Hastings Boys’ High celebrates their Race Unity champion

There was a wonderful atmosphere of celebration at Hastings Boys’ High School on 10 August, when a special school assembly was held to honour Head Boy Amanjot Singh and celebrate his outstanding achievement at this year’s National Race Unity Speech Awards.

Amanjot was named the national champion at the Race Unity Speech Awards earlier this year for his speech, The Courtroom of Life. Centred on racism, identity, and the importance of looking beyond outward appearances to truly understand one another, his speech also became a source of pride for the Punjabi community.

The special school assembly provided an opportunity for Amanjot to deliver his winning speech once again, this time before his own school community, and to formally receive the national awards he had earned.

Police Eastern District Commander Superintendent Joel Lamb attended to present Amanjot with Tohu Raukura ā-Motu – the NZ Police National Champion’s Award.

Police Eastern District Commander Superintendent Joel Lamb making his speech

Pam Hollows, one of the Hawke’s Bay’s regional coordinators of the Race Unity Speech Awards and a member of the local Bahá’í community, presented two further awards on behalf of their respective organisations: Tohu Whetumatarau – the Ministry for Ethnic Communities Award for Vision, and Tohu Manaakitanga – the Manukau Institute of Technology and Unitec Award for Manaakitanga.

Presentation of Tohu Whetumatarau to Amanjot by Pamela Hollows on behalf of the Ministry for Ethnic Communities

The occasion was made especially memorable by the welcome extended by Hastings Boys’ High School. Before moving into the auditorium for Amanjot’s speech and the presentation of his awards, guests were honoured with a powerful haka and moving waiata.

Amanjot presenting his speech to the school assembly.

Among those invited to share in the occasion were members of the local Bahá’í community Thabo Khumalo, Viliami Lolo, Pam Hollows and Bev Rennie, alongside the School Principal, Amanjot’s supportive teacher Mrs Heidi Ormsby, Superintendent Lamb and other Police representatives (see feature photo).

For the local Bahá’í friends present, it was a particularly joyous occasion and a wonderful opportunity to see the aims of the Race Unity Speech Awards finding expression within a school community. Through Amanjot’s words, themes of race unity and understanding and our shared humanity were brought before his fellow students in a very powerful way.

The warmth with which the school celebrated Amanjot’s achievement was a fitting recognition of an exceptional young speaker and of the important message he chose to share. Congratulations once again to Amanjot on this outstanding achievement, and to Hastings Boys’ High School for celebrating it in such a meaningful way.

Video of Amanjot Singh’s winning Speech

You can watch a video of the winning speech below:

Feature photo: L-R Inspector Damin Ormsby, Superintendent Joel Lamb, Constable Paul Wrigley, Amanjot Singh, Thabo Khumalo, Pamela Hollows, Heidi Ormsby - Assistant Head of English, Viliami Lolo, Headmaster M.P. Summerfield.