Royal recognition for sisters
Two small town sisters have received royal recognition for their work against bullying.
When Ashleigh and Courtney Smith were at Maniototo Area School in Otago three schoolmates died from suicide in eight months.
‘‘We were broken,’’ said sister Courtney, who struggled with suicidal thoughts as a 10-year-old, seven years ago. ‘‘I was so miserable and sad all the time. I felt so isolated and so alone,’’ she said.
The sisters grew up in Naseby, in Central Otago.
Ashleigh said she wanted to do something with her emotion about her classmates’ deaths.
When government funding came through for an anti-bullying campaign, she, along with students from five Central Otago Schools, started anti cyberbullying group Sticks ‘n’ Stones.
It involves trained student ambassadors helping other young people, especially with online issues.
‘‘The saying is ‘sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me’.
‘‘Words actually do hurt,’’ Ashleigh said.
‘‘We’re now being approached to have a say on policies like the Harmful Digital Communications Bill,’’ she said.
Courtney, who has bravely spoken out about her depression, has now been given a Diana Award given to young people who are helping transform the lives of others.
Ashleigh, an Otago Polytechnic nursing student, will travel to London to receive a Young Leaders Award from Queen Elizabeth II on June 29.
Part of the prize for its 60 recipients includes a one-week residential programme in the United Kingdom as well training, mentoring and networking throughout the year.
‘‘We want to know no other young person should go through what we did,’’ Ashleigh said.