Youth recognised at awards night

18 September 2014

Exceptional young people from the Taupo District have been recognised at the 2014 District Youth Awards.

The winner of the supreme award was 17-year-old Rhieve Grey of Tauhara College who the judges said had received countless accolades, scholarships and the highest awards for leadership, academic excellence, innovation and community work.

He was the winner of the leadership/innovation category both this year and last year at the awards and this time took out the top spot.

Rheive's nomination described him as a caring, popular leader who is proud of his whakapapa and achievements. It said he was looking forward to becoming a doctor or scientist after he finished school.

One of the judges, Councillor Bernhard Chrustowski, said it was a privilege to judge the awards with so many impressive young people involved. "While any of the nominated overall finalists would have been more than worthy of the supreme award, Rhieve edged out the others by not only having excelled in his nominated category but also for having made substantial social and community contributions throughout the year," he said.

Winners in three age groups over four categories were announced at the awards night this week. The categories were sports, leadership/innovation, academic and arts. Parents, friends, school teachers, coaches and club or organisation leaders could nominate young people they thought excelled in any of these areas.

The other winners on the night were Sarina Towers, David Young, Aria Malone, Eden Clapperton, Taylor Downard, Abigail Brown, Natasha Donald, Hannah Howell, Cohen Chase and Kyle Smith.

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Taupo District Council

www.taupo.govt.nz