Global Honours for our Environmental Reporter

Senali Vasanthathilake won first prize in an international reporting competition

In last year’s QM Calling, we acknowledged the outstanding work of Year 7 student Senali Vasanthathilake. Her exposé on the unsustainability of cat food packaging was awarded first prize for her category in New Zealand’s Young Reporters for the Environment Competition.

This also qualified her work for moderation in the international Young Reporters for the Environment Competition. 250 submissions were 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). Making this even more remarkable is that Senali was just ten years old when she submitted her work and competed against students up to four years older.

Asked about her reaction upon hearing the news, Senali said she could barely believe it. “I feel really proud. Mr Vohan suggested the idea as a joke in class, but I thought it was interesting, so I decided to look into it. It has definitely changed how we think about the food we buy for our family cat, Miskit.

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. “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.

“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.”