Ms Pirini, of Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri and Ngati Hine descent, is in her second year of study towards a Bachelor of Education degree at Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi.
She has a lifelong interest in the well-being of children and education. Six years ago she founded a playgroup. Combining her passion for enhancing Maori children's learning and for the environment, she's keen to be the kind of teacher that exposes her students to the environment, outside of the constraints of classroom learning.
A university graduate, Ms Apiata, affiliates with Ngapuhi and Te Rarawa and is studying at Waikato University towards a graduate diploma in teaching secondary school.
She is a fluent te reo Maori speaker and holds a Nga Mana Whakairo a Toi Bachelor of Maori Performing Arts degree from Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi.
A performing kapa haka artist who has led one of Te Tai Tokerau groups at Te Matatini, Ms Apiata is a noted cultural ambassador for Ngapuhi who performs for international visitors and delegates.
Both women hope their earning the award will inspire others.
"Kupe Scholars seek out far horizons and chart new territory on our quest to succeed. It's not every day your selected to be one of 30 recipients throughout New Zealand to receive the Kupe Scholarship and as such I am honoured to be able to receive this scholarship on behalf of my whanau and Ngapuhi," Ms Apiata said.
"The funds will go towards my studies at Te Whare Wananga o Waikato as I pursue my postgraduate diploma in teaching secondary. It is not to assume I get the money and run, however there is a lot of expectations and criteria to meet the requirements of the scholarship, which is where the challenge lays.
"But through my determination and motivation to achieve at a high educational standard, in time I hope the youth of tomorrow will see this and be inspired to be the next recipient of the Kupe Scholarship."
Ms Pirini said she was inspired in primary school at Flat Bush, in Otara, by a teacher, Mr Scanlan, and she hoped she could similarly inspire others.
"I was absolutely overwhelmed [to have won the scholarship] and so grateful. But it didn't really hit me until I was in Parliament with all the other scholars and the associate minister."
She said education was so important to lifting Maori aspirations and she hoped her winning the award would inspire others to follow suit.
"First and foremost I want to help raise educational achievement for Maori, where the statistics are very low. I want more Maori to know that they can achieve anything if the work at it and through education we can succeed."
Ms Pirini plans to complete her degree then teach in the school environment, preferably in Te Tai Tokerau, and long term she plans on completing a masters or postgraduate degree with a focus on science.
Ministry of Education Deputy Secretary, Early Learning and Student Achievement, Ellen MacGregor-Reid said the Kupe Scholarship continues to attract high calibre scholars. Each year, 30 Kupe Scholarships are awarded to Maori or Pasifika students based on strong academic success and demonstrable leadership experience in their respective communities.
