Te Tūkohu Ngāwhā 2025: Mātauranga Māori and Science Fair Winners Announced
- Lian Soh
- Aug 5
- 2 min read
The winners of the Te Tūkohu Ngāwhā Mātauranga Māori Science and Design Fair 2025 have been announced.
Held at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre, this year’s fair showcased an incredible range of student-led projects blending mātauranga Māori, science, curiosity, collaboration, and creativity. The event brought together kura, whānau, and community supporters to celebrate inquiry grounded in kaupapa Māori.
Scenes from Te Tūkohu Ngāwhā Mātauranga Māori Science and Design Fair 2025 – a celebration of ākonga, whānau, and kaupapa Māori innovation. Images supplied by Keeley Grantham.
🏆 The Supreme Award went to Te Waka Noa, a project by students from Te Rangihakahaka Centre for Science and Technology.
🥇 Category Winners
Water NZ Student Award: Carissa Billing and Abbi Horton (John Paul College)
Water NZ Teachers Award: Lisa Te Whare (Mokoia Intermediate)
Scion Ngā Huarahi Ki Te Ao Award: Lucas Dakin-Hoy, Etham Hucker and Tommy Porthouse (Mokoia Intermediate)
BOPRC Te Mana o te Wai Enhancement Award: Kaela Donald, Amelia Valentine, Luka McNickel and Sam Johnston (Pāpāmoa Primary)
LINZ Best Project on the Whenua: Emily Packham and Hazel Iversen (Mokoia Intermediate)
Bay Conservation Alliance Conservation Award: Hikareia Tyrell and Kaitlyn Johnston-Parekura (Te Kura Kaupapa o Te Whānau a Apanui)
Envirohub Award: Maya Gerbert (Rotorua Lakes High School)
Te Pou o Te Puna Ariki Rangatahi Innovation & Leadership Award: Hikareia Tyrell and Kaitlyn Johnston-Parekura (Te Kura Kaupapa o Te Whānau a Apanui)
Te Puni Kōkiri Kaitiakitanga Award: Glenholme School
Te Kopu NZ Ltd Te Anamata Inquisitive Minds Award: James Emmerson, Juliet Hamilton, Lorne Short, Louis Spinks (Lynmore School)
Fish Futures Rising Researcher Award: Lachlan Kiff (Mokoia Intermediate)
Fish Futures Premier Project Award: Jeremy Billing (John Paul College)
Te Arawa Lakes Trust Ngā Karu Atua Award: Ezra Lee Manter, Skylar-Rey Featherstone, Grace Wharerau, Declan Ahhoy-Singers, Anahera Carroll, and Terangianiwa Houkamau-Rameka (Te Rangihakahaka Centre for Science and Technology)
A huge mihi to all the ākonga who entered and to the kaiako, whānau, and community members backing their journeys.
Ngā mihi We extend our warm thanks to Keeley Grantham for generously sharing the information and photographs from this year’s Te Tūkohu Ngāwhā Mātauranga Māori Science and Design Fair. |
