Alumni Spotlight: Bella Thompson
Meet Bella Thompson (Ngāi Tahu). This January, Bella is joining us at Rāpaki Marae as a supporting ringawera (cook) for the Emergent Leaders programme. Many in our community will remember her from the Ōruawairua Blumine Island programme in December 2024, where she quickly became known for stepping into the camp kitchen, and again at ALP in July, where her home baking was a fan favourite.
Bella first joined the Untouched World Foundation through the Ōruawairua Blumine Island Scholarship Programme in December 2024, followed by the Advanced Leadership Programme at Rāpaki Marae in July 2025. These experiences helped shape her confidence, leadership style, and connection to te ao Māori and the natural environment.
Outside of UWF, Bella is deeply involved in youth leadership, community work, and innovation. Over the past year, this has included:
Being selected as one of five national finalists in the Ballance Agri-Nutrients innovation challenge, and the only female finalist able to travel, where she pitched her idea on the future of farming and sustainability and visited industry leaders across the Bay of Plenty
Contributing over 400 hours with the team on the Selwyn Youth Carnival as part of the Selwyn Youth Council
Receiving a Lincoln University Gold Award for service excellence and being named a Selwyn Awards Young Contributor Finalist for 2025
This year, Bella has stepped into the role of Co-Chair of the Selwyn Youth Council and is helping lead a community partnership with Hasbro to create a Selwyn-edition Monopoly board. The project will raise funds for youth and community initiatives and invites tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau to help shape a board that reflects what they love about Selwyn.
Alongside this, Bella continues to contribute nationally through programmes such as New Zealand Model Parliament and the Children’s University, and is working with fellow students to relaunch the Agricultural and Life Sciences Society at Lincoln University.
Bella leads with care, curiosity, and a strong sense of responsibility to people and place. We are proud to continue learning alongside her.
