Winner of Whakatane District Youth Community Spirit Award Announced

Samantha Duff from Murupara Area School has been named as the winner of the TrustPower Whakatane District Youth Spirit Community Award.

The Award was presented at the TrustPower Whakatane District Community Awards at the Little Theatre in Whakatane.

Run in conjunction with the TrustPower Whakatane District Community Awards, the TrustPower Youth Community Award recognises secondary school students’ service to the school and the community. The Award is jointly run by TrustPower and the Whakatane District Council.

Local high schools were asked to recommend one student to be considered for the Award. To be considered for the TrustPower Youth Community Spirit Award students had to have given service to school or community projects, treated others with care and respect and been a good ambassador for the school and the Whakatane region.

Finalists for the Award were Lorilei Punga of Trident High School and Jack Alison of Whakatane High School.

TrustPower Community Relations Coordinator Suzi Luff says Samantha is a talented young lady who has the natural instinct to give her time, talents and experience freely.

“The newly established Murupara Area School opened in February this year, and the journey has been made all the more rewarding thanks to the strength of students like Samantha. This impressive young lady has been instrumental in setting a positive tone amongst the senior student body and bridging the gap between the junior and senior parts of this school.

Samantha has been appointed as one of the first Kai Arahi prefects, she’s part of the student council and she is also a house captain. She coaches a Year 5 and 6 netball team and assists with the Year 7 team.

Adding to these roles, Samantha is on the ball committee and fundraising committee but it is a role that she takes up every Friday which sees her make an inspiring difference. As part of a ‘High Impact Project’ called Tiaki Kura, Samantha works with a small group of students between Year 1 and 6 who are struggling with their class work.

In this role she’s supporting these students with their reading, spelling and maths and observing teachers have noted her patience and ability to cater her teaching style to meet the needs of the students.

Out in the community she is a familiar face behind the scenes at the local marae and she regularly attended the community meetings concerning the establishment of Murupara Area School,” says Suzi
For winning the Award, Samantha will receive a trophy, framed certificate and $250 prize money. She also gets to make a $250 donation to a community group of her choice, which will be announced this evening.

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