RGHS students land uni scholarships

STRIVING HIGH: University of Otago Maori and Pacific Island Entrance Scholarship recipients are Aleisha Mitchell, Soltice Morrison and Diandra Purnivalu of Rotorua Girls' High School.PHOTO/BEN FRASER 251013BF17

Three Rotorua Girls' High School students will soon be packing their bags and heading south after each received a University of Otago Maori and Pacific Island Entrance Scholarship.

Aleisha Mitchell, Soltice Morrison and Diandra Purnivalu of Year 13 were excited to be chosen guaranteeing them a place at the university, as well as $10,000 in the first year which can be used for tuition fees or residential college.

As part of their application, the girls had to write a 500-word essay on how they have been committed to their Maori and Pacific culture.

Aleisha, who plans to study a Bachelor of Performing Arts said she outlined in her essay the work she did with Te Whakapono Health Trust and helping out at the mobile ear clinic. "[The scholarship] is great. It takes a lot of financial stress off me and my family," she said.

Diandra will be studying a Bachelor of Commerce degree. She outlined in her essay the work she does within her Pacific community.

"I've helped fundraise after the Samoan tsunami and representing the Rotorua Congregational Christian Church of Samoa," Diandra said.

Deputy head girl, Soltice, said she wrote about the community service she does at her local marae, Te Papaiouru Marae. She will undertake a Bachelor of Law and Science.

"I'm really excited to be going to a new environment and meeting new people," she said.

Deputy principal Aramoana Mohi-Maxwell said the school was very proud of the girls' achievements.

"They are amazing role models and and more personally this shows us and other Maori and Pacific Islanders that dreams don't have to be stopped by anything," she said. "These girls are a credit to who they are and their whanau. They have strong family support."

To be eligible for the scholarship, the students had to be of Maori and/or Pacific Island descent and have at least NCEA Level 2 with a merit commendation or equivalent.