In 1993, Duff was invited to speak at Hastings' Camberley School and realised that very few of the pupils had any books at home.
While one-off initiatives can grab more headlines, the Duffy programme has quietly given away more than 10 million new books to over 100,000 children in low-income communities.
Lives have changed as a result. A video message was played at Koru's assembly from Charles Ropitini, who was a 10-year-old at Camberley School when Duffy Books in Homes was launched.
Mr Ropitini was the first child to receive a book, presented by All Black Zinzan Brooke.
He credits the gift as sparking a love for learning that led to his becoming a trained opera singer, and a career at NZ and Kiwibank.
On Friday, it was evident that Tyler has the same love for learning.
He is particularly keen on ancient history books and wants to become an archaeologist.
The Duffy books were enjoyed by the wider family, said Tyler, who received the Mainfreight award for "excellence in attitude".
"My family were all reading it with me ... I just think reading changes lives, because you can understand better."
Stanley Whata, principal of Koru School, which is decile 1 and full primary (it offers intermediate-age classes as well), said the Duffy programme worked extremely well for students there.
The joy of receiving a book was "still as valuable today as it was when Duffy Books first came in".
Duffy books in homes
• Established by author Alan Duff as an effort to break the cycle of "booklessness" in homes.
• The scheme's 20th anniversary was celebrated in Parliament earlier this year. It has given away more than 10 million free books to children in low-income communities.
