Class Act: 2020's winners

The Otago Daily Times’ Class Act initiative should have been a "Covid-19-free zone", but, unfortunately, we cannot escape its evil tentacles.

ODT Editor Barry Stewart.

Class Act celebrates the excellence of young people in our province and now, more than ever, we will be looking to them for leadership.

It’s been a year like no other and has made us acutely aware of the importance and value of education, science and strong leadership. The youth of the region have a big responsibility, for the future is in their hands. It is from this talented and ambitious group our future leaders in politics, arts, business, education and sports will emerge. The Otago Daily Times Class Act programme began in 2000, with 26 of the 29 high schools in the newspaper’s primary circulation area each selecting one or two outstanding pupils to join that year’s class.

In this, its 21st year, 28 schools are participating. Between them, they have nominated 56 pupils as representative of the cream of Otago’s secondary school elite in 2020.

Class Act has been a particularly rewarding journey for the Otago Daily Times. It was introduced to the newspaper in 2000 by former editor Robin Charteris, who sadly died recently.

We are also delighted the programme has been acknowledged by the University of Otago. This year’s award recipients will receive an automatic entitlement to a University of Otago Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship for 2021.

We take pride in seeing and reading, through the columns of this newspaper, of the milestones and achievements of our Class Act recipients as they make their way into adult life.

Tomorrow afternoon, at a special awards ceremony, the pupils should have come together as a class and, individually, be presented with Class Act 2020 certificates by the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. However, Alert level 2 restrictions have ruled that out.

The Prime Minister has expressed her disappointment at not being able to attend and we are working with her to ensure the class of 2020 is acknowledged from the top. We are preparing a special video and the Prime Minister and others will honour these leaders of tomorrow.

The students were nominated by their schools on the basis of their achievements and potential for success in adult life. The only criterion the newspaper gives the schools is excellence.

The 56 pupils nominated for awards have been photographed and profiled on the following pages of this celebratory publication. We trust you enjoy reading it and, like us, are inspired and encouraged by the young people featured. The future is bright.

- Barry Stewart, Editor Otago Daily Times

Prof Harlene Hayne, Vice-Chancellor, University of Otago

Prof Harlene Hayne

It gives me great pleasure to congratulate 2020’s Class Act recipients, and offer each of them a University of Otago Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship in recognition of their success.

Class Act recognises success of our region’s senior secondary school students across academic, cultural and sporting pursuits. While there is great diversity in the endeavours Class Act recognises, there is also commonality in the key elements — dedication, determination, leadership and good citizenship that lead to a Class Act award.

At the University of Otago, we too celebrate diversity of success as well as the common elements that underpin it. We do so in the context of our long tradition of providing a rich range of opportunities for personal as well as academic growth.

International research shows that those graduates who have taken the chance to develop in the broadest sense at university are the most likely to go on and enjoy wholly satisfying lives. As it happens, graduates who have taken the opportunity to develop broadly are also highly employable too.

Class Act recipients have already demonstrated that capacity for broad development in their school years, and this provides them with a great foundation to build on.

There are dozens of previous Class Act recipients studying at Otago this year, and those who follow in their footsteps in 2021 and beyond will doubtless seize the opportunities Otago provides for further development, and enjoy a rewarding world-class university experience that sets up for exciting and hugely fulfilling futures.

I am sure those who choose other paths will also take the chance to make a major contribution to the intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and economic well-being of their families, their communities, and their country.

With these thoughts in mind I again offer my warmest congratulations to all of today’s recipients. This award is not only recognition of what you have achieved so far, but also a signal that you are on track for continued success.

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