Teens earn PM's praises

Photo: SHANE WENZLICK

PLEASED TO MEET YOU: Rory Heemi from Beachlands talks to Prime Minister John Key at the holiday programme’s prizegiving.

A group of south Auckland teenagers who've turned over a new leaf haven't gone unnoticed.

Even the prime minister knows about them.

In fact, John Key turned up to congratulate them at a special prizegiving ceremony last week.

The prime minister’s Youth Holiday Programme rewards teenagers from west and south Auckland who have overcome adversity and made positive life changes.

SENZ Charitable Trust general manager Barrett Ruakere was responsible for looking after a group of 26 Manukau boys chosen to take part in the programme.

Rory Heemi, 17, from Beachlands was nominated by his youth officer.

"I got in a bit of trouble a few years ago and he knew I’d changed," he says.

All the boys on their programme are "people who have done something wrong but have shown remorse", Rory says.

Seventeen-year-old Benjamin Silipa from Mangere was nominated after he got into trouble with the law and then turned his life around.

The boys had an action-packed week, riding in V8 supercars, sailing on an America’s Cup boat and attended a training session with the Auckland Blues.

The week finished with an activities day and prizegiving at Waitakere Trusts Stadium where Mr Key presented all the participants with a certificate.

"We’ve had the week of our life," Rory says.

And getting to meet Mr Key was a highlight for the boys.

"He’s a pretty cool dude," says Benjamin.

The holiday programme aims to increase the resilience of young people and for Rory and Benjamin, that’s definitely the case.

Benjamin is a year 13 student at Aorere College and plans to go on to tertiary education – maybe to do mechanics because he "likes cars".

Rory is now doing a carpentry course but is keen to go back to school and hopes doing the programme will help.

"Hopefully the school sees I’ve changed. I used to not give a stuff about anything – now it’s different."

- © Fairfax NZ News