It’s a dream come true for Year 13 St Paul’s Collegiate School student Pianika Taylor who says a recent scholarship offer for the University of Otago will be truly life changing.
Pianika has been awarded a Te Whare Wānanga o Otago (University of Otago) Māori and Pacific Peoples’ Entrance Scholarship which is valued at $10,000.
The 17-year-old says the funds will be used for halls of residence and some of her first year undergraduate fees.
“It takes a bit of pressure off the financial side of university,” she said. “Now I can follow my dream of becoming a doctor.”
Pianika will study health science next year with the aim of progressing into medicine in 2018.
“I want to make a positive change in the lives and health of Māori and help those who can’t or won’t help themselves, which is a regular occurrence within the Māori community.”
To apply for the scholarship applicants must be of Māori descent and/or have indigenous Pacific Island ancestry and demonstrate their involvement with Māori and/or Pacific Peoples’ communities.
While at St Paul’s, Pianika has organised Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, led the school in waiata and haka and has been the leader and a member of the Kapa Haka group. She is also the Kaitātaki Wahine (female Māori leader) and has undertaken the role of kaikaranga at many school pōwhiri.
Outside of St Paul’s, Pianika volunteers at Te Whare o Te Ata (Fairfield Community Centre) helping unprivileged Māori children by giving them the opportunity to read for enjoyment; helps at her marae; volunteers at Waikato Hospital; and is a member of St Paul’s Over the Fence Ministry service initiative where she volunteers at local decile one primary schools.
Applicants also had to demonstrate their academic ability.
Pianika achieved NCEA Level 2 endorsed with Merit, Level 2 Māori endorsed with Merit and was first in subject for Māori in 2015.
After what has evidently been a few years of hard work, Pianika says it has all been worth it.
“I feel very privileged and honoured to be offered a tertiary scholarship. It feels very rewarding knowing that all of my hard work, commitment and sacrifices have been worth it.”
