It’s bank account boost time for 22 Bay of Plenty students, thanks to a Bay of Plenty Education Trust scholarship.

Sixteen Western BOP, and six Eastern BOP students - who will head off to begin their tertiary studies shortly - will each receive a total of $6,000 distributed over the duration of their study.

This year’s recipients crossed the stage to receive their scholarships at functions held in both Tauranga and Whakatane last week.

The ceremonies focused on celebration, encouragement and connection. A number of previous scholarship alumni were also present to offer tips. Former Mount Maunganui College student, Kimera Talbot-Chinula is one of those alumni.

Her advice to students was to make daily to-do lists so as not to feel so overwhelmed by their new learning environments.

The scholarships are awarded annually to students from schools across the coastal Bay of Plenty.

Trust chairman Nick Earl said the Trust (which has been operating since 1985) has assisted more than 450 students through their Science, Technology and Emerging Industries Scholarships.

That’s more than $2.2 million gifted in supportive funding, with the scholarship amount increasing over the years.

He said the Trust was firmly committed to investing in tertiary education for the Bay’s young people.

“The transformative value education has on youth and communities should not be underestimated. Education is a powerful tool,” he told students.

This year’s Western Bay of Plenty scholarship recipients are Dylan Tran (Aquinas College), Noelle Tito (Bethlehem College), Kate Downes (Katikati College), Cole Frazer and Shiloh Warner (both of Mount Maunganui College), Noah Douglas and Rosa Sharp (both of Ōtūmoetai College), Alex Freeman and Kobe Buckley (Tauranga Boys’ College), Kyla Chen and Aahana Narang (Tauranga Girls’ College), Riley Horton and Marese Taumata (Te Puke High School), Renee Thomas and James Jeffrey (Papamoa College) and Eden Brears (Te Wharekura o Mauao).

This year’s Eastern Bay of Plenty scholarship recipients are Mieka Miller (Rangitaiki College), Ethan Beach (Opotiki College), Abeleye Turner-Manzonza (Tarawera College), Leah Bowe-Green (Trident High School), Rubi Kennedy and Harleen Kaur (Whakatāne High School).

These students will be heading off to study a range of subjects including biomedical science, aerospace engineering and astronomy, occupational therapy, nursing, computer science, mechanical and civil engineering, architecture, veterinary science, and health science.

The Trust’s community reach continues to extend.

In 2021, supplementary grants were established to expand the Trust’s support for young people. Recent recipients include Graeme Dingle–Project K, Western Bay of Plenty Life Education initiatives, House of Science, Blue Light Ventures, Youth Encounter Programmes, and Big Buddy, a programme newly introduced to the Tauranga region that matches teenage boys without male role models in their lives with positive male mentors.

-Supplied content