Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards Ten Schools For Their Environmental Mural Designs

Ten schools around New Zealand have won a national award for their environmental mural designs as part of the Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB) Resene Wall Worthy competition.

The competition ran from February through March 2020 and asked schools, early childhood centres and youth groups around New Zealand to submit a mural design which celebrated either their local history or a nature conservation theme.

From all the submissions received, 15 designs were chosen as finalists and put to public vote at the start of April. Over 5,500 votes were received and the ten winners are:

• Conifer Grover School, Auckland – “Paddling the Waka Together to Reach New Horizons”
• Kaharoa School, Rotorua – “Tā Mātou Pai Ake”
• Glenavy School, Waimate – “Haerenga (Journey)”
• The Terrace School 2, Central Otago – “Keep New Zealand Beautiful”
• Spotswood College, New Plymouth – “Nga Atua”
• Grantlea Downs School, Timaru – “Cultural Celebration”
• Broomfield School, Hurunui – “Together We Are One”
• Levin Intermediate, Horowhenua – “Kiwiana”
• Arapohue School, Kaipara – “UNITY”
• Hatea-a-Rangi School, Gisborne – “A tatou korero – Our Stories”

The Resene Wall Worthy competition runs annually and is part of KNZB’s Paint New Zealand Beautiful programme. The winning schools will receive a $750 Resene paint voucher, drop cloth and high vis vests to help them to bring their designs to life on a wall in their local community, as well as $500 prize money for murals completed by the end of Term 1, 2021.

Keep New Zealand Beautiful CEO, Heather Saunderson said: “Our Paint New Zealand Beautiful programme engages with students, communities and artists to paint their little piece of New Zealand beautiful. We were so impressed with all the submissions made for this year's Resene Wall Worthy competition and inundated with votes for the top ten winners. During these trying times as we navigate through the uncertainties of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s heartening to see schools, early childhood centres and community groups inspire beauty and work together within their local communities to Keep New Zealand Beautiful.”

The ten winning entries can be viewed on the KNZB website and all supplies to start the murals will be arranged once the Covid-19 level four lockdown is lifted.

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