This is the 8th year of the annual Kate Edger Foundation creative School Competition sponsored by Timeless Images photography and The Graduation Place (formerly known as Academic Dress Hire). Once again, the entries received showed that we have an amazing pool of young talent in the creative arts. The judges were delighted with the variety and creativity in the interpretation of this year’s theme “Celebrating Milestones”.
We choose the theme this year, in recognition of Kate Edger Foundations own milestone, we are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year of funding women’s education. Through uplifting women, our goal is uplift whānau, communities and more.
Thank you to all our entrants who took the time to share their stories and creativity, and congratulations to our finalists and winners.
The Kate Edger Foundation would like to thank our judges for the time and effort they put into the difficult task of selecting the winning entries:
- Lisa Harrington – Sponsor and owner of Timeless Images photography
- Fiona Jack – Artist, Head of Elam College
- Carmel Bennett – MusicHelps Coordinator and Event Creative
- Garth Badger – Artist & Creative
- Christina Sayers Wickstead – Writer & Creative Director
- Nina Tomazsyk – General Manager of The Graduation Place and Kate Edger Foundation
“ Celebrating Milestones“
Announcing Our Winning Entry:
Many thanks to Timeless Images and The Graduation Place (formerly Academic Dress Hire), proud sponsors of our annual School Competition.
Winning Entries Received:
- 1st $1,000 Cash Prize
- 2nd $500 Cash Prize
- 3rd $300 Cash Prize
Highly Commended x2 $100
Celebrating Milestones - Top Entries & Finalists
Congratulations to our Winning Entries
1st – Isla Robinson
KeriKeri High School
Written Piece
“There are many types of milestones that we experience throughout our lives, but for me, the most prominent were the ones that I did not experience. I have had to take a lot of time off from school over the past few years due to sickness, and because of that, I had to repeat a year of school. This resulted in me watching as everyone I have grown up with since daycare, graduate from high school and move on with their lives without me. In this piece, I have tried my best to show some of my experiences.”
2nd – Mary Lou Carswell
Northcote College
Photography
” Celebrating a milestone – Literally. ”
3rd – Regan Mare
Ruawai College
Painting
” This piece celebrates the milestone of youth using their voices to create change. I was inspired by Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke’s haka in Parliament. This piece honours a moment of protest, culture, and courage. I think this marks a milestone for Aotearoa where young people stand proudly to protect Te Tiriti and show that being Māori is something to celebrate ”
Highly Commended – Ana Tupou
Pukekohe High School
Artwork
”This joyful family portrait celebrates a special milestone. Capturing generations united in love and laughter. Marking the occasion with smiles and warmth, the image reflects lasting bonds, shared history, and the importance of coming together for meaningful moments.”
Highly Commended –
Manurewa High School
Poem – ‘ The Soil Took Everything’
”A farmer’s child shares the quiet struggles of a life shaped by poverty and sacrifice. Despite the pain, they hold on to small victories and hope. This poem is a tribute to unseen lives, a seed planted in hopes the world will finally remember those who feed it.”
The Kate Edger Foundation (KEF) supports the promotion, advancement, and encouragement of women within education, whether it be for research and professional activities, or for artistic and creative activities. KEF is one of the largest supporters of women’s tertiary education in New Zealand, providing financial assistance of approximately $600,000 to over 100 women annually – through scholarships, grants and awards. Funding primarily comes from the proceeds from The Graduation Place, as well as generous private individuals and partner sponsors.
For further information, please contact:
Nina Tomaszyk | General Manager | Kate Edger Foundation
Email: manager@kateedgerfoundation.org.nz
They gathered this morning in polished shoes and bright eyes. Their voices lifted in celebration, bright smiles flashing as parents captured every step into a new world. It’s supposed to be a day of joy. A milestone. One they’ve earned.
And once, I was part of that story.
Everyone looks different now. Older, somehow. Not just in the way people grow, but in the way people move on. I see their new books, their new clothes, and realize I no longer recognize them. I suppose I’ve aged too, but not in the same way. We may share a number, but I lost a year, one I’ll never get back.
And when you’re young, a year isn’t just time. It’s everything.
They’ve moved forward while I’ve been left chasing something I’ll never reach. For the old, a year might pass unnoticed. But for us, it rewrites everything. When you watch all you’ve known walk away, it’s hard not to lose parts of yourself too.
Through the classroom window, I watch them leave for good. I try to be happy for them. I try so hard, it aches. But it’s hard to celebrate someone else’s beginning when you’re still grieving your pause.
They speak of life unfolding, like it’s promised, like you just follow the steps. But those steps were taken from me.
Now I stand still, learning how to hurt.
As they reach their milestone, I remain behind, still watching.
And as the people I grew up with walk into their futures, all I can think is:
Please don’t leave me.
But they already have.
