Silicon Valley and Stanford University Beckon for Tauranga Māori Student Group
TAURANGA, Friday 16 October 2015: A dozen secondary school students from Bethlehem’s Te Wharekura o Mauao will embark on a once-in-a-lifetime trip this
weekend to help inspire the next generation of Māori innovators.
Twelve students from the Māori immersion school will visit Silicon Valley and Stanford University near San Francisco,
California, and meet with entrepreneurs, investors, PhD students and Stanford professors while working on
bioengineering, virtual reality and income inequality projects.
The week-long trip is being funded in partnership with Kumikumi Trust (Tauranga), Callaghan Innovation and the New
Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and is supported by Anne Gibbon of Matri Design LLC (a former fellow of Stanford
University).
Students will be accompanied by their principal, Koa Douglas, and the school’s Head of Technology, Grant Ranui. NZQA’s
Deputy Chief Executive Māori Daryn Bean will also attend to evaluate how the students find the programme, along with
representatives from Kumikumi Trust and Callaghan Innovation.
Hemi Rolleston, Callaghan Innovation GM Māori Economy, says the trip is a wonderful opportunity to encourage Māori
children to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths.
“This is the first trip of its kind and is a chance for both Callaghan Innovation and NZQA to combine our resources and
help these children engage with experts in the technology and innovation fields.
“Our job at Callaghan Innovation is to support hi-tech New Zealand businesses and this is a great way to encourage
tomorrow’s young innovators and get them excited about the world of possibilities that lie ahead.”
Rolleston and his colleagues have helped provide key connections for the students’ visit. “Silicon Valley is one of the
places on earth most alive with ideas, and Stanford is one of the most interdisciplinary and well-connected universities
in the world” he says.
“This trip is a priceless opportunity for them to hone their entrepreneurial skills, build creative confidence and
embrace innovative thinking. Everyone involved in this delegation wants to help inspire these children to consider
future careers in science and technology.
The students range from Year 8 to Year 10 and were chosen from a group of 25 that originally applied.
Each applicant had to design and present a playground concept for their school, explaining how it catered for the
individual needs of different year levels. Students also wrote an essay to their principal outlining their skills, goals
and why they should be chosen, and underwent a formal interview.
“Te Wharekura o Mauao originally planned to take 10 students but the high calibre of applicants meant 12 were eventually
selected,” Rolleston explains.
NZQA Deputy Chief Executive Māori Daryn Bean says “This is an amazing opportunity for our rangatahi to not just learn
about innovation, design thinking and digital technology, but to experience it first-hand at world renowned companies.
NZQA is excited to support such an initiative and we hope the learnings from this can be replicated in New Zealand.”
The group will fly from Auckland to San Francisco tomorrow, returning home on Sunday 25 October.