PNBHS NEWS

Pūhoro Students Earn Trip to NASA

 
Picture of Gerard Atkin
Pūhoro Students Earn Trip to NASA
by Gerard Atkin - Tuesday, 13 March 2018, 10:11 AM
 

Hard work, a positive attitude, dedication to their studies and demonstrating leadership ability has resulted in five young men from PNBHS being selected for the ‘trip of a lifetime’ to visit NASA in Houston, USA, during the upcoming school holidays.  Finn Martin, Xavier Bowe, John Cole, Sean Ferguson-Pye and Wade Talatala are all part of the Pūhoro STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Academy.  The academy, set up by Massey University with Te Puni Kōkiri support, fosters young Māori school pupils from Year 11 on their journey through to university, and ultimately the workforce. The programme works to engage with teachers and whanau to support the students’ science study and to build a wider community of Pūhoro students who share their passion for science.

2018 marks the third year that the Pūhoro programme has been running at Palmerston North Boys’ High School.  The young men involved meet every Wednesday morning for tutoring from PNBHS and Massey University staff.  Additionally, they have had the opportunity to visit a range of local employers as well as spending time each term at Massey University, where they have been able to gain ‘hands on’ experience in various STEM subjects.  School Prefect Finn Martin has been involved throughout the three years the programme has been running and explained that his involvement had really opened his eyes to the wide range of future pathways available in STEM related industries.  Finn is currently studying Biology, Chemistry and Physics and is looking at studying medicine at Auckland University in 2019.