Abbey Sextus: A true role model for young people in the Stratford community

Abbey Sextus, a year 13 student at Stratford High School, is one of two 2022 Stratford Citizen Youth Award recipients.

When Abbey Sextus tries something new, she has one simple rule.

"I always like to give everything my best go."

And her best is very, very good indeed, especially when it comes to sports.

A keen netballer and swimmer, Abbey has enjoyed success in both sports, attending numerous championships and representing her school and Taranaki at competitions over the years. The two sports are very different to each other, and that's what appeals to her she says.

"Netball is a team sport, whereas swimming is individual, so both are challenging in different ways."

Abbey, who is in her final year at Stratford High School where she is head girl for 2022, doesn't just play sport, she also shares her passion for it with younger players, volunteering her time to coach touch rugby as well as umpiring netball matches.

"It's about giving back and helping others, as I benefited from people doing that for me when I was younger."

Abbey is a member of the Stratford High School sports council, as well as a student leadership member of the Taranaki Secondary Schools Sports Association. It's not just sporting clubs and teams that benefit from her time and effort however, Abbey is also involved in a wide range of groups in her school and community, from being on the Students Against Dangerous Driving committee at Stratford High School to volunteering her time to help with waste minimisation at the A&P Showgrounds and the Stratford races.

"You only get out what you put in," she says, adding that helping out at a range of fundraising events over the years for various clubs and sporting groups wasn't just about raising funds, but also "helping the community and giving back".

She plans to continue giving back to her community when she leaves school, with a plan to study nursing next year.

"I want to help people in my future, and nursing is a way to do that."

Stratford District Mayor Neil Volzke says Abbey is a real asset to the district.

"She is a real role model for other young people in our community."