Raetihi woman awarded $5000 Uenuku Charitable Trust study scholarship

Makotuku Scholarship recipient Odette Edmonds shows academic merit and a commitment to community. Photo / Supplied

Hard-working young Raetihi woman Odette Edmonds has been awarded a $5000 scholarship to help her towards a degree in early childhood education.

Edmonds is in her second year of study toward a Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) degree with the New Zealand Tertiary College. She was one of 11 applicants for the scholarship offered by the Raetihi-based Uenuku Charitable Trust.

She showed academic merit, a member of the Uenuku scholarship selection committee said. Added to that was her commitment to tikanga Māori, te reo Māori, the community and tribal development.

The committee was blown away by the high calibre of this year's applicants. They were studying subjects as wide ranging as medicine, law, business, the arts, sports science, education and the environment.

"We are proud of all the applicants and wish them every success in their studies," the trust said.

The scholarship is available to registered descendants of the Waimarino-based Uenuku, Tamakana and Tamahaki iwi who are graduates or undergraduates in full-time study for a degree. Its purpose is to increase higher education and help the economic, environmental, social and cultural development of the tribes.

It was established after a local person involved in the financial management firm Pure Capital Ltd approached the trust.