Pōkeno resident and Pukekohe High School graduate celebrated
Local Pokeno resident and ex-Pukekohe High School student Sophia Chen has graduated from a national scholarship programme, supported by local company Counties Energy.
Chen, who won her First Foundation scholarship to study biomedical engineering and science (with a major in psychology and computer science) at the University of Auckland, has been working at Counties Energy during her holidays.
She graduated from the programme in June, and was celebrated at First Foundation ceremony for graduates and their whānau.
Chen said university has been a steep learning curve.
“I’m really grateful for the support from Counties Energy along the way. I’m especially grateful for everyone on the team who made this experience enriching and welcomed me with open arms. I will cherish and benefit from the gained life lessons for years to come.”
Counties Energy General Manager Safety, Culture and Sustainability Tracey Kay said it was an honour to offer the scholarship to Chen.
“Sophia has been an absolute pleasure to have as part of the team for three years,” Kay said.
“We’ve watched her grow from a school student leaving Pukekohe High School to a mature, confident, extremely diligent and dedicated young woman who has brought so much knowledge and joy to our team, the office and our events.
“We wish her the very best on her future pathway and know she will be successful in anything she puts her mind to.”
Counties Energy is partnering with another First Foundation scholarship recipient, ex-Pukekohe High School student Isabella Coughlin.
For more information on First Foundation go to www.firstfoundation.org.nz....
Best way to use leftovers?
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⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️