The New Zealand Secondary Students' Choir was awarded the People's Choice Award at the 2010 International Choral Kathaumixw in British Columbia, Canada, held in July 2010. The award was created especially for the choir in recognition of the way thousands of festival goers and participants from around the world responded to their music during the six day choral competition. The choir was placed first in Adult Mixed Choir and second in both Youth Choir and Folk and Cultural Traditions competition categories, but narrowly missed the Kathaumixw Choir of the World Award, won by another outstanding youth choir from Denmark. The 54 members of the New Zealand Secondary Students' Choir, aged 15 – 19 years, were overwhelmed by a standing ovation from an audience of over 2000 at the Awards Concert with their presentation of three New Zealand songs -Salve Regina by David Childs, Rise Out Your Bed arranged by Richard Oswin and Ngapo Wehi's Kua Rongo. The Musical Director of the choir is Andrew Withington from Christchurch with Grant Bartley (Christchurch) as accompanist and Morag Atchison and Kate Spence (both from Auckland) as Vocal Consultants.
The 17 day tour to western Canada marked the end of 18 months hard work together for the choir. Choir members are selected through nationwide auditions held every two years, with approximately one in five auditionees offered places in the choir. The 2009/10 choir included students from 32 high schools from Dargaville to Alexandra. Members gather for rehearsals, vocal tuition and public performances for one week of each school holidays, with the pinnacle of membership a tour to an international festival or competition. Other recent awards for the choir include The World’s Choir at the 2006 Hong Kong International Youth & Children’s Festival and Champion Mixed Voice Youth Choir at the 2006 World Choral Olympics, China.
The choir could not possibly have travelled and competed without financial support from Principal Sponsor Adrian Durham, the Sargood Bequest, Perry Foundation, the Southern Trust, ASB Community Trust and several individuals. Creative New Zealand is also a supporter of the choir. Thank you to them all. | 
