Last week she was named as one of 28 "determined Kiwis" who had the courage to pursue their diverse dreams and turn them into reality, and had been granted AMP scholarships worth more than $200,000 to help them.
She said last week that a permanent youth centre was needed now more than ever.
"In the last few months there have been upwards of five youth suicides in Kaitaia, stabbings and the record meth haul found.
I lost two mates to suicide, and numerous friends have attempted it, because they felt as though they had nobody to talk to or nowhere to go. In the wake of all of this negativity, we need this," she said.
"I've had some amazing mentors who have really inspired me," she said.
"I'm also doing it for my mates, because I don't want anyone to have to lose a friend like I have."
She had not really expected to win a scholarship, and saw it as a win for her community.
The money would be used to secure premises.
"It will be a youth space run by the community where positive activities can be run to combat the suicides," she said.
"We want to work on building resilience in the community by giving (youth) somewhere to go and access opportunities and social services. There are various places for those sorts of things, but they're all spread out and there's no collaboration. That's the strength of having it all in one place - I can go there and get career advice and talk to a counsellor."
