Young environment leader

by PETER OWENS
GORE — Jacob Phillips is a year six student of St Peter’s
College Gore. Like many other young people, Jacob has a strong interest in the southern environment and the changes in the environment as time passes.

It was this strong interest that led to Jacob being selected,
with 49 other students from throughout New Zealand, for the Sir Peter Blake EnviroLeaders forum to be held in Wellington at the end of April. The focus of this year’s forum will be ocean health and
climate change.
The students at the forum will join the Sir Peter Blake Trust and
the Ministry for the Environment for an “urban expedition” through the greater Wellington Region. It is said that in this way they will gain “hands on” experience of climate change and ocean health.
Jacob and the other students will also have opportunities to meet
and engage with other people who have similar interests. The
students at the forum will hear expert and specialist speakers, as
well as business and community leaders.
Jacob said he hopes to become a hunting guide when he leaves school and that this deep-seated interest in the southern environment
stems from that goal.
In an aim to achieve his goal to be a hunting guide, Jacob said
he is taking part in the Gateway Programme.
This programme is for senior students to teach them basic skills in a structured workplace of their choice.
He said that he sees the opportunity to attend the Sir Peter Blake
Trust Forum as a chance to broaden his environmental horizons.