Meet Our Youth Jury

Clockwise from top left: Claude, Otto, Nelly, Sebastien’s cat Reign, Rosie, Mia, Isla.
Since March of this year, WORD Christchurch has been working with a group of seven young people to workshop ideas for our 2020 Spring festival. Our Youth Jurors are at different stages in their lives, they have different backgrounds and passions, and they spend their time doing different things, but having come together to talk family, education, race, sexuality, and more, they discovered a shared interest in issues of accessibility and a shared desire for relaxed spaces in which to learn and relate. For this year’s festival, our Youth Jury has programmed two events that reflect these interests: In Other Words explores commonalities and differences across all three of Aotearoa-New Zealand’s official languages, and For You(th) is all about providing opportunities for young people to experiment, to engage with each other, and to be in control of their own festival experience. We are so proud of our 2020 Youth Jury, and we are so excited to develop our Youth Jury project in the years to come!
Hi, I’m Claude Tellick. Reading has always been a passion for me, and working with others to share this passion has been a joy.
My name is Otto Elworthy. I’m fourteen years old and the eldest of four boys. I am currently studying at Christ’s College, and my passions include reading, drawing, and writing.
Hello, I’m Nelly Campbell, a fifteen-year-old who adores being silly and who has a passion for writing, drama, and animals.
Hey there, I’m Reign, and my owner is Sebastien West. He’s a nurse, and he loves young adult fiction, sci-fi/fantasy, and medical memoirs. He should probably learn to leave work at work.
Rosie Cruickshank is a sixteen-year-old Cashmere High School student with a passion for writing, poetry, and the world of stories.
Mia Sutherland is an environmentalist who uses her skills in writing to influence positive change. She is an advocate for youth engagement in civics and the city. In her free time she is an avid reader.
Ko Isla Reeves tōku ingoa, he uri au nō Ngāti Uenuku.
Supported by Rata Foundation
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