Celebrating our 2026 Outward Bound scholarship recipients
Fourteen secondary school students from across the Western Bay of Plenty and Whakatāne have returned home with new confidence, resilience and leadership skills after completing a life-changing Outward Bound experience.
The students were recognised at a special celebration hosted at the University of Waikato Tauranga Campus on 17 June, marking the Acorn Foundation’s tenth consecutive year of supporting local rangatahi to attend Outward Bound.
This year’s recipients came from Tauranga Boys’ College, Tauranga Girls’ College, Ōtūmoetai College, Pāpāmoa College, Te Puke High School, Katikati College and Whakatāne High School.
In May, they travelled to Anakiwa in the Marlborough Sounds to take part in the challenging three-week Tangaroa Watch course. Through outdoor expeditions, teamwork activities and personal challenges, the programme encouraged the students to step outside their comfort zones and discover what they are capable of.
The scholarships were made possible by generous Acorn donors and community partners. Students were selected based on their leadership potential, service to others and financial need, giving them an opportunity they may not otherwise have been able to experience.
Acorn Foundation CEO Lori Luke thanked the donors who continue to invest in young people and acknowledged Acorn’s ongoing partnership with Outward Bound New Zealand, which works closely with local schools to select scholarship candidates.
During the celebration, Lori encouraged the recipients to carry what they had learned back into their schools, whānau and communities, and to look for opportunities to support others in the future.
For many students, the experience was about far more than completing physical challenges. It helped them develop confidence, perseverance and teamwork skills that will continue to support them as they move through school and into the next stage of their lives.
Congratulations to our 2026 scholarship recipients
- Katikati College
Emma Turton and Liana Bluegum - Ōtūmoetai College
Maonga Harrison and Ember Carroll - Pāpāmoa College
Maddison Welch and Ethan Roberts - Tauranga Boys’ College
Stormy-Jaye Taikato-Elder and Te Kaha Brears - Tauranga Girls’ College
Georgia Milner and Juanita Adams - Te Puke High School
Jamie Chamberlain and Jeremaia Pirere - Whakatāne High School
Alisha Olsen and Ethan Robison
We are incredibly proud of this year’s recipients and grateful to the donors and partners whose generosity continues to make these transformative experiences possible.