AMOKURA ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Amokura Tuatahi - Head Student Leaders

Skylah August and Ani James Kawamura
Mission: To serve as the proud face of our school, embodying its values with integrity and enthusiasm.

Skylah August

Position of Responsibility: Head Girl

Description:  
Ko Rangipoua te maunga 
Ko Haparapara te awa 
Ko Matatua te waka 
Ko Te-Whanau-A-Apanui te iwi 
Ko Te-Whanau-A-Rutia te hapū
Ko Otuwhare te marae 
Kia Ora, ko Skylah August toku ingoa 

Beyond my responsibilities as Head Girl at Te Kura Whaikaha, I enjoy the performing arts. I thrive in a space where I am able to express myself through performance and the joy it brings to others. I enjoy being with family and friends and connecting with my whenua.    

Quote: The struggles that you find along the way are only meant to shape you for your purpose - Chadwick Boseman 

Message: My academic goals is to attend the University of Waikato and earn a Law Degree as well as dwell in the performing arts. 

Hope for School: I hope to strengthen the foundation built on the trust and aspirations from our tupuna before us. To nurture the clean slate our kura has been gifted with and build a legacy based on the importance of an education, a passion for goals and a growing mindset towards personal growth.

Ani James Kawamura 

Position of Responsibility: Head Girl

Description: Kia Orana Kotou, 

Quote: “Aro’a atu, i te aro’a mai” - when we treat others with love and kindness we will receive the same in return.

Message: My Nan made the ultimate sacrifice, to leave everything she knew to further her education because she knew the value of knowledge and how it could benefit the generations after her. I intend to uphold her legacy by going on to university and receiving a bachelor in arts. 

Hope for School: I hope to leave a lasting impression for the years to come after me. 

Amokura Tuarua - Deputy Head Student Leaders

Nikiah Kapea and Mikaere Wilson

Nikiah Kapea

Position of Responsibility: Deputy Head Boy

Description: Kia Ora Koutou! My name is Nikiah Te Arahi Kapea and I am one of the Deputy Head Boys here at Mangakotukutuku College! I am a very loving and caring person that sees the positives in everyone, I don’t like to dwell on the past, I like to keep moving forward! Because after all in life I only want to move forward! I try to help out in any way I can because I have a heart that loves to serve!

Quote: Philippians 04:13 Wherever I am with whatever I have, I can do all things through He, Jesus Christ who strengthens me! Don’t let the trauma of the past control what happens in your future - Ps John Ferris

Message: I have ONE Goal, and that is to pass NCEA Level 03 so I can have a future that is abundant in blessings, fruitfulness and prosperity.

Hope for School: I wish that my kura will have the best future it can possibly have. I wish that Te Kura Whaikaha would plant a good seed in all its akonga and kaiako that pass through that will bloom into somethin g beautiful and Successful. Tu Tangata!

Mikaere Wilson

Position of Responsibility: Deputy Head Boy

Description:Kia Ora Koutou Ko Mikaere Toku Ingoa. I am one of the Deputy Head Boys at Mangakotukutuku College. I am a humble, hard working student that will always do the best I can to achieve success.

Quote: The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be

Message: This year I am trying to get all my UE credits and pass level 3 so I can attend Waikato University to study Business and Management.

Hope for School: I wish for my school experience to be engaging, inspiring, and filled with new learning opportunities and experiences. I envision a kura, where everyday brings new experiences that ignites our students' passion for learning.

Mangakōtukutuku College Amokura - Head Student Leaders

Mikaere Wilson (Amokura Tuarua), Skylah August (Amokura Tuatahi), Ani James Kawamura (Amokura Tuatahi), Nikiah Kapea (Amokura Tuarua)

Te Kaunihera Mātauranga - Academic Council

Amokura - Student Leaders: Alexei Maksimov and Kaitlyn Tipene
Mission: To support students in achieving their very best academically and celebrate students who reach significant academic milestones.

Alexei Maksimov

Position of Responsibility: A Head of the Academic Council

Description: I am of eastern european descent, primarily Russian and Ukrainian, and I take pride in my culture. I believe in the importance of good personal and family values, as well as getting a good education. 

