2012 Coca Cola Amatil Young

New Zealander of the Year

 

 

Sam Johnson

Sam Johnson of Christchurch has proved to be one of the most valuable young citizens of Christchurch and New Zealand over the past 12 months. Sam began his invaluable contribution to the community many years ago but it wasn’t until the first shocking Canterbury earthquake in September 2010 that led to Sam rallying together thousands of students forming the Student Volunteer Army that then provided invaluable assistance after the devastating February quake last year.

Utilizing social networking skills, Sam created a Facebook page that brought the students, carrying shovels and wearing gumboots, onto the streets of Christchurch to help with the earthquake cleanup. Sam then worked with local authorities coordinating the students relief effort organising teams and equipment to help cleanup those areas most affected by the quake damage. The SVA has grown to have a support base of over 26,000 people and continues to provide a student volunteering community for Christchurch, both Earthquake related and unrelated.

Sam was also able to transfer his skills to help Japan after their devastating tsunami and earthquake, where he worked with Japanese students to help them set up a similar scheme. Sam’s ability to pull together resources and lead a team of volunteers inspired glowing recommendations from across the globe and contributed to a more positive image of students.

These voluntary contributions of long sleepless nights, taxing physical labour and strategic management and liaison puts him in the league with any major CEO or national leader but in true Kiwi spirit, Sam acknowledges any gratitude with quiet humility. 

Since these enormous efforts and contribution, Sam has kept to his determination to better the world, travelling to the Young Leaders International Forum in India. Here, he shared his knowledge of post disaster response to the planet’s brightest young leaders to aid in their endeavours and efforts across disaster prone areas of South & South East Asia.

 

Rick Zwaan
North Shore

Rick Zwaan is "passionate about how young people can be a positive presence in the world." Having been to international climate change negotiations in Copenhagen and Cancun, "and hearing and seeing the effects of climate change on young people I've once again been motivated to tell these stories and help facilitate positive change here in our beautiful country." Inspired by Enviroschool Youth Jam's he initiated several environmental projects at Northcote College, including outdoor adventures and fundraising trailwalkers. Since leaving Northcote College at the end of 2010, he has been actively seeking adventures before beginning his university studies in politics and environmental science in Wellington next year.

In April and May he was part of the Pangaea Young Explorers expedition to the magnetic North Pole in the Canadian Arctic region, exploring climate change. "That was so amazing. It was such a cool experience. There were seven young explorers out on the ice for about two weeks, drawing sleds over the Arctic Ocean. Basically, we lived out on the ice. We would do scientific measurements to see how dense the snow and ice was," Mr Zwaan said.

Mr Zwaan also did a 15-week road trip around New Zealand earlier this year as one of 10 young people on the ReGeneration Roadtrip (the ReGeneration project promotes active citizenship, generosity, volunteering, social enterprise and innovation). He does it all in his own time and doesn't see it as volunteering, “it’s just what needs to happen so I just do it."

Sarah Graham Read
North Shore

Sarah has been nominated for her inspiring efforts to provide a young Fijian boy with the medical treatment needed for him to walk again. Sarah meet Varayame Batini by chance while on holiday in Fiji and vowed to make his dream to walk again one day come true. She spent two years searching for surgeons in New Zealand who would be able to help him and securing financial backing for the surgery to go ahead. Varayame is now in Auckland going through his final stages of treatment and his not far from having his dream become reality. You can read more about her story and see her video at http://www.projectvarayame.co.nz/
 
Francessca (Franky) Hera Maslin
Gore

Franky has a genuine passion for helping and working with people, especially youth. During her time at school she was involved with a wide range of programmes including developing and leading the Youth Council, being the student representative on the Board of Trustees and the leader of “Health Eating, Healthy Action”. She has also been a mentor for Youth/Holiday programmes for Gore’s local marae, has participated in Children’s Day, has been a SmokeFree Ambassador for the Cancer Society, volunteered with the SPCA and was a member of the inaugural Gore District Youth Council (going on to become Chairperson). Franky was also an inaugural UNICEF ambassador, one of only five selected from around the country and the only South Islander. Her formal duties with UNICEF ended in August but she has made a request to have her role extended as she would like to return the skills and knowledge that she has learnt. Franky has been lucky enough to be involved with various leadership courses, advisory boards and conferences. She has used the skills developed here to encourage and motivate others by fully immersing herself in all the opportunities in her home town to help others.

