League star in town to present special award

Steve Price, ex-Warriors captain (left), presented the latest award to R J Tauteka, 10, with Darren Huston.

Aorangi School, with the help of a local Four Square, have been rewarding their students for being good citizens.

Principal Debra Harrod said a "very good friend of the school", Darren Huston, who owned the Edmund Four Square, approached the school and asked if he could sponsor an award for being a good citizen.

"We have a range of awards and when Darren suggested that he would like to contribute we discussed it amongst the staff and we thought it would be good to have an award for children who might not be recognised for being academic or other things, but who are just really good students," Ms Harrod said.

So since the idea came about three months ago, twice each term Mr Huston attends the school assembly and presents the Charlie Four Square citizenship award to a deserving student.

"Last week, he told us he might be able to bring a special guest and he did - Steve Price, ex-Warriors captain. A great treat for our students, staff and parents."

R J Tauteka, 10, received the award last week, selected by teachers as a person who always helps others. Ms Harrod said he "is just a lovely boy".

Mr Huston said the Four Square was operating in a community and was nothing without that community.

"It's great to be able to give back. Aorangi School is a great little place. We have a great relationship with them, we hope that some of the kids might come and work here, which will give them skills to go further later on."

He said they didn't want to do any normal sort of award, they wanted something different that recognised someone who had done something good and hadn't even really known they had been noticed. He said Steve Price had come down because he operated a Four Square in Waipu.

"He was down last week to see how we operate and he was more than happy to tag along to help me give the award. It was great to give the kids a treat. One of the teachers said they never get superstars at their school so they loved it."

The kids who receive the award get a certificate and a voucher for the Edmund Four Square.