Expo turnout points to healthy goals

Students were given a glimpse to the future at a careers expo tailored specifically for Pacific students yesterday.

More than 350 students from Taikura Rudolf Steiner, Hastings Boys' High School, Karamu High School, Hastings Girls' High School, Flaxmere College and Kimi Ora School attended the expo at Flaxmere College.

Stallholders included a DJ, EIT, Police, Youth Transitions, and the Maori Land Court, and there were a number of interactive presentations, entertainment acts and guest speakers.

Year 13 student Harmony Risati, 17, said she got vital information about working in the travel and tourism industry.

"I already knew what I wanted to do but I didn't know how to get the information," she said.

The expo was part of the Spacifically Pacific Festival running this week in conjunction with 25 local schools to celebrate Pacific students and the wider Pacific community.

Organiser Geraldine Maere said participation had exceeded expectation.

"The engagement of the community and the engagement of the students has been overwhelming," she said. "The amount of supporters we have had thus far - our crowds have reached over and beyond what we have imagined.

"Just by having the numbers here has given us a really solid indication that Pacific education is on the tips of peoples' tongues and we are working to support that."