HINETEAHORANGI Ngaropo still gets butterflies every time she goes on air.
But that's to be expected when you're just 12 years old and every ear in the school - and possibly your community - is listening in.
She and 13-year-old Aroha Sorenson are among students and staff from Murupara's Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tawhiuau who host the school's radio station.
The station currently runs from Monday to Friday with three shows - morning, lunchtime and afternoon. All are in Maori. There's now plans to extend the coverage.
"It's fun and easy but it's out of it when you hear your own voice," Aroha said.
"I still get butterflies when I do it and when I first started I thought I would make mistakes," Hineteahorangi said.
The lively pair admit to the odd mishap but said it came with the territory when doing live shows.
"I've gone to introduce a song and when I've played it, it was something else," Hineteahorangi said.
Pauaru Tawhara, the teacher in charge of running the radio station, said the students did a fantastic job and were very professional.
"I have worked on radio before but it is special to be working with the students here. It gives them a great opportunity they couldn't get anywhere else."
Te Reo o Tawhiuau 99.7FM was launched in October last year and school principal Pem Bird said it had been a huge success within the Murupara community. Plans were almost complete to extend the station's coverage.
"Currently we can reach just outside the township but we want to be able to get a wider coverage and maybe become an iwi station."
Mr Bird said the station had created a lot of opportunities for its young hosts.
"Our students on site are learning new skills and gaining proficiency and spontaneity in their te reo."
The aim was to get the Maori language out to the Murupara community.
"We saw the radio as a vehicle for Te Reo Maori to become an everyday language. We are aware of our community wanting to learn Maori and this gives them that opportunity."
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