Five young Kaipara students have taken out the Northland YES Awards. Tahi Wai from Dargaville High School was announced at the winner of the Top Energy Award for Northland YES Company of the Year on Saturday night at Copthorne Resort & Hotel Bay of Islands. The awards celebrated the success of students in the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme.

Tahi Wai have created a new bottled water brand, using a bottle which is biodegradable. It can be thrown in the compost once empty and will break down without any contamination. The bottles are being sold throughout the Kaipara and can be labelled for corporate use.

Tahi Wai also won the Northern Advocate Award for Excellence in Communication and the Gilmore Brown Award for Excellence in Financial Management.

Tahi Wai will travel to Wellington in December to represent Northland at the National YES Awards.

Other winners included:

1. •NorthTec Award for Excellence in Business Management: Chur, Taipa Area School (record label featuring performances by Ahomairangi)
   

2. •Northern Advocate Award for Excellence in Communication: Tahi Wai, Dargaville High School (bottled water made in biodegradable sipper bottles)
   

3. •Northpower Award for Excellence in Technology: Spil, Taipa Area School (organic mandarin-flavoured lip balm)
   

4. •Gilmore Brown Award for Excellence in Financial Management: Tahi Wai, Dargaville High School
   

5. •Dave Templeton Award for Commitment: Favoloso, Kaitaia College (colour-changing bikinis)
   

6. •Manaaki Solutions Award for Best Maori YES Business: Chur, Taipa Area School
   

Top Energy Award for YES Company of the Year:

1. •1st: Tahi Wai, Dargaville High School
   

2. •2nd: Wrap and Gap, Whangarei Girls’ High School (heatproof case for hair straighteners)
   

3. •3rd: Favoloso, Kaitaia College]
   

Photos are available here.