John McLaren Youth Awards 2026: Meet the Winners!

Meet the 2026 John McLaren Youth Award winners

The John McLaren Youth Awards recognise young New Zealanders living with Type 1 diabetes who are making an impact through their achievements, leadership and commitment to their chosen field.

This year, we're proud to celebrate three remarkable young people whose talents span academia, sport and the arts. Their stories are different, but they share a determination to pursue their goals and make the most of every opportunity.

Academia Winner: Tayla Southall

When Tayla Southall talks about her time at school, she doesn't focus on grades or awards. She talks about the extra work that happened behind the scenes.

Living with Type 1 diabetes meant there were times when illness and hospital stays kept her away from the classroom. Rather than letting that put her behind, Tayla spent hours catching up on lessons, teaching herself content and finding ways to stay on track with her studies.

That effort helped her achieve Excellence endorsements in Health and Mathematics and a Merit endorsement in English, but it also taught her something just as valuable: how to keep going when things don't go to plan.

"Much of this required me to work independently, manage my own time and stay motivated even when I was faced with setbacks," she wrote in her award application.

Now studying at Otago Polytechnic, Tayla is continuing to build on those experiences and looking ahead to the next stage of her education. Along the way, she's also used her own experiences to help raise awareness of Type 1 diabetes and encourage others who may be facing similar challenges.

It's that combination of academic achievement, self-motivation and willingness to help others that saw Tayla named the 2026 John McLaren Youth Award winner for Academia.

Arts Winner: Milan Moala

For Milan Moala, poetry started as a creative outlet. Over time, it became a way to tell stories, connect with people and explore the things that matter most to him.

At 17, the Auckland student has already become the only poet to win New Zealand's national secondary school spoken word competition Word the Front Line twice. But what stood out in his John McLaren Youth Award application wasn't the list of achievements. It was his belief in the power of storytelling.

"As a poet, one of the significant points that are always reiterated to us, is that subjects and experiences mean nothing if you can't communicate them," he wrote.

Through spoken word, Milan has shared stories about identity, culture and his experiences growing up as a young Māori and Pasifika person in Tāmaki Makaurau. His performances have taken him across Aotearoa and Australia, while also helping him connect with and inspire other rangatahi.

The judges were impressed not only by Milan's achievements, but by the way he uses his creativity to bring people together.

Receiving the John McLaren Youth Award will help him travel to Australia to connect with Indigenous young people through artistic and cultural exchange, an opportunity he hopes will strengthen both his creative practice and his understanding of how storytelling can connect communities.

As the 2026 John McLaren Youth Award recipient for Arts, Milan is being recognised for his talent, his dedication to his craft, and the positive impact he is already making through it.

Sports Winner: Georgia Barker

For Georgia Barker, some of her happiest moments are spent out on the water.

The 13-year-old sailor has already achieved more than many people twice her age, representing New Zealand internationally in China and recently winning the Development Fleet at the 2026 Starling National Championships. Next on the horizon is another exciting opportunity, with Georgia selected to represent New Zealand at the Australian National Championships in Melbourne.

Sailing has taught Georgia a lot, from handling pressure during races to adapting when conditions change. It has also helped her grow in confidence and independence.

Living with Type 1 diabetes adds another layer of planning to every training session and competition. Race days can mean hours on the water, so Georgia has learned to think ahead, making sure she has the food and supplies she needs before leaving shore.

"I have had to learn that I can't just react when my blood glucose starts dropping. I need to plan ahead," she wrote in her application.

The skills she's developed through sailing and diabetes management often go hand in hand. Both require preparation, patience and the ability to make good decisions when things don't go exactly as expected.

One of the things Georgia hopes most is that other young people living with Type 1 diabetes will see that they can still chase the things they love.

"I would love younger kids with Type 1 to see someone competing at national and international level and think, 'I could do that too.'"

Georgia was selected as the 2026 John McLaren Youth Award winner for Sport in recognition of her achievements in sailing and the way she approaches every challenge with enthusiasm, dedication and a willingness to give things a go.