Four New Zealand students from total immersion schools have been having a special experience this week attending the All Stars Indigenous Youth Summit ahead of the NRL All Stars match in Robina on Friday night.
Representing the Vodafone Warriors at the event are Jessica Moki and Tuake Pohatu from Te Wharekura o Hoani Waititi and Manuka Stirling and Truce Tuki from Te Kura Maori o Nga Tapuwae.
Jessice (16) wants to be a police officer and teach Te Reo in the community while Tuake (16) is aiming to become a personal trainer. Manuka (15) has a strong interest in sport and health science and would like to be a teacher and Truce (15) wants study sport science.
The New Zealanders have joined Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from Australia learning life skills from some of rugby league’s most influential players including Vodafone Warriors great Manu Vatuvei, Greg Inglis, Johnathan Thurston and Corey Parker.
Now in its fourth year, the Youth Summit is part of the 2015 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars week. The students arrived yesterday to participate in workshops that enhance skills and knowledge in cultural knowledge, success at school and success post school.
The students were selected from a group of more than 10,000 who are currently participating in NRL Club Community Programmes.
Highlights of their week will include; cultural sessions with both the Indigenous and NRL All Stars squads, participation in a 'job application' workshop, vying for the title of All Stars Youth Ambassador, and attending a session at Griffith University, where they will both explore tertiary study options and meet a number of current Indigenous university students.
NRL Ambassadors Preston Campbell, Jharal Yow Yeh and Nathan Merritt will also spend time with the students throughout the week. The four-day camp will then finish with attendance at the Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars match, where they will take part in the on-ground activities at Cbus Super Stadium.
NRL Head of One Community, Adam Check said: “The Youth Summit brings together students from all walks of life.
“This is a great opportunity for the group to get to know their peers from other areas across Australia and New Zealand and to learn from our Indigenous and NRL All Stars players and coaches as well as programme mentors and their own peers.
“All workshops are hands-on and interactive, ensuring a fun and engaging method for learning such important concepts and they are skills which they can continue to develop as they enter the final stages of their schooling and tertiary education.”
