Anne grew up between Beijing and Auckland. She attended Shelly Park School, Somerville Intermediate, and Saint Kentigern College, and now studies at Cornell University. From a young age, she loved swimming, sailing, and the calm rhythm of music — always curious, always ready to notice the details that others might miss.
Her curiosity about nature deepened when she first visited Tiritiri Matangi Island. Surrounded by native birds and the sound of the sea, she began to see the world with new eyes — not just its beauty, but also its fragility. That quiet attention soon turned into action: Anne became the island’s youngest volunteer bird-watching guide, helping visitors see what she had learned to notice.
As she grew older, her creativity and care for the environment began to intertwine. When the Howick Local Board invited her to paint murals for the Pest Free 2050 project, she poured her imagination into every brushstroke — bright colours, native species, messages of hope. The project took four murals and nearly seventy-three hours to complete, but the result reached far beyond the paint. People stopped to look, to ask questions, to care.
Inspired, Anne entered the Pest Free Howick Ward logo design competition. Her design, chosen by community vote, reflected both her artistic talent and her belief that awareness begins with connection. She donated her prize money to start the New Zealand Dotterel Conservation Society — a student-led initiative supporting local ecological work.
Her leadership continued to grow. At school, she joined the Environmental Council as its youngest member, encouraging her peers to take small, steady actions that protect their shared spaces. Later, she extended her work into community education, sharing her love of birds through Birding with Anne, a library talk series that brought conservation closer to families and children.
Through every step, Anne’s learning deepened — from observing, questioning, and creating, to acting, sharing, and inspiring others to care. What began as curiosity became purpose; what started as small projects became part of who she is.
Reflection
- Anne’s journey shows how growth happens in a circle of learning and action.
- She first saw the world clearly, followed her questions with courage, and learned from each experience — the essence of a SEEK mindset. Then she turned those insights into meaningful community change — the spirit of the MAGIC pathway.
- Her story reminds us that curiosity is where wisdom begins, and action is where it takes root. Every act of learning holds the seed of change — and every act of change calls for deeper learning.
From Camper to Leader: During her university break, Anne Z. returned to YES! Camp to lead alongside renowned avian scientist Keith Woodley. In this photo, she passionately shares her research on the acoustic comparisons of Yellow-naped Amazon (Amazona auropalliata). By highlighting the vital role of interdisciplinary thinking in world-class research, Anne encouraged younger students to spread their wings and soar toward their dreams.
小安在北京和奥克兰之间长大。她就读于雪莉公园小学、萨莫维尔中学与圣肯廷戈恩高中，目前在美国康奈尔大学学习。自小，她热爱游泳、航海与音乐——总是充满好奇，善于观察周围的世界，注意到别人容易忽略的细节。
她对自然的好奇在第一次踏上蒂里蒂里马唐伊岛时被唤醒。面对海鸟的鸣叫和海浪的声音环绕，她第一次真切地“看见”了世界——不仅是它的美丽，更是它的脆弱。那份静默的观察很快转化为行动：小安成为岛上最年轻的志愿导览员，带领游客认识并欣赏这些珍贵的鸟类。
随着成长，她开始把创造力与环保热情结合起来。当 Howick 地方委员会邀请她为 “无害虫2050（Pest Free Howick Ward）” 项目绘制壁画时，她用画笔描绘本土生物与希望的故事。四幅壁画、七十多个小时和三位小伙伴一起的创作，让社区停下脚步——人们被吸引、提问、开始关心。
受此启发，小安参加了 “PFHW” 的标志设计比赛。她的作品经社区投票选出，展现了她的艺术天赋，也体现了她相信“连接才能唤醒意识”的理念。她将奖金全部捐出，成立了新西兰鸻保护协会（New Zealand Dotterel Conservation Society）——一个由学生主导的生态保护组织。
她的领导力也在不断扩大。在学校，她成为环境委员会中最年轻的成员，带动同学们在校园中实践可持续行动。之后，她又走向社区，通过 “与安一起观鸟（Birding with Anne）” 公共讲座系列，与家庭和儿童分享她对鸟类的热爱与保护知识。
在每一个阶段，安妮都在学习——从观察到提问，从创作到行动，从个人体验到影响他人。最初的好奇，逐渐成为坚定的目标；一次次小小的尝试，最终成为她生命的一部分。
小结
- 小安的旅程展现了学习与行动交织的成长之环。
- 她先是以好奇和洞察“看见”世界，勇敢追问、从经验中汲取智慧——这正是 SEEK 心态的体现。随后，她将所得的启发化为行动，推动社区与自然的联结——这正映照出 MAGIC 路径的精神。
- 她的故事提醒我们：好奇心是智慧的起点，行动让智慧生根。
- 每一次学习都孕育着改变的种子，而每一次改变，都呼唤更深的学习。
图注
从营员到导师：小安在假期重返 YES! Camp，与著名鸟类科学家 Keith Woodley 共同带队。图中，她正充满激情地向营员们分享其科研项目——黄颈亚马逊鹦鹉（Amazona auropalliata）的声学比较研究。小安强调了跨学科思维在世界级科研中的核心地位，并以此鼓励学弟学妹们在追求梦想的道路上展翅上腾。
