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The North Harbour club was established on 18 May, 1995.
Originally, a group of North Shore business people met and established a constitution with the objectives below:
To qualify for the AIMES Awards, recipients must have shown outstanding ability or potential in the areas of the arts, information technology, music, education, sport.
Elliot Christensen-Yule
Elliot Christensen-Yule is an actor who has
already made his entrance onto the New Zealand acting scene. His most
recent work was in the Auckland Theatre Company’s production of Red,
directed by Oliver Driver. Elliot played the role of ‘Ken’ alongside
Michael Hurst’s portrayal of ‘Mark Rothko’.
It was his former principal at Northcote College who prompted him to
apply for an AIMES Award. “Vicki Barrie encouraged me to apply because
she knew I wanted to further my acting career. She has always been a
strong supporter of mine. I was trying to find a way to finance my next
career step, and the AIMES Awards seemed like a great opportunity.”
Northcote College provided a creative environment that Elliot relished,
providing him with some well-earned accolades. “I enjoyed performing in
school plays, assessments, theatre sports teams, stage challenge
productions and Sheilah Winn Shakespeare competitions. In 2006, I
received both the Jan Fraser Award for ‘Student-Directed Ensemble Work’
and the Dymocks Award for ‘Special Individual Performance’ at the
National Sheilah Winn Festival in Wellington.” The year 2006 also saw
Elliot receive the New Zealand Top Scholarship award for Drama, and
since then he has built a respectable resume comprising both stage and
screen.
In 2009, Elliot was cast in the role of ‘Posner’ in the Peach Theatre
Company production of The History Boys. “I was fortunate to work with,
and learn from theatre great George Henare, Annie Whittle and Bruce
Phillips.” Elliot is also a proud member of The Outfit Theatre Company,
performing with them in their two productions of Little White Men at the
Auckland Fringe Festival and The Basement Theatre. On screen, Elliot
has played a range of diverse roles including ‘Young Wolf’ in Outrageous
Fortune, ‘Jed’ in This is Not Your Life, Tourette’s Syndrome patient
‘Angus Phelps’ in Shortland Street, and roles in both Go Girls and The
Insatiable Moon.
Elliot confesses that he’s not too sure exactly what leads him to be
such a high achiever in his field. “I guess I don’t like to leave things
half done and for some reason I usually strive further than the task
requires. I like a challenge and I enjoy learning new things, both of
which help motivate me to better myself.”
Elliot credits his family, including his grandfather ‘Big Dad’, with
providing him with the inspiration to do what he loves. His mother
Lesley is a chef and food writer, and his father Phil, a sound engineer.
Younger brother Miller is pursuing a career as a musician in addition
to studying audio engineering. Other important players in Elliot’s
sphere include Vicki Barrie, his drama teachers from Northcote College,
Richard Edge and Megan Peterson, and especially Kate Olliver who has
played a key role in his life, influencing Elliot’s acting and personal
development.
Elliot’s plans for the immediate future will see him well on the road to
achieving his ten-year goal of acting internationally. The funds from
the AIMES Award will help to support him while he pursues professional
acting work in Australia. “My one-year plan involves heading over to
Sydney, getting an Australian-based agent, finding my way around the
city, setting up camp someplace affordable, familiarising myself with
the theatre and film industries, and hopefully getting some work. My
agent at Auckland Actors is already working to facilitate meetings with
Australian agents for me.”
While acting remains his primary focus, one day Elliot would also like
to try his hand at writing and directing, the perfect complement to an
acting career.
Richard Stebbing Richard Stebbing believes it was his time at
Northcote College that enabled him to get where he is today. He’s
currently at the University of Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, studying
towards a DPhil (PhD) in Engineering Science.
“My time at Northcote College was one of the best periods of my life,
both in terms of personal growth and academic growth. It is such a
diverse school and this diversity was actively encouraged by both the
staff and students. Complacency never seemed like a problem, because
there were always more things that I could get involved with. I left
Northcote College feeling so much more confident about what I wanted to
do and I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the experience
of all that it had to offer. My teachers at Northcote were also
phenomenal and were always going above and beyond the call of duty to
help me with my work. During my final year I was preparing for the 2006
International Chemistry Olympiad and the amount of academic support that
I received from my teachers was huge.”
At Oxford, Richard is developing algorithms to automate the analysis of
ultrasound images of the heart. The motivation for this is to enable
more quantitative and objective measures of the health of the cardiac
system. The funds from the AIMES Award will go towards Richard’s
University costs, as well as offering him additional opportunities to
further his research. “I will use the AIMES Award to help fund the
DPhil degree at Oxford and also to attend conferences and workshops over
the next two to three years. While working towards my DPhil, I really
want to ensure that I can improve my knowledge not just in my immediate
area of research, but in related fields as well. I believe there is an
enormous benefit to this, because often similar problems are tackled in
quite different ways and focusing on only a single field can mean you
miss out on some great ideas!”
Richard says so many people throw their energies into research without
having the resources to go after associated opportunities. The AIMES
Award will make it possible for Richard to take advantage of these
valuable external opportunities. “I recently attended the International
Computer Vision Summer School and it was one of the most productive
weeks of my life. I learned an enormous amount about the
state-of-the-art research in computer vision and I got the opportunity
to talk through these ideas with some of the leading researchers from
MIT, Yale, Stanford, Google, and Microsoft. The AIMES Award will mean
that I can attend events like this again and also have the opportunity
to present my own work in the future.”
