CENTENNIAL Park school students Miriama Hetet-Ngarongo, Amaia Tapu and Stacey Rangitonga are heading to Japan as part of the Tatsuno Sister City exchange.
THREE students from Centennial Park School are buzzing about travelling to Japan next year as part of the first Tatsuno Sister City exchange since Covid. After a selection process including students being interviewed about why they should be chosen for the trip, an application pool of 21 was narrowed to eight. Amaia Tapu (10) and 11-year-olds Stacey Rangitonga and Miriama Hetet-Ngarongo said they were all looking forward to the opportunity. They were interested in travelling to Japan and getting to experience the culture. Amaia said she knew the trip would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “I want to learn stuff there and bring it back to teach my family.” For Miriama and Amaia this would be their first time on a plane and for Stacey, who has travelled to Wellington by plane before, this would be his longest trip. They began thinking with principal Kevin Ikin about what they would want to teach the Japanese students about New Zealand and Māori culture. “What can you guys take that is going to be unique that they’ve never seen before?” Kevin asked the students. “Taonga, pounamu,” Miriama suggested. “And our reo.” When the time came for a Japanese contingent to visit, Amaia said she’d want to show them her marae and some of the Māori games she plays. EXCITEMENT AND NERVES Among the excitement to get to experience something new, there were some nerves about living with another family while they were billeted. The group were in the early stages of brainstorming how they would fundraise the more than $2000 they each need to be able to go. Stacey thought they could sell hangi or host a disco or gala. They each said they’d like to see the whole community get behind and support them. Kevin said he was rapt when he heard three of his students had been invited to the interview stage, let alone selected to go on the trip. “It’s huge for our community and it means a lot, not only for [the students] but also their families because very few people get the opportunity to travel, especially to somewhere like Japan. “It’s all systems go now getting our community behind in embracing, endorsing and supporting our three lucky recipients. “We just want them now to step up and be proactive.” Kevin knew the students would do their school and the wider community proud. “They’ll carry with them our uara, our values, that they deliver on daily.” Waitomo Sister City Inc chair Janis Macdonald said everyone was excited the exchanges got to resume next year, assuming everything remained status quo with Covid restrictions. CONSIDERATION AND THOUGHT She said a lot of consideration and thought went into selecting eight students from 21 who applied and it was not something the committee took lightly. Selected to travel to Japan next year with Stacey, Amaia and Miriama are five students from other Te Kūiti schools. Cameron Downey and Thanya Pandia from St Josephs, Ruby Walker and Marley Rawles from Rangitoto and Kaina Jones from Te Kūiti Primary have all been selected.
