Introducing Our Second Winner for 2024 – Twilight Edwards

Ko Huruiki me Kapowai ngā maunga

Ko Whakapara me Waikare ngā awa

Ko Ngāti Hau me Te Kapotai ngā hapu

Ko Ngāpuhi me Ngātiwai ngā Iwi

Ko Twilight Edwards taku ingoa

Twilight is an inspiring young woman. She is Maori (Ngapuhi -Ngatiwai) and speaks Māori as her first language. Growing up on a remote Northland Island, Twilight had never considered being a pilot, however, thanks to a family friend, she was bitten by the aviation bug when she was 16 and ever since, has wanted to be a pilot.

Twilight has a very loving and supportive family. She is the first of three siblings. Her father hails from Whakapara and is a cement factory worker. Her mother was born in Hawaii and is a Driving Mentor for Ngātiwai Trust Board.

Twilight’s father was a caretaker on Motuarohia/Robertson Island, looking after 5 private properties and this is why Twilight and her siblings grew up there. She feels she had the best of childhoods – swimming, being taught to fish and dive by her Dad; fortunately getting to know one of the property owners there – who was an international pilot. The two families got on so well that the pilot shouted Twilight an introductory flight when she was 16 and like John, she had an epiphany. Her career path was illuminated - just like a runway. Since then, Twilight has known exactly what she wants to be.

All of Twilight’s primary schooling was in full immersion Māori as her parents wanted their family to reengage with their culture and heritage. Twilight embraced this with a passion and her parents are extremely proud that their children are fluent in their own language.

There was little enthusiasm for Twilight to become a pilot in the traditional school system so she left and pursued her own education, via Correspondence School, to make sure she had the right studies to become a pilot. She used the money she made from jewellery making to pay for tutors in physics and maths. She completed her secondary education with most results as ‘Achieved with Merit’.

Twilight is an emerging artist and jewellery maker and can count Dame Jacinda Ardern as one of her customers. She has also done some modelling work.

Twilight has worked full time as an ambassador for Kauri Ora, teaching young people in schools and out in the field about biodiversity and care for the environment. She also worked last year in landscaping, construction demolition and house cleaning as she worked furiously to raise money for her flight training. She has earned enough to complete her private pilot’s licence and should have it knocked off by the end of this year.

She is also fully immersed in her community and is Kaitiaki to the Kauri forests. She has volunteered at her marae, mowing lawns and cooking and cleaning for Tangi and Hui. She is someone who has been lucky to grow up on and around the marae.

Her whole family participate in community rubbish picking up days. Twilight is acutely aware of her place in her community and sees so much talent around her that is starved of investment. As she finishes with study books, she gives them away to younger people coming up behind her as her efforts to help others reach their potentials. She is committed to continue to give back to her community as she herself succeeds in her life.

Twilight hopes to study at Southern Wings in Auckland next year to earn her Aviation Diploma. She already has her Class 1 medical.

We interviewed several referees - her Dad’s employer (the international pilot), her Flight Instructor and the Flight Commander for the Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School which she attended twice and all three were united in commenting on her determination, her maturity and their absolute conviction that she will overcome any obstacles and become an airline pilot.

We were excited and moved in equal parts when reading Twilight’s application and it was a pleasure to talk to her dad, and her referees. It is clear we have found a motivated, respected and upstanding member of Northland’s community.

As a motivated, engaging and well-grounded Northland wahine who is doing so much in, and for, her community, we are delighted to step in and give her a hand to achieve her goal. She is going the right way about doing everything she can to reach her goal.

We meet some very inspiring young people in our quest to help the younger generation achieve their goal to be an airline pilot and Twilight does not disappoint. She ticks all our boxes and most importantly, we relate to her as a warm, loving and caring individual who wishes only to bring light into other people’s lives.

We are delighted to advise that the Gattung Foundation is Twilight’s sponsor and alongside us, Angela Gattung is looking forward to presenting Twilight with her trophy in mid December.