It’s bank account boost time for 22 Bay of Plenty students thanks to the annually awarded BOP Education Trust scholarship.

BOP Education Trust chairman Nick Earl says the Trust, which has been operating since 1985, has assisted more than 450 students through these Science, Technology and Emerging Industries Scholarships. That’s more than $2.2 million gifted in supportive funding, with the scholarship amount increased over the years.

The latest recipients will each receive $6,000 distributed over their years of study.

This year’s recipients crossed the stage to receive their scholarships at functions held in both Tauranga and Whakatāne in late January, with the scholarship covering schools in the coastal BOP (two scholarships are offered to the bigger schools).

The most recent Western Bay of Plenty recipients are:

Dylan Tran (Aquinas College), Noelle Tito (Bethlehem College), Kate Downes (Katikati College), Cole Frazer and Shiloh Warner (both of Mount Maunganui College), Noah Douglas and Rosa Sharp (both of Ōtūmoetai College), Alex Freeman and Kobe Buckley (Tauranga Boys’ College), Kyla Chen and Aahana Narang (Tauranga Girls’ College), Riley Horton and Marese Taumata (Te Puke High School), Renee Thomas and James Jeffrey (Papamoa College) and Eden Brears (Te Wharekura O Mauao).

Pictured:

At the Tauranga ceremony are BOP Education Trust Chairman Nick Earl, left, with trustee Jonny Beadle, right, and scholarship award winners.  From left, back row, Dylan Tran, Cole Frazer and Riley Horton. Middle row, Shiloh Warner, Kate Downes, Kobe Buckley and Noah Douglas. Front row, James Jeffrey, Rosa Sharp, Aahana Narang, Kyla Chen and Noelle Tito.

The most recent Eastern Bay of Plenty recipients are:

Mieka Miller (Rangitaiki College – formerly Edgecumbe College), Ethan Beach (Ōpōtiki College), Abeleye Turner-Manzonza (Tarawera College), Leah Bowe-Green (Trident High School), Rubi Kennedy and Harleen Kaur (Whakatāne High School).

At the Tauranga ceremony, Nick told the students the Trust is firmly committed to investing in tertiary education for the Bay’s young people.

“The transformative value education has on youth and communities should not be underestimated. Education is a powerful tool,” he said.

The two ceremonies focused on celebration, encouragement and connection. A smattering of students who received scholarships over recent years were there to offer tips.  Former Mt Maunganui College student Kimera Talbot-
chinula, who studies software engineering, advised students to make daily to-do lists so as not to feel so overwhelmed by their new learning environments.

This year’s recipients will be heading off to study a whole raft of subjects including: biomedical science, aerospace engineering and astronomy, occupational therapy, nursing, computer science, mechanical and civil engineering, architecture, veterinary science, and health science.

The Trust’s reach, in terms of community support, continues to stretch. In 2021, for example, the Trust introduced supplementary grants born out of a keenness to expand the way in which it helps young people. Recent recipients have included Graeme Dingle-Project K, WBOP Life Education initiatives WBOP House of Science as well as Big Buddy (a programme new to the Tauranga area that matches teen boys without dads in their lives with caring male mentors.)

FUNDS ON OFFER FOR GROUPS OFFERING ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

Local agencies and organisations involved in supporting the district’s youth may be eligible for a helping hand courtesy of the Bay of Plenty Education Trust.

Up to $60,000 is available this year to such Bay of Plenty organisations offering alternative education opportunities, thanks to the Trust’s supplementary grants, which were introduced in 2021.

Applications can be submitted to the Trust up until May 9 by email to tom@inghammora.co.nz.

The Trust is already known primarily for its annual education scholarships and community trade training schemes that benefit youth in the coastal BOP from Katikati to Opotiki. The supplementary grants are an expansion of that desire to help young people, says the Trust’s chairperson Nick Earl.

“The supplementary grants, which are shared annually among a number of organisations, are benefiting an increasing range of projects,” Nick says.

An early recipient was ICONZ – an organisation focused on building resilience, self-worth and self-belief in young people, as well as a better attitude toward school, life, learning and school attendance. Other successful applicants have included, for example, the Graeme Dingle Foundation, the Youth Encounter Programme, Blue Light Ventures, House of Science (both Tauranga and Whakatane), and Edge BBNZ. Through those organisations, the Trust's support translates into science kits, dirt bike group therapy, a life skills programme, and an innovative woodworking initiative, to name but some.

Nick says the Trust is always open to considering other agencies and organisations to support, whether by way of sponsorship or in partnership with other parties and he urges people to apply.

While the Trust’s academic scholarships (involving about $115,000 in funding annually) benefit those heading off to begin tertiary education, the Trust recognises that not all students choose to advance their education through tertiary studies. 