Quote: “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you give him a fishing rod, you feed him for a lifetime.”

Message: My goal is to finish school well and enter a good career. 

Hope for School: My hope for the school is for it to be a safe environment which promotes learning.

Kaitlyn Tipene

Position of Responsibility: Head of Academic Council and Ngata Whare Leader

Description: Tena koutou katoa, my name is Kaitlyn and I am of Māori and aboriginal descent who strives to succeed across all areas. I am a woman of morals, culture, belief and full of aspirations.

Quote: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive.”

Message: My goals for this year are to finish the year with good grades and prepare myself for university.

Hope for School: My hope for my high school experience is to make lifelong friends and overall enjoy what time I have left as a kid.

Te Kaunihera Tikanga me nga Toi - Cultural and Arts Council

Amokura - Student Leaders: Tutu Euta and Ashley Samy
Mission: To support our cultural initiatives and to To promote the Arts and participate in the celebration of our Arts areas within the wider school community

Ashley Samy

Position of Responsibility: Head Of Cultural/Pasifika 

Description: Bula Vinaka and Namaskaram to you all. I, Ashley Samy am a proud Fijian Tamil girl who has the utmost respect and love for all cultures and languages. Aside from my love of cultures and diversity, I am also someone who is very resilient and down to Earth and am a big advocate of always trying to find the positive side to everything.

Quote: This for everybody going through tough times
Believe me, been there, done that
But everyday above ground is a great day, remember that - Pitbull

Message: My goal for this year is to enjoy every moment I have left as a highschooler, these are the years that we will not be able to relive so my goal is to just lay back create great memories, appreciate everything around me and take advantage of my last year as a young highschool girl.

Hope for School: My hope for this year as one of the Heads of Cultural & Pasifika is to showcase my respect for all cultures through performances. I hope that through these performances and my endless speeches  I am able to inspire my younger peers to not only want to learn about their cultures but also learn about countless other cultures as well. My last but most important wish for our school and the students is for everyone to start seeking the good in everything and start being grateful for each beautiful day we are blessed to have.

Tutu Euta

Position of Responsibility: Head of culture  

Description: I hailed from the beautiful island of Kiribati. I am organised and hardworking, I can bounce back from anything (like a coconut falling on your head!), and I'm approachable & easy to talk to. 

Quote: Philippians 4;13 I can do things through Christ who strengthens me. “Study hard and take your education seriously because it's for your future not mine”

Message: My academic goal is to successfully graduate from school and acquire all of my credits and UE qualifications so I can further my education at Waikato Uni. However, as head of culture, my goal is to see the POLY GROUP off to a smooth start with more serious consideration and support from the teaching staff and students.

Hope for School: I hope for a smooth year with lots of memorable memories and more permanent teachers for my year group so that I can reach all of my school and life goals. I hope the POLY GROUP will stay alive and active so that when we leave many more can join and embrace the different cultures of the pacific Islands.

Te Kaunihera Taiao - Environmental Council

Mission: To educate, inspire, and empower the student body to become passionate stewards of the environment.

Amokura - Student Leader: Rodrick Young

Description: Ni sa Bula Vinaka, my name is Rodrick Young. I hail from the beautiful islands of Fiji. I am a person who works towards being resilient, disciplined and hardworking. I like to learn new things, especially those that challenge my critical thinking ability, which  helps me work towards achieving my highest potential.

Quote: “A good leader is not someone who just leads, a good leader is also a good listener”. “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets people to do the greatest things”

Message: Education is like a battlefield, and the knowledge you gain is not only determined by education, but through experience and hardwork. And that is power, and that power you have is something no one can take away from you. So live up to it and live through it. My end goal for this year is to be able to pass with decent marks and visit my family for new years. 

Hope for School: My hope for the future of this school is that over time, we learn to work together and bring out the best that we have for this school and our own lives.


Te Kaunihera Pāpāho - IT Council

Mission: To ensure that the school systems support the desired outcomes for staff and students.

