Bitter-sweet for graduates

WINNER: Taratahi chief executive Donovan Wearing and best overall student and winner of the Taratahi Cup, Kelly Poehls.PHOTOS/LYNDA FERINGA

More than 100 Taratahi students were sombre for part of yesterday's graduation while chief executive Donovan Wearing spoke of the tragic loss of former student, Tyler Swinbank.

Dr Wearing told graduates, and the hundreds of family and friends gathered in the Masterton Town Hall for the ceremony, that Taratahi was more of a family than an institution, and still reeling from the loss of one of their own in a fatal car crash, in May.

"Like any family it's tragic when you lose someone, and this year, on our watch, we lost one, Tyler ... also our thoughts are with Adam [King] who survived the accident."

Taratahi board of trustees chairman David Nelson said agriculture was the "engine room" of New Zealand's economy and that more students needed to be encouraged to undertake agricultural studies.

"Imagine how powerful that engine room would be if agriculture was the first choice of secondary students.

"The pathways that today's graduates find themselves on will be a maze of opportunity," Mr Nelson said.

He also reminded the graduates of the importance of safety in the agriculture industry.

"Statistics from Australia and New Zealand are identifying a high accident rate in the 60 plus category. For the young men and women here today I urge you to keep your safety practices that you developed while at Taratahi."

After a final speech from Tim Fowler, chief executive of the Tertiary Education Commission, students took to the stage to receive their certificates and awards.

The top award, the Taratahi Cup, for the best overall student, went to 18-year-old Kelly Poehls, from Wellington. Miss Poehls also took out the Richard Mills/Taratahi Scholarship and the East Coast Sheep and Beef Council award for the most improved dog handler.

Miss Poehls said she developed an interest in agriculture growing up next door to her uncle's farm and loved being outdoors.

She said she would be working as a junior shepherd over summer and then studying agriculture at Lincoln University next year.