Kaitao School has it MADE

TECH SAVVY: Kaitao Middle School students Jacinta Stewart, 12, Daniel Singh, 13, Isaac Boielle, 13, Nikiah Pubben, 12, and Malachi Whare, 12, are talented with creative and digital technologies. PHOTO/BRIDIE WITTON

A Rotorua school has come out tops in the national Movie and Digital Excellence (MADE) Awards.

Twenty talented Kaitao Middle School students attended the awards ceremony at Mt Maunganui this week, which celebrated the best of movie and digital excellence from students 5 to 13, principal Rory O'Rourke said. The school had eight finalists in three categories.

"The MADE awards are a national competition with entries from Invercargill to Northland so to win or even be a finalist is an achievement."

Daniel Singh, 13, took out the top prize in the Graphic Design section with an entry titled Stop Bullying ... it is not okay.

He wanted to create something with a meaningful message, he said.

"I've experienced bullying so I wanted to send a message to people that have been bullied," he said.

Daniel won a Canon camera.

A group of students also won the Music Video section. Nikiah Pubben, 12, played the main character in the video, which was set to a song titled Travelling Somewhere.

The students came up with the idea, shot and edited the video, and enjoyed the experience, she said.

"It was a lot of fun and we are all like family when we are out doing stuff."

Vince Tescon placed third in the Graphic Design section with his entry Speaking Through Your Eyes while in the Digital Image Section Ellie Williamson was placed third with her photograph Headlight.

Kawaha Point School also placed, coming third in the Canon Digital Image section for Year 1 to 3, the Canon Graphic Design Section for year 1 to 3 and the Powerco Music Video for year 4 to 6.