Prior to his Oxford entrance, Richard completed a Bachelor of
Engineering (Hons) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at The
University of Auckland. His early schooling years were spent at Ponsonby
Primary and Ponsonby Intermediate, before he attended Northcote
College, where he was Dux and Head Boy.
Richard acknowledges that he has a very supportive family who have
always encouraged him to do the very best he can. His mother Robyn is a
freelance writer and his father Vaughan and uncle Robert run the family
business, Stebbing Recording Centre. Richard’s grandfather, Eldred,
originally started the business which has its roots in audio recording.
Richard’s older sister Carolyn is an Account Director at Lowe Sydney and
his younger brother James is currently completing his second to last
year at Northcote College. “My parents both work very hard and I think
their tenacity has rubbed off on me too,” says Richard. “My grandparents
have instilled me with the idea that you can do anything as long as you
are prepared to put the work in!”
There are numerous other people that have supported and inspired Richard
to achieve his success. “Some of my teachers from intermediate and high
school who have helped me enormously include Jeff Bonazzo, Peter
Radonich, Robert Gratton, Richard Mackrory, John Macauley, and Vikki
Barrie. At The University of Auckland, I also owe a huge amount to Dr
Mark Andrews, Dr Nitish Patel, and Professor John Boys!”
The next 12 months will see Richard building on the work he has done in
his first year at Oxford. “This first year of my DPhil has been a
fantastic learning curve for me as I’ve been able to get a handle on the
state-of-the-art approaches to automated ultrasound image analysis.
I’ve implemented most of these approaches this year, but for the next 12
months I will be developing and validating some new techniques that
have been in the formative stages over the last few months. There is an
enormous amount of work to do but it is looking pretty good so far!”
Richard’s ultimate goal is to see his research adopted into a commercial
setting. “My goal is to complete my DPhil and eventually bring my
research into a commercial setting. I think the true value of any
product can only be fully appreciated when you can develop it into a
full-scale commercial product. In my case, this means developing the
image analysis software to a point where it is reliable and convenient
for a physician to use. My long-term ambition is to eventually get a
product like this developed and deployed in as many places as possible. I
would also like to teach at some point. I had the opportunity to run
some tutorials and laboratories at The University of Auckland and I
found it very enjoyable.”
In 10 years time, Richard hopes to be continuing his work in the
development of biomedical electronics systems. “That would be fantastic.
I would love to be back in New Zealand too. But I think I just need to
focus on the next 10 years first …”
Moses Mackay Moses MacKay believes happiness is the key to
success. “I think I am a high achiever because I love what I do. This
is an important foundation for any success. Happiness is the key.”
This simple philosophy has served Moses well. At the age of 20, Moses
made his operatic debut as part of the Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus in The
NBR New Zealand Opera’s 2010 production of The Marriage of Figaro
(Mozart). He has since appeared in the chorus of Xerxes (Handel) and
Macbeth (Verdi) and performed the role of Assassin/Servant in the same
opera with the Company. In 2010, Moses appeared in Dorothy Buchanan’s
Woman at the Store (University of Auckland) and as soloist in Schumann's
Mass in C minor (Bach Musica). A member of the New Zealand Youth Choir
since 2008, Moses has also performed with the Auckland Chamber Choir in
Haydn’s Creation.
This year Moses was given a comprimario role in the recent opera
Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci (NZ Opera) and was soloist in the
Biber Mass (Bach Musica). He was invited to participate in a series of
master classes run by the San Francisco Opera Centre, held at the
Huntley Lodge in Christchurch, and received a scholarship to attend the
NZ Opera School, held in Wanganui, in January. Moses recently sang in
the backing group for Dame Kiri Te Kanawa at Vector Arena and has
participated in various master classes with her.
Outside the world of opera, Moses has appeared touring with George
Benson and Andrea Bocelli. He has received the prestigious University of
Auckland Blues Award in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and is the 2011/2012 PWC
Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist. This year he can be found singing
the anthems in the Rugby World Cup games with the NZ Choral Foundation;
performing the lead role in L'Enfance du Christ (Bach Musica); and
preparing for the opera Hohepa by Jenny McLeod, premiering early next
year!
Winning an AIMES Award affords Moses with the means to fund his vocal
tuition and coaching for this year and the next. Any remaining funds
will go towards supporting him in his overseas studies, perhaps at the
Julliard School of Music or the Cardiff Academy of Music. “The AIMES
Awards are a brilliant foundation for young artists such as myself who
are looking to top their game, and who are constantly looking to further
their knowledge and understanding of their craft.”
Moses grew up with a ‘pretty normal’ childhood doing most things young
lads do, including singing in the school choir, and being a North
Harbour representative in rugby, athletics and lawn bowls. However, he
says "injuries helped me realise my dreams at a young age, so in a way I
am grateful."
He attended Rosmini College from 2001-2007 where he was a Head Prefect.
His family has deep ties to the school with a great number of his family
attending Rosmini, including his father Victor MacKay (1979 - 1983),
all under the reins of Tom Gerrard.
“Our family blood line comes from a village in Samoa called Moa Moa. My
parents are both Samoan and I am the second eldest of a family of 3 boys
and 1 girl. Our baby sister Anasetasia is in Year 8 at Carmel College
and younger brother Matthias is in Year 9 at Rosmini College, where
Marley, the eldest of the pack, has been teaching for the last 2 years.
