The lead-up was especially stressful because she only finished writing the speech a week earlier, giving her limited time to memorise it.
''When they gave me the mic my nerves really set in, but when I got on stage I took a deep breath and gave it my all.''
Contestants in the senior Māori section have to deliver a three-minute impromptu speech and a 12-minute prepared speech.
Takutai's prepared speech was called Kei ngā mātanga o te reo he aha i hē ai te reo o te rangatahi.
Her message to fluent speakers was that teenagers should be encouraged to speak Māori at their own level, even if it wasn't perfect. They could gradually perfect their reo as they grew older. If young people were corrected too harshly they could be discouraged from speaking te reo at all.
Five students from the college competed with another 60 students and teachers coming along to tautoko them, including MP Willow-Jean Prime.
Takutai, who is of Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi and Te Rarawa descent, learnt much of her reo from her mother and grandparents. Teacher Dion Prime helped with her speech and presentation.
She attended kohanga reo and kura kaupapa in Moerewa before starting college. The win had made her proud and happy but she was determined to stay humble.
''I was surprised I won. When I watched the other speakers I thought I'd come third at best.''
College principal John Paitai said it was ''quite a feat'' for a student from a mainstream school to win, especially in their first attempt.
''A lot of students at mainstream schools are afraid to enter the Pei Te Hurinui Jones trophy because they're up against students from kura kaupapa who live and breathe te reo,'' he said.
Takutai is considering a career in journalism, possibly with Maori TV or iwi radio. She will join the other category winners at the national finals in Gisborne in September.
■ The other top prize, the Tā Hemi Henare Trophy for best bilingual speaker, was won by Tamika Smith of Whangarei Girls' High School. The Korimako Trophy for senior English went to Peeni Wynyard-Devogue of Kamo High School. In the junior section Wairere Whangapirita Sarich of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hokianga ki te Tonga won the Te Rawhiti Ihaka Trophy for Māori while Rehutai Kingi of Kerikeri High School won the Tā Turi Kara Trophy for English. Students from 22 schools around Te Tai Tokerau took part.