Young New Zealanders honoured

Sixty-eight children are honoured in this year's New Zealand Herald Young Kauri Awards.

The awards, for spirit, courage and endeavour among young New Zealanders, are open to children in the Herald's circulation area.

Special certificates, signed by our 1999 patron, All Black Jonah Lomu, will be sent to each child. The Herald will also give them small kauri trees to mark their awards.

Four children will later be chosen to visit the Bay of Islands where, with their families, they will be hosted by the Herald and the Waitangi National Trust. They will plant kauri trees in the Waitangi Reserve.

Today, the Herald begins a week-long series about some of the children honoured.

Amy Hancock, aged 9, of Morrinsville; Tegan Morris, 11, Otorohanga; Tess Connell, 8, Mt Albert; Vicki Parks, 15, Conifer Grove; Terry Leota, 12, Otara; Libbie Rose Williamson, 11, Dargaville; Jeremy van Dyk, 5, Titirangi; Kerrie Lay, 15, Mangakino; Stephen Smith,14, Hamilton; Romana Ratima, 14, Opotiki; Georgia McQuilkin,15, Te Kuiti; Aslan Perwick, 13, Torbay; Junior Mafi, 11, Mangere; Tamsyn Claase, 12, Mangere; Amy Shanks, 15, Glen Innes; Fraser Payne, 12, Devonport; Nastassja Catmull, 12, Titirangi; Michael Matthews, 6, Mt Eden; Tahlia Hopkins, 9, Conifer Grove; Claire Jamieson,12, Waipukurau; Fotu Faleauto, 14, Manurewa; Alicia Potter, 12, Matakana; Becky Lewis, 9, Cambridge; Tumanako Manuel, 5, Manukau; Catherine Hunt, 13, Mangere; John Carpenter,13, Pukekohe; Meg Watson, 8, Mt Eden; Sophie Ruthven, 13, Greenhithe; Anne Marie Latailakepa, 13, Mt Roskill; Hamish Neave, 9, Gulf Harbour; Conchita Hiliate, 14, Mt Roskill; Hoani Macneil, 6, Horeke; Daysha Towns, 8, Opotiki; Rebekah Towns, 6, Opotiki; Justin Joyce, 15, Paihia; Kurt Peterson, 12, Albany; Dwayne Oakden, 13, Whangarei; Mia Wood, 10, Epsom; Brad Revell, 8, Matakana; Michael Junge, 6, Sandringham; Jonathan Butcher, 13, Epsom; Jack Foster, 8, Wellington; Philip Davidson, 14, Mangakino; Scott Levert, 8, Albany; Jonathon Sinton, 11,Titirangi; Eric Kirkwood, 15, Papakura; Daniel Lupton, 12, Massey; Stefan Lupton, 12, Massey; Maurice Flynn, 8, Waiuku; Leon Panui, 14, Rotokawa; Celeste Kapoor, 15, Tokoroa; Nia Tuisalega, 11, Orewa; Ishmael Tilialo, 12, Dargaville; Nicholas Barton-Barry, 12, Devonport; Roberta Francis, 10, Hamilton; Sacha-Llian Harrap, 15, Mt Albert; Natasha Dallow, 13, Birkdale; Cory James Mills, 9, Waitakere; Lance Webb, 13, Huapai; Holly Horwood, 9, Matata; Desiree Vickers, 15, Hamilton; Mara Kelland, 12, Mt Wellington; James Russell, 12, Waimauku; Anton Frazer, 14, Kaikohe; Roslind Lawrence, 13, Waimana; Hayley Wootton, 7, Henderson; Sumudu Basnayake, 14, Onehunga; Moses Cooper, 11, Whangarei.