L E A R N I N G
GLOBAL HONOURS FOR OUR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTER
Senali Vasanthathilake won first prize in an international reporting competition
In last year’s QM Calling, we
Making this even more remarkable
acknowledged the outstanding
is that Senali was just ten years
work of Year 7 student Senali
old when she submitted her
Vasanthathilake. Her exposé on
work and competed against
the unsustainability of cat food
students up to four years older.
packaging was awarded first prize for her category in New Zealand’s Young Reporters for the
Asked about her reaction upon hearing the news, Senali said she
Environment Competition.
could barely believe it. “I feel really
This also qualified her work for
idea as a joke in class, but I thought
moderation in the international
it was interesting, so I decided to
Young Reporters for the
look into it. It has definitely changed
Environment Competition.
how we think about the food we
250 submissions were
buy for our family cat, Miskit.
shortlisted from the 454,000 students participating in the programme around the globe. After a three-day deliberation, the panel of environmental leaders awarded Senali first place in the Litter Less Category (age 11-14). 12
QM Calling
ISS UE 68
“Back in Year 3 my friend said we should call him Miskit. I didn’t like the name, but I also didn’t want to be mean, so I just decided to go with it. Four years later it has definitely grown on me,” Senali said.
proud. Mr Vohan suggested the
Asked about the origins of her cat’s name, Senali said that Miskit is the name of a cartoon character and it was actually suggested by one of her classmates.
“Ms Treeby contacted my mum before my music class to tell her that I won first place and I was absolutely shocked. I was really hoping to receive an honourable mention, but I never really imagined that winning was a possibility.”
