When it comes to balancing mainstream education with Māoritanga, Bay of Plenty's wharekura students are setting an example as role models who can walk in both worlds.
More than 10,400 students entered New Zealand Scholarship examinations last year, and of those who sat them, 2148 students were awarded one ormore scholarships across 36 subjects.
New Zealand Scholarship assesses students on their ability to demonstrate high-level critical thinking, abstraction and generalisation.
Four Bay of Plenty wharekura had multiple students pass scholarship exams last year.
In Mount Maunganui, Te Wharekura o Mauao students achieved three scholarships.
Those three students, Ariana Poihipi-Black (Year 12), Riritawhai Ferris (Year 13) and Tawa Ngatoko (Year 13), achieved scholarships in te reo Māori and had already passed NCEA Level 3 in various subjects while in Year 11.
Te Wharekura o Mauao mātua Heywood Kuka said they were impressive results.
"We definitely aspire to get our kids through the scholarship examinations so we're really proud of them," he said.
"For kids here, their knowledge means they can gain Level 3 in te reo Māori and te reo Rangatira at an early age and concentrate on mainstream subjects like English and math at their year level.
"Being te reo Māori speakers certainly gives them an advantage. They all work very hard as well."
Kuka said being at a kura gave the students many advantages.
"These kids grow up in te ao Māori, that is our focus and our priority, but also being able to equip our kids with what mainstream schools offer to a high level, that's what we pride ourselves in as well.
"They can walk in both worlds. They can have confidence in themselves in terms of identity, however they can definitely achieve in the mainstream educational system as well."
Hinemoa Herbert, 17, (left), Hiko o Te Rangi Curtis, 17, Tuterangiharuru Vaka, 16, and Ngatuire Hapi, 17, passed NZ Scholarship exams and achieved NCEA Level 3 with excellence. Photo / Andrew Warner
Meanwhile in Rotorua, Te Wharekura o Ngāti Rongomai students achieved four scholarships and one outstanding scholarship.
As well as achieving scholarships in te reo Māori, Hinemoa Herbert, 17, Hiko o Te Rangi Curtis, 17, Tuterangiharuru Vaka, 16, and Ngatuire Hapi, 17, also achieved NCEA Level 3 with excellence despite only being Year 12.
Te Wharekura o Ngāti Rongomai dean Dan Vaka said the school was "stoked" with the students' results.
"These four students have been excellent ever since they started NCEA," he said.
"These are our high achievers and it will be sad to see them leave because they're a really good bunch of kids."
He said the four students set a great example for younger children at the kura.
"It gives them something to aspire to. Because our school is a wharekura, it starts from new entrants right through to Year 13 so this instills a sense of pride in our babies because they look up to these kids as their big brothers and big sisters, so they're proud of them.
"It reaffirms to our kids that they can be high achievers in both worlds, a mainstream setting and te ao Māori setting."
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Koutu students achieved two scholarships and one outstanding scholarship. Its senior school staff and students are away at camp this week so were unavailable for comment.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamata achieved three scholarships. Staff at the school refused to talk to the Rotorua Daily Post about the achievements.
Bay of Plenty wharekura New Zealand Scholarship examination results
