Congratulations to Whakatū Rotary member David Pluck, who was acknowledged for his services to education with a New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM), presented by the Governor General, Dame Cindy Kiro, at an investiture ceremony at Government House in Wellington.
His citation reads:
‘Mr David Pluck, who was born moderately to severely deaf, advocates for the rights of disabled children to learn in their community schools. He trained as a primary school teacher and psychologist before establishing the Rainbow Reading programme with his wife, donating more than 100,000 books to low-decile schools.
He helped to establish Whakatū Kōhanga and whānau classes in Nelson. As the Minister’s appointee on the New Zealand Psychologists Board, he developed a programme to promote the training of female psychologists. He developed guidelines for the use of Māori cultural advisors in the Family Court. Mr Pluck established the Ministry of Education’s Intensive Wraparound Service Te Kahu Tōī.’
Congratulations Plucky!
