Get to know Reet and Nicole - Two of the SADD leaders at Mount Albert Grammar School (MAGS)
Recently Mia (SADD’s Delivery Lead based in Auckland), caught up with two of the awesome young leaders at MAGS to have a chat and get to know them a bit more. Read on below to gain insight into some more of the students around NZ who are involved with SADD!
Mia: “Hi Nicole and Reet, it is nice meeting you. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. First things first: What do you do, where are you from, and which school do you go to?”
Reet: “I’m a year 13 student, originally from Bangalore India. I go to Mount Albert Grammar School in Auckland.”
Nicole: “I’m a year 13 student and I’ve lived in NZ my whole life. I also go to Mt Albert Grammar School.”
Mia: “Awesome, the next question is one of my favourites. What is your favourite subject at school and why?”
Reet: “Health Science. I like how we address so many issues, discuss consequences and consider strategies to overcome them while having a focus on an individual’s and the community’s well being.”
Nicole: “My favourite subject is probably physics. I love that it combines my love of maths with hands-on activities and it has real-world applications for any time. I also love the problem-solving aspect of it and how it challenges me.”
Mia: “Wow, science is very complex and interesting. When did you join SADD and why?”
Reet: “I joined SADD in 2020. I was curious to know what it was about and road safety is something that is such a big issue that needs to be looked at, that acted as another motivating factor to be a part of the movement.”
Nicole: “I joined SADD in 2019 because I was starting to learn how to drive and I wanted to drive safely myself as well as encourage others to do so as well. I also know a lot of young people may not think before driving to check if they are going to stay safe and I wanted to raise awareness that people are not always fit to drive and doing so could cause a lot of harm to not only them but those around them.”
Mia: “That is great to hear. You both made it through 2020, probably one of the most challenging years for all of us. How often do you meet in a group and what topics do you discuss? What is the fun part? :)”
Both: “Our group consists of around 60-70 members and we meet about 3-4 times a term to discuss fundraising, and events at MAGS to promote road safety. Because our group is massive, we get to hear a lot of different perspectives and seeing how passionate people are, just makes it all the more better!”
Mia: “Fantastic! This is by far our biggest SADD group in the whole of New Zealand (that we know of). We are already in the middle of the year, what are your plans for SADD?”
Both: “We are looking at organising our MAGS SADD week as a part of the SAFER September Campaign. We’re looking at poster competitions, lunchtime quizzes and activities, getting NZ Police in with the police bus for some more activities, and potentially workshops! We also make ‘ball packs’ that consist of information cards, keychains and goodies from Auckland Transport to promote road safety for year 13s at the end of the year.”
Mia: “I look forward to seeing your SADD week during our SAFER September campaign. What are the biggest challenges you face when spreading awareness about SADD at your school?”
Both: “Probably the size of the school. Because we have over 3,000 students, it’s hard to reach everyone and spread awareness as whole school activities are not possible. Instead, we have to focus on smaller groups of people which makes it easy to miss people or miss information when talking to different groups.”
Mia: “I can imagine that it must be hard to reach out to such a large number of students. You are doing a great job. Despite working hard we all need a break. What is your favourite holiday destination?”
Reet: “My favourite holiday destination would be Paihia in the bay of islands. It has a really nice vibe and it’s always fun to drive up there for a little getaway!”
Nicole: “My favourite holiday destination is Mangawhai, a town between Auckland and Whangarei on the East Coast. I love it there because there are so many things to do and try from surfing to water skiing to jumping into plunge pools.”
Mia: “Finally, to wrap things up, do you have any key message for your mates on how to stay safe on the road?”
Both: “Just the general reminders around wearing your seatbelt, being mindful and focussed when driving, avoiding distractions, looking out for other road users, etc. Just these little things can make a big difference when it comes to staying safe on the road.”
We love putting the spotlight on our amazing SADD leaders from all around Aotearoa, drop us a line if you would like to get involved with, or featured on our blog!