Champagne Dela Cruz is a determined young woman who moved to Franz Josef on the West Coast several years ago and studied at South Westland Area School in Hari Hari. Her CV is a testament to her hard work and broad range of academic, sporting and outdoor achievements.
For some time when Champagne was younger, she didn’t believe she had any artistic talent but one of her teachers, Angela Fox, disagrees, arguing, “I have yet to see a piece of work from Champagne where she did not add some creative artistic flair.”
Champagne is a 2021 recipient of a Dennis Moore Memorial scholarship, was awarded $2000, and is now studying Spatial Design at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT).
For many years Champagne has had a fondness for interior design, using YouTube tutorials and inspiration from digital creators to help her polish her techniques and give her the determination to become a spatial designer.
Teacher Angela Fox adds that Champagne has made the most of her opportunities and was an exemplary student both on and off school grounds.
