Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB) are excited to announce that all five of the winners from the New Zealand Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) 2018 competition who were put forward to compete in the 2019 YRE International competition have been shortlisted, and four have received a placing.

All these students received their awards in the Litter Less category of the competition which is for entries related to the topic of litter and waste.

In the 15-18 year-old age group Maia Ingoe, from Gisborne Girls’ High School, placed first with her article ‘When Life Gives You Lemons’. Ella Harneiss, Ruby Froggatt and Jessica Reynolds, from South New Brighton School in Christchurch, placed second in the 11-14 year-old age group for their article ‘To Kill a Seabird’.

An honourable mention was given to both Christine Yu, from Avondale College in Auckland, for her photo ‘We are Not the Only Ones’ in the 15-18 year-old photography category, and Jakita Paranihi-Nuku, from Ōtaki/Kāpiti Kuraina ki te Kainga, for her video ‘Moepapa (Nightmare)’ in the 11-14 year-old video category.

Zoe Smith, from Avondale College in Auckland, had her photo ‘Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire’ shortlisted in the 11-14 year-old photo category.

Keep New Zealand Beautiful is the national operator for this internationally accredited competition which is run under the Foundation for Environmental Education banner (FEE).

YRE is a youth-led environmental programme found in over 42 countries with more than 350,000 young reporters. The YRE Litter Less Campaign is sponsored internationally by the Wrigley Company Foundation and encourages students to focus on environmental issues relating to litter. YRE gives young people the opportunity to be part of the solution by producing creative and engaging environmental journalism.

To enter, students were asked to investigate an issue relating to litter, research a solution and then report on it using film, photography or writing. They were then required to disseminate their piece via available channels.

KNZB CEO Heather Saunderson said: “It’s such a great result to see young New Zealanders not only taking an interest in the environment but developing their journalism skills and critical thinking. YRE gives students the ability to take a stand on environmental issues and to see these five entries place in the international competition speaks wonders of the calibre of our New Zealand youth on the world stage”.

Entries are currently open for the 2019 YRE Litter Less Competition and the winners will be announced in September 2019. For more information about the New Zealand YRE programme please visit www.yre.org.nz.

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