“We are lucky to live in New Zealand, where our school leavers have the opportunity to choose from hundreds of different vocations and they have access to multiple courses and programmes to advance their education in doing so. Tertiary studies are not the only option,” Nick says.

He says successful supplementary grant applicants are most often involved in empowering students to overcome life’s obstacles and teaching them tools to build resilience and improve themselves.

“We love programmes that help broaden horizons and fuel aspiration in people. We are firm believers that with hard work, sacrifice and dedication, anyone can set and achieve realistic goals in life,” Nick says.

To find out more, see the Trust’s website at https://bopeducationtrust.org.nz/apply-grant

Education Trust boosts students’ bank accounts

Nineteen young local students will head off to begin their tertiary studies this month, with their bank accounts boosted by the BOP Education Trust.

Last week the selected 19 crossed the stage to receive scholarships at functions held in both Tauranga and Whakatane. Each will receive $6,000 distributed over their years of tertiary study. Over the years, 428 students have benefited from the Trust’s Science, Technology and Emerging Industries Scholarships, with more than $2 million gifted in supportive funding.

This year’s Western BOP recipients are: Tilly Thomas (Aquinas College), Emily Gillingham (Bethlehem College), Kyra Murray (Katikati College), Kimera Talbot-Chinula and Kahutia Tukaki (Mount Maunganui College), Jack Page and Haylee Hextall (Ōtūmoetai College), Hayley Manning and Brooke Barry (Pāpāmoa College), Evan Fryer and Anthony Coe (Tauranga Boys’ College), Jimin Lee and Prachi Patel (Tauranga Girls’ College), and Austen Targett (Te Puke High School).

The Eastern BOP’s newly awarded scholars are: Samantha Baltazar (Edgecumbe College), Jazmin Stewart (Trident High School), Alex Wilton (Ōpōtiki College). Daniel Zhang and Fifi Portsmouth of (Whakatāne High School).

Students attending BOP coastal high schools between Katikati and Ōpōtiki are eligible for the scholarships, with the winners determined by the individual colleges/high schools. Those with more than 1,000 students are eligible for two scholarships.

This year’s recipients will be heading off to study a whole raft of subjects including: viticulture and oenology, architecture, computer science, engineering, biomedical science, and health science.

BOP Education Trust chairman Nick Earl says the Trust, which has been operating since 1985, is firmly committed to investing in the tertiary education of the Bay’s young people.

It’s reach, in terms of community support, continues to stretch. In 2021, for example, the Trust introduced supplementary grants born out of a keenness to expand the way in which it helps young people. The most recent recipients (announced late last year) of those supplementary grants are: House of Science, Youth Encounter, Edge BBNZ, and the Graeme Dingle Trust Project K Foundation.

London life fits like a glove

“Each project is different, but I’ve worked in roles doing business analysis (gathering requirements for change, analysing current ways of working and designing improvements), operating model design (understanding how a business is structured, identifying challenges, and recommending new structures and ways of working) and in business change (assisting companies to understand, communicate and transition through change),” Hannah explains

Not only is the job enjoyable, life in London isn’t too shabby either, she laughs.

“I love London life - there’s always something going on (music gigs, theatre shows, new restaurants and pubs to try out) and it’s a great place to be based if you want to explore Europe (the train to Paris only takes 2.5 hours!).

“The best thing about working in London compared to NZ is that no one starts work until at least 9am (I’ve got used to the sleep-ins) and I’ve got amazing office views over the Thames,” she shares.

Eight years on from crossing the stage to receive her BOPET scholarship, Hannah says she remains very appreciative.

“Heading into uni, the scholarship eased the amount of money going on to my student loan and gave me a huge confidence boost, because if others believed in me enough to financially support me, then I could believe in myself too! That really helped,” she says.

Life skills programmes benefit from the Trust’s coffers

Organisations involved in providing young people with science kits, dirt bike group therapy, and an innovative woodworking programme are the main beneficiaries of recent BOP Education Trust goodness.

RIP Wednesday

It was with great sadness that the BOP Education Trust Scholarship Alumni team learnt of the loss of one of its own earlier this year.

We pay respect to Wednesday Davis, who become a scholarship recipient in 2015.

The former Mt Maunganui College student died during a climbing expedition on Mount Ruapehu over Matariki weekend.

Wednesday studied at the University of Auckland where she pursued a double major in biological sciences and marine sciences. This was followed by a postgraduate studies in marine science. She worked for non-profit charity Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, with Goat Island Marine Reserve her primary workspace.

The highly valued BOPET scholarship recipient will be remembered, amongst other wonderful things, as a powerful voice for the ocean.

We Want to Hear From You if…

• You are a former recipient who would like to be profiled in our enewsletter (just as Hannah Glover is in this one)
• If you know of any former recipients who are not receiving these emails. Please share their contact details with us so we can grow our database
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