: singer, sports star, writer, academic.

The meteoric rise of 17-year-old songstress Lorde has been incredible.

Lydia Ko, another truly remarkable young woman, has shown this year she could well become the greatest female golfer of all time.

She was the top-ranked women's amateur golfer in the world for 130 weeks before turning pro last month, when she collected her first winner's cheque in just her second tournament as a professional. This year she defended her Canadian Open crown with a tournament record score and she also became the first Kiwi to win the New Zealand Women's Open.

To win the Man Booker prize is every writer's dream. Eleanor Catton nailed it at just 28.

Here in the Bay we have our own sensational young women.

Former Otumoetai College student Emma Dwight has just scored a place at Harvard University, one of the world's most prestigious and exclusive universities.

Throughout the Bay there are many young people doing remarkable things that may not reach the world stage but which are equally worth celebrating.

At the weekend, 18-year-old Mount Maunganui lifeguard Vivien Conway achieved the highest award in lifeguarding in New Zealand at the National Lifeguard School in Taranaki.

Katikati student Hollee Fisher, awaiting a double lung transplant, is studying towards a Bachelor of Art and Design in Auckland thanks to the Dillon Scholarship which assists students with physical or mental disabilities with tertiary study.

Today we have a story about Bay teen Sonya Anderson who is taking part on the Spirit of Adventure Inspiration Voyage for young people with physical disabilities.

During the voyage she is looking forward to activities such as climbing the ship's 30-metre high mast and jumping off the edge of the ship into the sea.

It is this spirit of adventure that people around the world now know for sure, Kiwi girls have in spades.