Wellington and Mana Young Women in Public Affairs Awards

For Immediate Release
Wellington, 11 March 2013

Zonta Club of Wellington and Mana
Young Women in Public Affairs Award Recipients Named

At a special civic ceremony this week Sarah Pereira and Laura Blake were presented with the Zonta Young Women in Public Affairs Award (YWPA). The award recognises leadership qualities in young women within the school and community as well as academic ability.

Sarah, who won the Wellington Club Award, is a highly gifted, responsible young woman with a passion for social justice and helping others. An accomplished leader, Sarah attended Sacred Heart College and was Deputy Head Girl last year. So involved, she was School Librarian, played in the Orchestra, involved with Amnesty International, a Member of the Debating Team, recipient of a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award and completed the New Zealand Board of Speech and Drama exams. Sarah’s ambition is to study International Relations and Social Policy at Victoria University.

Laura Blake, who won the Mana Club Award, attended Onslow College, and is presently studying Bio Technology and Biomedical Sciences of Pathology at Victoria University. She wants to understand diseases, how they work and how to prevent and treat them. Laura has taken on fundraising leadership roles including; Pink Shirt Day, Book Drive for Low Decile Schools, and has been part of organizing groups for Canteen, 40 Hour Famine and many other projects over her years at the college. Laura wants to extend her participation in the "Children against Poverty" as well as her interests in human rights (Amnesty), animal' welfare (SPCA) and see women counted equal.

A previous winner of the Award, and Guest Speaker, Holly Walker MP spoke about the benefits of the Award and how it helped her to focus her responsibilities as she moved through her tertiary studies in New Zealand and then Oxford and still today in her role as a Member of Parliament.

The ceremony was hosted by Mayor Celia Wade-Brown and Wellington City Council and the presentations were made by Zonta President Mana Club Deidre Florence.

The Zonta Clubs of Wellington and Mana have a longstanding association with YWPA. They are thriving clubs with committed membership. This is a very special time for New Zealand and the Wellington region particularly as the currently International President is Lynn McKenzie, a Wellington member.

BACKGROUND

The goal of the Zonta International Young Women in Public Affairs (YWPA) Program is to encourage more young women to participate in public affairs by recognizing a young woman’s commitment to the volunteer sector, evidence of volunteer leadership achievements and a dedication to the advancement of the status of women.

Applicants are asked to reflect on their voluntary commitment to their school and their community and the problems limiting the advancement of the status of women in their own country and worldwide. The Zonta International Young Women in Public Affairs program looks to the young women of today for the leaders of tomorrow.

Applications for the 2013 Zonta International Young Women in Public Affairs Award will be available from www.zonta.org.nz in August 2013. Students of age 16-19 on 1st April each year, studying and living, or working in a Zonta district/region at the time of application are eligible to apply.

Zonta International, with world headquarters in Oak Brook, IL, USA, is a global organization of executives and professionals working together to advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy. The Young Women in Public Affairs Award is one of many programs for women and girls sponsored by Zonta International.

The Award is funded by voluntary contributions to the Zonta International Foundation YWPA fund.

ENDS

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