Central Hawke's Bay College

Kathleen Fletcher QSM

(CHB College Staff 1974 -2001)

Services to Education

Teacher in Charge Chemistry 1978 – 1990, Head of Science Department 1990 – 2001

Introduced the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and Life Saving to CHB College
2010 made of Life Member of the Royal Lifesaving Society
1994 took the New Zealand Chemistry team to the Olympiad Team Project in Norway
1996 received the NZ Institute of Chemistry Education Award
1998 received the National Excellence in Teaching Award
1998 made a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry
2018 Queens Service Medal

Dr Sandra Cooper

(CHB College 1983 -1987)

Service to Medicine

Otago University – First Class Honours in Biochemistry

University College (London) PHD and postdoctoral training in Neurosicence
2012 Associate Professor at the University of Sydney
2015 Deputy Head of the Institute of Neurosicence and Muscle Research at the University of Sydney
A world leaders in membrane repair, her work identifies defective genes and provides effective therapies for rare disorders that current medicine does not assist

DARYL EASON

(CHB College 1980 -1984)

For over 25 years Daryl has played a major role in saving from extinction the endemic flightless kākāpō, which is ranked nationally as critically endangered. The kākāpō is the largest of all parrots and used to be found all over New Zealand. Due to ecological changes the loss of habitat and introduced predators, the number of kākāpō was only 51 in 1995 it now stands at 206. Daryl’s contribution to the recovery of the kākāpō has been significant and he has been recognised nationally for his work, most notably in the book “Kākāpō – Rescued from the Brink of Extinction”. His outstanding work has also been recognised by his peers worldwide who work in the threatened species recovery field, where he is considered a “conservation champion”.

We are proud that one of our former students has followed his passion and contributed so tirelessly towards the conservation of one of our rarest national birds. Daryl says “Management of kākāpō has come with huge challenges, but the work, which involves a lot of science and technical management is ever-changing, exciting, and immensely satisfying. Particularly seeing hand-reared birds, many of which were critically ill, returned to the wild, adapting behaviourally and socially and going on to raise their own chicks.”