Students excel with Rotary's help

Legendary Belgian reporter Tintin, of comic book and now movie fame, and his faithful dog Snowy made an appearance at the Kaitaia Rotary Club's dinner meeting last week, courtesy of Kaitaia College student Owen Peters, one of six teenagers who were the club's guests.

The students, all but one from Kaitaia College, offered further evidence of the club's on-going investment in young people and the pursuit of educational opportunities, Owen and Francis Bradley having been nominated by the club to join this year's Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA).

Owen arrived with a bag containing all he needed to transform himself into Tintin, while Francis was dressed as a Belgian farmer, as they had done when they represented Belgium at the gathering of nations.

Owen said he had enjoyed the assembly more than last year as he had known what was happening and Belgium certainly made its presence felt, being named best-represented of the European countries.

They had spoken to several remits, Owen perhaps demonstrating the real value of MUNA in that he had had to re-write his speech several times as his views changed as a result of discussions with the representatives of other countries.

He reached the podium without it as he took his turn to address the assembly on the subject of sending NATO and Arab League troops into Syria.

He spoke with some passion about the need to replace troops with UN peacekeepers.

Francis told the Rotarians a good deal of preparation had gone into the assembly, the students researching their countries' stances on matters of global significance, government policies and the like, then representing those views, as opposed to their own.

The experience was extremely educational, and had motivated the participants to learn more.

The experience was especially valuable for him as he has a Rotary exchange to Belgium next year.

Kyle Ah Sam and Sean Somerville spoke about their experiences at the Rotary NorthTec science extravaganza in Whangarei, where they had focused on biology and chemistry.

They were among 16 successful nominees from a field of 64, and their imaginations were fired much like the MUNA students.

Rickie Rupapera (Te Rangi Aniwaniwa) joined a leadership voyage aboard the tall ship R Tucker Thompson, where he said he had made some good friends.

He had discipline when it was needed and had particularly enjoyed the food.

"The cook knew how to cook," he said.

It hadn't all been easy - the students were hauled out of bed at 7am and ordered over the side, on pain of going without breakfast.

His father, Innes Rupapera, said the experience had been very valuable for his son as Rickie tended to be quiet, except when he was playing rugby.

The voyage was a positive influence.

Dylan Tailby attended a two-week Rotary science and technology camp at Auckland University earlier in the year.

The students' parents also spoke.

Francis' father, Dr John Bradley, said he had only recently learned how Rotary "dips its fingers into other people's lives," and he was impressed.

The Kaitaia College students were also fortunate to have a teacher (Rotarian Michael Withiel) who pushed, prompted and beat them into doing the work that had broadened their horizons.

Mr Withiel gave his time unstintingly, he said.

He was a treasure to the college, a treasure to the students, had briefly been a treasure to Abundant Life School and was a treasure to Kaitaia.