When Rudy Tuhaka attended the Services Academy Basic Leaders Course last month, he didn’t expect to walk out of it with the highest honour.
From June 8-12, the Hauraki Plains College Services Academy took part in a leadership course at the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Base in Ohakea. Following a week of lessons on planning, leadership qualities, time management and hard graft, Rudy swept up the Top Student Award.
“It was a massive surprise,” the 16 year old leader told The Profile.
“It means a lot also that my hard work has paid off. I think I am still in shock as it was so unexpected because I was amongst so many with good leadership qualities.
“I couldn’t have done it without the support of the people in the academy,” he said.
The impact the award had on Rudy as a Services Academy student was great.
“The bar is much higher now, so I have to maintain the high standard and strive for excellence. My next goal is [to be the] top student in the country,” he said.
His Hauraki Services Academy fellows also snapped up high praise for their performances: Adam Kelly achieved second overall, Zach Siemers was fourth overall and Jerick Quintal and Tristan Holt collected a joint Runners Up Award for Most Improved.
Rudy said one of the greatest challenges during the course was when he questioned his abilities in the first few days.
“To overcome it I just followed what my dad has always told me: ‘I can, I will, I am’.”
He believed communication and social awareness of others were his skills that “shine brightest”.
“I definitely have come away with a lot more confidence in leading.
“It has encouraged me to take every opportunity that is presented to me because you never know what doors are going to open in life,” he said.
Rudy was encouraged in his leadership from different people in his life but mainly his parents, Staff Dodds and Matua Normie, who “definitely gave me lots of opportunities” through Kapa Hapa and Te Reo.
He hoped to use the skills and foundations he learned by implementing effective communication, using everybody’s strengths and weaknesses and in turn “help them grow as individuals.”
Rudy said his goals were to be Head Boy, “hopefully captain” the First XV in 2027 and lead his peers to winning the Coulter Cup.
By DAVIDDA HIKATANGATA