Craig Smith
Auckland

Craig is a visionary entrepreneur with ambitious goals to unite the world through education. He is a passionate, motivated and talented young man who inspires everyone around him with his energy and creativity. Craig has founded a number of initiatives that have had an enormous benefit to society. With the help of his brother, Craig created an online language learning resource, Language Perfect, to help him study for his Year 11 French and Japanese Exams. He has now taken this software and made it available worldwide with over 100,000 students benefiting from the service. Craig also founded the Language Olympics, a free online educational competition which encourages excitement towards languages. In 2010 this became the biggest educational event in the world with 100,000 students participating. While Studying at University Craig also developed a computer programme which considerably increased the pass rate in his Accounting class. Craig was able to gain sponsorship for the cost of the programme and has now been able to continually offer it to thousands of students even following his departure from University.

Dr John Watt
Wellington
 
The MacDiarmid Young Scientist of the Year 2009, and the Prime Minister's Young Scientist of the Year 2010. John is passionate about science and about making a contribution to achieving a more prosperous New Zealand through the commercialisation of nanotechnology. To this end, John co-founded his own company, Boutique Nanoparticle Solutions, in February 2011. Other achievements of John this year are presenting the second series of the successful television science programme 'Ever Wondered....?' for TVNZ7. John Watt’s world leading research involves following nanoparticles to improve the air quality of toxic exhaust emissions. Specifically he works with the precious metal palladium which is used in a cars exhaust to remove toxic gases. The research is world leading and has been recognised by key scientific industry members.

Guy Ryan
Dunedin

A proud West Coaster, Guy understands the true meaning of community. He’s motivated by his passion for possibility and commitment to supporting young kiwis making a difference. Guy is passionate about youth-led innovation and inspiring future-focused action for our communities to contribute to a more vibrant sustainable New Zealand
 
In 2009 Guy created and developed a mammoth 24-day adventure festival – ‘A Day at the Beach’. This ran over 16 community events along the West Coast. Later in 2009 Guy co-directed and co-produced the internationally acclaimed 25-minute documentary film - Carving the Future.
"Carving the Future tells energising stories of young Kiwis making great changes in their environment and communities, and still fits in skateboarding, glorious coastal panoramas, fine oratory and earthy practicality. " ~ Idealog Magazine, August 2011. The film has now been screened in over 30 countries and seen by more than 10,000 Kiwis.
www.carvingthefuture.com
 
In 2010 Guy co-founded Splashroom Media - an internationally award-winning film production company operating out of Dunedin, New Zealand. Making solution focused stories about real people, doing great things.
www.splashroom.co.nz
 
Guy is chairman of Social Innovation Trust which is based in Christchurch. The trust was established to increase the capacity and confidence of young people to affect positive change in their communities. Recent projects as implemented by the Trust's CEO, Louis Brown have included key earthquake response initiatives
including support behind the Student Volunteer Army, TEDxEq Canterbury and the Youth 2050 Visioning Project.
 
Guy’s latest project is the founding of the Inspiring Stories Trust. As CEO he leads the vision to harness the power of storytelling for a better world. In 2011, Guy’s leadership saw Inspiring Stories conevene a successful 13-region nationwide workshop series that connected over 200 young filmmakers, industry mentors and young Kiwis making a difference.
 
Ryan West
Ngatea

Ryan West is a role model to Young New Zealanders. Identified at a young age as having difficulty with the concepts of literacy and numeracy Ryan has faced a number of educational challenges. Despite these difficulties Ryan has a drive to succeed which has seen him take up challenges and succeed in a number of areas. He was the 2010 Head Boy at Hauraki Plains College, was awarded the 2010 Hauraki Young Achiever Award by the Hauraki District Council for his services to the community and a number of school commendations.

Ryan sits upon the Students Against Drunk Driving committee, organises the Ngatea Christmas Float and is an accomplished public speaker which led to him speaking at ANZAC day services. While contributing all of this Ryan has still had the time to pursue his own interest, specifically in design. Ryan entered into the National New Zealand Young Designer Awards and was fortunate enough to win the supreme Award for his design of a lectern for a local church.