Amokura - Student Leader: Christian Cahapay

Description: Hello, I’m Christian the head of the IT council at MKT. I come from the Philippines and I have passion for all things related to computers.

Quote: Embrace each day with courage and curiosity, for within every challenge lies an opportunity to grow and shine.

Message: My goal for this year is to get into uni and work on my studies.

Hope for School: I hope for this school year to be able to achieve my goals and support others that may need help.

Te Kaunihera Ratonga - Service Council

Amokura - Student Leaders: Fiza Nisha and Jaz Robinson
Mission: To encourage students to give back to the school and wider community through service

Jaz Robinson

Position of Responsibility: Head of Service council

Description: To be honest I find it hard to describe who I am through words because I believe you will only ever get to know who someone truly is in person. But if I had to describe who I am I would say I am someone that will quietly get the work done that is needed. 

Quote: “Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are”

Message: My academic goal is to complete my last year of high school and get the things I need so I can go to Uni and study Forensic Psychology or Military Psychology. 

Hope for School: I hope for our school to become an environment where students and teachers feel safe and welcome where they can create great memories and achieve the education they want to help them with the rest of their lives.

Fiza Nisha

Position of Responsibility: Head of the service council 

Description:I was raised on the gorgeous island of Fiji, where I am constantly inspired by the calm beauty of the natural world. I enjoy the chance to establish new relationships and gain knowledge from a variety of points of view, and I thrive on deep conversations with others. My specialty is organisation since I think structure may improve clarity and efficiency. I approach difficulties head-on with a resilient mindset, constantly aiming for development and achievement.

Quote: “We can not become what we want by remaining what we are”

Message: my academic goal for this year would be to achieve my NCEA L3 and UE credits so that I could attend Waikato Uni in 2025. 

Hope for School: I want to promote environmental awareness and sustainability initiatives within the school community and build a strong sense of community where students, teachers, and staff support each other and work together towards common goals, however as a house leader i want my whare to be committed to the future events and up our name on the chart. 

Te Kaunihera Hakinakina - Sports Council 

Amokura - Student Leaders: Karise Houghton and Spencer Nicolls

Karise Houghton

Position of Responsibility: Head of Sports council 

Description: Kia Orana Koutou, I am a Cook Island, Niuean, Māori born in New Zealand. I would describe myself as an energetic, humble, determined 16 year old who finds a way to achieve her goals.

Quote: “Failure is success in progression”

Message: My goals for the year are to be able to pass high school and be the 2nd child within my family to graduate. I also want to go to university to study midwifery or paramedicine.

Hope for School: I hope my last year of high school will be spent wisely.. Making memories, setting myself up for the future, and achieving goals.

Spencer Nicolls

Position of Responsibility: Head of Sports Council and Ngata Whare Leader

Description: Hello everyone, my name is Spencer, I was born in Whangarei and haven't been back since being raised in Hamilton. I love being outdoors and hanging out with my family.

Quote: “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor”

Message: I will pass NCEA level 3 and Join the New Zealand Air Force

Hope for School: Enjoy the rest of what I have left of my final year of school

Te Whare Rickard - Rickard House of Resilience and Honesty

Rickard Amokura - Student Leaders: Ashley Samy, Anna Oaneca and Nevaeh Ringia

Te Whare Herangi - Herangi House of Creativity and Empathy

Herangi Amokura - Student Leaders: Ashlin Vallis, Kyra Vallis and Aliya Hogg

Te Whare Wetere - Wetere House of Tenacity and Integrity

Wetere Amokura - Student Leaders: Bailey Klenner, Te Piriti White and Kendyll Beere

Te Whare Hopa - Hopa House of Courage and Determination

Hopa Amokura - Student Leaders: Fiza Nisha, Tutu Euta and Jaz Robinson

Te Whare Ngata - Ngata House of Vision and Innovation

Ngata Amokura - Student Leaders: Kaitlin TipeneKarise Houghton and Spencer Nicolls

Te Whare Walker - Walker House of Fearlessness and Responsibility

Walker Amokura - Student Leaders: Kawika Upoko, Tania Matika and Dayton Patelesio