Ngataki School student Watea Ashby hopes his appearance on Brain Busters will be the start of a future screen career. Photo/Supplied
Ngataki School student Watea Ashby hopes his appearance on Brain Busters will be the start of a future screen career. Photo/Supplied
Their school may be small, but a group of Far North students have proved their mana is mighty after taking on some of the country's smartest tamariki in an epic TV adventure to the South Island.
Four out of Ngataki School's nearly 30 students embarked on an exciting, 48-hour round trip to Otautāhi Christchurch recently to star in the popular kids TV quiz show Brain Busters.
Watea Ashby, Amaleia Falanisi, Aaliyah Rutland and Manaia Potts - all in Year 8 and 9 at the tiny kura 50km north of Kaitaia - made the long journey to the South Island with two parents in tow.
Ngataki School student Manaia Potts. Photo/Supplied
The all-expenses-paid trip came about after the application from one of the students - Watea Ashby - caught the eye of Whitebaitmedia producers.
"It's central to the kaupapa (idea) of our show that we reach far and wide around Aotearoa to cast our 600 contestants who take part each year," series producer Reuben Davidson said.
"We knew Watea would be great on the show, but being such a long way from Ōtautahi we encouraged more auditions from the school to allow us to make up a group to travel together," he said.
"Ngataki School really pulled out the stops to make it happen."
Watea said the trip was exciting from start to finish.
"We had to drive an hour and a half to get to Kerikeri, then fly to Auckland and then we had to run really fast to catch another flight to Christchurch," he said.
"We stayed down there for two nights with a whole day at the TV studios.
"When I first saw the set for real I was in shock. It was as cool as."
The students were filmed in different episodes across the day, competing with other contestants from throughout New Zealand.
Aaliyah said the best part was meeting new friends and seeing the production from behind the scenes.
"There were a few bloopers!" she conceded.
Ngataki School student Aaliyah Rutland. Photo/Supplied.
"Chris [Kirk, presenter] had to do a few retakes when he was introducing us and he started making faces. It was really funny," she said.
"We got to see heaps and even met the What Now show presenters too," Watea added.
In addition to starring on the popular children's TV show, the group also managed to eat out, did a trip to Timezone, and shopped for treats to bring back to their siblings.
Ngataki School support staff member and parent help on the trip, Hannah Tahitahi, said the kura encouraged its tamariki to grab experiences with both hands.
"We live in a beautiful place to grow up, but it's good for kids to see that there's a big world out there and if you put yourself out there, opportunities will come your way," she said.
"Going as a group was great because a bit of home with you along the way can help you feel more at ease."
Watea, who's already made and starred in his own videos, hopes it's the start of more time on screen.
"I really want to be an actor. I hope I get spotted from being on Brain Busters and get picked to be in a movie," he said.
In each Brain Busters episode, four contestants play several quiz rounds with the top two taking on a giant in-studio obstacle course. The last player standing gets the chance to turn their points into dollars.
The first of the Ngataki contingent will be on screen on June 21.
Ngataki School student Amaleia Falanisi. Photo/Myjanne Jensen
While they're staying tight-lipped about the end result, the group is said to have made a real impression on the makers of the show.
"Our awesome Ngataki players probably travelled from furthest away in New Zealand to be with us on Brain Busters this year," Reuben Davidson said.
