12:43 PM |
Opportunities for Pacific youth
By ANDREA VANCE - The Dominion PostPrime Minister John Key had a lesson in Pacific Island culture during a Porirua school visit.
Mr Key was at Bishop Viard College yesterday to launch his Pacific Youth Awards.
The prizes include tuition fees worth $6000 a year under the Auckland University Award for Leadership. The Weta Award for Creativity offers a year's paid internship at Weta Workshop in Wellington and the Cogita Software Award for Inspiration is $5000 towards an overseas trip.
Pupils performed traditional dance and presented Mr Key with gifts, including a coconut. Launching the awards, he said it was "vital young Pacific leaders are recognised for their achievements and potential".
He told pupils that principal Hedley Aitken had taught Finance Minister Bill English, who was "dealing with some pretty difficult issues today", in reference to the South Canterbury Finance crisis.
After the assembly, he answered questions and took morning tea with year 13 pupils. Advice he gave included "if you smoke, stop".
He also encouraged them to learn languages, joking, "I'm struggling with English," and said he regretted not learning German from his mother, who was fluent.
The school's barbershop quartet Identity then serenaded Mr Key and Pacific Affairs Minister Georgina te Heuheu with Come Fly with Me.
Justina Miti, 18, chatted to Mr Key – also tourism minister – about her plans to go into the travel industry. "He said it was a great industry but I might change my mind when I get older."
She was excited by his visit and planned to "look at" applying for one of the awards.
Nominations close on October 11, with winners announced on November 19.
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pacific islands media association
pima.nius@gmail.com
aotearoa, new zealand
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