Marley, also Ex-Head Prefect of Rosmini College (1998 - 2004), has been a
big support for me over the years. He has been a brother, a mentor, and
more importantly, a friend.”
Another member of this talented family is Moses’ cousin who is in his
ninth year studying classical piano at the Conservatory in Rovigo,
Italy. One day Moses hopes to be able to perform with him.
Moses counts his family and friends as his constant source of
inspiration and support, along with his current coach and mentor Francis
Wilson, singing teachers, Christine Hallet and Dr Te Oti Rakena, and
the inspirational Rosie Barnes.
Moses has a busy 12 months ahead of him, with some great opportunities to hone his craft.
“The Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist program runs for 12 months
within the NBR New Zealand Opera. It is considered to be one of their
key roles to identify talented opera singers and give them a head start
in the competitive world of professional music. Through this program I
am given small comprimario roles and/or understudy roles. Vocal,
stagecraft and language coaching is provided during the season, along
with a range of other opportunities. In December I will be performing
the lead role of Joseph in L'Enfance du Christ (Bach Musica), I will
attend the NZ Opera school early next year and also start my Honours at
the NZ School of Music. I am cast in the world premiere of Hohepa – a
landmark new opera for New Zealand written by Jenny McLeod, set to
premier at the International Arts Festival. I am also understudying the
lead role in the opera Rigoletto (NZ Opera) which is showing mid-next
year.”
Looking forward to the future, Moses has some clear goals in sight - to perform, to inspire and to do his best – at all cost.
“In ten years time I want to be singing at the Met. In ten years time I
want to be a respected name in Opera. In ten years, I would be looking
for nothing more than what I look for now - happiness.”
Blake Hansen is not a newcomer to the AIMES
Awards. At the age of 18 he received an AIMES Emerging Talent Award and,
having recently completed his University studies, his mum suggested he
apply again.
While obviously a talented high achiever, Blake attributes little of his
achievements to his own self. “One of my teachers early in year 9, well
before I had understood the concept of putting effort in at school,
expressed disappointment at a low mark I had achieved in a class
Economics test, saying 'she expected I would do better'. It struck me
that she, and many other people I have since been blessed to be taught
and befriended by, thought I was capable of achieving something. And
since I love encouragement - who doesn't? - it made it easy to want to
do well. At the same time, the church I attended as a teenager helped me
to grow up with the perspective of loving God, others and myself. Put
those three together and one is motivated by the idea that to squander
our talents is selfish, but to make the most of them is not only a
responsibility but will mean a greater propensity in the future to bless
others more fully.”
Blake grew up on the North Shore, and attended Milford Primary, Takapuna
Normal Intermediate School and Kristin School, where he was Head Boy in
his final year. Throughout his secondary years at school he was
involved at Windsor Park Baptist Church, where he was supported through
all the challenges of growing up by an ‘incredible’ team of leaders and
mentors.
Blake’s family is a huge source of his support and inspiration,
alongside the support and encouragement he receives from his large
circle of friends. Blake’s family consists of dad, a financial advisor,
mum, a massage therapist, and older brothers, one in finance and the
other in IT support for the Health Board. “My brothers relentlessly
bullied me, followed by the most whole-hearted cheering on of my
successes. My parents somehow managed to raise me with everything I
needed in life; and celebrated all my success, even when it meant giving
me up, to be on the other side of the world away from them.”
Other notable mentions of Blake’s include his friends at Kristin School
and Windsor Park Baptist Church, his youth leaders whom he credits with
helping him to become a more well-balanced individual, and his teachers
at Kristin, especially the principal and a particular Chemistry teacher
who planted a love for science from a young age.
Currently Blake is committed to working as the Youth Worker for the Holy
Trinity Church in Cambridge, England, before he returns to fulltime
research. “Having volunteered with the youth group for four years and
then after leaving University, I seized the opportunity to continue
encouraging and growing a generation of well-adjusted young people
through a community of fun, trust and faith. It was also the ideal
opportunity for me to gain experience working with young people - the
age range that I hope to be the focus of any future research work in
developing nations that I carry out.”
Blake’s work as a Youth Worker provides mentoring and opportunities for
the development of strong relationships, in addition to frequent socials
and an annual Christian festival over the summer. “The youth programme
further provides the opportunity to be mentored by a young adult in the
next stage of life - much like that which I benefited from. The youths
can discuss whatever may be happening in their lives, as well as being
challenged on certain aspects of their development such as character,
relationships and identity. Moving forward, I hope to continue growing
this community, and establish strong links with schools to encourage the
development of students in difficult situations. Whilst we work closely
with parents already, I also hope to begin encouraging parents through
parent nights, workshops and even whole-family events.”
