2009 Regional Scholarship Recipients
To view this year's AMP Regional Scholarship recipients click on the links below:
AMP Powerhouse Financial Services, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Jazmyne van Gosliga
Student, Nelson
Photo: Jazmyn van Gosligia with Bruce Bosselmann from AMP Powerhouse Financial Services
Jazmyne is currently attending Brent St Talent Development High School in Sydney where she is learning drama, dance and singing. Once she graduates Jazmyne hopes to gain entry into the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) in Sydney where she will complete a degree in the performing arts.
Jazmyne is already gaining exposure into the film and television industry after being accepted onto the books of casting agency, Random Management. Her goal is to now get as much experience as she can, building up her profile and CV, in order to become one of the top 20 students chosen to attend NIDA each year.
When Jazmyne graduates from Brent St Talent Development High School she will be the first international student to do so - she has already received six achievement awards for her academic studies this year.
Amicus Group - Canterbury, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Michael Vink
Cyclist
Photo: Michael Vink with Mark Connell
Michael’s goal is to become NZ’s number one junior cyclist by 2010 - this will ensure his inclusion in the NZ 2012 Olympic team.
He has just returned from racing in Europe and is shortly heading back overseas to Australia to compete. He comes from a sporting family and his parents have made many sacrifices to support him and his sisters in their chosen fields.
AMP Solutions - Napier, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Piera Hudson
Alpine Ski Racer, Hawke’s Bay
Photo: Piera Hudson with Ian Mayne and Rose Unsworth
Piera’s dream is to be one of the best ski racers in the world. A farm girl from Tikokino, Piera started skiing in Cardrona when she was six. For the last four years Piera has trained and competed in back to back winters, spending three months in Wanaka and three and a half months in Switzerland.
A typical training day for Piera consists of a 6.00am rise and training until 3.00pm, six times a week and then she attends school in the evenings. When Piera’s not away competing, she focuses on building her strength and conditioning at the gym and plays team sports.
Piera is the most successful New Zealand junior to compete over the past Northern hemisphere season, winning three gold medals in Switzerland, gaining a 12th world ranking in Europe and achieving New Zealand ski racing history with three podium finishes and a North American 6th world ranking. Last season Piera won a stunning total of 12 Gold medals at six major ski racing events.
AMP South Financial Services, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Tom Scully
Cyclist, Southland
Photo: AMP's Craig Winterbun, Tom Scully, and Grant Maddison from AMP South Financial Services.
Tom’s goal is to represent New Zealand in track cycling at the 2009/2010 World Cup Series and ultimately gain selection into the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India. Tom then hopes to secure a place within the New Zealand team to enable him to build up towards the 2012 Olympics in London.
Tom is shaping up to be one of New Zealand’s most promising track cyclists and has already achieved success at an age group level, elite and international levels, winning medals at regional, national and international level competitions. He was selected for the New Zealand Elite Endurance Squad 2009.
Tom is: an Oceania Games Gold Medallist 2007; a 2007 & 2008 World Junior Championships Representative; gained a 2008 U19 National Criterium Champion Elite/International level; won 8th Team Pursuit & Madison events 2008; was a Southland Sports Academy First Year Athlete of the Year 2008; a 2009 Elite National Points Race Champion; a 2009 Bronze Medallist at the NZ Elite Madison Championships; and a 2009 Member of the NZ Elite Endurance Development Squad.
Certus Financial Group, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Samantha Osborne
Personal Trainer, Northland
Photo: Samantha Osborne with Kim and Bevan Sterling from Certus Financial Group
Samantha is the highest ranked New Zealand women match racer in New Zealand and her goal is to represent New Zealand at the 2012 Olympic games in women’s match racing (sailing).
Samantha wants to be recognised as a high performance sports health specialist, bridging the gap between physiotherapy and personal training. She has already completed a Bachelor of Science in Physiology, Sport and Exercise and is now in the process of completing her physiotherapy degree.
An elite athlete, in 2008 Samantha travelled overseas for five months to compete in her first International Grade 1 & 2 women’s match racing events. She finished in the top five in every event and her international ranking soared from 80 to 14! For the next three and a half years Samantha will participate in the ISAF Sailing World Cup Circuit in both Europe and the USA.
Heartland Insurance & Investment, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Clark Ellice
Athlete, Taranaki
Since 2004 Clark has travelled to France to race and train during the New Zealand winter in order to improve his world ranking, and in the process has managed to make his living from triathlons for six months of the year.
The only New Zealander of his age to have beaten Bevan Docherty, just five years ago Clark was ranked a mere 345th in the world. Today he stands at 17th in the World and 3rd New Zealander.
By 2012 Clark’s goal is to become the number one New Zealander and one of the top 10 in the world. He is fortunate to be mentored by some of the best, his coach Jack Ralston and Hamish Carter.
Insurance & Lending Group, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Anna Hamilton
Triathlete, Auckland North Shore
Anna is a talented, up and coming triathlete. She represented New Zealand at triathlon and duathlon events in the U19 age group until 2007, had a podium finish at the World Duathlon in 2004, and came second in the Tauranga Half Ironman in 2006. Anna’s goal is to compete as one of the 2010-2011 Elite Triathlon team at the world championships and beyond that the 2012 Olympic games.
Anna qualified for the 2007 Hamburg World Triathlon Championships in September, but never made it. In August 2007, while out cycling, Anna was struck by a car, resulting in serious injuries that left her in a coma. For the next three months Anna underwent extensive surgery and faced the possibility that she might never walk again.
