Three Northland teens to take part in Blake Inspire environmental programme

Huanui College's Pippa Benton is passionate about the environment and in particular plastic pollution. Photo/Supplied

Three Northland teens are among 56 secondary students from around the country selected to take part in a week-long environmental programme.

Huanui College's Pippa Benton, Whangārei Boys' High School's Mahanga Mitchell and Kaitaia College's Jos Spaans have will take part in Blake Inspire (formerly the Sir Peter Blake Trust Youth EnviroLeaders Forum) in Waikato from April 12-18.

The year 11 to 13 students will learn about environmental issues facing New Zealand including climate change, marine and freshwater health and biodiversity decline.

Benton said she was looking forward to meeting "some like-minded people from across the country" and learning about the issues New Zealand faces.

She describes herself as "really passionate" about the environment, and is thinking of studying environmental science next year.

"The most important issue to me is plastic pollution."

Mitchell said he too was looking forward to meeting people with the same kind of passion for "the environment and trying to keep our country as best we can".

He said one of his teachers noticed he was interested in "looking out for the environment" and told him about the programme.

Spaans was unable to be contacted before edition time.

Mahanga Mitchell, from Whangārei Boys' High School in keen to do his bit for the environment. Photo / Supplied

Recent high profile programme alumni include Sophie Hanford and Raven Maeder who attended in 2017 and 2015 respectively and were the organisers for the recent New Zealand School Strike for Climate Change.

Sir Peter Blake Trust (BLAKE) CEO, James Gibson, says the programme aims to kick-start environmental passion, leadership and action in young New Zealanders.

"They will spend the week with some of New Zealand's environmental leaders and experts, so they have huge opportunity to absorb as much as they can and come away with new skills, networks and leadership ability to start driving positive change in their communities," Gibson said.

Blake Inspire is run in partnership with the Ministry for the Environment.