Taranaki students place well in inaugural Papatūānuku competition

Nina Riorda, of Green School, Taranaki, won first place in the mixed media Year 9-10 category. Photo / Supplied

Taranaki students showed they were top of their class with several wins across a national competition this month.

The inaugural Papatūānuku National Art and Literature Student competition allows students to express their concerns for Papatūānuku (Mother Earth).

The winning works will be included in a book to represent the Kiwi youth voice at COP 27 (United Nations Climate Change Conference) in Egypt November.

New Plymouth Boys' High, Inglewood High and Green School placed well in the inaugural competition.

Dr Mike Joy, who judged the illustration category says, he was blown away by the entries but it's bittersweet.

"I'm deeply saddened that at that age they know this stuff and how much Covid has dominated their lives. They are amazing, it is going to be very hard to narrow down as the quality is so high."

Flourish Kia Puāwai co-director Michelle Whitaker, who organised the competition, says schools had added challenges of the pandemic and resurgence of Omicron.

"We heard from schools in Christchurch that on top of teachers and students off with Covid, they had added flu, D&V and in one East Christchurch school meningitis. Some schools let us know that they had to pull out but were very keen to be involved next time."

She says even with the additional challenges there were a good number of schools and homeschoolers engaged for the inaugural year.

"We were especially inundated with illustrations, got a great number of poems and received enough graphic art, mixed media and letters to judge well."

Results:
Mixed Media; Year 2-3:1st Indigo Kluiters,Wainui Beach School, Gisborne. Year 6-8: Georgina Matapakia, Fergusson Intermediate, Otara, Auckland, 3rd Florianne Rahardjo, Remuera Intermediate, Auckalnd. Year 9-10: 1st Nina Riorda, Green School, Taranaki, 2nd Ava Gaddum, Green School, Taranaki, 3rd Ruby Smith, Inglewood High School. Year 11-13: 1st Maia Bouras, St Catherine's College, Wellington, 2nd Anael La Cruz Quero, St Catherine's College, Wellington, 3rd Sarona Atilieo, Titiro Whakamua, Upper Hutt, Wellington.
Illustration: Year 1-2: 1st Kyan Hoskin, Green School, Taranaki,2nd Ena Kawakami, Green School, Taranaki, 3rd Ayla Bayliss, Green School, Taranaki. Year 4-5: 1st Zoë Kluiters, Wainui Beach School, Gisborne. Year 6-8: 1st Jeanne Gatimel, Pukekohe Intermediate, Auckland, 2nd Miana Rubykama, Fergusson Intermediate, Otara, Auckland, 3rd equal Jiu Park, Rumuera Intermediate, Auckland, 3rd equal Sophie Perret, Green School, Taranaki. Year 9-10: 1st Angelica Zhang, Kingsway School, Auckland, 2nd Hannah Stark, St Catherine's College, Wellington, 3rd Jordan Vosper, Green School, Taranaki. Year 11-13: 1st Karla de Wet, Kingsway School, Auckland, 2nd Molly O' Regan, St Catherine's College, Wellington.
Graphic Art: Year 6-8: Minaa Wong, Remuera Intermediate, Auckland, 2nd Summer Li, Remuera Intermediate, Auckland, 3rd Monique Magdadaro, Remuera Intermediate, Auckland. Year 9-10: 1st Evie Sellen, Green School, Taranaki, 2nd Miranda Lerum, St Catherine's College, Wellington.
Poetry: Year 4-5: 1st Sayla Ware, Halfmoon Bay School, Stewart Island, Tom Stacey, Korakanui School, Waikeria, Waikato. Year 6-8: 1st equal Wanisha Besharati, Remuera Intermediate, Auckland, 1st Bill Kelly, Home School, Brooklyn, Wellington, 2nd Sienna Fong, Remuera Intermediate, Auckland, 3rd equal Caitlin Foote, Korakonui, Waikeria, Waikato, 3rd equal Chloe Vincent Korakonui, Waikeria, Waikato. Year 9-10: 1st Oliver Marsh, New Plymouth Boys' High School.
Letter:Year 6-8: 1st Tristan Jayasuriya, Remuera Intermediate, Auckland, 2nd Aanya Dewan, Remuera Intermediate, Auckland, 3rd Lyla Castagna, Silverdale Primary, North Auckland