By Lauren Andreoli
Melany Gibbs, of Opunake High School, is very passionate about the New Zealand flag - so much she wrote an essay, sent it to a national competition was named Central North Island winner.
The competition was organised by NZflag.com, an organisation petitioning to change of the New Zealand flag.
The competition invited students to "state your case for a New Zealand flag and be part of the growing debate".
The aim was to get Years 9 and 10 students participating in the debate over whether New Zealand should change its flag.
the essay was an extension to Melany's Year 10 social studies class.
She worked on two drafts finished and handed in the final copy after one night's work.
Social studies teacher Chris Crow says Melany has good writing skills and has produced a well-organised essay.
"Melany has always excelled at writing and felt quite strongly about what she was writing about," says Chris.
Melany says she would like to see the silver fern feature on the flag, set in a black background. "All our sporting teams wear it and it is distinctive."
Her influences for her essay came from her passion and ideas, a 60 Minutes documentary and class discussions.
She says New Zealand needs to get rid of it and make it personal but she is also aware that RSA members would find it difficult to see it changed.
"It would be hard for the aging generation to see the flag changed," she concedes. But she adds that ties to the British monarchy are well and truly cut.
It is not a matter of if but when."
Her essay was judged by writer and columnist Alan Duff, who commended it highly and said Melany should be slauted along with the new flag.
South Taranaki Star
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