From the artist:
“There are many types of milestones that we experience throughout our lives, but for me, the most prominent were the ones that I did not experience. I have had to take a lot of time off from school over the past few years due to sickness, and because of that, I had to repeat a year of school. This resulted in me watching as everyone I have grown up with since daycare graduate from high school and move on with their lives without me. In this piece, I have tried my best to show some of my experiences.”
Isla Robinson
KeriKeri High School
From the artist:
“Celebrating a milestone – Literally.”
Mary Lou Carswell
Northcote College
From the artist:
This piece celebrates the milestone of youth using their voices to create change. I was inspired by Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke’s haka in Parliament. This piece honours a moment of protest, culture, and courage. I think this marks a milestone for Aotearoa, where young people stand proudly to protect Te Tiriti and show that being Māori is something to celebrate.
Regan Mare
Ruawai College
From the artist:
‘This joyful family portrait celebrates a special milestone. Capturing generations united in love and laughter. Marking the occasion with smiles and warmth, the image reflects lasting bonds, shared history, and the importance of coming together for meaningful moments.’
Ana Tupou
Pukekohe High School
The Soil Took Everything
My family doesn’t measure life in years —
we measure it in harvests that almost failed.
In roofs that didn’t collapse.
In children who stayed.
In mornings where no one skipped a meal.
That’s what survival looks like here:
quiet victories no one claps for.
I was born into soil already aching.
Taught to count with storms,
not numbers.
One for the typhoon that drowned the granary.
Two for the month we sold the cow.
Three — for the year my brother
left school because Market Price
said our dreams cost too much.
Do you know what it’s like
to grow food for a country
and still go to bed hungry?
To carry sacks heavier than your worth
so, someone else can eat?
To watch your mother
choose between medicine and rice
and call it a normal day?
Still, we mark our milestones.
A name scratched on a rice sack.
A laugh in a quiet kitchen.
A father home safe.
A child who dares to hope.
And me —
a farmer’s son,
planting this poem like a seed
in a world that forgot we were here.
If no one else will remember us,
let the earth remember.
Let this, too,
be a harvest.
From the artist:
A farmer’s child shares the quiet struggles of a life shaped by poverty and sacrifice. Despite the pain, they hold on to small victories and hope. This poem is a tribute to unseen lives, a seed planted in hopes the world will finally remember those who feed it.
Darzel Martinez
Manurewa High School
From the artist:
‘This piece (acrylic on wet-strength) marks both my growth as a person and an artist. Inspired in part by Michelangelo’s ‘The Creation of Adam’, I give life to my creativity. This year, I’m learning to let go of restraints and work through perfectionism, so I have room to flourish. Growth like this takes time, my work represents not only where I’ve been, and what I’ve experienced, but where I’m going, and how I’m choosing to change. It is the floor beneath my feet.’
Em Clement
Selwyn College
From the author:
This work celebrates the moment of stepping into change. A personal milestone of risk, rebellion, and self-expression. Four anthropomorphic cats run from control and expectation, watched by powerless authority. The floating spray can, like a divine tool, symbolises creative freedom and the power to shape our future. A milestone of becoming the artist of one’s own life.
Kate Sherlock
Botany Downs Secondary School
Barakah (Blessings)
Before the dawn has kissed the skies,
Before the city blinks its eyes,
A sacred call begins to rise –
“Allahu Akbar” fills the air,
A woven song of love and prayer.
The adhaan echoes through the streets,
A trembling calm within its beats,
Calling hearts to leave their sleep,
To stand as one, to bow, to weep,
In gratitude for days gone past,
In hope these mercies always last.
I step inside the mosque’s embrace,
Bare feet upon its patterned grace,
And join the rows where shoulders meet,
In silent bonds and whispered peace.
Here voices lift in warm salaam,
Here hearts return to where they’re from.
The imam’s words flow deep and clear,
Reminding us why we are here,
That Eid is more than feast or gold,
It’s prayer, tears and faith retold,
A milestone carved from fasting’s ways,
A garden born from Ramadan’s days.
Outside the sun begins to bloom,
Children’s laughter fills the room,
Henna flowers everywhere,
And scents of rose attar in the air.
For Eid has come to lift our hearts,
To gift each soul a brand new start.
At night its peace within me stays,
A moonlit prayer, a quiet praise.
From the author:
‘My poem explores the milestone of Eid after 30 days of fasting in Ramadan. I wrote about this because Ramadan is a month I eagerly await – a time to grow closer to Allah, purify my heart, and become better. It’s also a reminder that some souls return to our Creator during this blessed month, leaving legacies of faith.’
Rida Rahman
Auckland Girls Grammar School
From the artist:
‘These photos are both my dad on his 3rd birthday and then 57 years later on his 60th birthday. They summarize the evolution of change that happens when you grow, and the connection of the same celebration between each photo. It also highlights the same expression seen on my dad as a child and in the present day which creates a mirroring expression to compare with the two different time periods.’
Olive Sherriff
Northcote College
The Step That Changed Everything
I still remember the way my hands shook when I clicked “submit” on my university application. It might sound small, but for me, that was a milestone I never thought I’d reach.
