Eruera said he believed he got the scholarship because of his dedication to his kura and his work ethic. He was also nominated as the Te Koutu young achiever of 2012, something Eruera said would look good on his CV.
"Without sounding up myself, I consider myself quite a hard worker, especially in my dedication to my school. I started here when I was 7, I'm now the head boy and was the top student last year."
He also has a deep association with his marae Tarimano in Te Awahou.
"My culture is everything to me. I was brought up with my parents only speaking Maori to me. Growing up in a kura kaupapa with the reo and the tikanga it's always been a huge part of my life, it's just a part of me."
Te Kura o Te Koutu's Tania Smith said Eruera had consistently pushed himself to achieve at a high level.
"This is a great honour, but not so surprising for such a dedicated young man," she said.
"His achievements show us that our Maori rangitira across the country are pushing past the stereotypes."