Source: Northland Regional Council
Four Northland students have been named as recipients of Northland Regional Council’s annual Tū i te ora Scholarship, each receiving $5000.
Council chair Pita Tipene says the recipients are Eben Blissett, Natalee Reti, Lucy Sizer and Te Manea Smith, who were selected from a pool of more than two dozen applicants.
This is the seventh year council has awarded the scholarships, which recognise, encourage and support students to undertake study that relates to council’s environmental and regulatory functions, whilst contributing to council’s vision ‘Taitokerau ki runga, ko konei ka puāwai tahi ai te tangata me te taiao’ (Northland, the top region, where people and nature flourish together).
“Northland Regional Council is pleased to be able to invest in Northland’s people through these scholarships and create pathways into careers that support our environment and communities,” Chair Tipene says.
“Through the Tū i te Ora Scholarship, we’re helping remove some of the financial barriers to tertiary education and building a future where the knowledge, aspirations and leadership of our recipients continue to shape a thriving and resilient Taitokerau.”
“Of particular importance is being able to create opportunities for Māori to pursue tertiary education and explore careers that contribute to the wellbeing of our people and our environment.”
Recipient Natalee Reti says her aspiration is to continue building her mātauranga and experience in the environmental space, especially around freshwater, ecological monitoring and the protection of taonga species.
“I want to use what I learn to support my hapū, whānau and wider hapori and to help create opportunities for our people to be actively involved in caring for our taiao.” Lucy Sizer is studying towards a Bachelor of Science, double majoring in Environmental Science and Geography at the University of Canterbury.
She hopes to eventually become an environmental consultant, with a focus on remediation for contaminated whenua, identifying environmental exposure pathways, contaminants, and with an additional focus on climate change and hazard adaptations.
Punaruku-based recipient, Eben Blissett, says volunteer work educating people about exotic Caulerpa over the past few years has strengthened his passion for protecting and preserving the whenua for future generations.
“The scholarship is going to be unbelievably helpful, it’s going to help fix a few things up on my car, which I need because I’ve been travelling two hours from Whangaruru to get to NorthTech every day. I feel so unbelievably privileged and grateful to be one of the recipients.”
Recipient Te Manea Smith says she was inspired by her whānau, hapū and wider iwi to pursue a degree that would give her the skills and knowledge to better serve her people.
The four winners (in alphabetical order by surname) are:
- Eben Blissett, from Punaruku
(Ngātiwai and Ngāti Hine; Te Uri o Hikihiki)
Studying towards Diploma in Environmental Management (Level 6), NorthTec (second year)
- Natalee Reti, from Whangaruru
(Ngātiwai, Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Hine)
Studying towards Te Aho Pūtaiao – Bachelor of Environmental Studies, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi (second year)
- Lucy Sizer, from Kerikeri
Studying towards Bachelor of Science, double major in Environmental Science and Geography, University of Canterbury (third year)
- Te Manea Smith, from Kawakawa
(Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa and Te Maahurehure; hapū include Ngāti Manu, Ngāti Hurihanga, Ngāti Kaharau, Ngāti Manawa, Te Popoto and Te Uri Kai Whare)
Studying towards Poutuārongo Ahunga Tikanga – Bachelor of Māori Laws and Philosophy, Te Wānanga o Raukawa (second year)