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National | Education

Digital win sees Rotorua Girls travel to Belgium

Five students from Rotorua Girls High School are jet setting to Belgium after generating an innovative Te Reo Māori website.  The digital material teaches the history of the Battle of Passchendaele where more than 800 New Zealand soldiers died.

Rotorua Girls student Atawhai Ngātai says, “It was a revelation for our principal and deputy principal knowing that our school struggles to gain funding.”

Education Minister Nikki Kaye and Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry both announced the winners.

The Rotorua Girls were picked amongst another 18 entries from around the country.

Deputy Principal Aramoana Mohi says, “Their idea was awesome because it was also done in Te Reo Māori as well.”

This group of innovators came up with the idea of incorporating Te Reo Māori into the website to cast a wider net of Māori students about this historic battle in Belgium.

Ngātai, “We didn’t know much about the event which took place in Belgium, neither did others. So it was great to learn about that time."

They'll travel to Belgium in October to attend the National Commemoration Service of 100 years since the Battle of Passchendaele.