Creating a valuable legacy with the Award-Andrew Latta

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award supports our rangatahi to realise their potential, and to
develop life skills that will be the key to their future. Andrew Latta is one such Gold Awardee who can now open any door he likes.

Developing his leadership skills through his Award journey, Andrew was the proud head boy of
Wellington College in his last year at school. He was considered “exemplary” who “selflessly served”
his community as Head Boy, cultural leader, Student Council member and much more. He is a strong advocate for his peers and is always looking for ways to create opportunities for others to shine.
He is widely admired by his school community for his commitment to improving everyone’s understanding of Te Ao Māori, promoting the Arts, developing wellbeing initiatives, and most
importantly making everyone one he meets feel welcome and included.

His commitment to service is evident in his Award journey. From leading his school, to being a role
model in his Physical Recreation and Skills activities (Floorball, choral group, and Tennis), to
volunteering with clubs and organisations in his community like his secretariat role at Wellington
Floorball League. Admired for his punctuality and reliability, his communication skills shone, and the members of the club speak very highly of him: “Andrew is a dedicated young man and we have
appreciated having him as one of our team”.

Awarded a Gold Registration Scholarship by the Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award, Andrew
completed his Award with the support of Crimson Education. Crimson Education recognised
Andrew as outstanding by awarding him one of only five Te Ara a Kupe Beaton Scholarships- New Zealand’s only scholarship to support Māori high school students to gain admission to top global universities.

The scholarship was founded by Crimson Education CEO and Co-founder Jamie Beaton to encourage young Māori to embark on a journey to discover their greatest potential at the world’s most competitive universities. Jamie says of the Awardees: “our winners displayed a truly global outlook, among qualities of leadership, community-mindedness and resilience.” The scholarship was created to honour the adventurous spirit of Kupe, an eponymous Māori ancestor who first discovered New Zealand, and in so doing serves as a reminder to young Māori students of the incredible legacy of pioneering, bravery, and innovation that they can embody.

These skills are a key focus for the Award programme, as the Award journey allows students to lead
their own personal development. Our Gold Awardees carry these valuable lessons as they take the
next step into their futures, and Andrew is now studying Law and Science at University of Canterbury. He aims to continue to expand his horizons, and hopes his studies enable him to “work in an area involved with people and management, and to use my education to make a difference.”

His Gold Residential experience, participating in Hands On at Otago University, assisted Andrew in “making decisions about my potential career pathways”. The greatest ambition of the Award is to give its participants the confidence, skills, and determination to make what they can of their futures. It is clear to us that Andrew will have every success he wants.