Te reo cards a winning hand

GIVING back to the community and educating more people in basic Te Reo was the goal of the winners of Otago’s Young Enterprise Scheme awards this year — and they have won the competition for an idea which seems brilliant in its simplicity.

‘‘Kuranga Cards’’ from Otago Boys’ High School took away the top prize in the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme

Otago Regional Awards and have earned a spot at the national final in Wellington in December.

The team of Year 13 business studies students have sold nearly 400 packs of their cards, which are standard playing cards showing Maori translations of numbers, and Maori phrases.

Team leader Tim Dippie said the cards were retailing for $10 a pack.

The team was ‘‘obviously stoked’’ to be crowned the top Young Enterprise team in Otago at the awards, which were held in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery on Wednesday night, Tim said.

The University of Otago had made a large contribution, purchasing about 100 packs of cards during Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori this year, he said. The cards were available via the group’s Facebook page.

The team comprised Alexander Grant, Tom Howie, Reuben Wairau, Tim Dippie, Jordan Hand, Nick Washington, Taiaroa Flavvelle and Thomas Grant.

They were one of six groups from Otago Boys’ who entered this year — and business studies teacher Gwyn Pratley also achieved recognition at the awards, winning the Sir James Fletcher award for the most inspiring teacher.

Mr Pratley said he believed it was the first time the school had ever won the competition, which has been going since the 1980s.

Other regional finalists were ‘‘Paper, Scissors, Sock’’ from St Hilda’s Collegiate School, ‘‘Savvy 7’’ from Columba

College, ‘‘Kit Bag’’ and ‘‘Journey of Life’’ from Otago Boys’, and ‘‘Tidal’’ from Queen’s High School.

Sponsor awards were given out to several teams during the evening.

The Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) is an experiential programme designed for year 12 to 13 students in New Zealand, and provides them the opportunity to set up and run their own business.

PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Young entrepreneurs . . . Young Enterprise Scheme regional winners for 2018 are a team of pupils from Otago Boys’ High School, which includes (from left) Reuben Wairau, Tom Howie, Alexander Grant, Tim Dippie and Jordan Hand.