Tama Ngatai-Ruaporo
Five worthy nominees will compete for the Wackrow Memorial Youth Award on Monday, August 16, from 10am.
The judging takes place in front of a panel of five judges – Gary McKernon (Dannevirke Police), Claire Chapman (community representative) and Dannevirke Community Board members Erana Peeti-Webber, Terry Hynes and Kim Spooner-Taylor.
The Presentation Ceremony will be held in The Hub at 7pm on Tuesday, August 24.
The following are the nominees:
Paige Appleton: Paige (16) is a pupil at Dannevirke High School and has been very busy in her favourite sport of hockey, being an umpire for the boys' team (2020-21), the girls' 7-a-side referee (2021), playing for the girls' first X1 2021 and coaching/umpiring juniors on Friday nights.
She was in the Cactus programme 2020.
Outside of school she has volunteered for outdoor work on Pohuetai Farm in the school holidays since 2018 and has helped fundraise, mark the course and cater for the Otope Rd Trail Bike Ride raising money for the Rescue Helicopter.
Jarrod Hape: At 18 Jarrod has left school and is working alongside his nominator James Kendrick, supporting him in a variety of programmes by voicing young person's opinions and providing physical help which include Te Ahu A Turanga (where he currently works), the Climate Action Committee of the Horizons Regional Committee and Oranga Wai (developing policies for fresh water), Tararua District Council (wastewater consents), the Maori Advisory Committee of Manawatu, Ngati Kahungunu Emergency Response Post Covid and Water Monitoring.
Chianne Lyford-Shields: At school Chianne, 17, has shown leadership as the captain of the Dannevirke High School 7-a-side hockey team and as a Graduate Instructor in the 2021 Cactus programme.
Outside of school, Chianne has taken the opportunity to support Dannevirke Host Lions in a number of its projects including the 2020 Christmas Lunch for the elderly, and the 2020 Lions Book Sale.
Matilda Panchaud: Matilda is 16 and attends Dannevirke High School, and is fully involved in sport, culture and education and along the way serving the community in many ways.
She is currently completing her Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award which involves her serving at the Hub Church meals on Sunday and acting as a Girl Guide Unit Leader every Wednesday.
She helped during the Covid-19 lockdown and continues as an administrator during the Covid vaccination rollout on Saturdays.
She has been very active playing badminton, volleyball (to a national level), smallbore rifle shooting and tramping, in roles as team member and team support both coaching and fundraising.
Tama Ngatai-Ruaporo: At 16 Tama is a student at Dannevirke High School where he is both Board of Trustees and Pacifica Student Rep bringing a youth perspective to his roles. He has acted as the school's representative at some TDC monthly meetings.
In the 2021 Cactus programme he was voted Top Student by both his instructors and peers. He plans on being a Graduate Instructor next year. As a Cactus member he was a Flag Orderly at the Dannevirke Anzac Parade.
Tama is very active in musical theatre having a major role as a lead singer in the DHS production of Hairspray and performing for a number of concerts sharing his talent for others to enjoy.