Te Puke High School remembers Vaishali McNeill

A commemoration of Vaishali McNeill's life was held at Te Puke High School last week.

Vaishali Kowhai McNeill was just two weeks shy of her 16th birthday when her life was cut short in a car crash on May 19 last year.

On Friday, that life was celebrated at Te Puke High School with the unveiling of a plaque and a memorial seat at the school. The plaque was unveiled by Vaishali’s mum and dad, Sarb Mann and David McNeill.

Sarb said the celebration was everything she expected “and even more”.

“The speeches were so nice from the kids and the teachers, I could hear kids crying, it was emotional, but also really nice how she touched everyone.”

The plaque is in an area set aside for the remembrance of students who have died and the seat has been positioned in front of the school’s wharenui, overlooking the playing field.

As well as speeches and a slide show there were performances of kapa haka, waiata, poi and haka.

The ceremony was largely student-led by Vaishali’s friends.

“They got together and they made the effort to do this and practised in their lunchtimes and put the whole programme together which was really good.”

Sarb said her daughter was loved by so many people and touched many lives, and that came across in the speeches.

“It’s a death that was really hard because she was so young and her life was taken away so young. She had so much more to live for, but it was also good that we were all grieving together, but also celebrating her life.

“It really helped and made me feel really proud of Shali and just a proud mother - I wanted everyone to know ‘that’s my daughter’.”

Vaishali had a goal of becoming an architect.

“She was just a kid who always wanted to strive to do better. By May [last year] she had already got all her credits for the year, which is amazing.”

She knew which courses she would need to take in her final year at school to get into university, and had achieved the results she needed.

“She wanted to be an architect, that’s all she wanted to be. She already had the prospectuses, and was going to go to uni. She didn’t want to go too far, so was going to go to Auckland - she had it all planned out.

“She also worked after school and weekends at Subway and would take on any shifts that she could. She was very independent, and loved her fashion.”

Deputy principal Simon McGillivray said it was the first time, as far as he was aware that, such a commemoration had been held at the school.

“The students have led this one and it’s been mainly them and Sarb, who was keen to remember Vaishali with the school and the students.”

Simon said the hope was the commemoration would help with the grieving process and support was available to students.

“A lot of our students are still struggling with that loss. Around here she had a significant influence.”

The anniversary of Viashali’s death on Sunday was marked by a family unveiling.