Following his time at the Holy Trinity Church, Blake’s wish is to return
to his studies, using his experiences to enrich his research. “I have a
strong desire to return to science and use my degree, along with my
experience and passion as a youth worker, to combine scientific endeavor
with a social consciousness that seeks to benefit marginalised cohorts
of adolescents with HIV. Having worked with the World Health
Organisation, I have witnessed the benefit that technical expertise can
provide to public health interventions, and vice versa, how public
health needs can direct scientific research. A successful life to me,
would not be one that ended with plenty of letters after my name, but
one where what I do with my skills makes a positive and potentially
freeing impact on individuals held captive by disease. Specifically, it
would be a dream to carry out research in a rural hospital in Africa. I
have spent a few summers observing various ministries who care for
HIV-positive individuals in Southern Africa, and the place and people
have really gotten under my skin. There is something so stark about hope
in places of hardship. And with increasing numbers of adolescents
acquiring HIV, for the time being, there is no shortage of ways for
being involved.”
It’s this research that Blake plans to fund with his AIMES Award, along
with more immediate opportunities surrounding his youth work. “I am
hoping to attend a series of youth conferences and seminars offered by
experienced youth networks, through organisations such as Youth for
Christ and Soul Survivor. In the longer term (post-next 12 months, and
by far the more substantial cost-wise) I hope to utilise the Award
covering the costs involved in starting a PhD, when I return to basic
scientific research.”
Looking even further into the future, Blake has a myriad of goals and
objectives for the next ten years. “I want to be loving others and
loving God even more than I am now. I want to be using my opportunities
to bless others. I want to be less selfish and not afraid to have made
big decisions at the right time. I hope to have started building upon
the foundation of big dreams, to impact communities with young people
throughout Africa. I hope to be working with, or starting my own
effective public health interventions and research agendas. And I hope
for a loving family of my own.”
Thomas AbercrombieTom Abercrombie can best be described as the boy
that every mother would want their daughter to marry and, ladies, he is
single. 24 year old Tom is just a real nice, friendly and humble young
man who is very easy to talk to. And the more you talk, the more you
realise that he’s got his head firmly screwed on.
You could excuse Abercrombie if that head had become a little enlarged
over the past year. He is now one of New Zealand’s leading sportsmen
having played a big role in the Breakers ANBL premiership win during the
2010/2011 season (he was named the entire final series MVP - most
valuable player) and is also now a key member of the over-achieving New
Zealand Tall Blacks team. It has been a stellar year for the young
‘Swing Man’ (his position) who averaged 10.5 points per game and 5.4
rebounds last season in the ANBL.
Tom Abercrombie went to Hauraki Primary, Belmont Intermediate and then
on to Westlake Boys High School. He was brought up in Devonport by mum
Judy and father Colin. He has an older brother, Haydn (26), who is a
rugby player of note, and a sister, Nicola (21), who is studying to be a
journalist.
Tom Abercrombie credits his mum Judy for first getting him into
Basketball. She was his first coach and he showed some early promise.
Due to this promise, and also in his other sporting love – Volleyball,
he went on to Westlake Boys High School.
During his third and fourth form years at Westlake Boys, Tom Abercrombie
went through a growth spurt and this influenced his decision to put all
his energy into Basketball. As well as representing Westlake Boys, he
played in all the Harbour age-group sides and progressed through the New
Zealand age-group teams as well. These teams included the under 16s,
18s and then the Junior Tall Blacks.
It was no coincidence that Westlake Boys won the national secondary
schools basketball title in his senior year. The team was captained by
Abercrombie, who averaged 20.5 points, 11 rebounds and 2.8 steals per
game. He won the WBHS Trophy for Academic and Sporting Excellence in
2002 and 2004 and was a member of Andrej Lemanis’ first Breakers team
which toured China in May 2005.
Tom Abercrombie then spent a character-building two years at Washington
State University in the US. During this time he learnt a great deal
about the tough environment that is professional basketball in the
States. At Washington State he spent most of his time training and very
little actually playing. This was due to the competition he faced
getting game-time. You get the feeling that while he learnt a great
deal, he was very happy to get back to New Zealand in 2008.
Three years on, this experience hasn’t diminished his ambition to play
in the NBA in the US. “It certainly is a dream to one day play in the
NBA, which is the highest level you can play but there are thousands in
front of you, some amazing athletes, so it is very tough to break into.”
Tom’s favourite NBA team is Oklahoma City Thunder and, growing up, he loved watching Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers.
Over the last three years, he has mixed his blossoming Basketball career
with studying Science and Commerce at Auckland University. In 2012 he
plans to transfer to studying extramurally at Massey University Albany.
“Winning the ANBL is certainly the highlight of my career to date,” said
Tom Abercrombie when quizzed on his career so far. “Being part of a
team built around guys who were my idols growing up – Pauly (Paul
Henare), Dillon (Boucher) and Kirk (Penney) – has been huge. I owe a
great deal for my development to those guys and coaches Andrej
(Lemanis), Dean (Vickerman) and Judd Flavell. They have been huge
influences, by encouraging me when I came back from the US in 2008 a
little deflated and undecided on my future. They had confidence in me to
be part of the team they were building, to ultimately win the
competition. Andrej has played a massive role and I have really enjoyed
playing for Dean in his Waikato Pistons NZNBL team. He has helped
considerably with lifting my intensity and aggression, very important
parts of the game at the top level.”
“We are very fortunate to have great backing from the Breakers owners
Paul and Liz Blackwell. Having a facility like this where everything we
need is under one roof helps considerably. It has been a big factor in
our success.”
Tom is referring to the Breakers very own headquarters in Mairangi Bay.
The impressive facility includes two training courts, a gym, medical and
massage rooms and administration offices. The day we were there, it was
school holidays and one of the Breakers very popular holiday programmes
for young kids was in full swing. There would have been more than 50
kids training and mixing with their Breakers stars.
