More than 30 of the region's high school students took to the EIT campus to test their oratory and language skills during the annual Nga Whakataetae Mo Nga Manu Korero, regional Maori speech competition.
Organising committee member, Jennifer Cracknell, said nearly every high school in the Bay was represented at
the day-long competition in Taradale on Friday.
She said the event was broken down into six catagories for junior and senior students.
The competition covered a range of topics including "we are the products of our thoughts", "what we think we believe", "leave my traditional food cupboard alone", and "how Maori people can reach the highest summits".
Ms Cracknell said one student, Kelly-Aroha Huata-Hook of Hukarere Girls' College, was a stand-out performer - winning four categories.
