• Slideshow: The faces of Class Act 2009
It began in 2000 with 26 of the 29 high schools in the newspaper's primary circulation area each selecting one or two outstanding pupils to join that year's class.
In this, our 10th year, 29 schools are participating.
Between them, they have nominated 55 pupils as representative of the cream of Otago's secondary school elite in 2009.
It has been a particularly rewarding journey for the Otago Daily Times.
We take pride in seeing and reading through the columns of this newspaper of the milestones and achievements of our Class Act recipients as they make their way into adult life.
Now, it is the class of 2009 we are celebrating.
On Thursday afternoon, at a special awards ceremony in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, the pupils will come together as a class and, individually, be presented with Class Act 2009 certificates by the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon John Key.
The students have been nominated by their schools on the basis of their achievements to date and potential for success in adult life.
The only criterion the newspaper gives the schools is excellence.
It could be academic, sporting, social, artistic, cultural or leadership potential excellence, or a combination of any. Year 9 to year 13 pupils are eligible.
The Otago Daily Times is adamant that, more than ever in its history, 21st century New Zealand needs winners as much as it needs team players... young people who strive, who set goals, who persevere, who achieve, who are proud to want to come first.
Class Act seeks to identify these young people of great potential; they are our leaders of tomorrow.
The 55 pupils nominated for Class Act 2009 awards are pictured and profiled on the following pages of this celebratory publication.
We are proud the current prime minister has continued the tradition and has agreed to follow the lead taken by Helen Clark to be our guest speaker at the calling together of these outstanding pupils.
Mr Key's presence is an honour for Otago and testament to the excellence of our young people.
This newspaper, proudly New Zealand's oldest daily, is investing in the future of our province with other initiatives to promote excellence and literacy in schools.
The Class Act umbrella has been extended to include our Extra! Newspapers in Education programme.
Extra!, aimed at year 5 to year 10 pupils, has been well received by schools throughout the country.
More than 2500 pupils have been involved already this year in its associated social studies, spelling, poetry and short story competitions.
Murray Kirkness
Editor
Otago Daily Times