As this article was being put together, the Breakers had started the new
2011/2012 season well with three impressive away wins and Tom is
excited about the prospects of back-to-back titles. “I do believe we
have a squad that’s good enough to do it again this season but every
team has improved so it won’t be easy. But we are thrilled with the
start.”
Paul and Liz Blackwell have got a great thrill out of Tom’s development
under their watch. “It has been a privilege and delight to see Tom grow
in both ability and confidence through his determination and hardwork,”
said Paul Blackwell proudly when asked to comment for the purpose of
this article in mid October. “Liz and I take great delight in the way he
continues to grow in leadership, both through his play, and his
commitment to the values of the Breakers.”
Tom is signed for the next two years with the Breakers and plans to sit
down and assess his options at the end of each season. His contract
includes the option to take up opportunities overseas if they come
along.
2011 was also the third year that Tom Abercrombie has been part of the
national Tall Blacks senior squad. He came of age for New Zealand as one
of the stars at the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey. He has now
travelled the world as a Tall Black and says that he really enjoys
measuring his progress against some of the world’s top players. He has
played against many leading NBA players for the Tall Blacks over the
past couple of years.
“Growing up watching the Tall Blacks with players like Pauly, Dillon,
Kirk and Phil Jones, really inspired me to get to their level,” explains
Tom. “There is a great culture in the team which has enabled me to
learn from the senior guys and do all I can to reach and maintain the
high levels of performance that they have set. I believe that’s why we
have been able to play above our weight and beat some very good teams
over the past couple of years.”
What made you apply for a North Harbour Club AIMES Award?
“My Mum and Dad have always attended the Awards so I know about them
through them. Reading about the achievements of past winners, and the
levels of excellence they have achieved, inspired me to enter this year.
I had always hoped that one day I would be good enough to enter and be
in a position to win, so it is a thrill to pick up an AIMES Award. The
money will help me fulfill my ambition of making it as a basketballer in
the US.”
So why does Tom Abercrombie think he has achieved the success he has?
“I am pretty lucky really, being blessed with some athletic gifts
including the ability to jump high and run fast. I have a determination
to make the most of these gifts and realise my potential. I am
hardworking, focussed and very very competitive. All things you need to
keep your spot and stay on top of your game at this level. For me, it is
huge to be the best and to win.”
What will Tom Abercrombie be doing in 10 years time?
“Hopefully still playing, have my degree and still making the most of
any opportunities that come along. At this stage I have no aspirations
to coach. It is not something I am keen on.”
Amanda JuddAIMES Service to the Community Award Winner 2011
It was a ‘great and inspirational’ friend and
former AIMES Award winner who urged social entrepreneur Amanda Judd to
apply for an AIMES Award. “I remember being so proud and inspired that I
said, ‘wow, I wish I could be as amazing as you’. He told me I could be
– and so here I am a few years later - thank you, Cam Calkoen.”
Amanda was living in Melbourne when she unearthed her inspiration for a
new way of living. Her stint in Melbourne followed a childhood on the
North Shore, training as an elite athlete in rhythmic gymnastics. “I
studied Fashion Design at AUT and then after retiring from rhythmic
gymnastics, I spent time exploring life living in Melbourne – bringing
about experiences that got me thinking about our environment, social
justice, my own wellbeing and how I can help contribute to creating an
awesome world and living life abundantly. Michael Jackson has always
been awesome to me. ‘I’m starting with the man in the mirror’ was an
inspiration and calling that I decided to respond to a few years back,
and have since been dedicating my energy to making the world a wonderful
place.”
Amanda’s passion led her to create her current project, Lovenotes.
“Lovenotes is a low profit social enterprise helping companies and
organisations to reuse their own waste paper, while quietly revitalising
a positive, creative and innovative working culture”, explains Amanda.
“The money [from the AIMES Award] will enable me to dedicate more time
and energy to bringing Lovenotes to profitability, and setting it up
around New Zealand (currently we are exploring Wanaka and Wellington as
next steps) and to explore setting up Lovenotes around the world. Once
Lovenotes becomes fully financially sustainable, hopefully within a
year, the money will be reclaimed and used for the next project in my
life as a social entrepreneur – and there are many more projects, so
watch this space!”
While Amanda has many ideas, her vision is clear. “My vision is a world
where life is abundant, yet simple - a world that is socially just,
environmentally harmonious and where everyone can live with wellness. My
ambition is to make this real through “How I Be and What I Do” every
living moment... this probably looks like a whole lot of projects and
social enterprises, a minimalist lifestyle, and a whole lot of fun!”
Fun, is also a word that Amanda uses to describe her family’s ethos. Her
parents are Rachel and Graham, who she describes as having ‘humility,
love, fun and creativity’ and she has two ‘creative, fun and beautiful’
older brothers, Nathan and Greg – not to mention Nanna and Poppa, Gran
and Grandad and extended family. In addition to the support she receives
from her family, Amanda has many other important people in her life.
Standing alongside her is partner, best friend and soul mate, Reza
‘Habibi’ Fuard.
