01/09/2026
E t**a ana ngā rau ō mihi ki a koutou ki a AUT, ki Te Hā Oranga waihoki ki Te Runanga o Ngāti Whātua,
I whakapeto ngoi ki te whakahihiko i ngā ariā o a mātou tauira, nā koutou.
I whakapau kaha ki te whakaatu i ngā huarahi atu kia angitū, nā koutou hoki.
I whakaheke werawera ki te manaaki, ki te tiaki i a tātou āpōpō, kia whakahāneanea a rātou noho tahi nā koutou anō.
E kore a mātou mihi mō koutou e mutu, e maroke e te rā.
AUT, Te Runanga o Ngāti Whātua and Te Hā Oranga provided an amazing opportunity for some of our Y12 and 13s to get an inside look into higher education, to be exposed to successful people in a variety of areas, and for some, their first experience at a Marae, their first wānanga.
Day 1
Te Hā Oranga kaimahi (staff) and Rangatahi Leaders were the hands, feet and heart of this collaboration organising everything with Rangatahi in mind. They picked up all 50 tauira (students) from Dargaville High School, Ruawai College, Ōtamatea High school, Rodney College and Kaipara College and delivered us safely to Te Mahurehure Marae, our home for 3 days, where we were treated to the height of hospitality and enjoyed the whanaungatanga activities, getting to know one another and learning new waiata and haka.
Day 2
Up and out nice and early to be welcomed on to Ngā Wai o Horotiu Marae (AUT
city campus Marae) by Tītahi Ki Tua (TKT). AUT's Māori Student Association. They also were elite hosts, playing many games, sharing their experiences as 1st, 2nd, 3rd year and beyond students giving great insights into student life on campus coming from varied backgrounds and rural settings to the big smoke.
After a full day, we headed home to prepare for the most delicious dinner attended by inspiring speakers including Anthony Thompson, NRLW players Mele Hufanga & Anastasia Sekene, City Kickboxing's Mike Angove and Mike 'Blood Diamond' Mathetha, Civil Engineer Merci Martin.
Day 3
Up early again to head into AUT Live where we got to go into every faculty building, every classroom and see displays, talk to kaiako and students and try things out. Even the weather couldn't dampen the experience! We were safely delivered home by our kaitiaki for the weekend, Maia Hemopo from Te Hā Oranga's Dargaville office, kei runga noa atu koe Whaea!
Our tauira must be commended for pushing themselves outside their comfort zones, for being open to new opportunities, for upholding our school values, for adding value to the wānanga. They really were great ambassadors and a real pleasure to have in this space.
Whāia te iti kahurangi e hoa mā!!! Follow your highest dreams for yourselves!
