Taupō students receive awards and scholarships

Lake Taupō Rotary president Jackie Robinson (second from right) awarded students (left to right) Emma Angland with an Agricultural Study scholarship, Haruka Peterson with Proxime Accessit and Holly Taplin for Excellence in Visual and Performing Arts.

This year’s high-achieving school leavers have received recognition in the form of awards and scholarships from Lake Taupō Rotary.

Among the award recipients was Taupō-nui-a-Tia College’s Haruka Peterson, who received a book voucher and a trophy for becoming this year’s Proxime Accessit.

A cup was not previously given with the accolade, but Lake Taupō Rotary president Jackie Robinson said she had a personal reason for correcting that.

Her late daughter Emma was awarded Proxime Accessit in 2012 and “was a little put out that there wasn’t a trophy”.

After Emma’s tragic passing last year at the age of 27, Robinson funded the Emma Robinson Memorial Trophy in her memory.

The award will now be given to future Proxime Accessits at the school.

Lake Taupō Rotary president Jackie Robinson (third from left) and youth director Chintu Contractor (far right) awarded (left to right) Gabby Donald with a Rotary Science Forum scholarship, Pippa Nelley with an agricultural scholarship, and Emma Hampson-Tindale with Overall Excellence in Sport.

Another Taupō-nui-a-Tia winner was Gabby Donald, who will be going into Year 13 in 2024.

She received a scholarship to attend the Rotary National Science and Technology Forum at the University of Auckland in January.

Donald has her eye on a career in biomedical sciences, and Robinson said the forum is a great way to gain exposure to the options available.

“The students get a real hands-on look at the different sciences [and] a chance to get their head around the different careers on offer.”

An agricultural study scholarship was split between two students this year, said Robinson, as “it was just too hard to choose”.

Pippa Nelley and Emma Angland will both be attending Lincoln University next year to pursue Bachelor’s degrees in the agricultural sector.

Two Tauhara College Year 13 students, gymnast Emma Hampson-Tindale and dancer Holly Taplin, were awarded trophies and book vouchers; Hampson-Tindale for Overall Excellence in Sport and Taplin for Excellence in Visual and Performing Arts.

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