Mount Aspiring College Year 12 students Max Hall and Leo Munro Heward have both recently received awards recognising their contributions to the community in leadership, acceptance and encouragement for all. The teens caught up with the Wanaka App this week.

Leo was the recipient of a Giving Back Award in the leadership category at the 2017 New Zealand Youth Awards, while Max received a Diana Award, an international award for young role models who are "selflessly transforming the lives of others”.

Among other things, the two 16-year-old students are active members of Sticks ‘n’ Stones, a student group dedicated to promoting positive action online. Max became a member in Year 9 while Leo joined in Year 10. "We raise awareness about what can happen online for young people and also in real life,” Leo said.

Max decided to join Sticks ‘n’ Stones after observing bullying happening around him. "I have never been a bully and I have never been bullied myself, but after witnessing bullying happening around me it occurred to me that something wasn’t right, and that it had to change,” Max said.

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Leo, on the other hand, had experienced bullying firsthand when he was in primary school. "I didn’t want anyone to go through what I went through. It was a short experience for me, but it was still a bullying experience,” Leo said.

Leo traveled to Wellington to receive his award at Parliament alongside other nationally-recognised youth. His Wellington-based uncle attended the awards ceremony with him.

"It was an incredibly proud moment and an amazing moment,” Leo said. "There are some phenomenal things that young people are doing in this country”.

Max was one of just two Kiwis ever to receive a Diana Award. He said he was surprised to receive the award. "Everyone in Sticks ‘n’ Stones is so phenomenal in what they do in their work so it could have been anyone,” Max said. "It was very honouring.”

Neither Max nor Leo thought there was a lot of "serious” bullying in Wanaka, but there was definitely teasing and lesser forms of bullying going on.

"MAC is a very mellow school and a mellow town, but we do have quite a lot of teasing and people can be very judgemental,” Max said. "You’ve got bullying and then there’s what comes underneath it.”

Their work with Sticks ‘n’ Stones encourages acceptance for all people. Both Max and Leo are also active in the community outside of their work with Sticks ‘n’ Stones.

Max is an artist and particularly enjoys painting and photography. He’s spent time teaching painting at primary school. He also enjoys acting, which he started doing at a very young age, and likes outdoor activities like rock climbing, mountain biking and kayaking.

Leo loves to dance, focusing mainly on jazz, hip hop and contemporary styles and teaches dance to primary school-age kids. He also loves to sing and spends a lot of time online. After finishing school Leo hopes to study Performing Arts at University.

The Wanaka’ Sticks ‘n’ Stones group has 18 permanent members who meet weekly or fortnightly. They are currently setting up a peer support programme at MAC, and also promote events through the school including Random Acts of Kindness Day and Pink Shirt Day - which is coming up later this month (May 26).

PHOTO: Wanaka App