Youth summit inspires
Tokoroa’s Dane Wharepouri Clark is a young leader on a mission.
The Tokoroa High School student recently returned from the 2013 All Stars Indigenous Youth Summit in Brisbane after being selected to represent the New Zealand Warriors.
The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) organised the event to recognise outstanding achievement and application to education, culture and the community by selecting 64 young Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander ( Indigenous Australian) and New Zealand Maori students from all 16 NRL clubs.
The summit was held in conjunction with the annual All Stars match, which was won by the Indigenous team 32-6 at Suncorp Stadium.
The summit featured eight facilitators teaching the group a raft of life lessons.
‘‘ They taught us life skills, communication, interviewing skills that would help us on our careers. We were also taught to be proud of our cultures.
‘‘We got to meet the players, so I met Benji Marshall and we got to meet the Indigenous [team], so I got to met Greg Inglis, all the superstars,’’ he said.
‘‘I have made heaps new friends too,’’ he added.
Dane was selected as a Vodafone Warriors’ representative, along with Matiu Love-Henry, Savannah Matua and Nikita McGruer.
The requirements for applying included being of Maori descent, holding a fine school attendance record and scholastic potential as well as a passion for rugby league.
NRL Community, Culture and Diversity general manager Trish Crews said this year’s group consisted of students from ‘‘extremely diverse walks of life’’. Over November and December 2012, there were three cases of infectious diseases in the South Waikato. These included one case of campylobacteriosis in a 31-year-old female, and two cases of giardiasis in two males aged 61 and 31 years old.
From December 5 to January 30, 2013, 90 dogs were impounded, five of which were re-homed, 47 were claimed by owners and 30 put down. Over this period there were also six dog attacks and five cases of aggressive behaviour. There were 12,706 visits to South Waikato District libraries in January, compared to 13,678 this time last year. According to South Waikato District Council 15,307 books were also issued last month, compared to 15,829 in January last year.