Established in 1992, the Waihi Gold Mining Education Trust was initiated by the Waihi College Principal at the time, Harry Shepherd, and Waihi Gold. Initially, the trust was set up as a fund of $25,000 per year for five years ‘to be used to improve the educational opportunities of the youth in Waihi’, however, the trust was able to be continued past this initial timeframe. In 2005 the donation was increased to $40,000 per annum and increased again in 2022 to $58,000 per annum.
This year marked the 32nd year of scholarships being presented to Waihi College students, with the top five academic students receiving $4,000 each to support further studies, four scholarships of $2,000 each awarded to students pursuing trade qualifications, and the remaining $30,000 to be used by Waihi College to provide additional equipment and materials for the wider school.
To date, over $1.1 million dollars and 180 individual scholarships has been provided to Waihi College through the trust. Waihi College is extremely fortunate to have the ongoing support of the Waihi Gold Mining Education Trust and we wish all the recipients well in
their future endeavours.
Trade scholarship awards:
Bhavesh Ranchhod – Trustee of the Waihi Gold Mining Education Trust, Briony Rickwood, Trudie Stephens (Trustee of the Waihi Gold Mining Education Trust), Lewis Honey, Elliot Pilkinton-Brodie, Carolyn Graveson (Future Pathways Co-ordinator), Briar Carden-Scott (Principal), Phillip Salmon (Community Development Advisor) Absent: Jackson Kainamu
Academic scholarship awards:
Hamish McKinnon, Hamish Mudford, Bhavesh Ranchhod (Trustee of the Waihi Gold Mining Education Trust), Trudie Stephens (Trustee of the
Waihi Gold Mining Education Trust), Hayaat Dass, Maya Dodd, Maggie Gerbich-Burroughs, Briar Carden-Scott (Principal), Phillip Salmon (Community Development
Advisor.)