The memory of Rotorua Maori leader Hawea Vercoe remains alive with a scholarship formed by the New Zealander of the Year.
Lance O'Sullivan of Kaitaia started The Hawea Vercoe Leadership Scholarship to honour his good friend and help the development of talented young Maori leaders.
It will provide inspiration, mentoring and connections to leadership role models. The official launch was held at the weekend in Taipa, Northland.
Mr Vercoe died in 2009 after an attack in Whakatane. His many roles in the community included Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Rotoiti principal, member of the Rotorua District Council's Te Arawa standing committee and a councillor of what is now known as the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
Dr O'Sullivan was this year awarded the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year award for the work he does in his Kaitaia community.
"Hawea was a young inspirational Maori leader whose energy and passion was best seen engaging with youth to achieve their absolute potential," Dr O'Sullivan said.
"Hawea's energy levels were only matched by his unwavering commitment and sincere belief in Maori and greater New Zealand resting in the hands of young people. This scholarship has been established to continue his legacy of Maori leadership."
Mr Vercoe's widow, Karri-Ann, attended the launch with their daughter and head girl of Rotorua Girls' High School, Moerangi. They met the first recipient of the scholarship, Elijah Raui, who hopes to study law next year.
She said they had been friends with Dr O'Sullivan and his wife Tracey for years and met while they were living in Rotorua.
"Dr Lance proposed [the scholarship] to our whanau to get our thoughts as he saw a real need for leadership and being a mentor for up-and-coming leaders," Mrs Vercoe said.
"He involved us from the very beginning, which was really important to us because other people had started Hawea Vercoe scholarships and we don't know about them, just hear about it later.
"Hawea worked tirelessly with his people and Lance wanted to go back to his people and do the same. Dr Lance is very socially driven and doesn't go with the status quo, which is what Hawea always pushed for, like the kura bus sign. He always asked, 'why do we accept the status quo, let's look for alternatives'."
Mrs Vercoe said the Far North teenager was a deserved recipient of the scholarship.
"Absolutely, just meeting him, his whole being, you can feel Hawea's spirit and he would have approved."