BLAKE Inspire 2022

In 2022 we brought together 103 young environmental leaders from all over New Zealand for a week of adventure-based, experiential learning and leadership development in the Waikato and Auckland.

Students spent the week learning about topical environmental issues facing our country with a focus on climate change/Huringa āhurangi, Marine/Moana, Biodiversity/Rerenga rauropi and Freshwater/Wai Māori.

Assisted by environmental and business leaders,  scientists and experts in the field, students developed their own individual action plans to implement in their schools and communities.

In April, we hosted 36 young leaders in the Waikato, in August we brought together 32 young leaders in Auckland and later in the year we worked with a further 35 in the Waikato.

“The week was truly one of the best experiences of my life thus far. The young people and environmental leaders I have met were all incredible and inspiring individuals. I wish the week never ended. I feel more confident after attending BLAKE and am even more motivated to create change in the environmental space.”

– BLAKE Inspire 2022 delegate. 

Meet our April 2022 delegates

Aashmeen Jalaf

Hastings Girls’ High School

HAWKES BAY

Alexandria White

Hawera High School

TARANAKI

Anja Filip

Westlake Girls’ High School

AUCKLAND

Aria Gibson

Whakatane High School

BAY OF PLENTY

Ben Bridle

Scots College

WELLINGTON

Charlotte Prebble

St Margaret’s College

CANTERBURY

Ella Harvey

Paraparaumu College

WELLINGTON

Emily Cropp

Cashmere High School

CANTERBURY

Erana Ngarimu

St Mary’s College

WELLINGTON

Ethan Reille

Waitaki Boys’ High School

OTAGO

Georgia Livingstone

Massey University

MANAWATU

Helena Newman

Huanui College

NORTHLAND

Henrietta Finney-Waters

Otago Girls’ High School

OTAGO

Holly Taylor

Taradale High School

HAWKES BAY

Huia Wesling-Macgregor

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu

WELLINGTON

Jessica Beckford

Greymouth High School

WEST COAST

Joe Howells

Kerikeri High School

NORTHLAND

Katie Kinnaird

Waitaki Girls’ High School

OTAGO

Laura Dudley

University of Auckland

AUCKLAND

Lottie Moffat

New Plymouth Girls’ High School

TARANAKI

Maia Hulton-Wells

Tauranga Girls’ College

BAY OF PLENTY

Matthew Bolter

Otago Boys’ High School

OTAGO

Mia Shepherd

Whakatane High School

BAY OF PLENTY

Mikayla Robson

University of Otago

OTAGO

Nicola Stanton

Waitara High School

TARANAKI

Olivia Wentzell

Nelson College for Girls

NELSON/TASMAN

Phoebe Thomas

St Cuthbert’s College

AUCKLAND

Poppy Johnston-Coates

Hagley College

CANTERBURY

Raya Tietjens-Hotter

Wellington Girls College

WELLINGTON

Reon Morrison

Wesley College

AUCKLAND

Rhiannon Mackie

Hutt Valley High School

WELLINGTON

Ruby Potbury

Napier Girls’ High School

HAWKES BAY

Sam Stockley

Long Bay College

AUCKLAND

Sofia Newman

Gisborne Girls’ High School

GISBORNE

Una Drayton

Ruapehu College

MANAWATU

Willa McLachlan

Awatapu College

MANAWATU

Meet our August 2022 delegates

Alesha De Penning

Hauraki Plains College

WAIKATO

Alicia Webster

Rangi Ruru Girls’ College

CANTERBURY

Alivia McMurtry

Western Springs College

