Blue Light award wins for local students

Raniera Vercoe won Overall Merit and Peers' Choice Award. Photo / Supplied

"Watch this space – I think this group will achieve great things in years to come!"

Kate Morley, who teaches history and English at Waihi College, on the group of young students who have just completed Blue Light's Police Pathways Life Skills programme held at Trentham Military Camp on October 17-21.

Kate leads the NCEA L3 Police Pathways Programme at Waihi College which involves students from Waihi College, Katikati College and Hauraki College.

She said, "The Blue Light Police Pathways Life Skill programme is such an amazing opportunity for our rangitahi to find out what a career in the NZDF/Police might look like.

"The students came back buzzing with stories about the various activities, but most importantly they learnt how well they could perform under pressure as members of a committed and supportive team."

Makaylah Hull, 16, who attends Katikati College, walked away with the top award – the Overall Excellence Award.

She said her win "meant I had overcome a lot of barriers".

"I had to overcome my fears and anxiety to achieve more than I ever thought I could, it pushed me further and put me out of my comfort zone but it made me feel more confident in my decision to join the army and showed me that I can always keep going past what I think I'm capable of."

Raniera Vercoe, 17, from Rotorua Boys' High, won the Overall Merit and Peers' Choice Award and Indiia Archer, 17, who is at Rangitikei College, won the Most Improved Award.

Blue Light's Youth Mentor Daniel Bromley said, "Makaylah was awarded the Overall Excellence Award through demonstrating the whakataukī of maturity, respect, intuition and through building individual and group mana.

"Raniera was awarded the Overall Merit Award through his self-discipline, and tautoko of others and awarded the Peers' Choice Award through his efforts to foster a team environment, encouragement, and respectful communication with fellow team members.

"Indiia won the Most Improved Award through her consistent progress throughout the camp."

This camp differed from the usual Blue Light Life Skills camp programme, in that it was specifically designed to meet the needs of the Year 12 and 13 students who are on the NCEA Level 3 Secondary Schools' Police Pathway Programme, and those students who are seriously interested in a career with the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

The students learnt more about the Armed Forces and the police, experienced barrack inspections, spent time at the Police College, visited a police dog handler, Armed Offenders Squad, and completed various challenges including physical training, drill, leaderless tasks (team building and problem solving), high and low ropes, 5km rope carry up a maunga, and the Defence Force swim test, before attending a formal dinner and graduation.

Blue Light's highly successful Life Skills programme has been run in partnership with NZ Defence Force for the past 12 years and has adventure-based experiential learning as a key part of the programme.

The programme provides 14-17-year-olds' critical life skills such as self-development, self-control, and teamwork that will enable young people to be successful at home, school, communities, and employment.

Up to 12 courses are held each year in Auckland, Central North Island and Burnham locations. For more information about the Blue Light Life Skills camps visit www.bluelight.co.nz.