Award finalist inspired by quake-bereaved student

Philippa Wintle helped Haya Al-Ani raise money for Christchurch. Photo / Janna Dixon

Inspirational teacher Philippa Wintle, 28, says she practises how she wishes she had been taught at school.

Now, she's a finalist in the 2011 Most Inspiring Teacher award.

"I remember always doing work sheets and wondering what the point was," Wintle, of Auckland's Westlake Girls' High School, said.

Wintle went beyond the classroom this year to help year 13 student Haya Al-Ani, who moved to the North Shore after losing her dad in the Christchurch earthquake.

Dr Husam Al-Ani was killed in the ruined CTV building where he worked on the fourth floor at The Clinic. His practice moved into the CTV building only after its old building was deemed unsafe.

Haya, who had her last day of school on Friday, was settling into Auckland but wanted to help Christchurch.

"I didn't want to sit around feeling sorry for myself. It was a really hard time and I wanted to put my energy into something."

Wintle had talked to Haya about this and was driving home when she thought of selling Christchurch themed T-shirts. A few phone calls later, six Kiwi artists and fashion designers were on board. Haya and Wintle sold more than 1000 T-shirts and made $15,000.

The money went towards restarting a community youth clinic, the Korowai Youth Wellbeing Trust, that Dr Al-Ani worked with in Christchurch.

Neither Wintle nor Haya know who made the nomination for the award.

The winner, who will get a smart-phone and a $5000 holiday, will be announced tomorrow. The 30 finalists get $1000 worth of goods from Warehouse Stationery.

Other finalists include: Kahli Oliviera, of Gladstone Primary School, in Mt Albert; Natalie Baker, of Pakuranga Intermediate; Ichiro Harada, Howick College; Vicky Billing, Avondale Primary School; Kyra Rusten, Green Bay Primary; Theo Ariaens, Otahuhu College; Desiree Pole, Kedgley Intermediate in Papatoetoe; and Halina Szymanik, of Stella Maris Catholic Primary School, in Silverdale, described as a cross between "Mary Poppins, Caractacus Potts (of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and Albert Einstein".