Dylan Lloyd
Dylan Lloyd
Dylan Lloyd (17) has many passions in life and he intends to make the best out of each of them.
It is that drive that has led him to become the co-head of the Taieri College Ecowarriors (2021), a member of the National Halberg Youth Council (2021) and a player in the Otago South Island Games Boccia team (2018).
His current goal? Become a member of the New Zealand Wheelblacks, the national wheelchair rugby team.
Dylan has always been a fan of rugby and when he found an opportunity to play against others with disabilities he eagerly took to it.
He loves the community aspect as well as the physicality of the sport.
He enjoyed boccia in his earlier years, but now found wheelchair rugby was what ignited his passion the most.
Dylan was born disabled, but he has never let it hold him back.
His thanks his parents for giving him the attitude for success.
"They’ve always treated me like a normal person, they haven’t wrapped me up in bubble wrap."
Off the pitch, Dylan is an avid advocate for the environment.
As one of the school’s environmental prefects and as the co-head of the Ecowarriors environmental club, Dylan works towards protecting and preserving the environment for all.
He was encouraged to join the Ecowarriors as a junior when a teacher suggested he join after he submitted a school project based around the environment.
The Ecowarriors are preparing to assist in a community planting programme, where they will be replanting the foliage around the Silver Stream.
He is excited to see the fruits of his labour in the years to come.
"The environment is something we always have to be aware of and look after, I’m just doing my part."
Dylan is also passionate about design, which he plans to study at Otago Polytechnic next year.
He has always enjoyed advertising and hopes to put his studies in digital technology, photography and art design towards a career where he can share his designs with the world.
Achievements: Environmental prefect (2021); Eco Warriors co-head (2021); National Hallberg Youth Council (2021); NCEA level 1, level 2 (2019, 2020); Otago wheelchair rugby (2019); NZ wheelchair rugby championship (2019); Keep Dunedin Beautiful award with Ecowarriors (2019); Boccia South Island championship (2019).
Role Model: His parents.
Hopes for the future: To study communications design at the Otago Polytechnic and to play for the NZ Wheelblacks at the Paralympics.
Gabriella Kakahi
Gabriella Kakahi
Gabriella Kakahi (17) may be the head girl of Taieri College and the captain of her touch rugby team, but she often forgets she is more than the average student.
It is that humility which has earned her the respect of her team-mates and helped foster a strong support structure among the players in her team.
She began her touch career 10 years ago as a pupil of Outram School, where she fell in love with the pace and energy of the game.
She has since gone on to captain the Otago under-14 girls team (2017), the Otago under-16 girls team (2019-20) and the Taieri College senior touch team (2020-present), which is currently training for secondary school nationals in December.
Her parents and grandparents still try their best to be on the sidelines of every match and help out wherever they can.
Gabriella’s passions do not stop at the rugby field.
She is undertaking the scholarship exam for drama, which is a great method of self-expression for her.
She regularly recommended others step outside their comfort zones and try out the subject.
"I just love it so much."
On top of her strong leadership skills on the field and at school, Gabriella has a very successful academic record, having achieved NCEA level 1 and 2 with excellence.
She never views her position as head girl or captain as separate from her peers and often forgets that she is a known figure throughout the school.
"People at school would come up to me and I would just think ‘how do you know my name?’ before realising."
She plans to continue with her studies next year at the University of Otago, where she will study teaching before hopefully making her way to Africa "when the world opens up again".
Achievements: NCEA level 1, level 2 with excellence (2019-20); academic Blues award (2020); head girl (2021); environmental prefect (2021); student council secretary (2019, 2020); school senior touch captain (2020, 2021); Otago U16 touch captain (2019-20); Otago U18 touch (2021); 1st XI hockey (2020-21); 1st Otago athletics girls U16 800m (2020); U16 NZ Touch ID Camp (2020); sports Blues for touch (2020); NZ cross-country championship participant (2017-19); 1st in Otago U16 individual triathlon (2019); 2nd South Island intermediate girls triathlon (2019); Mana Pounamu Young Achievers’ Award (2018).
Role model: Her mother.
Hopes for the future: To study primary school teaching at the University of Otago then visit Africa.
