Globe-trotting student joins world forum

080415PBJonathan CHOSEN: Jonathan De Jongh attended the Sir Peter Blake Youth Enviroleaders Forum. PICTURE / PAUL BROOKS

A 15-year-old Wanganui student will take his broad experiences of life around the world to a national environment forum.
Jonathan De Jongh is a Year 11 student at Wanganui Collegiate who has lived in Indonesia, Russia and Singapore.
He is one of 52 senior students from around the country chosen to attend the Sir Peter Blake Youth Enviroleaders Forum.
This year's week-long forum is being run in conjunction with the Ministry of the Environment from April 11 to 17 in Rotorua, focusing on fresh water management, planning and eco-tourism.
Jonathan said he was looking forward to learning about issues facing New Zealand. "[Environmental issues] are the issues facing our generation," he said.
"I was born in Wanganui but then lived in Indonesia, Russia and Singapore before coming back to Wanganui in July 2011.
"Living in different environments exposed me to different cultures and living situations from the poverty of Indonesia to the extreme wealth of Singapore."
Jonathan said there wasn't one particular element of the forum which appealed more than others.
"I'm interested in the whole package. It will be great to meet like-minded people and discuss these issues with them, and develop my leadership skills.
"I've done my bronze Duke of Edinburgh and now I'm working on my silver. I really enjoyed going caving on one of the tramps and being outdoors in general.
"There are not many opportunities otherwise to do this kind of thing in Wanganui so it should be a pretty good week," he said.
Of about 200 applicants from around the country, Jonathan was pleased to be one of the limited number chosen to attend. Applications included references from the school.
Jonathan was also keen on speech, drama and debating, and said he was considering studying law, politics and possibly science when he left school.
Students at this year's forum will participate in workshops and leadership exercises and go on field trips to learn about lake water quality management. The forum also features several speakers, including ministry representatives, local and central government politicians, environmental experts, Sir Peter Blake Trust alumni, and business and community leaders.
Sir Peter Blake Trust chief executive Shelley Campbell said students would be exposed to various career paths and shown real world applications of classes they enjoyed at school.
"This is a really hands on, exciting week," she said. "Sir Peter was a huge advocate of the importance of inspiring our young people through challenging adventures. They come out of [the forum] fired up, capable and ready to create change in their schools."