Amanda counts Andrew Cooper, Andy Hendrie, Dianne Hale, Rebecca
Harrington, Stuart Goldsworthy and Billy Matheson among the people who
have graced her with their presence and support. She also has a list of
people whom she hasn’t met personally but who have still influenced her,
including Michael Jackson, Almudena Cid, Eckhart Tolle, Richard
Branson, and Paul Hawken.
Amanda’s success also stems from her days of rhythmic gymnastics, which
taught her a lot about intention, dedication, focus and bringing her
dreams to reality. Sports coaches Margaret Woolf, Asher Davidson, Kathy
O'Meara, Liz Wheadon and Marnie Sterner provided her with inspiration
and support. “I was also fortunate to travel with my sport, which has
helped me emerge into being a global citizen, and consider how others
are living in the world. We are very blessed here in beautiful
Aotearoa.”
Amanda says the next 12 months will see her working hard with Lovenotes,
expecting Auckland businesses to reuse over two million pieces of
paper, and that much again around the country. “My dream is to see
Lovenotes flourish and become a solid, viable, working example of
regenerative business, operating around the world – to see that every
level of what we do and how we do it, contributes to the well-being of
our people and our planet. We also hope to self-sustain and create jobs
that have a genuine and authentic purpose and give to a bigger cause. I
will also continue working with the ReGeneration Trust who are doing a
lot of innovative projects and work in this space with hundreds of
people across the country, while supporting peers, friends and
colleagues to do their thing! I would love to go travelling to somewhere
exciting, and continue to live life abundantly.”
Looking into the future, Amanda sees an amazing adventure, featuring
elements aligned with her vision. “I want to be awesome, healthy,
loving, on an amazing adventure, with beautiful people, in beautiful
places, and doing/being so in a way that regenerates the world - for all
people, species, communities, and the grandmother earth herself. And
definitely with my man Rez, and maybe also with some ninos in tow.”
Alisha McLennanAIMES Judges Special Award for Excellence Winner 2011
Alisha McLennan’s ambition is to change society’s
perception about disability, who can dance and what dance is. She
aspires to be a professional aerial dancer, advocating for greater
accessibility for disabled people and working with New Zealand’s dance
community, to ensure existing and new dance classes are accessible to
anyone who wants to dance.
“I applied for the AIMES Award because I have a passion for integrated
dance,” explains Alisha. “I believe I have the potential to extend my
skills and capability in this area, particularly in aerial dance.”
Alisha will use her AIMES Award funds to explore aerial dance both in
New Zealand and overseas, gaining knowledge and building relationships
with people experienced in integrated and aerial dance. She would like
to work with Wired Aerial Dance and CandoCo Dance Company in the UK, and
with the Australian aerial dancer, Argentine Alejandro Rolandi.
Alisha, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, grew up on the
North Shore and attended Wilson School, Belmont Intermediate and
Takapuna Grammar. Her parents – currently in the UK on their ‘big OE’ –
are Kathe, an interior designer and Murray, an ex cabin crew member and
builder. Twin brother Harry is at Police College, older brother Reuben
is a Nelson police officer and older sister Sada is a photographer in
Golden Bay.
In addition to her family, Alisha has been inspired by those at Touch
Compass, especially Catherine Chappell and Karen Fraser Payne. In 1999,
at the age of ten, Alisha first performed with Touch Compass at the
launch of the Trust, at the Auckland Art Gallery, going on to the youth
aerial performance My Room in 2000. As a 14 year old Alisha toured with
Lusi’s Eden (2002) to Taupo and Christchurch, and featured in Lighthouse
later that year at the Aotea Centre. Acquisitions (2003) and
Nightswimmers with Splash Dance Company followed, then Flying Tales
(2004) with Six and SLIP (2010), and she has just completed the Triple
Bill tour (2011) to Hastings and Wellington.
In 2004 Alisha moved to Christchurch with her family to live on a farm.
Whilst in Christchurch she attended a non-disabled dance programme, and
performed at the 2005 St Margaret’s College Dance Variety Night. She
also went on to begin a degree in Political Science at Canterbury
University.
At the beginning of 2010 Alisha returned to the North Shore. She is now
at Touch Compass, being mentored, volunteering in the office, working
as a dancer and support dance tutor, along with being seconded to the
trust board. Alisha has also worked with Takapuna Grammar dance
teacher, Juliet Cryns and students, to produce an integrated dance
performance. This was showcased on 16 June 2010 to much acclaim.
In addition to dancing, Alisha is a passionate skier, winning the Viv
Martin Trophy in 2008 and 2009, for Most Outstanding Female Skier.
Over the next 12 months Alisha plans to investigate and practice aerial
dance. She will explore its relationship to social change and disability
and investigate how she can make performance more accessible for
disabled artists.
“I will also be working alongside Touch Compass’ artistic director,
Catherine Chappell, who received the 2011 Creative New Zealand
Choreographic Fellowship. Catherine is also researching and developing a
new aerial dance form combining bungee and contact improvisation, and I
hope to be a performer in a new aerial bungee performance in 2013.”
In ten years’ time Alisha hopes to be continuing her involvement in the
performing arts, ensuring that they are accessible to all performers and
audience members. “I want the diversity of all abilities to be
recognised in our society and social equity for all people.”
As for her achievements to date, Alisha says they come from exploring
her boundaries, whilst testing society’s expectations of both dance and
disability. “Life is a gift and an opportunity to experience any number
of challenges, learnings and successes. I want to enjoy the journey and
ensure my legacy is carried into the future.”
