Masonic Trust supports Jackie Hazelhurst to get to Japan
Darol Pointon giving Whanganui High School Head Girl Jackie Hazelhurst her grant.
The Ruapehu-Manawatu Masonic District Youth Trust have recently given Jackie Hazelhurst a grant to assist her in getting to Japan to undertake a two year study course at the United World College International School of Asia in Japan. Darol Pointon, Chair of the Trust said “it was a delight to read Jackie’s application. We were just blown away with it and it was easy to make the grant”.
The Trust has $250,000 invested after a lodge closed in Fielding and they were given the money for five years. Added to other funds they have invested, they are able to respond to requests from people who live in their region, which includes Whanganui. Jackie decided to apply after a fellow Whanganui High School student, Vincent Collins, received a grant to attend a Shakespeare workshop at the Globe Theatre in London.
Gaining admission to a UWC school is very competitive and Jackie is one of only four New Zealanders this year. The scholarship is aimed at students who have contributed to and show leadership within their community and Jackie involvement includes being Head Girl, a keen debater, a member of the Council’s Youth Committee and a volunteer at the Whanganui Regional Museum.
She was inspired to aim for a UWC two years ago when a previous High School Head Girl got accepted into a UWC school in the Netherlands, but “never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get it.” She leaves in August and will spend two years studying towards an International Baccalaureate Diploma. Instruction is in English but Jackie hopes to pick up some Japanese while there.
The school has a roll of only 200 and students are expected to volunteer in the community. Jackie thinks she might teach English and hopes that there will also be opportunities to volunteer in the environment. Her goal is to study environmental law at university in the future.
The experience doesn’t come cheap. Jackie and her family are expected to contribute $34,000 over two years, and this would have been higher if she had not received support from UWC New Zealand. She hopes to return to New Zealand a couple of times each year as the cost covers a return trip over Christmas and as there is a three month break over their summer, it would be an opportunity to come back.
Details of the Trust can be obtained from its Secretary at colin.johnson@xtra.co.nz.
Wanganui River City Press 4/5/17