Alumni Champion from Otago wins National "Project U" Award

2016 ALUMNI CHAMPION FROM OTAGO WINS NATIONAL “PROJECT U” AWARD

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela

“I’ll admit that quoting a man as great as Nelson Mandela at the start of my proposal may be setting the expectations of my humble project a bit high, but nevertheless it is a quote that sums up exactly what my project hopes to do. With my project I hope to create a programme, which will inspire boys at Otago Boys High School to become passionate about protecting the environment, through investment in sustainable energy infrastructure at the OBHS Lodge at Mt Aspiring and making the lodge more accessible to students.” Sam Kilsby – Winner Inaugural National Project U Award.

The 2016 UWCT Alumni Dinner recently celebrated the brilliance and emerging leadership of Alumni Champions from 2015-16 UWCT programmes. Over the past 15years, with core investment from parent Untouched World™, alongside primary partners* and local, site specific sponsors, UWCT has graduated over 1200 senior student leaders and 400 teachers in training throughout New Zealand. Working in remote sites to practically improve the country’s biodiversity and well-being; the well-informed, sustainable leadership development of senior school students and rangatira remains UWCT’S passion and priority.

*UWCT acknowledges the support of primary partners UNESCO (Int.), Rata Foundation and DOC, and our programme-specific supporters Otago Community Trust, Genesis Energy and Contact Energy.

*Kate Stedman (Blumine Programme); Tom Hanson (Canterbury Waterwise Programme); Peri Drysdale (CEO, Untouched World™)
Sam Kilsby (Otago Waterwise Programme) and Javan Rose (Ruapehu Kiwi Forever Programme).

Inspired by their time on UWCT programmes, four Alumni Champ students pitched their ‘Project U’ idea to assembled guests and Otago Boys High’s Sam Kilsby (2nd from right next to UWCT Chair Peri Drysdale), won the inaugural $1500 National Award as a seed-fund to further his” Project U”. Sam has the full support of his school staff and board and Otago Waterwise stakeholder Contact Energy. UWCT Trustees were particularly impressed with the maturity of his strategic thinking, ensuring not just high aspiration, but deliverable implementation in the interests of his fellow students. We warmly congratulate Sam and will continue to support him and his fellow ‘Alumni Champs’ in their development journeys.

ENDS

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