Signs of Excellence | 2025 Festival of Adult Learner Awards

Around September each year, New Zealand celebrates the Festival of Adult Learning (Ahurei Ākonga). This is a chance to recognise and celebrate the amazing journeys of adult learners across the country and celebrate those people who keep learning, growing, and sharing their skills with others.  

At Merge NZ, we’re proud to be part of this celebration by recognising the incredible members of our NZSL community — the learners and teachers who show real dedication and commitment to learning and promoting New Zealand Sign Language in their regions. Their efforts inspire others and strengthen our signing community.

Echo Webster – Outstanding Adult Learner Award - Auckland 

• Moved from Reglan to attend Auckland University of Technology training as an NZSL Interpreter.  

• Has learnt NZSL up to Level 3 online and actively supports other peers to learn NZSL. 

Gardian Hale – Commendation Award - Auckland 

• Attended NZSL immersion camp in Rotorua as well as regularly attending NZSL Clubs, NZSL Camp for Deaf Children and their families in Tauranga, and many other social activities. 

• Strongly committed to championing NZSL

  
  

Chetna Badhan – Exceptional Adult Educator Award - Auckland 

• Chetna is Deaf and an inspirational ECE Teacher, promotes NZSL at the centre she works at.  

• Helps support other local NZSL tutors in their journey.  

• Involved in several Deaf committees and contributes in our NZSL community 

  
  

Heidi Dixon – Exceptional Adult Learner Award - Tauranga 

• Works as a Swim instructor so her lessons are more accessible to Deaf people including deaf children in Tauranga  

• Currently learning Level 3 NZSL.  

• Part of the NZSL Camp for Deaf Children sub-committee. 

  
  

Lynn Robertson – Commendation Award – Tauranga  

• Graduated AUT with a Deaf Studies and NZSL degree. 

• Currently learning Level 3 NZSL  

• Was involved in the NZSL Camp for Deaf Children sub-committee as well as being involved with facilitating the NZSL Club in Tauranga.  

• Has a high level of motivation to work in the NZSL community 

Belinda Sperling - Exceptional Adult Educator Award - Tauranga 

• Respected emerging Deaf leader in the Bay of Plenty, and has taken an advocacy role to improve the quality life of Deaf people by having NZSL accessible workshops, trainings and events 

• Inspirational to Deaf youth, new Deaf individuals, and hard of hearing people who are new to the Deaf community or have recently moved to Tauranga. 

  
  

Ashley Rollaston – Outstanding Adult Learner Award – Napier 

• Has been learning NZSL for over 3 years and is now at Level 3. 

• Works as an Advisor of Deaf Children (AODC). 

• Regularly attends NZSL Club in Hawkes Bay 

  
  

Nicky Young – Commendation Award – Napier 

• Works as an Advisor of Deaf Children (AODC). 

• Has been learning NZSL online for over 3 years and is now at Level 3. 

• Advocated for AODCs to get private one-to-one NZSL learning with flexible scheduling. 

• Encourages colleagues and parents in the Hawke’s Bay region to learn NZSL and supports new AODCs in learning NZSL.  

  
  

Nora Rose Kirikiri – Exceptional Adult Educator Award – Napier 

• Performs songs in NZSL and promotes NZSL on her social media platform. 

• Co-facilitates the NZSL Club with local Deaf facilitator, Amy Nicol, and organises ongoing NZSL Club events for students.  

  
  

Nicky Rendell – Exceptional Adult  Learner Award – Timaru, South Island 

• Originally from Christchurch but moved to down south 11 years ago. 

• First learnt sign language because when her son was 2 (now 31 years old), doctors thought he was deaf. He turned out to not be deaf and was diagnosed with autism. 

• Works in family violence in Oamaru and Timaru. 

• On Thursday, Nicky works in Timaru and works through her lunch break so that she can get to class in Dunedin on time. 

• Nicky drives 2.5 hours to get to Merge’s NZSL class in Dunedin from Timaru and then 1 hour to get home to where she lives.  

• She started learned NZSL again after meeting a Deaf man who inspired her to start learning again 

• Nicky thinks that

• Nicky thinks that “NZSL should be a standard requirement in our schools” and that it doesn’t get given the same recognition that Te Reo Māori does, which is a shame.  

• Nicky regrets waiting so long to learn NZSL and would continue to learn more if it was more available. 

Rebekah Zwies - Commendation Award – Brownes, Southland 

• Rebekah is a proud NZSL champion in the Southland region and has a strong passion for NZSL 

• She works as an Advisor on Deaf Children  

• Since 2016, Rebekah has been actively promoting NZSL in her community, regularly sharing information and resources on Facebook to raise awareness and encourage learning. 

These award recipients show the impact of ongoing learning and commitment to NZSL in their communities. Merge NZ is proud to acknowledge their efforts in promoting NZSL and strengthening connections across New Zealand.