National Excellence Awards
Honouring Exceptional Young Kiwis
We were excited to have our National Excellence Awards at the Auckland Zoo Domes celebrating the achievements and mahi of our rangatahi, mentors, volunteers and leaders.
On Thursday 2nd of November, we celebrated more than 27,000 students and others across the country who have been involved in the Foundation’s various youth development programmes including Kiwi Can, Stars, Career Navigator and Project K over the previous 12 months.
This is the 28th year since mountaineer and outdoor education pioneer Sir Graeme Dingle and his partner Jo-anne Wilkinson, Lady Dingle founded the not-for-profit organisation with the intention to help Kiwi children and young people develop mental fitness and resilience through self-belief, so that ultimately young people believe that ‘what they have inside is greater than any obstacle’.
Our Excellence Awards is known for celebrating the next generation of successful young Kiwis – for all they’ve achieved and overcome, their personal growth and their futures. The Awards also pay tribute to committed Foundation volunteers and employees who have given so much of their lives to Aotearoa’s young people.
The full list of 2023 Award Recipients is as follows:
Kiwi Can Outstanding School Award
Te Kura o Matarangi Northcote – Canterbury
Sponsored by Lion
Outstanding Leader, Team Award
Atutahi Henare & Gemma Tidswell – Western Bay of Plenty
Sponsored by New Zealand Steel
Stars - Outstanding Contribution from a Peer Mentor
Elijah Amituana’i – Auckland
Cade-Tutehiwi Seymour – Waikato
Sophie Ridley-Scott – Marlborough
Faafoi Faafoi Timoteo – Wellington
Sponsored by Sanitarium
Career Navigator - Outstanding Achievement of a Participant
Chloe Jones – Marlborough
Rarua Kiriwi – Waikato
Erica Kwakye – Hawke’s Bay
Sponsored by Brightstar
Project K - Excellence Award
Kaitlin Lockyer – Western Bay of Plenty
Iszack Bruce – Auckland
Lichelle Katoa – Auckland
Sponsored by AIG
He Ara Ākonga - Excellence Award
Mataturoa Puata-Biel – Western Bay of Plenty
Lineti Tu’uta – Auckland
Best Community Project Award
Heretaunga Intermediate School – Hawke’s Bay
Sponsored by Mitre 10
Outstanding Programme Coordinator Award
Leah Nesbit – Western Bay of Plenty
Cathy Tia – Wellington
Sponsored by Bidfood
Volunteer Award
Nicki Stretch – Marlborough
Sponsored by Stride
Sir Edmund Hillary Achievement Award
Briar Thorman – Auckland
