Paris dances way to success

SUCCESS STORY: Social Development Minister Anne Tolley (left), Paris Mason and Maori All Black Joe Royal at the William Wallace Awards in Wellington last week. PHOTO/ANDY REIKA

Young Wairarapa dancer Paris Mason has the world at her feet.

Ms Mason, Ngati Kahungunu and Ngati Porou, was awarded the Girls Friendly Society scholarship last Wednesday at the William Wallace Awards ceremony at Park Road Post Production in Wellington.

She has just completed five years at Kuranui College and was presented with the cultural award this year for the greatest contribution to dance and for the greatest contribution to college life.

The 18-year-old lives with foster parents Allen and Liz Birch in Featherston and believes her six years with them and dance classes at Kuranui have been vital to her achievements as a student and her career ambitions to dance and teach dance.

Ms Mason, a Christian camp leader, helped choreograph the latest place-winning Kuranui College Stage Challenge entry, was elected cultural leader at the school, and had performed with Greytown Little Theatre.

She also trained at the Featherston Muay Thai club and fought several novice bouts before realising she "didn't really like hitting people", while also training younger kick-boxers and attending a fight camp in Thailand.

"I really couldn't have done any of this without Liz and Allen. The placement here - home and school - everything just came together."

Megan Hubbard, Child Youth and Family central regional communications adviser, said the GFS scholarship was awarded each year to a young woman in the greater Wellington region and provided a mentor for the recipient and $4000 for each of up to three years of tertiary study.

She said 18 other awards were presented at the ceremony, including a $3000 tertiary award presented to former Rathkeale College student Zepplin Toomer, who was to use the prize to help with his business studies degree at Waikato University next year.

"These awards honour outstanding young people in care, many of whom have overcome significant barriers and gone on to great achievements. The awards help young people to pursue their dreams of tertiary, vocational or leadership training," Ms Hubbard said.

"Some of the young people have achieved academically, others have shown outstanding sporting ability and others are accomplished musicians. These awards will help them take the next step in their lives. This could be further study or training, or taking part in a leadership course like Outward Bound."

Maori All Black Joe Royal was guest speaker this year at the awards' ceremony, also attended by Minister of Social Development Anne Tolley.

Ms Mason starts a three-year bachelor course in cultural dance studies next year at Whitireia New Zealand Wellington Performing Arts Centre and also aims to train as a teacher for a year at Victoria University after graduating from the performing arts centre.

She prefers contemporary and hip-hop dance, and is keen to work as a cruise ship dancer after her studies.

Mr and Mrs Birch, who have two other foster children and last year won a Fostering Excellence award, are extremely proud of Ms Mason and confident she will succeed. They said she was able to fully commit herself when challenged.

Mr Birch said Ms Mason was "a real success story" who had shown herself capable of making good decisions and following through on her choices.