PM and prize pupils on parade

Otago Daily Times editor Barry Stewart (front left) with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Allied Press chief executive Grant McKenzie at the Otago Daily Times Class Act 2018 awards ceremony at the Otago Museum yesterday.

Class Act 2018 recipients (all rows from left). —

Row 1: Connie Searle (Waitaki Girls’ High School); Indigo Little, Alex Bailey (Wakatipu High School).

Row 2: Renata Burnett (Waitaki Girls’ High School); Scott Kitto, Jacob Tuisani (Waitaki Boys’ High School); Anna Jordan, Bronson Blackbourn (Tokomairiro High School); Alicia Staniford (The Catlins Area School).

Row 3: Logan Stadnyk, Rachel Beattie (Taieri College); Alice Murray, Briar Mills (South Otago High School); Sian Hutchins, Katie Reed (St Peter’s College).

Row 4: Rebecca Whittet, Molly Kay (St Kevin’s College); Olivia O’Neill, Isabelle Robertson (St Hilda’s Collegiate); Brooke Johnston, Alex Darling (Roxburgh Area School).

Row 5: Sean Woo, Nathan Hill (Otago Boys’ High School); Erin Marshall, Lara Wall (Queen’s High School); Sarah Hubbard, Lucy Matehaere (Otago Girls’ High School).

Row 6: Rina Watt (Maniototo Area School); Holly Wigg (Mount Aspiring College); George Sabonadiere, Bella Rennie (Logan Park High School); Jameisha Sheridan (Lawrence Area School).

Row 7: Liam Hewson, Finn Ward (King’s High School); Timothy O’Farrell, Elliot Blyth (Kavanagh College); Samara Marks, Cameron Hall (Kaikorai Valley College).

Row 8: Jack McLaughlan, Ben Mitchell, (John McGlashan College) Katie Ratahi, Mitchell Quested (East Otago High School); Danielle Tripp, Laura Smith (Gore High School).

Row 9: Ella Creagh, Beau Meehan (Dunstan High School); Caitriona MacTaggart, Regan Hucklebridge (Cromwell College).

Row 10: Kate Truman, Lydia Joseph (Columba College); Grace Richardson, Luci Butler (Blue Mountain College); Ruth Bridgman, Sam Spiers (Bayfield High School). Inset: Zoi SadowskiSynnott.

DO not sell yourself short, your country needs you. That was the message from the Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern to the best and brightest secondary school pupils in Otago, at the Otago Daily Times Class Act 2018 awards ceremony yesterday.

The cultural, academic and sporting achievements of 55 pupils from 29 Otago schools were celebrated at the special gathering, which included proud parents, teachers and principals in the Otago Museum.

Ms Ardern told the pupils for at least the afternoon they should shun the typical ‘‘Kiwi way’’ and celebrate their own achievements.

‘‘This afternoon you should celebrate, feel proud you are here but also hold on to your optimism and think about what your future may look like. For you.’’

New Zealand needed the pupils to grow up and tackle some of the most pressing issues facing humanity: climate change, child poverty and inequality, she said.

‘‘We don’t need you to be the leaders of tomorrow, we need you to be the leaders of today.’’

Ms Ardern used her own situation as a senior high school pupil living as a Mormon in Morrinsville who had signed up to study communications at university, for those pupils yet to decide on their direction in life.

‘‘I didn’t think I could do anything better, but I heard someone once say ‘the difference between who we are and who we could be is the greatest waste’.’’

‘‘But over the years I’ve become absolutely convinced that the difference between what we are and what we could be is, more often than not, ourselves.’’

Ms Ardern encouraged the pupils to learn to fight back against their selfdoubt so they could live up to their incredible potential.

University of Otago deputy vicechancellor external engagement Helen Nicholson said the pupils had already proven they were passionate and committed leaders who were at the top of their chosen fields, be it sporting, academic, cultural or a combination of them all.

She also congratulated the parents and teachers who helped them in those achievements.

All Class Act recipients are awarded the University of Otago’s Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship.

The scholarship offered $6000 towards living costs while studying at university.

This is the 19th year the Otago Daily Times Class Act programme has been run.

PHOTO: JACINDA ARDERN Say cheese . . . Class Act award winners pose for a selfie taken by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the Otago Daily Times Class Act 2018 awards ceremony, at the Otago Museum yesterday.

PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON Inspiration . . . Class Act recipients (from left) Ruth Brigdman, Sam Spiers, Luci Butler, Lydia Joseph, Grace Richardson, Kate Truman (obscured), Caitriona MacTaggart and Regan Hucklebridge listen as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardren offers some life advice.

PHOTO: CHRISTINE O’CONNOR Dream . . . Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tells the 2018 Class Act recipients to believe in themselves during her speech yesterday.

PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON High achievers . . . Mount Aspiring College pupil Holly Wigg (17) and principal Wayne Bosley, accepting on behalf of Zoi SadowskiSynnott (17) pose for a photo after the awards ceremony yesterday.

PHOTO: CHRISTINE O’CONNOR Top of the class . . . At the awards ceremony are Jamie and Mandy Joseph, Jenness Riethmaier and Lydia Joseph, all of Dunedin.

PHOTO: CHRISTINE O’CONNOR Surprise . . . Blue Mountain College principal (far left) Lindy CavanaghMonaghan cannot contain her excitement as pupils Grace Richardson (left) and Luci Butler pose for a photo with Jacinda Ardern.

PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON Picture perfect . . . Roxburgh Area School principal Gary Pasco takes a photo of his pupil Alex Darling and his parents Deborah and Mark at the Otago Museum, yesterday.

PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON Teacher time . . . Kaikorai College deputy principal Janette Potter catches up with her former pupil from Morrinsville College, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

PHOTO: CHRISTINE O’CONNOR Family affair . . . The Catlins Area School pupil Alicia Staniford celebrates with her mother Kate, sister Poppy (8) and father Richard.

PHOTO: CHRISTINE O’CONNOR Pride . . . John McGlashan College pupil Jack McLaughlan and his proud parents Paul and Jo, all of Dunedin.