Young achievers honoured at awards

TOP VOLUNTEER: Ashleigh Brazendale Duncan received the Youth 4 Community Award from Carterton mayor John Booth for her services to St John Ambulance.

The Wairarapa young people who "thought they could" in 2014 received public kudos at the inaugural Wairarapa Youth Awards on Tuesday.

The awards ceremony, held at Carterton Events Centre, honoured Wairarapa people aged 12 to 24 who had achieved significant milestones over the past year - either by excelling in a particular field, overcoming obstacles or serving their community, either as individuals or part of a group.

This was the first time the event, previously held as part of the Masterton District Civic Awards, was open to young people from all over Wairarapa, with awards presented by mayors Lyn Patterson, John Booth and Adrienne Staples.

The ceremony was opened by a welcoming haka from pupils of Te Kura Kaupapa o Wairarapa, and korero from PJ Devonshire, representing Hurunui-o-Rangi marae.

Former Wairarapa Youth Councillor Dan Carlisle was MC, opening proceedings with a simple quote: "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're probably right."

"These guys thought they can - and that attitude is an important part of why they're here tonight," he said.

The first award, presented by Lyn Patterson, went to pilot and vintage aviator volunteer Bevan Dewes, who represented Wairarapa flying World War I aircraft at Warbirds over Wanaka.

Bevan thanked his parents for letting him "miss out on a lot family trips" so he could devote his time to learning to fly.

Also winning an award for excellence was runner Dhruv Raman, who represented New Zealand at the 2014 Oceania Track and Field Championships.

The Kia Kaha award, for a young person who had "overcome adversity" to achieve in their field, went to Makoura College Services Academy student Rheegin Anderson-McKenzie, and to Wairarapa College's Marcus Ale - who overcame behavioural difficulties to pass his subjects.

Representing Carterton were Rebecca Vergunst, who claimed the Rangatahi for Youth award for her commitment to youth group Rangatahi to Rangatira (R2R), and St John volunteer Ashleigh Brazendale-Duncan, who overcame shyness to work with cadets from the St John Penguin Programme.

Also from Carterton and taking a Kia Kaha award was disabled athlete Keelan Ward, who thanked his mum for "nagging" him to get to training on time.

South Wairarapa award winners were volunteer fireman, youth football coach and Featherston Community Patrol member Matthew Shackleton, for "always putting his hand up, despite being so busy", and Robert John Howard-Watling, for his services to the Air Training Corps and to Featherston Assembly of God Church as a youth leader and musician.

Volunteer paramedic Zoe Sinclair was also nominated, but wasn't able to be present at the ceremony.

The Dream Team Award went to Students Against Dangerous Driving Wairarapa and R2R, who were met with a passionate haka led by facilitator Johni Rutene.

R2R co-ordinator Deborah Davidson said R2R were "typical teenagers, but a great bunch".