Standing out from 120 entries, three students from Hillcrest High School (Hamilton) and Sacred Heart College (Lower Hutt) wowed the judges.

Year 11 students, Shanille Lat and Ngarangi Sadlier-Patmore (Sacred Heart College), won the SINGout4JUSTICE senior category for their song Questions. Year 10 student, Sophie Frame, of Hillcrest High School won the junior category with her song Tuhia Ki to Rae.

Responding to the Oscar Romero inspired theme ‘Love more. Be more.’ set by competition organisers Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, the Year 10 and 11 students highlighted the importance of ‘loving’ and ‘being’ over the material drives of ‘getting’ and ‘having’.

“My song talks about remembering God’s love even when life becomes busy”, says junior winner Sophie Frame. “Sometimes we get so caught up in everything that’s happening that we forget to stop and take a moment to love those around us…”

Senior category winners Ngarangi and Shanille draw from personal experiences, “Wondering if what [you] gave was ever enough to be accepted and loved…”

Caritas Director Julianne Hickey has personally congratulated the winners of the competition.

The SINGout4JUSTICE competition for students is divided into a junior (Years 7-10) and senior section (Years 11-13), and the aim is to encourage young people to consider ways their song can express justice and peace. Each winner also receives $500 in prizes, some of which will contribute to their musical development.

“It’s important for us and decision-makers to hear the voices of youth on these topics,” says Caritas Director Julianne Hickey.

“SINGout4JUSTICE provides a platform for youth to share concerns on issues of importance to them. We are delighted with the quality of entries in 2018, which display the awareness and concern of young people about contemporary issues of justice and peace.”

The winning songs can be heard on the Caritas website www.caritas.org.nz/singout4justice.

To arrange an interview or for more information, please contact Communications, Marketing and Fundraising Advisor Khadiyjah Jordan on 021 190 9908 or email to khadiyjah@caritas.org.nz.

ENDS

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ agency for justice, peace and development, and incorporates Catholic Volunteers Overseas. We are working for a world free of poverty and injustice through community development, advocacy, education, and emergency relief.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is a member of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 165 Catholic aid, development and social justice agencies active in over 200 countries and territories.

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