A Napier teenager's double triumph in last week's Manu Korero secondary schools speech competitions was quickly eclipsed by news he has been accepted for study at Yale University - at the age of 15.
Ngaa Rauuira Puumanawawhiti Paku Denis was advised on Friday, leaving just a fortnight to prepare for the six-week
summer session on politics, philosophy and international relations.
He'll be back home in time to complete NCEA level three, hopefully with a Yale graduation ready to take him into fulltime study at the famous North American campus.
His mother, Makarito, a fashion designer, said he had always been a gifted boy, entering the education system in Otaki at Te Kakano kohanga reo, and starting school at Te Rito school, before moving to Hawke's Bay to attend Te Ara Hou in Napier and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ngati Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, near Bridge Pa.
His advanced state of learning was picked-up in early childhood but it was unable to be accommodated when he first went to school.
A couple of years later, the family - a brother, three sisters, his mother and his father -decided to move to Hawke's Bay.
His mother attributes much of his development to the wider family influence, including the boy's grandparents, Mike and Janet Paku, with whom he lives.
In a classic case showing the benefits of learning more than one language as a child, he is now fluent in Maori, English, French and Japanese.
As a 13-year-old he completed a Diploma in Maori Studies and last year went on to do Bachelor studies.
The family was advised to look for education opportunities ``offshore,'' leading to an approach to Yale.
He was accepted on the basis that, because of his age, he lives off-campus.
``His interest is human rights,'' his mother said. ``He's been talking that way since he was 10.''
But she said his life was not buried in books or on the internet.
``He's still a typical teenager, and he likes to be with his mates,'' Makarito said.
He has other interests in waka ama, taiaha, and the martial art kyoku shin, and manages to find time to play computer games.
