Liger Leadership Academy New Zealand

YES Business Update 2026

Recently, our YES businesses travelled to Cromwell to present their business ideas as part of the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) programme.
Congratulations to all of the students involved for the hard work they have put into developing and presenting their businesses. We're proud to showcase this innovative group of young entrepreneurs:

🎬 Otter & Finch – Custom animations & promotional videos - Nehlia
🤖 Olivander – AI-powered business administration solutions - Alex & Ollie
💳 Metallicard – Reusable NFC-enabled steel business cards - Nikau, Tyge, Roques & Josh
💍 Ever Worn – Natural jewellery protection balm - Sophie, Meika & Charlotte

A special mention goes to Nikau, Tyge, Roques, and Josh, whose business Metallicard achieved the strongest result to date for a Liger YES business at a Challenge 2 Pitch event.

Last week, four of our students travelled to Invercargill to take part in the TOI World of Wearable Art competition. This year’s competition followed a slightly different format, with students submitting their work online through a combination of images, written explanations, and inspiration pieces as part of the initial selection process.

The competition was a great opportunity for our learners to showcase their creativity and design skills alongside students from across Southland. We are very proud of the effort and commitment they showed throughout the process.

Congratulations to both teams, and a special shout-out to Bela and Clarice, who were recognised for their storytelling through design.

✨ Siren Song – Kaja and Lily
✨ Utopia – Bela and Clarice

Over the past ​few weeks, we’ve shared the 2026 Year 13 Impact Projects.

From tackling food security and renewable energy to designing new technologies, building community programmes, and rethinking how we connect and communicate, each project reflects a student choosing to take action on something that matters.
These projects are more than ideas. They represent months of research, collaboration, problem-solving, and resilience. They show what’s possible when young people are given the space to lead, think deeply, and engage with the real world.
As these projects continue to develop throughout the year, we’re excited to see the impact they will create within our community and beyond.

This is what learning looks like when it’s driven by purpose.

Impact Project Spotlight

Next, we have Bela, Aren, and Lucie.

Our Year 13 students continue to make great progress on their Impact Projects, exploring challenges that matter to them and developing ideas with purpose and initiative.
We’re looking forward to sharing more of the creativity, problem-solving, and hard work behind this year’s projects, and giving our community a closer look at what our Liger students are creating.

Impact Project Spotlight

Next, we have Nyah, Seb, and Alex.

As our Year 13 Impact Projects continue to take shape, these students are already turning ideas into action, exploring meaningful challenges and developing projects with real purpose and impact.

We’re excited to continue sharing the creativity, initiative, and hard work behind this year’s projects, and to give our community a closer look at what our Liger students are working on.

Our Year 13 Impact Projects are underway - a first for LLA NZ.

Just one term in, our Year 13 students are already deep into their Impact Projects: a year-long journey where they design and lead initiatives focused on real-world challenges.

From food security and environmental action to technology and community programmes, each project is driven by purpose, curiosity, and a genuine desire to make a difference.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing our 2026 Impact Projects, offering a glimpse into the ideas, innovation, and impact our students are creating.

First up: Clarice and Ollie.

More projects coming soon.

Impact Week, done.

Twice a year, we clear the timetable for a dedicated week where learners step outside their usual schedule and go all-in on creating real, meaningful impact. It’s a chance to focus deeply on challenges that build skills in problem-solving, adaptability, leadership, and resilience while contributing to something bigger than themselves.

Here’s what that looked like this time:
Seven learners spent four days at Mason’s Bay on Stewart Island, hauling over two tonnes of rubbish off one of the most remote coastlines in the country. Tough, dirty work in challenging conditions, but that was exactly the point. An outstanding example of environmental stewardship in action.
Others hiked into the Greenstone Valley for three nights as part of their Duke of Edinburgh journey, carrying everything they needed on their backs. Many of our Year 10s worked alongside local charities in Queenstown, contributing directly to their community, others had Independent projects, while our Year 13s pushed forward on their year-long Impact Projects​ - the capstone of their Liger Diploma.

Stewardship. Determination. Community. Not as talking points, but as lived experiences.

This is learning in action: purposeful, community-connected, and student-driven. We can’t wait to see what Impact Week in Term 3 brings.

Yesterday, 12 of our Liger learners headed south to Omaui to take on the Southland Adventure Race, and what a day it was!
From kayaking and biking to orienteering and running (with a few impressive backflips thrown in!), the day was packed with energy, challenge, and plenty of laughs.
What stood out most wasn’t just the adventure, but the way our students showed up for each other. Teams stuck together through the tough moments, encouraged one another, and celebrated along the way. It was awesome to see their resilience, teamwork, and determination in action.
A huge well done to everyone involved, we’re proud of the way you represented Liger and the spirit you brought to the race.

Queenstown once again became the ultimate classroom as our students headed into the hills for the Term 1 Outdoor Leadership hiking experience last week.

Working in their House teams, students took on the challenge of who could ascend the highest, starting from Arrowtown.

Along the way, teams navigated alpine tracks, made their own route decisions, managed risk, and supported one another through some tough climbs. A key rule of the challenge was that every decision had to be student-led. Facilitators were present only as safety shadows, meaning students took full responsibility for navigation, pacing, and teamwork. The day also included a series of fun photo side quests, where teams captured everything from their most epic summit photo to moments of true determination on the climb.

Congratulations go to the Kakapos for winning the competition!

Experiences like this remind us that some of the best learning happens outside the classroom.

This week, we welcomed our 500th Community Expert to support our students over the past three years, and we’re feeling incredibly grateful.
From entrepreneurs and environmental scientists to architects, health professionals, engineers, artists, financial advisors, conservationists, filmmakers, iwi leaders, and innovators across countless industries, you have opened your doors, shared your knowledge, challenged our thinking, and partnered with us in meaningful ways.
We’ve visited your workplaces, hosted you at the Academy, and connected over video calls. Together, we’ve planned, investigated, taken action, reflected, and built powerful real-world connections that help our students learn how to solve authentic problems.
To every single expert who has given their time, insight, and encouragement — Thank You. Our community makes this learning possible, and we are so proud to be part of it.
Far too many to mention, but here are some photos from over the years