Alexandra Foster (20)Alexandra first found her love for music as a
student at Takapuna Normal Intermediate School where she learnt the
piano and guitar and joined the school’s rock band. In 2003, she
received the Vocal Cup at the school’s prizegiving and started private
singing lessons before beginning at Rangitoto College.
In 2005, Alexandra moved to The Corelli School of the Arts where her
main focus was acting. After graduating from the school at age 17, she
auditioned in Australia for a place at the National Institute of
Dramatic Arts, one of the world’s most prestigious acting schools.
A short time later, she was accepted into Auckland’s Apollo Theatre
School where she discovered a love for dancing and learnt the different
dance styles of jazz, ballet, tap, hip-hop, funk and cabaret. Next,
Alexandra pursued musical theatre and, through the Apollo Theatre
School, received many professional opportunities. In her second year,
she was cast as the lead in the show The Love Cruise, based on the
famous 80s television series The Love Boat, and most recently has been
starring as a lead in Anything Goes, receiving great reviews.
Her latest and most exciting project has been her girl pop group
Sugarfix. Formed in late 2010, the group writes and records its own
music.
Alexandra intends to use her AIMES Awards funds to further her
experiences in the world of musical theatre and recording
professionally.
Adam Gerret (19)Adam’s academic and performing career started
at Northcote College in 2005, where initially he took drama solely out
of interest and to compliment his heavy academic timetable.
Over the next few years, he became as involved as possible in drama both
at the school and at various North Shore venues. He was involved in
Northcote College’s Stage Challenge entry each year, the national
Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Competition, the Northcote Talent Quest,
various school plays, and productions at The Rose Theatre, The
Pumphouse, Devonport Theatre Company and Titirangi Theatre.
Musically talented, Adam also played lead trumpet for the Northcote
College Jazz Band for five years, and played The Last Post at the
Northcote Anzac Memorial Service for the last three years of his school
life.
During year 13 at Northcote College, he completed NCEA Level 3 Drama
with Excellence and managed to secure an NZQA Drama Scholarship. He was
also thrilled to receive the Northcote College Drama Prize.
Adam has recently been awarded a highly sought-after place at Guildhall
School of Music & Drama in London, an outstanding achievement given
that he was one of more than 2300 candidates applying for just 26 places
on the three-year acting course. Guildhall is also a School of Music
and Adam hopes to have the opportunity to further develop his musical
talents whilst there.
Ultimately, he looks forward to representing New Zealand and the North Shore on the stage.
Seok Jun Bing (18)Seok Jun Bing is currently a student at
Albany Senior High School. He topped his year level at years 11 and 12,
and aims to graduate this year with the Dux Award.
Alongside his studies, Seok Jun has been working with a friend to
develop a working prototype of a carbon dioxide filter for cars with
internal combustion engines. This project was done under the Team Gold
CREST programme run by the Royal Society of New Zealand and is a
progression from a previous project that he completed for Team Silver
CREST in which he successfully produced a filter capable of absorbing
carbon dioxide production from the respiration of two people.
His project to produce a CO2 filter for cars has been entered in a
global science fair called Google Science Fair 2011 and was selected as
one of the top 60 semi-finalists from 7500 projects entered by more than
10,000 students from around the globe. Seok’s project was the only one
to be chosen in Oceania and has subsequently received much recognition
in New Zealand and internationally.
Seok Jun likes to innovate and embark on projects that have the
potential to have big impact on a global scale. He would like to
consider himself as a creative scientist and an innovator who has the
desire to change the world.
His AIMES Award will help him with purchasing equipment and materials to further develop the filter.
Aine Kelly-Costello (16)A current student at Pinehurst School, Aine
has always regarded music as an indispensable part of her life. This
passion started at age four when she was living in Ireland and showed a
keen interest in the flute while visiting a friend. In later years, she
moved to Canada and then to New Zealand.
Aine is blind. Initially, she could not read Braille music so she
learned all of her music by ear. She started sitting piano exams at age
seven.
Then, as a nine-year-old, she was extremely grateful to be given the
opportunity to learn Braille music. This meant she could read music by
herself which, in turn, allowed her to glean significantly more
information about the music and more easily determine her own
interpretations.
A dedicated flute player, Aine spends many hours memorising pieces and
is currently working towards her ABRSM Diploma exam which she plans to
sit at the end of 2011. Looking further ahead, she intends to take flute
playing professionally and would like to study for a BMus, majoring in
flute performance, as well as a BA majoring in Spanish and English
literature.
In addition to Aine’s musical abilities, she also achieves incredible
results at school and is an outstanding swimmer who has been selected
for the Paralympics New Zealand team to compete at the Pan-Pacific
Champs in Alberta, and unofficially ranked in the top five in the world
for S11 400m freestyle and 100m backstroke and 8th for 100m freestyle.
Aine intends to spend her AIMES Award on a Piccolo, ABRSM Diploma costs and a new Flute.
Lydia Ko (14)Pinehurst School student, Lydia Ko, is described as ‘a golfing phenomenon’.
After moving to New Zealand, she began playing golf as a five-year-old
and, in May 2011, at the age of 14 years and 1 day, became the youngest
person to be ranked Number 1 Female Amateur in the World.