AUCKLAND

Ankia Van Zyl

Takapuna Grammar School

AUCKLAND

Anna Mikkelsen

Mercury Bay Area School

WAIKATO

Arabella Barber

Stratford High School

TARANAKI

Bridget Janes

St Mary’s College

WELLINGTON

Charlotte Billings

Whakatane High School

BAY OF PLENTY

Charlotte Hardy

Whanganui High School

MANAWATU

Dominic Lo

One Tree Hill College

AUCKLAND

Elka Drozdowski

Takapuna Grammar School

AUCKLAND

Elle Williams

Rangitoto College

AUCKLAND

Elsa Buckley

Whangarei Girls’ High School

NORTHLAND

Ethan Knights

Dunstan High School

OTAGO

Esta Chaplin

Karamu High School

HASTINGS

Fergus McMullan

St Kevin’s College

OTAGO

Georgia Taylor

Hastings Girls’ High School

HAWKES BAY

Gryffin Powell

Awatapu College

MANAWATU

Harriet Hartley-Pollard

Long Bay College

AUCKLAND

Henarata Kohere-Pishief

Gisborne Girls’ High School

GISBORNE

Kael Monoy

Ellesmere College

CANTERBURY

Kate Buchan

Otago Girls’ High School

OTAGO

Lilja Tinworth

Taupo-nui-a-Tia College

WAIKATO

Lily Rogers

Mana College

WELLINGTON

Lucia-Tui Bernards

Tawa College

WELLINGTON

Lucy Oliver

Baradene College

AUCKLAND

Madie Wilson

Fiordland College

SOUTHLAND

Ra Edmonds

Nayland College

NELSON

Rebecca Mahon

Otumoetai College

BAY OF PLENTY

Sam Norwood

Paraparaumu College

WELLINGTON

Tate Agnew

Takapuna Grammar School

AUCKLAND

Xandi Cooke

Scots College

WELLINGTON

Meet our October 2022 delegates

Alex Mangino

Western Springs College

AUCKLAND

Alexandra Simons

Taipa Area School

NORTHLAND

Alexis Greenfield

Henderson High School

AUCKLAND

Anika Stewart

Wairarapa College

WELLINGTON

Ayla Montgomerie

Cambridge High School

WAIKATO

Bella Muir

Whangamata Area School

BAY OF PLENTY

Brooke Honnor

Waitara High School

TARANAKI

Caragh Aspden

Cornerstone Christian School

MANAWATU

Charlie Rankin

Opunake High School

TARANAKI

Charm Tuala

De La Salle College

AUCKLAND

Christina Sieberhagen

Northcote College

AUCKLAND

Claire Sparrow

Collingwood Area School

NELSON/TASMAN

Fleur Lassale

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu

TAURANGA

Georgia Hay

Onehunga High School

AUCKLAND

Grace Cinque

Samuel Marsden Collegiate School

WELLINGTON

Grace Sayer

Karamu High School

HAWKES BAY

Hannah Holloway

Wellington East Girls’ College

WELLINGTON

Hannah Walker

Solway College

WELLINGTON

Jack McKenzie

Mount Hutt College

CANTERBURY

Joey O'Neil

Waiuku College

AUCKLAND

Kate McIntosh

Long Bay College

AUCKLAND

Lucy McLean

Palmerston North Girl’s High School

MANAWATU

Maddalena Dal Sasso

Wellington Girls’ College

WELLINGTON

Maioha Walker

Te Kura Maori o Nga Tapuwae

AUCKLAND

Matt Buckeridge

Lindisfarne College

HAWKES BAY

Mena Falefata

One Tree Hill College

AUCKLAND

Molly Laurence

Lincoln High School

CANTERBURY

Myah Gallichan

Ngaruawahia High School

WAIKATO

Nicola Post

St Hilda’s Collegiate School

OTAGO

Nikita Cameron-Bennett

Paraparaumu College

WELLINGTON

Nora Paicu

Columba College

OTAGO

Sofia Druce

Dunstan High School

OTAGO

Tamara Livingstone

Marlborough Girls’ College

MARLBOROUGH

Tatairangi Baker

Takapuna Grammar School

AUCKLAND

Tyler Finau

Campion College

GISBORNE