Port Awards Scholarships to Local Students

by Press Release on 2012-02-02

Four new students have been named as recipients of a Port of Tauranga scholarship for tertiary study (which brings the total recipients for 2012 to eight).

The Turirangi Te Kani Memorial Scholarships, which honour one of Tauranga s leading community figures, have been awarded annually by the Port for 22 years.

This year s recipients are: Kahurangi Ahomiro (aged 19), studying for a Bachelor of Nursing Degree at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Hikitapu Ngata (17), studying for an Engineering Degree at Waikato University; James Simonsson (18), studying Health Science (Orthopaedics), at Otago University and Aurere Thatcher (19), studying for a Degree in Media and Creative Technologies, majoring in Maori Media and Communications, at Waikato University.

The scholarship is awarded for up to three years tertiary study to young people from the Tauranga Moana Trust Board area with tribal affiliation with Tauranga Iwi. It recognises not only the contribution made to the community by Turirangi Te Kani, who led the formation of the Matapihi-Ohuku Trust and served on the Tauranga-Moana Maori Trust Board, but also his services and advice to the Port of Tauranga. A veteran of the Maori Battalion, Turirangi Te Kani died in 1990.

We take an active interest in the tertiary careers of the students we support, said Port Chief Executive Mark Cairns. The scholarships are awarded on a year-by-year basis and the students report back on their study progress and exam results each year.

Of the eight recipients of the award from 2010 and 2011, four have been affirmed to receive the scholarships funds again in 2012. They are Te Haana Jacob, Danielle Lucas, Natasha Martin (second year students) and Fonteyn Gear (third year student).

Photo: RECIPIENTS OF 2012 SCHOLARSHIP:  
Kahu Ahomiro, Hikitapua Ngata, James Simonsson and Aurere Thatcher

L-R:  Mark Cairns, Chief Executive, Port of Tauranga Limited; Jack and Awhina Thatcher (parents of Aurere Thatcher); Hikitapua Ngata; Joyce Haigh (aunt of Kahu Ahomiro) and James Simonsson
Note:  where students were unable to attend, family members attended on their behalf.

Port of Tauranga