A day of inspiration and talk of the next generation of leaders
Yvonne Bowater of Bowater Hyundai with Netball Royalty Bernice Mene at the event celebrating the Pinnacle Programme and all that it has done for our community.The Pinnacle Programme is all about inspiration. Taking our high achieving children and teaching them the pathways that lead to being the best version of themselves. Shining a light on those teenagers capable of achieving great great things, but doing so with full support and guidance.
Tuesday 29th August was a great day for all involved. It represented the next stage of investment for a room full of potential top of the south applicants, and gratification for businesses like Bowater Hyundai that focus heavily on supporting the community. It was a day packed full of inspiration and glimpses of the support and guidance successful applicants would get access to.
At the core of the Pinnacle Programme is Bernice Mene and her board; a dedicated group of high achievers that have personal experience in making it to the top of their respective fields. They know the hard yards. They have lived them. They also know how hard it is to succeed, and the help along the way that can completely change the outcome for an aspiring and passionate teen. With the help of Hyundai New Zealand they have put up their hands to help guide the next generation of future leaders into a bright future.
The day of events, held in conjunction with the always accommodating NMIT, served as a platform to hear from both Bernice Mene and current local Pinnacle Programme recipient, the amazing artist and leader Grace Wiegand. A chance to inspire. A chance to celebrate. A chance to embrace new opportunities.
The gathered crowd enjoying the hospiality of the NMIT Hospitality Students whilst learning more about the Pinnacle Programme and those organisations that support it on a local level like Bowater Hyundai.On a local level Nelson and Tasman has been well represented by Pinnacle Programme recepients since it's inception in 2005. This is the second time in the last few years that Pinnacle Programme manager Bernice Mene has come down to Nelson to give a presentation. As she mentioned in her speech, this is a direct response to the hard work put into the programme at a local level by the team at Bowater Hyundai. They feel confident working with Hyundai businesses at a local level that are willing to step up and participate in national programme that is changing lives.
Bowater Hyundai are very proud to be able to be a part of a programme such as Pinnacle, and work hard to support those local recipients back in their "home town".
With the vast degree of community partnerships that the Bowater Motor Group has through it's multi generational support of the area since 1945, those working behind the scenes at Bowater Hyundai are able to connect the dots for recepients such as Grace. It was established at the Pinnacle Programme that Grace would flourish with a local arts mentor, so Yvonne Bowater put Grace in touch with local artist Sally Barron and thus a fantastic relationship of mentoring and support was born.
Pinnacle Programme manager and former Silver Fern Bernice Mene said there were currently 63 teenagers in the programme throughout New Zealand aged between 15 and 18.
She said the fully-funded programme was a way of "giving back to the community ... it's about building tomorrow's leaders".
"I love it. You really see the students in the programme growing and at different stages and at different rates."
Quite often the inspired, motivated and high achieving are under catered for within the "guidance" sector. Much focus is placed on those at risk youth at the other end of the spectrum. Hyundai New Zealand's Howard Spencer saw a need to provide support and guidance to exceptional youth in the sporting and arts arena, and the seed of the Pinnacle Programme was born. Now, many years later, the local teenagers of our region are enjoying the benefits of participating in such a programme, and it is not just confined to sports and arts. It comes down to those that have a real passion for life, and have the ability to succeed to get motivated and apply. Each year 20 students are selected to join the programme, with passions ranging these days from astronomy, to business, to sports and media creation. It comes to down an ability to succeed and to excel.
For those interested in learning more they can contact the team at Bowater Hyundai on 03 5458032 or head straight to the Pinnacle Programme website by clicking here.
Yvonne Bowater (Bowater Hyundai), Laura Loghry (Wild Tomato) Tayla Jury (Hyundai NZ) at the Pinnacle Programme event at NMIT.
