Rangitikei youth award winners named

Leadership and Outstanding Youth award recipient Jermaine Moke (right) in this file photo with students Zac Scott and Elle Welsh.

It was an amazing year for the Rangitikei Youth Awards with 19 nomination forms received and more than 60 young people highlighted.

Category winners were:

Jermaine Moke – winner of Leadership and Outstanding Youth

Jermaine was recognised for his outstanding contribution in academic achievement. Maori Head Boy at Rangitikei College, Jermaine sat NCEA Scholarship Physical Education towards the end of 2017.

Jermaine's thesis promoted understanding of tikanga and kawa around haka and the contribution of haka to sporting performance. His success on the national stage sends a powerful message to other male Maori.

Mary Laki - winner of Change Maker

Rangitikei College head girl for 2018, Mary has been a driving force in the annual Rangitikei College Pacifica Festival, a celebration of Pacifica culture, food and dance.

She worked tirelessly to organise the entertainment as well as to assign roles to the volunteers. Mary also helped to advertise the event and was on site to set up, run, and clear up at the end.

Brylee Coley - winner of Youth for Youth

Brylee Coley has been a constant mentor within the arts at Rangitikei College. Her consistent support and commitment to those students in the arts has not only helped other students grow, it has also been immensely helpful to the teachers leading these activities.

Without her consistent support and encouragement towards the students in dance the outcomes would not have been as positive.

Olivia Brown - winner of Giving back

Olivia has learned from her whanau who have always shown her that giving back to the community you live in is just the way it is.

She has taken part in Level Up, Annual Bulls Rose Show, the School for Skies programme at RNZAF Ohakea with 48 other young women from around New Zealand.

Kia tu nga Rangatahi o Mokai Patea - winner of Youth Group (joint winner)

Rangatahi are interested in improving attendance; completion of assessments; and creating vocational pathways through learning by increasing student's self-esteem though after school mentoring.

Within the programme all participants show attributes like good leadership skills and problem solving.

Rangitikei College Pacifica Aiga - winner of Youth Group (joint winner)

This group is self- formed, self motivated and very, very effective.

Since forming just over a year and a half ago they have successfully run two community engagement days, with cultural food stalls, entertainment and Samoan cultural dance and dress.