Posted by Christie Parkin on 12/11/2016
2016 AIMES Award winners announced
TAKAPUNA, 14 November 2016 – Pole Vaulter and Olympic bronze medal winner Eliza McCartney has taken top at this year’s AIMES Awards in Takapuna. Eliza won the Supreme AIMES Award as well as the AIMES Sport Award.
Held at the Bruce Mason Centre on Saturday night the annual AIMES Awards (Arts, Innovation, Music, Education, Sport and Service to the Community) are promoted by the North Harbour Club, a group of local business and community leaders aspiring to help talented youth achieve even higher.
Supreme Award winner Eliza says, “I’m very grateful for the ongoing support from the North Harbour Club, from being awarded the Emerging Talent Award in 2014 to being the recipient of the prestigious Supreme AIMES Award this year. The support given from the community I live and train in is invaluable”.
This year there were 150 AIMES applications presenting a challenging task for the team of judges.
Chair of the AIMES Awards Judges Andrea Davies says, “The quality of the applicants was once again extremely high which created a real challenge for the Judging Panel. Each of the 2016 AIMES Award winners is highly talented with a very bright future ahead of them.
“The judges felt very humbled to meet such inspiring young people who have such a strong affiliation to North Harbour. New Zealand certainly has a bright future knowing that there are so many young people building fantastic careers for themselves. The winners are all leaders, which is just want our country wants to see coming through.”
Sue Stanaway, Chair of the Junior Excellence Awards Judging Panel says, “This year, for the second year we have included the Junior Excellence Awards as part of the AIMES Awards offering and have been inspired and excited by the strong calibre of applicants in this 10 – 13 year age group.
“Across the Arts, Music and Service to the Community and particularly in Sport we judged some amazing young people breaking National and World records in their age category and with aspirations to continue competing on the world stage and striving for excellence. At the interviews our winners were confident, focused and charming and it was a real pleasure to be able to hear their story and support their achievements.”
The Junior Excellence Awards are the first stepping-stone on the AIMES Awards journey with all the applicants being encouraged to reapply in the future to have the opportunity of being recipients of an AIMES Emerging Talent Award or an AIMES Award.
The awards are divided into three parts. The AIMES Awards (the Supreme winner is selected from within this group), the AIMES Emerging Talent Awards and the Junior Excellence Awards section. To be nominated for these awards, recipients must display excellence in the areas of the Arts, IT, Innovation, Music, Education, Sport and Service to the Community.
On Friday night the AIMES Emerging Talent Awards were made to another seven exceptional young people, and a further six youngsters received Junior Excellence Awards to help them reach their future potential. At the AIMES Awards Gala Dinner on Saturday night seven recipients received AIMES Awards.
Since its inception the North Harbour Club has made awards and grants of more than $1.83 million to talented youth, and this year’s winners collectively receive $180,000 in support to attain even higher excellence in their fields thanks to the Club’s 160 plus members.
READ THE PROFILES ON ALL OF OUR WINNERS HERE
AIMES Award Winners 2016
Supreme Award & AUT Millennium AIMES Sport Award, $30,000 – Eliza McCartney (19), pole vaulter
Bruce Mason Centre AIMES Arts Award, $15,000 - Joel Granger (22), actor/singer
Massey University AIMES Innovation Award, $15,000 - Sian Simpson (25), entrepreneur
Albany Toyota AIMES Music Award, $15,000 - Miller Christensen-Yule (25), singer / songwriter
Kristin School AIMES Education Award, $15,000 - Michael McDonald (24), scholar/engineer
ASB AIMES Service to the Community Award, $15,000 - Joseph Bergin (24), lawyer & community development
AIMES Judges Special Award, $15,000 - Avalon Biddle (24), motorcycle road racer
2016 AIMES Winners - Miller Christensen-Yule, Joel Granger, Eliza McCartney, Michael MacDonald, Avalon Biddle, Joseph Bergin
AIMES Emerging Talent Award Winners 2016 (received $5,000 each)
Sponsored by Bellingham Wallace Accountancy
Emma Lane (19) - dancer, singer
Andrew Coshan (23) - singer/dancer/actor
Scott Wilson (21) - mechatronics engineering
Jacky Siu (20) - musician/cellist
Alexia Hilbtertidou (17) - service to the community
Kate (18) & Greta (16) Stewart – yachting (received $8,000)
Florida Fatanitavake (18) - rugby player
2016 Emerging Talent Winners - Aidan Bennett (NHC President), Scott Wilson, Mike Atkinson (Bellingham Wallace), Alexia Hilbertidou, Andrew Coshan, Matthew Bellingham (Bellingham Wallace), Florida Fatanitavake, Aaron Wallace (Bellingham Wallace), Emma Lane’s father.
Junior Excellence Award Winners 2016 (received $3,000 each)
Sponsored by Library Lane
Satine Finer - Neuhauser (13) - musician/singer/actor/dancer
Henry Meng (12) - pianist
Rico Bearman (13) - BMX
Nadia Evans (12) - athletics
Daniel Stoddart (13) Gymnast
Northcross Kapa Haka Group, Northcross Intermediate
2016 Junior Excellence Winners – Sky Cai (NZ Force Construction), Nadia Evans, Northcross Intermediate Kapa Haka representatives (3), Satine Finer-Neuhauser, Henry Ming, Daniel Stoddart, Aidan Bennett (NHC President), Rico Bearman
