First prize goes to non-existent newspaper
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A prize-winning newspaper may never hit the stands* but maybe it should. The newspaper, Nesian Nius, is the brainchild
of four Year 13 students from Aorere College, Papatoetoe. They masterminded the Pasifika broadsheet to scoop top prize
of $8,000 in the inaugural Pacific Business Challenge held last week.
Aorere
Eight teams from six Counties Manukau schools competed for $28,000 in cash prizes and tertiary scholarships for study at
AUT University or Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT). Mangere College came in second place with their ready-made
Pasifika flavour, chicken stuffing * Stuff D Moa * taking home $8,000.
An outstanding individual, Tupea Sifa, from Edgewater College won $2,000 for being top all round student. The Challenge
aim was to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of Pasifika students in South Auckland by enabling them to develop
business ideas.
Pasifika business leaders and AUT and MIT lecturers coached the students throughout the week long competition, advising
on marketing, research, finance, HR and contingency planning.
Go Go Coconut
Projects, including a plug-in printer for mobile phone photos, Coconut Go-Go Nuts - fresh coconut juice in a bottle, and
an alcohol-free teen nightclub, also impressed the judging panel at the Challenge final.
Other schools competing were Auckland Seventh Day Adventist College, De La Salle College and Sir Edmund Hilary
Collegiate. Projects were assessed against real-world criteria, such as competitive advantage and financial planning.
MIT also awarded two study scholarships valued at $3,500 and three at $1,000. Manukau City Council is the main event
sponsor. Other Challenge stakeholders are Pacific Business Trust, AUT University and Manukau Institute of Technology.
ENDS