Waipa Youth Awards open today
22 February 2016
Do you know an outstanding young person who is going above and beyond in the Waipa District who deserves recognition?
If so, Council wants to hear from you!
The Waipa District Council Youth Awards recognises the outstanding achievements of young people in Waipa in the fields of academics, arts and culture, community service, leadership and sport.
The awards are run annually under the umbrella of the Waipa Youth Council and are now in their 14th year. The awards are open to young people aged 14-18 who live, or have attended school, in the Waipa district for at least six months of the 2015 academic year.
Benefits of winning a youth award include improving future scholarship and academic opportunities and receiving cash prizes or services in kind, such as additional coaching in the sport category.
Mayor Jim Mylchreest said there are outstanding young people in the district who deserve some recognition for what they do in the community.
It's also a great way to show these young people that their efforts are appreciated.
Nominations have more than doubled since the awards were first held in 2003 and it is a great opportunity for people to nominate someone deserving, he said.
Last year there were 92 nominations and 55 exceptional young people were celebrated.
One of last year's recipients was Luca Ellery who took home the Sports Merit Award for her efforts in representing Te Awamutu College at the 2014 New Zealand Secondary Rowing Champs (Maadi Cup), amongst a handful of other sporting achievements.
For Luca, it was a real privilege to receive the award.
It was rewarding to be recognised as it was an opportunity to look back on everything I had achieved at once. Not only did it make me feel good about all of the hard work I put in but I was also proud and appreciative to share it with the people who have given me the support to make it all possible.
Luca said it's important to nominate others for these awards as young people can be motivated to strive for more success and it's great when their hard work and dedication is recognised.
Luca is currently a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar at the University of Waikato.
Factors like the Waipa District Youth Awards all went into the application that allowed me to be successful in receiving my university scholarship, Luca said.
Other past recipients have included Silver Fern Laura Langman and finalist in the 2016 Halberg Awards and IPC Swimming World Championship gold medallist swimmer Nikita Howarth.
The awards are supported by a number of organisations and businesses including Rotary, Cambridge Lions, Cambridge Business Networking International, CMYK and Storey Sport.
Nominations open today (February 22) and will close on Friday, April 1. Nomination forms are available from secondary schools, council offices, libraries and online at www.waipadc.govt.nz/youthawards
For more information contact
Amber Sutherland
Communications and Engagement Coordinator
07 872 0483