No one in my family had ever been to university. My parents came to New Zealand to give us a better life, and even though we didn’t have much, they gave us love, faith, and strength. I grew up watching them work long hours, sacrificing their dreams so I could chase mine.
For a long time, I didn’t believe I was smart enough. I stayed quiet in class, doubted myself, and let fear hold me back. But slowly, things changed. A teacher told me, “Your voice matters.” A friend said, “You’re more capable than you think.” Little by little, I started to believe it too.
Clicking “submit” wasn’t just about applying-it was about choosing to believe in myself. It was a moment that said, “I can do this.” That step meant more than getting into uni. It meant breaking a cycle. It meant making my family proud. It meant becoming the first in our line to walk across a graduation stage someday.
From the artist:
‘I’m entering the KEF Creative Competition to share a milestone that changed my life, applying to university as the first in my family. I want to express how small steps can lead to big dreams, and how believing in yourself can break barriers. This story celebrates growth, hope, and the journey toward a brighter future.’
Sera Uelese
Auckland Girls Grammar School
Artist Summary:
With four different faces that represent various feelings and expressions from my life, this artwork is inspired from the changes that have occurred throughout my journey. The middle figure is bright and looking directly at the observer, while the two left faces show loneliness. In the background, the right face is grinning at her friends and is happy.
Belinda Zhong
Macleans College
BUTTERFLY
One of the many problems teenagers face today is insecurity. We worry about how we look or how we talk. We compare ourselves to others and feel like we are not good enough. That is how I felt for a long time.
For me, insecurity was not loud. It was silent. Like a background noise I could not switch off.
I never really felt special. I was not the smartest or the prettiest. I didn’t think I had anything that made me stand out. People would say things like, “You are so nice” or “You are such a good listener.” But I didn’t think that meant much. I thought that they were just being polite.
Everything started to change when I met the right people. I became friends with people who saw me differently. They did not make me feel like I had to be louder or funnier. They liked me for who I already was. For the first time, I felt that I was enough.
I once came across a quote by Naya Rivera, “Butterflies can’t see their own wings. They can’t see how truly beautiful they are, but everyone else can. People are like that as well.” And it stayed with me. Many of us are butterflies. We can’t see anything special about ourselves, but others can. We’ve been so focused on what we were not, that we did not see what we were.
That is when I realised that I had been in the wrong crowd. I had to surround myself with the right people. People who would not work to change my flaws but love me for them. With the help of the right friends, I started believing that I was enough. I stopped hiding my thoughts. I stopped changing myself for the people around me and started to embrace who I really was. Who I am.
from the artist:
‘My entry is a written piece about how I used to feel invisible and not good enough, but after meeting the right people and seeing a quote by Naya Rivera, I started to see my own worth and slowly overcame my insecurities.’
Janel Casey Sumajestad
Manurewa High School
“Three years, huh?”
“Yep… Three years.”
It didn’t feel that long, but three years ago tonight; an ailment-free, brown-haired, side-parted, supposed lesbian was asking out someone who was their crush since the first year of intermediate school. So, all in all, it’s been seven-ish years of being in love with this girl.
To admit it is almost shameful. I’m still pining after receiving what I’d longed for, but that’s just how love is, I suppose. One sometimes can’t get enough of the object of their affections. It’s been three years of careful, private moments and barely kept secrets, which have progressed to us openly being ‘a thing’… “Green Bay’s healthiest couple” as we’ve been jokingly deemed by our friends — and narcissistically by ourselves.
And now we sit, separated by dewy evening air, at the peak of a hill I’d grown up on and she’d been to only once. My cane is leaning against the concrete block we’re perched on, and my black curtain bangs are flowing wherever the wind takes them; usually, there’d be a joke about me looking bald, but the moment is too tender to ruin.
I glance at her, and again find that I’m glancing for too long. Her face is expressionless; the corners of her mouth are angled down, and her eyes are only three-quarters open. The freckles peppering her pointed nose are highlighted by the setting sunlight; her brown eyes and mid-neck-length hair are golden in it, too.
She’s angelic in the scene that I’ve set up for this moment, though; she usually looks this good. This is the girl I’m planning my life with, after all. Through everything…
“Three years is crazy,” I say, before nudging her, “We should break up.”
“Shut up!” She snickers, finally turning to me.
Ah, here’s to many more.
Artist Summary:
A small moment of how my partner and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary.
Malie Pierard
Green Bay High School
Artist summary:
Bathed in shadow and tradition, this portrait captures a fa’afafine figure draped in fine pandanus, back adorned with symbolic tatau. Set against siapo, it honours identity, culture, and the sacredness of becoming.
Konstantine Tualasea
Liston College
Artist summary:
Boxing has empowered me as a female high school student, building my confidence, discipline, and mental strength. It’s taught me resilience, focus, and the importance of hard work. Boxing has shaped who I am, proving that with determination, I can overcome any challenge inside or outside the ring.