Three Avondale College students were honoured at the Whau Youth Awards held on Friday 13 November. Head Girl Olivia Mallon, Deputy Head Prefect Emily O'Callaghan and junior sportswoman Le'Oxeayn Maiu'u all received awards for their outstanding contributions to their wider Avondale community this year.
Throughout this year, Head Girl Olivia Mallon has demonstrated superb leadership and commitment to student wellbeing and success, both during lockdowns and upon students’ return to school. During her time at Avondale College Olivia has represented her whanau, hapu and iwi with pride, serving as a role model for all students of how to bring together one’s own culture and new learning to achieve excellent outcomes. Olivia has consistently led with atawhai, engaging all students she meets with respect and high expectations for their success.
Deputy Head Prefect Emily O'Callaghan has shown leadership at the College as a PSSP and Safe School Leader, and as a member of the Advanced Debating team. Emily showed tremendous tenacity in organising our inaugural Mental Health Awareness Week which was a significant endeavour in this interrupted year.
Year 10 athlete Le'Oxeayn Maiu’u is an outstanding sportswoman who is achieving at the very highest levels across a number of different sporting codes. Among other achievements this year, Le'Oxeayn was selected for the New Zealand U18 Rugby 7's team, captained Avondale College's Junior Premier Netball team to victory in the local Western Zone competition, before going on to win the Year 10 title at the Auckland Combined Points Tournament, and was a member of the Avondale College Athletics Team.
Whau Youth Awards are held in recognition of the incredible rangatahi who live, work, play, faith and study in the Whau – Blockhouse Bay, New Windsor, Green Bay, New Lynn, Avondale, Kelston. Whau Youth Award winners are kind, brave, hard-working, humble, talented, passionate and true. Avondale College congratulates our three worthy recipients of these awards.