Apii Avarua wrapped up the week in celebration with their 2024 Student Leader Investiture yesterday.

Twelve boys and 12 girls were named as prefects to lead and support Rarotonga’s largest primary school, with a roll of over 500 pupils. 

Principal Engia Baxter encourages equality amongst all students, so the school has no head boy or girl. 

Prefect Henry-Michael William, 11, from Tutakimoa was happy to receive a leadership role for the second time in his young life.

“My dad said congratulations again because I was a leader at St. Josephs too.” 

William looks forward to “helping the little kids and taking care of them”.

He wants to go to Tereora College next year, and dreams of becoming a marine biologist.

“I want to study the sea and its creatures.” 

Twelve-year-old prefect Ngapoe Urirau from Tupapa said: “I feel blessed to be a leader of Apii Avarua. I will be a leader to the younger kids by being kind and showing them the right way.” 

He aspires to become an engineer “to build homes for people who don’t have houses”.

In her speech to the new leadership, Principal Baxter encouraged parents with a Bible verse: “Train up a child in the way he should go and even when he is old he will not depart from it.” 

“Do your little bit of good where you are and it’s those little bits of good put together that strengthens our young leaders. The title Prefect comes with a role to be carried out by these leaders and we need your support from the homes at all times,” she said.

Baxter congratulated the prefects: “Today is a happiest day for you, however you must ensure that every other school day is a happy day as you work together with the teachers and most importantly with every child in our school. For every day brings new choices.”

“Auraka tatou e roiroi i te takinga meitaki, ei te tuatua tikai oki tatou e kokoti ei kia kore tatou e akaparuparu. 

“Akamaroiroi e te anau no teia mataiti.”

The Apii Avarua 2024 prefects are as follows:

Girls: Tevaerangi Arioka, Ester Baniani, Ngavai Mataio, Manini Matamaki, Inangaro Matangaro, Emma-Joy Motu, Inano Pita, Janette Tamarua, Esther Tauta, Tangianau Tearii, Trudeinus Tuaputa, Talitha Vidovi

Boys: Jayden Angene, Nyjah Atuatika, Tekeu Goldsworthy, Ngametua Matangaro, Damaris Nga, Cleveland Ngavii, Joshua Sherwin, Akatauira Tapena, Tapurau Walter, Aquila Teio, Ngapoe Urirau, Henry-Michael William.