29 May 2017

Northland teens sail away with opportunity of a lifetime

Local high school students are gaining an experience of a lifetime travelling around New Zealand aboard the Spirit of New Zealand thanks to funding from Mitre 10 MEGA Whangarei.

Northland teens Luke Dayberg and Rai Tautari were selected by their schools as part of a Spirit of Adventure Trust scholarship programme sponsored by Mitre 10 MEGA Whangarei.

Kamo High School student, Luke, was excited when he first heard he was receiving the scholarship and could not wait to tell his family the good news.

“I’m really looking forward to experiencing something out of my comfort zone and making some new friends. I think it will be a great opportunity to gain some valuable skills as well,” he says.

The second scholarship recipient, Tikipunga High School student Rai, says that the Spirit of Adventure voyage will help her to achieve her goal of becoming a Navy Officer.

“I can’t wait to take on the challenge. This is such a great opportunity for me to develop my leadership skills,” she says.

Mitre 10 MEGA Whangarei Co-Owner, Ondine Waddle, says the store is excited to get behind the scholarships and allow local teens to experience new opportunities outside of Northland.

“We aim to make a meaningful difference in the lives of local teens through this scholarship,” says Ondine.

The Spirit of Adventure programme is designed to build independence, confidence and resilience in young adults. During the voyage those on board develop vital life skills and friendships while learning to sail.

Dean Lawrence, CEO of the Spirit of Adventure Trust, says the 10 day Youth Development voyage uses experiential learning philosophy for youth travelling aboard the ship.

“The skills our trainees develop through completing activities during the voyage will challenge them and take them out of their comfort zone giving them assets they use for the rest of their lives,” says Dean.

The scholarships that Mitre 10 MEGA is funding will cover most of the costs for Luke and Rai, and they’ll also have use of the Mitre 10 community barbeque for one weekend each to cover the difference and pay for any extra items they may need for the voyage.

Show your support for Luke and Rai during their fundraising barbeques, the first one is on Sunday June 4 at Mitre 10 MEGA Whangarei.

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About Mitre 10

Mitre 10 is a New Zealand co-operative with 82 locally owned and operated stores nationwide that employ close to 5,000 team members combined. It is the country’s largest home improvement and garden retailer and one of the fastest-growing trade merchants. Mitre 10 has been a household name since 1974 and has been voted the most trusted home improvement retail brand in New Zealand several times.

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