Kaitaia Abundant Life School leaders chosen for 2020

Kaitaia Abundant Life School prefects for 2020: Jacinda McCloy (back left), Sophie Sullivan (head girl), Irimana van der Mei (head boy), Jamiro Wells, Aron-Nikora Arona, James Pritchard (deputy head boy), Josh Edgecombe. Front: Ariana Lewis (deputy head girl) and Waiora Mete-Cherrington. Picture / Supplied

Kaitaia Abundant Life School has chosen its prefects for 2020, and making the grade wasn't easy.

All applicants submitted two discussion papers around their character, work ethic, relationship with God, expectations and more, in addition to undertaking an interview process. Those who made the shortlisted then attended a survival-style camp at an unknown destination, which they reached after a four-hour hike.

The successful candidates were announced at the end-of-year prize-giving, together with a public blessing of their successors by this year's prefects.

And for the first time in the school's history, 2019 head boy Pene Subritzky and head girl Ashley Rice gifted a korowai and two taonga to their successors.

"This was a significant and powerful moment for our school, one that will go down in history," Principal Mark Tan said.

"The composition of the korowai, crafted by Marjorie Norman [Ngāti Kurī], speaks of the entire school being on the same journey, on the same waka, heading in the same direction with Christ as the Head. It speaks of our identity, incorporating a key focus of mine as principal: 'Know who you are, know whose you are, know what you have got to do.'

"I am looking forward to working alongside this new prefect body, and am grateful for the platform and foundation laid by the 2019 group. It's going to be an amazing year of continued progress and growth, and I can't wait," he added.