Torea Scott-Fyfe (Queen's High School), Hamish Lilley (Otago Boys' High School), Roseamanda van der Linda (Logan Park High School) and Nicola Whelan-Henderson (St Hilda's Collegiate) have been selected to join 46 other environmentally-focused teenagers from around the country, to learn more about environmental management and sustainability in New Zealand.
During the five-day event (April 28-May 2), the pupils will work with Ngai Tahu and Environment Canterbury at Lake Ellesmere to learn about fresh-water management and the cleaning up of the lake.
They will also visit the Christchurch CBD rebuilding zone and participate in an intensive planning session in a bid to overcome the challenges of rebuilding the city.
The forum will conclude with a team building exercise which will involve rafting down the Rakaia River.
Hamish was delighted with his selection.
''It gives me an opportunity to try and fix some things that aren't going so well around the world at the moment.''
Nicola said it was an experience which did not come along very often, and hoped the experience would set her on a path to make a career out of environmental management.
Torea hoped the experience would allow her to pick up some new leadership skills which she would share with fellow pupils at Queen's High School.
Sir Peter Blake Trust chief executive officer Shelley Campbell said the Otago quartet were chosen from about 200 applicants nationwide and she was amazed to see how passionate young New Zealanders were about the environment.
''Sir Peter was a huge advocate of the importance of inspiring our young people to reach their potential through challenging adventures, as well as helping all New Zealanders to understand the fragile nature of our marine environment.
''Previous Youth EnviroLeaders Forums have given hundreds of year 11-13 students in New Zealand the opportunity to learn more about the environment, about how to work and solve problems as part of a team and to challenge themselves to get outside their comfort zones, too.
''Its just fantastic to see what they learn and achieve over the course of the forum,'' she said.