At age 12, Lydia became the youngest-ever member of the New Zealand
Srixon Academy, New Zealand’s national squad, and – in Christchurch –
became the youngest person ever to make the cut in a Ladies European
Tour event.
Early in 2011, she narrowly missed making history: on the last hole of
the New South Wales Open in Sydney, she missed the title by just one
putt. Winning would have seen her become the youngest winner in a
professional event anywhere in the world.
As well as practicing golf at the Institute of Golf for 30 to 40 hours a
week, Lydia manages to find balance between her golfing and academic
life, and maintains great grades at school.
She says her most spectacular shot was in 2010 when she holed a 30-foot
putt to win the New Zealand Interprovincials for North Harbour.
Lydia has travelled with the New Zealand team to Argentina, India and
Australia on numerous occasions, always loving to wear the New Zealand
silver fern and represent her country. She hopes to turn professional
in 2014.
Rebecca Dubber (18)Rebecca is a current student at Carmel
College. A paralympic swimmer, she is a level 2 carded athlete with the
Academy of Sport and a member of the Paralympics New Zealand High
Performance Programme.
In March 2010, Rebecca achieved a world record in the Women’s s7 800m
Freestyle. She holds New Zealand records in the Women’s s7 800m, 400m,
200m, 100m and 50m Freestyle and the Women’s s7 200m, 100m and 50m
Backstroke. She also holds the Oceania record in the Women’s s7 100m
Freestyle.
Her current dream is to represent New Zealand at the 2012 Paralympic
Games in London where she aspires to achieve medals in the Women’s s7
400m Freestyle and the Women’s s7 100m Backstroke in which she also
hopes to break the world record.
Rebecca would like to continue swimming after the 2012 Paralympics and compete in the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.
NORTH HARBOUR CLUB AIMES AWARDS WINNERS 2010
Takapuna Grammar School pupil, Jacko, began athletics at the age of 9. With a keen interest in shot put his backyard took a beating in the early days with many a fence paling being broken! By the age of 10 he had won the boy’s shot put at the Auckland Championships with a throw of 13.86m, a new Auckland record. Since then he has continued to break records as he moves through the competitions.
Jacko was recently crowned the youngest winner of a world junior title when he won gold in the male shot put in Canada. He threw a distance of 20.76m cleaning out a field of considerably larger and older opponents, made even more remarkable by the fact that had he been 10 days younger he would have been ineligible to compete in the Junior Worlds at all! By winning gold, he has eclipsed the world’s most famous athlete, Usain Bolt, as the youngest under-20 gold medallist.
Jacko now holds five world age group records across the under-15, under-16 and under-17 age groups.
He is the current champion at the New Zealand Secondary Schools junior shot put and junior discus and also gained first place at all the regional secondary schools Championships in the Javelin, shot put and discus.
Outside of school teams, Jacko holds the New Zealand under-20, under-19 and under -16 shot put records and is the under-17 discus champion (holding the under-16 national record also). This year he competed at the Australian Junior Track and Field Championships and was the under-18 shot put and under-18 discus champion. He won a silver medal at the Youth Olympics in Singapore.
Sophie attended Westlake Girls High School from 1999-2001, completing 5th Form Certificate, followed by Rangitoto College from 2001-2002, completing an A Bursary. She studied a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance at the University of Auckland and completed a First Class Honours at the New Zealand School of Music in Auckland in 2006.
In 2007 Sophie commenced study at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, completing a Master of Music – Violin Performance in 2009, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music – Violin Performance, which she will complete in 2012.
Sophie has won a number of awards in recognition of her achievement and ability, these include:-
- Indiana University Artistic Excellence Award (2009-2011)
- Indiana University Dean’s Scholarship (2007-2009)
- Inaugural Pettman/ROSL Arts International Scholarship (2006)
- New Zealand School of Music Honours Fees Scholarship (2006)
- Carl & Alberta Rosenfeldt Prize in Chamber Music (2004 & 2005)
- Maori & Polynesian Higher Education Scholarship (2003-2005)
- LMusA Diploma – Distinction (2000)
- Elizabeth Long Strings Scholarship (1999)
Sophie is studying under Mark Kaplan at the Jacobs School of Music, amongst a very select group of students. He describes her as “having an extremely high level of talent, industriousness and musical ability, with not only the well-developed technical command expected of young musicians but also an unusually communicative and expressive style which has earned her the highest respect both from the faculty and her fellow students”. In addition, Sophie is known for her leadership abilities, excellent teaching and for her positive and outgoing personality.
Sophie has been described by many of her referees as a very talented young musician who is destined to accomplish great things in the world of professional music
Singing, dancing and acting are Verity’s passion and she has worked hard for many years to develop the skills needed to pursue a career in the performing arts.
She attended Kristen School, passing NCEA Level 3 in 2004 and received the Cultural Activities Trophy for Outstanding Contribution to Performing Arts, Outstanding Achievement as Production Team of Stage Challenge, Outstanding Achievement in Euphony (Girl’s Choir) and Excellence in Year 13 Dance. Verity went on to study at Massey University graduating in 2007 with a Bachelor of Music Degree, majoring in jazz singing from the New Zealand School of Music. She has studied singing since the age of 13 and has achieved Grade 8 Royal Schools of Music in classical singing.
She trained and completed all the Royal Academy of Dance ballet grades and was selected as a Junior Associate with the New Zealand School of Dance for 5 years in a row. She has also studied
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