Three Mount Maunganui College girls have been 'set up well for university' after attending the Hills Laboratories Summer Science School at Waikato University.
Akasha Warner-Mason, Georgina Pearson and Rowan Skentlebery were sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mount Maunganui to attend the course.
The girls were three of 40 chosen from District 9930 from over 70 applicants.
They recently reported back to the Rotary club on their experiences and Rotary member Peter Clark said the course had heightened their interest in science and set them up for university.
"These three enthusiastic students took us through their full-on week of learning. Based at Te Kauri Lodge, the first three days of the programme were taken up by field trips.
"Samples were taken from Kawhia Harbour of small fish and zoo plankton, fossils from Pati point, and water samples from the stalactites in Waitomo Caves.
"Also of interest was the siltstone formed 154 million year ago in the dinosaur age.
"The last two days the students spent in labs at the University studying their samples and also creating various electronic devices.
"It was obvious from their enthusiastic and well prepared presentation that their interest in science had been heightened, and has set them up well for continuing their studies at University next year."