Education is taken seriously in Fiji. Waisake says he gets up at 4am to start a three-hour journey to get to school and then does it all again to get home. He is finding it much easier to get to school in Te Puke.
Academy directors Miln and Harvey are delighted with how well the academy went last year.
"The over-riding vision of the academy is that we are using rugby as a vehicle to make great young men. We are equally proud that the boys in the academy are achieving both inside and outside the classroom," Harvey said.
"We are teaching valuable life lessons and embedding good values that they can use in high school and in the community and work force. The academy sets high standards."
Miln says last year the rugby programme was successful with scholarships offered to some of the boys from other schools.
Last year's team captain Senio Pulega became the first Te Puke intermediate student to be awarded a full scholarship to King's College in Auckland.
"We don't want them to leave Bay of Plenty. That is not we are trying to do but if they end up at these prestigious schools then that is their choice as a family," Miln said.
"We were just trying to develop a group of players and give them some different thoughts about the professional side of the game. Having fun is one thing but obviously you have to work hard.
"I think behaviour-wise within the school they improved. They are only 12 so they do muck up just like adults do I suppose. We wanted to paint those pictures for the school that we can tidy up some of the behaviour issues and rugby is a good way to do it because they love playing the game."
Harvey says there have been wider benefits from the programme including the establishment of a netball academy.
"We have found a lot of support in our community for the academy. We have also been very grateful to Trevelyan's Pack and Cool and Farmlands who have made [the academy] happen this year.
"The support from the Te Puke community has been great."