One year later Anna was back competing in her first post accident triathlon, but was so weak she almost didn’t finish the race. Determined, Anna persevered and is once again successfully competing. This year Anna qualified for the 20-24 age group team to compete at the 2009 World Triathlon Championships.
Otago Financial Management, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Novac Jaroslav
Company Director, Otago
Novak wants to ensure that every child in New Zealand has the chance to receive a musical education. His project is to digitise the content that teachers use to teach musical literacy. A number of schools in the Otago region have already shown an interest in his work and recognise this as a valuable teaching tool.
Novak has partnered with some of Australia and New Zealand’s best musicians to come up with a strategy to drive this change in music education. His project was runner up in the Otago University NBR Audacious Business Creation Challenge and he will attend trade shows and conferences throughout New Zealand, Australia and Asia to promote his product.
Novak won the Dunedin Champion Pianoforte Solo Trophy 2007 & 2008; Runner-Up NBR Audacious Business Creation challenge 2008; received a Fellowship diploma from St Cecilia School of Music; and is a three-time winner of the NBR Business Idea Award. He is currently completing
Rothbury Financial Services, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Pere Durie
School Teacher, Bay of Plenty
Photo: Pere Durie with Jon O'Connor from Rothbury Financial Services
Pere wants to write and direct feature films that tell epic stories that are unique to Aotearoa and will resonate with the rest of the world. Through the medium of film he plans to tell these stories on a global stage, to a global audience.
In partnership with his brother Meihana, Pere wrote and directed his first short film entitled ‘Warbrick’. The film tells the story of an unsung New Zealand hero and is currently being submitted to film festivals around the world.
As a secondary school teacher at an all boys' school, Pere is very much aware of the power film has over young minds. His films will entertain but also inform, have a positive message, and connect to the audience.
Pere was awarded a ‘Parekura Horomia Young Filmmaker’ Scholarship in 2005 and has played representative rugby for the Manawatu Maori team, as well as receiving several other study scholarships.
Rothbury Risk & Investment Services, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Anaia Treefoot
Creative Arts Therapist, Auckland
Photo: Anaia Treefoot with Bourke O'Connor from Rothbury Risk & Investment Services
Anaia’s dream is to become a skilled dance therapist so that she can support and inspire children with autism and other special needs. Her goal will take her all the way to New York where she will study with Dance and Movement Therapy Specialist, Dr Suzi Tortora, on a nine-month internship.
Anaia’s achievements so far include work with the Waiheke Mental Health Peers Support Group and running a local community project called ‘Art for Mothers’. Anaia is also the founder and director of the Waiheke Nannies Agency.
Anaia believes dance has the power to help individuals express their creativity, connect with others and truly lift their spirits. She says that although dance therapy is very new to New Zealand, there is significant interest because of its proven success overseas and Anaia hopes to open her own children’s dance therapy centre here in New Zealand when she returns.
Saero Financial Services, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Andrew Maloney
Athlete, Auckland North Shore
Andrew’s goal is to win gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic games in Laser Class Yachting. Andrew is the current Laser Radial Youth World Champion. He won the New Zealand National Championships in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009, and has had numerous podium finishes at world championships and other world events.
Andrew is considered one of New Zealand’s finest sailing talents and is a carded athlete and a member of the Yachting New Zealand High Performance Academy. He trains four to five days a week on the water and five to seven days at a local gym. Andrew’s dedication and determination has seen him racing at some of the highest levels of competition in order to gain big fleet experience and confidence. As well as competing nationally, Andrew travels to Australia and Europe two to three times each year.
Andrew is currently studying for an Engineering degree and was last year awarded a Prime Minister’s Scholarship.
STEP Financial Services, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Paul Burnaby
Power System Engineer, Wellington
A 2009 AMP Premium Scholarship winner as well as a winner of the STEP Regional Scholarship, Paul’s goal is to develop and encourage the use of sustainable energy systems throughout the world. He believes this will help minimise the environmental impact on our planet and allow some of its poorest people access to a vital commodity.
From a very young age Paul had an interest in power generation. Having heard the esteemed Dr Eric Martinot speak on renewable energy in 2006, Paul’s passion was further ignited as he was introduced to the notion of development through renewable energy and how renewable energy can power world economies. This speech made such an impact on Paul that he set out to follow in Dr Martinot’s footsteps and applied to attend Stanford University.
Paul’s ambition is to leave behind a positive change in the way the world produces and uses energy. His goal is to help change the way we produce and use world energy resources so that we do not suffer from the negative effects of climate change, deplete our fossil resources and ultimately destroy our natural environment.
Vault Financial Group, AMP Regional Scholarship winner - Jessica Murray
Student, Waikato
Photo: Jessica Murray with Paul Carrick from Vault Financial Group
Jessica’s thirst for knowledge is taking her all the way to Japan. Fourteen-year-old Jessica will now get the chance to live with a Japanese family and experience daily life - even attend a Japanese school, as part of an educational exchange trip with Kansai School in Japan.
Fascinated by Japanese history and the unique philosophies of Buddhism and Shinto religions Jessica is excited about gaining a much greater understanding of one of Asia’s most exciting, dynamic and richly diverse countries.
Jessica was desperate to achieve her goal of travelling to Japan and says that ‘sometimes you have to make things happen yourself’. When her parents were unable to assist with the trip, Jessica set about getting part time work at Pak'n Save and worked every Saturday and two nights a week in order to save the money. Jessica is in the top academic class at her school and meeting her many commitments, including acting in the school production and participating in the Young New Zealanders Award, has not been easy, but Jessica has never given up.