Auckland Teenager Plans Book About Bullying To Help Disabled

Lydia Hoby-Sharpe with Auckland Mayor John Banks and Diocesan’s Deputy Principal Jayne-Ann Young after receiving her award at Auckland Town Hall

A Westmere teenager who has received an international award for her positive and inspirational attitude towards her physical disabilities plans to write a book about how to deal with bullying.

Lydia Hoby-Sharpe, 17, was born with a major craniofacial abnomaly which affects her breathing and means she has severe hearing loss.

The Year 12 student also has a speech impediment that gets worse when she has a cold or is tired which can make it hard for people to understand her.

Lydia says staff and students at Diocesan School for Girls have supported her by being warm, inclusive and friendly since she started at the all-girls independent school this year.

“But when I was younger I was bullied at other schools and I could have coped with it much better if I’d had a book discussing how to deal with bullying which was targeted specifically to people with disabilities,” says Lydia.

Lydia has been awarded the Quota Community Champion Award which honours young women who have responded to challenges in their lives by meeting them “head on” and inspiring others by their example.

“To me, this award recognises all the hard work I’ve put in over a very long time. It tells me that I am getting where I want to go and it is encouraging me to keep going,” says Lydia, who wants to study Law, Classics and History at university and is interested in a career as a diplomat.

She says the award, given to her by Quota International Auckland, will also help her to encourage other people to keep going, even through what might sometimes seem like insurmountable odds, including bullying.

Quota International Auckland, one of six groups in New Zealand, invited Auckland schools to nominate one student for the award and Lydia was one of two students chosen, says chairman Lyn McKenzie.

“Lydia is an intelligent and single-minded young woman who is positive, motivated and hardworking. She has earned the respect of others by her work ethic, her positive attitude and her ability to persevere no matter what the task.”

Lydia, who is studying the challenging two-year International Baccalaureate Diploma at Diocesan, excels academically and has a range of interests including music and dance.

Having a speech impediment means she has learnt how to deal with people not understanding what she is saying sometimes.

“I find that the greatest embarrassment is usually on their part. Generally I say something like, ‘Oh, don’t worry,’ and I either repeat it again or write it down.

“People don’t, I think, tend to stare at me - although I usually wouldn’t notice if someone did. Normally, I pre-empt possible staring by smiling at people.”

Lydia’s academic achievements include being awarded the American Classical League National Latin Examination Silver Medal, Summa Cum Laude, this year.

She has also completed the Royal Schools of Music Grade 5 - Violin with Distinction, is a member of the Diocesan Sinfonia and the Diocesan Chamber Ensemble, a school librarian, a member of the Library Committee and the Dutma Writing Group.

Mayor John Banks presented Lydia her award, which includes a trophy and a cheque for $300, at a ceremony at the Auckland Town Hall.

Quota International, which was set up in the United States in 1919 to help disadvantaged women and children and all people with hearing and speech impediments, now has branches in several countries around the world.

ENDS

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