Manaia Barns
His mother told him that he should not do the chore because it earned him his allowance, but to do it in service of others.
He still has not figured out exactly what she meant, but by helping out around the community he comes a little closer to understanding each time.
The 17-year-old head boy has spent his high school years reconnecting with his culture and learning what it means to help others.
Although he was born in New Zealand, Manaia moved to Dubai at the age of 5 and became disconnected from his culture.
Dubai was a melting pot of backgrounds and it was great to be around such a diverse range of people but there were times it felt horrible not to be able to embrace his whakapapa.
He moved back to New Zealand about three years ago and to develop his understanding took Te Reo classes.
"Culture is the way you navigate life and you can’t disconnect culture from the language."
By learning the language, joining the school kapa haka group and being selected for Te Pae Mahuri (Dunedin Maori Youth Council) Manaia found a part of himself that felt like it was missing.
Faith was as important to him as culture and he was able to show appreciation for it by competing in scripture events at the Bishop’s Shield competition. Last year he won one of the sections he competed in and came second in the other.
While Manaia put effort into searching for himself, he also dedicated time to helping others.
He has worked with disabled children in sport, made food for homeless people and acted as a camp councillor.
"Doing a little can be doing a lot for somebody else."
While he loved to relax and play video games, he believed that time could be spent making someone else’s life better.
The video games would always be there when he was done.
"I’m proud of the work that I’ve done."
He has a deep love for the environment and one of his proudest moments was in 2017 when he had the honour of presenting a project on mangrove biome ecosystems to Dr Jane Goodall, his role model, and was given a soft toy monkey for his work.
Achievements: Head boy (2022); Te Atairangikaahu Tohu Rakatira award (2021); Mana Pounamu award junior recipient (2020); Otago Polyfest (2021); Nga Manu Korero Otago 2nd regional prepared speech, 3rd overall (2021); Dunedin Maori Youth Council (2021); Bishop’s Shield competition senior scripture section winner, section 2nd (2021); school breakfast club (2021, 2022); Edmund Rice Camp counsellor (2022); Mangrove biome ecosystem project presented to Dr Jane Goodall (2017); Level 1, 2 excellence endorsement (2020, 2021).
Role model: Dr Jane Goodall, who achieved success through unconventional means and never stopped helping others.
Hopes for the future: To study sustainability systems engineering.
Sarah Al-Balushi
The 17-year-old budding veterinarian, astronomer and activist is willing to do what it takes to achieve her goals.
She has a deep love for horses and has been involved in riding throughout her life.
She got her first pony when she was 11, but she started with the Dunedin Riding Centre last year.
There she spends time feeding the animals, participating in natural horsemanship and helping with holiday classes.
She is very fascinated by horses.
That passion extends to all animals and is why she plans to become a veterinarian.
She thinks people often underestimate animals and how unique and strong their personalities could be.
Her family has seven rabbits, seven chickens, four rescue cats, a fish and a dog.
She even got a head start on her future career, as this year she had to perform late-night emergency surgery on one of her chickens to save its life.
The procedure went well and the chicken is happy and healthy, although it seems to hold a grudge against her.
Her other passion is for astronomy and she is a member of the Dunedin Astronomical Society committee.
There she helps out during meeting and open nights, as well as indulges in her interest for astrophotography.
Her passions drove her interests in climate change and public speaking.
She is a big advocate for climate change and spent almost a year working with a group on a public exhibition for the Otago Museum.
The project explored the inequalities of climate change and how different people were affected by it.
Much of her time is spent exploring her interest in the natural world and climate change is an issue close to her heart.
Last year she was selected as a co-winner for the Kavanagh College Farry Cup for public speaking.
She compares the feeling she gets from being on stage addressing an audience to that of an adrenaline junky.
"It’s like bungy jumping for me."
Her love for nature and space also gives purpose to her studies and encourages her to do well.
That determination led her to winning a Zonta Women in Science award for the top female in science and math.
Achievements: Zonta woman in science prize (2021); Farry Cup joint winner (2021); Dunedin Riding Centre volunteer (2021-2022); deputy head girl (2022); Dunedin Astronomical Society committee member (2021-2022); University of Otago young woman in leadership programme (2021); first in class physics, biology, chemistry (2021); Level 1 and 2 excellence (2020, 2021).
Role model: Television veterinarian Noel Fitzpatrick.
Hopes for the future: To study veterinary science and continue horse riding.
