Hastings Young Achievers Celebrated

Hastings Heretaunga Lions Club and Hastings District Council are celebrating the achievements and contributions of 19 young people, from 10 Hastings schools, at a Mayoral event on Wednesday evening at Hawke’s Bay Opera House.

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule says these students are high achieving young people who have so much to offer to their schools, families and wider community.

“This event is the culmination of months of hard work by the Lions Club who aim to celebrate young people who are inspirational and show leadership amongst their peers,” Mayor Yule says.

Hastings Heretaunga Lions Club member and Young Achievers Committee chair, David Harington, says youth of today are often portrayed negatively which, in the majority, is simply not true.

 “The nominated students are an example of youth who have achieved and will be leaders in their chosen field, not only scholastically but in all walks of life, or for simply being good citizens."

At the private ceremony students will be presented with a certificate noting their achievements. On the night, family and friends of recipients will get a chance to view a series of portraits of the students taken, by local photographer Terry Winn, of each of the participants in action in their field of success.

An exhibition of the portraits will then be on a rotating public display around Hastings, including the window at Hastings i-Site.

Awardees are:

·         Flaxmere College: Brittany Kershaw and Nirvana Kendrick

·         Hastings Boys’ High: Luke Bradley and Cameron Gichard

·         Hastings Girls’ High School: Emma Blake and Ellen Woods

·         Havelock North High: Leo Browning and Tim Caldwell

·         Iona College: Chelsea Boyle and Hannah Harty

·         Karamu High School: Adam Blake and Jordan Pearse

·         Kowhai Special School: Brian Perry

·         Lindisfarne College: Michael Hackney and Tom Harrison

·         St John’s College: Luke Corkery and Ryan Cosgrove

·         Woodford House: Lucy Cole and Kate Haselhoff