Bay of Plenty Education Trust scholarships go to local students

Scholarship recipient Ruby Hugglestone with Tom Beswick, left, and Nick Earl, both from the BOP Education Trust. Photo / Supplied

Hannah Mollier has begun her tertiary studies in Palmerston North, armed with financial support from the Bay of Plenty Education Trust.

The former Te Puke High School student will receive $6000 in scholarship money from the trust to put towards her study costs.

Hannah has already started her studies at UCOL in Palmerston North where she will spend three years studying medical imaging. Her aim is to become a radiographer.

The daughter of Craig and Heather Mollier, Hannah was one of a team of Te Puke High School Young Enterprise students who last year won regional awards for their sustainable tote bag concept.

Two recently graduated Pāpāmoa College students have also received a financial boost toward their tertiary study plans, thanks to the trust.

Ruby Hugglestone and Jessica Rolleston will each also receive $6000 in scholarship money to put towards their study costs over the course of their degrees.

It’s a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in sport and exercise that Ruby will be pursuing at the University of Otago. The representative hockey player is the daughter of Jodie Curtis and Craig Reekie of Pāpāmoa.

Jessica will head to Auckland to study spatial design at AUT. She’s not yet sure which direction that qualification will take her, but urban planning, interior design or architectural design are options. Jessica is the daughter of Marc and Kathy Rolleston.

Former Te Puke High School student Hannah Mollier has a begun her tertiary studies with a $6000 Bay of Plenty Education Trust scholarship. Photo / Supplied

The trio are among 15 Western Bay of Plenty recipients of BOP Education Trust’s Science, Technology and Emerging Industries Scholarships in the latest annual round.

All up, the trust has committed to gifting $126,000 from its coffers in its latest scholarship round — there are six Eastern BOP recipients too. Each year the trust awards scholarships to students graduating from coastal high schools and colleges between Katikati and Ōpotiki and heading off to pursue tertiary studies. Colleges with more than 1000 students are eligible for two scholarships.

BOP Education Trust chairman Nick Earl says the number of recipients to receive the scholarship over the years now stands at 366. The scholarship value has increased over time, with the total amount gifted now nudging the $2 million mark. A total of $1,961,750 has been gifted.

The scholarship winners are determined by the individual colleges / high schools, and the latest recipients were acknowledged at ceremonies in Whakatāne and Mt Maunganui on January 25 and 26.

The BOP Education Trust also supports the Western BOP InStep Programme and its equivalent — ToiEDA — in Whakatāne. The board also has a Future Leaders Programme and, in the recent year, has launched a supplementary grant initiative aiming to advance education within the coastal Bay of Plenty.

This year’s other Western Bay of Plenty recipients are: Binew Illangamudalige and Kel Iggulden both of Tauranga Boys’ College, Charlie Colquhoun and Nadia Harmine both of Otumoetai College, Eli Samuels of Te Wharekura O Mauao, Emilie Arthur and Tegan Sloan both of Mt Maunganui College, Henry Ahearn of Bethlehem College, Hunter Ririnui and Kennedy de Bono both of Tauranga Girls College, Jessica Rolleston and Ruby Hugglestone both of Pāpāmoa College, Rachel Shirley of Aquinas College, and Zaide Farrell of Katikati College.