Youth achiever: Tauranga student heads off on Asian business study tour

Skye Lunson-Storey is "quite a busy person" and the driven 17-year-old has set herself career goals which are at the forefront of everything she does.

A future career in the creative arts industry was definitely on the cards, she said.

Skye, a Visual Arts Prefect at Tauranga Girls' College, said her goal was to work in the fashion, film or dance industry.

"It's quite difficult to choose because I love them all, but working in the fashion industry would be achieving my dream," the bubbly Year 13 student said.

"Ultimately I would love to create my own fashion label using sustainable fabrics and gender-neutral textiles, and incorporate all three of my passions into the business."

Skye is driven to succeed in everything she does.

In 2016 Skye was the top student in her textile studies class at her school and also won a Bay of Plenty Schools championship textile award.

In 2016 and 2017 she achieved Excellence endorsements in all her Level one and Level Two NCEA results and last year, also received a Diligence Award at her school prizegiving.

Last year she also attended a leadership camp at Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre, which she described as "a really cool opportunity".

Skye said she aimed to mirror her NCEA excellence endorsements this year.

"I am quite a busy person given the number of things I am involved in," she said,

That's an understatement - Skye attends six dance classes a week, involving three styles of dance - ballet, jazz and contemporary, and also works up to 10 hours a week.

"I have been dancing since I was five and I just love all styles of dance and creative expression, but my first love is ballet," she said.

Life for Skye is about to get even busier.

Skye is one of 10 high school students selected to visit Singapore next month to take part in a business challenge field-trip and heads off on April 10 for a week-long trip.

The trip is fully funded by Southeast Asia's Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence and facilitated by Young Enterprise and the NZ Chamber of Commerce in Singapore.

During the trip, she will learn about the culture and business community in Singapore, including site visits to established companies and start-ups.

Students also meet local entrepreneurs and work with local Singaporean students on a thought-provoking business challenge.

"I'm really excited and grateful that I was selected because I haven't had the opportunity to go overseas before, apart from a trip to Melbourne when I was 10.

"It will be an amazing experience and a great chance to gain new skills that can help me expand my creative and innovative ideas to establish a future business," she said.

Skye said she lived by the motto of always aiming high to achieve her aspirations.

"I set high expectations for myself and feel disappointed if I don't meet them. But I often surprise myself what I can achieve by working hard and following my passions."