First graduates ready for next step (+video)

Two students from Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai are the first in their kura's short history to gain the necessary qualifications to go on to further education.

Te Kaiamo Rogers Smith, 16, and Rangitiaria Rika, 16, have both gained level 3 NCEA and University Entrance.

Te Wharekura O Ngati Rongomai is one of our smaller local kura, on the outskirts of town, at Lake Rotoiti.

It has about 60 students and the two who have just finished were seniors last year.

Te Kaiamo said he was happy to have finished so well.

"It was one of the hardest years I have had because level 3 and all the NCEA exams mixed in with all my other activities like kapa haka, rugby and all my other subjects out of school, so it was a bit challenging, but it was cool."

He said he would be going to Te Wananga o Aotearoa this year to learn to carve and by the end of the year he would enrol at the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute to see if he could carve there too.

"I'm thankful to this school for getting me all the credits I needed to get my University Entrance early. It made a huge difference, I'm really grateful for coming to this school and already having my year all planned out."

Rangitiaria Rika said she was happy to have completed everything and thankful that the kura let her and Te Kaiamo start NCEA level 1 a year early so they could finish faster than most.

"Now I'm studying a diploma in arts and design at Waiariki. I'm hoping to complete that this year and then I want to go to Auckland University and do architecture."

She said time management was her biggest struggle during the school year and if she was to give any advice to others finishing their last year it would be to get everything done on time and to make sure they didn't leave anything to the last minute.

"Give it your all, while you have the chance," Rangitiaria said.

She said the kura had helped her "heaps". "Because it's small our teachers can focus on us individually which was a big help."

Rob Rika, Rangitiaria Rika's dad, said he was extremely proud of his daughter.

"How do you put it in words? The young ones these days have so much more on their plates than when I was at school, so I'm really proud of the fact that she put her head down and really achieved."

He said a huge shout out needed to go to the kura for all the time and effort it put in to its students.

Deana Rika, Rangitiaria's mum and a teacher at the kura, said if anything, the school was proud of the achievements of its senior students.

"They set the standards for the rest of our students. If they can see that it is attainable then they can aspire to do that as well."