Ethan Reille

Tēna kotou katoa 
Ko Aoraki te maunga 
Ko Waitaki te awa 
Ko pākeha te iwi 
Ko Ethan toku ingoa 
Ngā Mihi maioha ki a koutou katoa! 

Kia ora my name is Ethan! I am fresh out of Waitaki Boys' High School and ready for the next journey ahead! People tend to describe me as a keen youth advocate, passionate about issues such as mental health, climate change and youth rights. Regardless, my main goal in life is to be empathetic - to understand how and why people are feeling a certain way, and how we can best address the issues affecting us most. At the end of the day, people are what inspire me most!

I have held a few roles such as being the 2022 Head-boy at Waitaki Boys’ High School, Chairperson of the Waitaki District Youth Council, Youth MP for the 2022 Youth Parliament, and NZ Kiwibank Local Hero Medalist.

I have lived all over the place! From being born in Palmerston North, to living in Sydney, then Wellington, eventually moving to Oamaru in 2018, starting High School and making Waitaki the place I call home. I have a real soft spot for Waitaki and truly believes it is the best place to be.  

To me, a role or award does not define a person - but rather their actions when nobody is watching. I am passionate about giving rangatahi a voice, and I strive to do this in all his mahi. This includes ensuring young people are heard in areas such as mental health, climate change, education and importantly, local and central government decision-making. We are the next generation, in which issues such as these will affect us most. It's essential that our younger voices are heard.

I have a few pathways lined up related to future endeavors, but right now I'm just focusing on being me! I truly believe everything else will happen for a reason, and I'm quite happy with that. However, I do intend to study throughout areas such as Politics and Social Policy.

Throughout my life I hope to inspire change for our country, to which benefit everyone, especially our most vulnerable communities.

I find it an absolute privilege to be embarking on this next journey with the Pinnacle Team, and I won't take it for granted!

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata! 

What is the most important thing in the world? It is people!