On 26 September, Jahrome Kiro, a Year 12 student at Ruawai College, became the first Rugby for Life rangatahi to sail on the R. Tucker Thompson, Northland’s own tall ship.
The traditional schooner is based in Ōpua in the Bay of Islands and run by the R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust, which takes young people on seven-day youth development voyages built around confidence, leadership and teamwork. Nominated for the opportunity, Jahrome spent the week at sea alongside 11 other rangatahi and the ship’s crew.
The voyage builds on Jahrome’s involvement in the Rugby for Life youth leadership programme and reflects a shared commitment between both organisations to create positive pathways for youth across Te Tai Tokerau. Over the course of the week, he took on new challenges, earned the trust of his crewmates and returned home with a clear lesson about believing in himself.
Jahrome has a strong track record of stepping up when new opportunities arise. In March, he attended the Rugby for Life Blues Charitable Trust Leadership Trip, a weekend at Blues HQ focused on self-leadership, career planning and wellbeing. He is also a member of the Kaipara Services Academy at Ruawai College, which runs with the support of the Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Defence Force. Jahrome actively seeks out ways to build his knowledge and shape a pathway for life after school.
When asked why he put his hand up for a week at sea, Jahrome explained that he wanted to test himself somewhere unfamiliar. “I wanted to take on this opportunity to push myself in a new environment,” he says. “I enjoy being challenged and learning new things about myself in leadership positions.”
Guided by its kaupapa of learning for life through the sea, the Trust runs seven-day youth voyages for young people aged 14 to 18. Each voyage carries 12 trainees with a crew-to-trainee ratio of one to three, giving everyone on board hands-on experience of sailing the ship.
Alongside sailing and life at sea, trainees go snorkelling and tramping, explore the shores of the Bay of Islands and learn about Northland’s history, marine environment and conservation. Values of whanaungatanga, aroha and shared responsibility shape the programme and give trainees a strong sense of belonging within the crew, while the Trust’s vision of empowering Northland youth to lead rewarding lives sits closely alongside Rugby for Life’s own focus on youth development in Northland.
Spending the voyage without a phone places the focus firmly on the people on board, and Jahrome was well prepared for the change. He had already gone two weeks at a time without his phone during Services Academy camps earlier in the year. “For me, making new friends face to face is better than a screen,” he says.
The most demanding moment of the week came during the Tucker Challenge, when Jahrome needed to climb the rigging. “It was facing one of my fears,” he explains. “I’m not a small teenager, and it takes a lot of upper body strength. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.” He completed the climb, a personal achievement that set the tone for the rest of his voyage.
For Takeover Day, the crew chose their skipper by blind vote, and they chose Jahrome. “I felt pretty happy and proud of myself to be elected,” he says.
The role involved delegating and managing tasks to keep the ship sailing smoothly. Jahrome enjoyed the responsibility, which also brought a genuine test of his judgement. “One of the biggest challenges was when the boat started tipping, and I had to think quickly to correct it while making sure all the crew were safe.”
The R. Tucker Thompson skipper observed these qualities throughout the week. When Jahrome speaks, people listen, and the disciplined, military-orientated mindset he has developed through the Services Academy is clear in how he carries himself. He brings real leadership presence along with sound decision-making and critical thinking, all of which are essential when sailing a tall ship.
Asked to name his highlights, Jahrome’s answer was everything. Snorkelling, the Tucker Challenge, beach games and night games all featured, along with getting to know the 11 other young people on board, learning their names, where they came from and what mattered to them. He made many new friends during the voyage and plans to stay in touch with them.
With such a packed programme, Jahrome jokes that the only real challenge was finding a moment with nothing to do. “It was pretty full on, but really fun.”
The biggest takeaway Jahrome is carrying back to school and everyday life is a stronger belief in his own judgement. “To back my decisions more and trust myself,” he says.
His advice for other rangatahi considering a voyage reflects the attitude he brought on board. “Go on the boat like a sponge. Listen to all the information you can, have fun, make every opportunity worth it and try everything you can. By taking part and going outside your comfort zone, the trip will be more enjoyable and an overall better experience.”
Rugby for Life is proud to partner with the R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust, whose work aligns closely with Rugby for Life’s kaupapa of creating opportunities for rangatahi, the future leaders of Te Tai Tokerau. A special thank you goes to the Trust and its funders for financially supporting Jahrome’s voyage, which helped make this experience possible. Experiences like this complement the confidence, leadership and work-ready skills that young people build through the Rugby for Life ET&E programme, opening doors to education, training and employment.
Jahrome’s week at sea shows what young people can achieve when they are encouraged to try something new and trusted to lead. Rugby for Life looks forward to offering more experiences like this in 2027, and whānau, schools and supporters who would like to help make that possible can get involved with Rugby for Life. Ka mau te wehi, Jahrome.