Aaron McCloy (Papa Taiao Earthcare), Panguru Area School principal Mina Pomare-Peita, student Sahara-Lee Cash, Jo Luxton (MPI), student Allen Karena and Marty Taylor (Papa Taiao) at the YES national awards. PICTURE / SUPPLIED
The Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) has always been strong in the Far North, but never stronger than in 2018, two schools collecting three of the nine national awards, against competition from 900 other student companies in 21 regions around the country.
Hokianga Sustainable Fertiliser, led by Allen Karena (Te Kura
Taumata o Panguru — Panguru Area School), won the HSBC Award for Environmental Sustainability and the Ministry for Primary Industries GrowingNZ Sustainability Award: Food and Fibre.
The business turned an environmental problem into an asset by converting an invasive sea squirt, which was smothering the mussel beds at Mitimiti, into fertiliser. Allen, 17, had earlier organised a community action day to remove half a tonne of the pest from the beds.
The other big winner was 17-year-old Alex Edwards, from Kerikeri High School, who took home the He Kai Kei Aku Ringa Award for Rangatahi Business.
Alex, who trades as AE Productions, published a bilingual children's book, Trevor the Trevally in a Plastic Ocean, or Arewa te Araara i te Moana Parahitiki, to teach youngsters about about the dangers plastic waste poses to sea life.
