Putting the agricultural sector under the microscope has won two Huanui College teams top placings in a national enterprise contest, which attracted a whopping 110 entries across New Zealand.
Assistant principal Vernice Young said the school was delighted with the results of both teams in the New Zealand Trust Epic Challenge.
Harriette Baxter, Jordan Carswell, Sinead Hallberg and Callum McKay's Dairy Ain't Airy Fairy project won the DairyNZ Innovation EPIC Award.
The crew travelled to the Fresha Valley bottling plant in Waipu and a dairy farm to try to understand what was needed to make useful products from good quality raw materials.
They each won $350, as well as a trip to Wellington to find out the overall winners.
A trip to Niwa's aquaculture facility in Ruakaka inspired Bianca Paratene, Brooke Senescall, Hamish Manderson and Toitehuatahi Munroe to create promotional strategies for the MPI Future Focused EPIC Award. The Northland team came second.
The category challenge focused on careers which show an understanding of future or changing needs in the primary industries.
The aim of the Niwa project was to identify and investigate a range of career options, research and describe a target market, and create promotional strategies for a target market.
"Their investigation took them to Niwa in Ruakaka where they interviewed various people about their jobs within the primary industry. Their submission was excellent and the students each win $250," Ms Young said.
"This is a very exciting opportunity for our students."