A special project where rangatahi share their inspiring stories has been launched on Māori Television.
The stories of four students from Vanguard Military School in Albany, Auckland follow the journeys of rangatahi who had fallen through the cracks.
In part three of this web series, Bradley Middlemost reveals he was an angry and depressed teenager. In 2017, his mother died. He lost all ambition to succeed.
“I was just messing around, not doing my work in class, failing everything, couldn’t care less. It was just a point in my life when I just felt like a dead end,” he said.
Bradley was put through Corrective Training at Vanguard. He soon learned that respect from others needed to be earned.
“Before I started Vanguard I don’t think I had ever been for a run. I couldn’t do a press-up. Fitness wasn’t my thing.”
Today’s he’s a prefect, studying to join the military and hitting 92 press-ups in two minutes.
Students were interviewed by Māori doctor and former New Zealander of the Year, Dr Lance O’Sullivan for The Moko Foundation.
“I was failed by mainstream education myself until I found the education model that was right for me and encouraged me to focus on what I could be, rather than constantly being told that I was unlikely to make any positive contribution to society,” said Dr O’Sullivan.
He is challenging politicians and decision makers to listen to the success stories of rangatahi from Partnership Schools like Vanguard, ahead of the government review of New Zealand’s education system.
“Now only in its fourth year, Vanguard Military School has demonstrated by its academic results that it genuinely transforms lives and has provided a positive and aspirational pathway for rangatahi who were failed by the mainstream education system,” he said.
To watch Part One of this special web-series, click here for Parris Bryant's story.
To watch Part Two of this special web-series, click here for Josie Murphy's story.