Ngapera tops te reo test
When Ngapera Aperahama’s teachers saw an O in the marking section of her exam, they didn’t know what it meant.
It turned out the O stood for outstanding and Ngapera was the only te reo student to get the grade in the NZQA 2013 New Zealand Scholarship awards.
Even more impressively, she was up against students two years older.
‘‘It was amazing actually. I’m still buzzing.
‘‘I was humbled to have reached such an achievement,’’ Ngapera said.
The Waitangirua 16- year- old boards at St Joseph’s Maori Girls’ College in Napier.
She grew up in full immersion Maori and said it had paid off.
‘‘We were quite lucky hearing it every day. It helped a lot.’’
Ngapera, who was in year 11, was against students two years her senior in the scholarship exam last year.
She said a teacher encouraged her to participate in the exam, usually only taken by year 12 and 13 students.
Ngapera said she would use the scholarship to attend university and follow her interests in Maori philosophy or law.
She said she would like to help revitalise te reo in New Zealand.
‘‘It’s a big challenge ahead, but I guess I’m up to it.
‘‘I just want to revitalise it and keep it in the generations that are coming through because it’s really important to me.’