Mana Vautier, NASA aerospace engineer was in Palmerston North for the launch of Pūhoro, a new Māori Science Academy aiming to bring Māori students into science and provide the foundation to succeed.
Pūhoro is funded by Massey University and Te Puni Kōkiri with support from Te Tumu Paeroa, Palmerston North City Council and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.
Mana spoke at the opening with former NASA astronaut Colonel Rick Searfoss to a crowd of 350 about dreaming big and shooting for the stars. Mana, who was born in Rotorua, moved to the US to study and then work for NASA. He’s come a long way from his first job at McDonald's, and his days of mowing lawns, painting and riding around on a garbage truck collecting rubbish are long over. Throughout those years he never gave up on his dream to become an astronaut and he encouraged Māori students to be relentless in pursuit of their dreams.
Mana will continue to be involved as a Pūhoro ambassador and mentor students as they work through the programme and start making decisions about their future.
The number of Māori students completing NCEA Level 2 has increased by 33.2% (to 69.4%) since 2008. But despite those encouraging figures there’s still a high rate of Māori students dropping science and maths after NCEA level one. Pūhoro was developed to combat this trend and by incorporating whānau into the programme, the support will continue outside school hours.
A pilot of the programme was launched in six schools across the Manawatū - at Manukura, Hato Pāora, Feilding High School, Awatapu College, Palmerston North Boys’ High School and Murupara Area School in the Bay of Plenty. Approximately 80 students will participate in 2016. They’ll get support that includes advice choosing the right qualification standards at school, tutoring, field trips, mentoring and lab time.
Basil Tapuke, Trusts Manager at Te Tumu Paeroa, attended the event “Pūhoro is really about investing in our rangitahi and helping them to take every opportunity for all it’s worth. It’s different to most mentoring programmes because it incorporates whanau into the programme, so students will have meaningful support at home too.”
In the weeks following the opening, Massey University staff have led 15 in-school tutorials and 50 Pūhoro students attended ‘get ahead’ experience days (www.getahead.co.nz) giving them a taste for work in the agriculture sector.
Te Tumu Paeroa hopes that by giving students a strong grounding in science, they can pursue professions in land management to build a bright, sustainable future for Māori land.
