Award winner shares lessons from front line

Midweek. Wairarapa Youth Awards Kia Kaha winner and Makoura College student Rheegin Anderson-McKenzie. WAG 24Feb15 - SHINE: Rheegin Anderson-McKenzie has overcome adversity to achieve: becoming a

Sometimes, you don't realise how far you've come until someone points it out. Eighteen-year-old Rheegin Anderson-McKenzie has the motto from her family coat of arms tattooed on her back: "Luceo non uro", or "I will shine, not burn".

Appropriate words for a young woman who had a rough start to her secondary schooling years -- but has gone on to win multiple trophies, hold leadership roles, and consider a career in the military.

Rheegin (Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Maniapoto) received the Kia Kaha award -- for a young person who has overcome adversity to achieve -- at this month's Wairarapa Youth Awards.

Nominated by Makoura College deputy principal, Kellas Bennett, she was lauded for her contribution to the school's Services Academy, and for her blossoming confidence.

"I felt receiving the award gave me the mana and strength to carry on with what I'm doing, and where I'm going in life," Rheegin said.

"Sometimes, you don't realise how far you've come until someone points it out."

And Rheegin has certainly come a long way from her first year at high school.

Born in Tokoroa and brought up by her grandparents, she moved to Masterton at age 11, and lived with her mother for the first time.

Attending Makoura in Year 9, Rheegin began getting into fights with other students and damaging school property.

Eventually, a drug overdose landed her in Wellington Hospital, where she spent a week in an induced coma.

After receiving counselling at a youth treatment centre, her life got back on track when she got a scholarship to attend Turakina Maori Girls' College.

But it wasn't until she returned to Makoura in Year 12 and discovered the Services Academy that she found her "true potential".

"I'd never thought about joining the military -- I wanted to be a marine biologist at primary school.

"But I thought it was a cool opportunity."

Learning military ethics, physical drill training and survival skills, Rheegin grew in confidence and was awarded the Academy's Top Student trophy two years in a row.

Last year, she attended a leadership course at Waiouru and was promoted to platoon sergeant.

She said she struggled at times, feeling "under pressure"in the male dominated environment.

"I broke down a couple of times.

"My leaders said they could see potential in me -- but I had to see it for myself.

"I do feel more confident: I feel I can can take charge and control."

In Year 13, Rheegin was also a house captain and a student representative on the Board of Trustees, and participated in Outward Bound.

This year, she is completing her literacy credits, so she can enrol in the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Her advice for young people is simply to "believe in yourself".

"If you put a potato into boiling water it softens, but if you do the same with an egg, it hardens.

"It's not your circumstances, but your strength and what you're made of inside."