Stars students, mentors, teachers and whānau gathered recently to celebrate at the Stars Graduation for 2022.

Stars Coordinator, Gemma Miller, and Stars Manutaki, Kessia Neal and Greta Marshall all reflected on the year that has been, and the impact that the Stars Peer Mentors have had on their Year 9 Whānau Classes (and themselves!)

Kessia shared “Throughout my Stars journey, my confidence has continued to increase. Confidence is just one example of the skills Stars has taught me. Others include self-worth, my strengths, teamwork, leadership and communication. I found Stars is such a worthwhile programme, and I would hands down recommend it to students in the coming years. The life lessons, friendships and strengths I discovered from Stars will help me in my future endeavors”.

Greta reflected that “As we did not get the chance as Year 9s to experience having peer mentors, having the ability to be a mentor for the Year 9 students arriving at MGC felt like a special opportunity to ensure their transition to high school went smoothly. The role of being a Stars mentor consists of giving reassurance, comfort and welcoming the students with open arms. Stars gave me the chance to learn for myself, resilience, how to better my own wellbeing, and learn about maintaining positive mental health. Stars not only gave me confidence in myself but also provided me with great experience with leadership. It has been an honour to be a part of the programme for two years and I have appreciated every moment.”

Fenella Cooney (Year 9) shared with the audience her story of what a difference Stars has made for her. “I was very very nervous and overwhelmed when coming with a fresh start to Marlborough Girls’. But it was a big relief seeing our Stars mentors and I remember the first time we saw them and my classmates flooded them with questions. All I can say is that we were all very grateful for the understanding point of view from experienced students.”

The Stars Peer Mentors all received recognition for their brilliant efforts over the 2022 year. Some special awards were also presented on the night. These awards were:

• Kindness and Compassion Award: Alise Pettigrew and Sophie Ridley-Scott

• Engagement of Year 9s Award: Temiah Cyster and Mckenzie Snowden

• Leadership Progression Award: Neha Jat and Delyth James-Sitters

• Most Outstanding Stars Peer Mentor: Charlie Richmond

Tremendous thanks to all those who supported the Stars programme in 2022 – especially Marlborough Lines who are the Principal Sponsor for the Stars Mahi Tahi Days delivered by the Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough and MGC at the Outward Bound site at Anakiwa.