Festival scholarships for community-minded youngsters

By Paul Taylor

Arrowtown Autumn Festival has opened its high school scholarships programme after a record year.

More than 10,000 locals and visitors turned out for the April festival in the historic gold mining town, with all ticketed events selling out.

While the festival committee will keep some funds in reserve to run the 2024 festival, surplus funds are donated back to the community. This means they are again offering two scholarships ($2500 each) for senior Wakatipu High School students who are heading off to further study.

This year’s scholarship applications are now open. Any Year 13 Wakatipu High School student who has a strong track record of community involvement is invited to apply. This may be through involvement with Scouts, sports groups, St Johns, Duke of Edinburgh, school leadership roles, or community organisations/events.

“We had a small but important job to enable us to reopen our BnB. Dominic went above and beyond to do the job and provide really great technical information. Thanks so much you are AAA+”

Simone Schenirer, The Alpine Retreat

Last year’s recipient Megan McCulloch used her funds to attend En Pointe Dance Academy along with her studies at Victoria University, Wellington.

“This scholarship has lessened financial stress, allowing me to focus on my studies and have time to help out in the community more,” she says.

“I am so thankful for all the connections I have made, and continue to seek more ways of how I can give back to both my community at home and the community in my now second home.”

This will be the third year the scholarships have been offered.

Festival Co-Chair Anne Marie Campbell says: “The idea of rewarding students who have volunteered their time to the community fits with the Arrowtown Autumn Festival, which is an event primarily run by volunteers, for the community.

“The standard of the applicants in the past two years has been amazing, and the level of community spirit that our young people have demonstrated is humbling. It’s wonderful to be able to reward them in this way, when some of them do fly under the radar.”

Scholarship applications can be found online on the Wakatipu Community Foundation website and close on 31 August.

The 2024 festival will be on 25-28 April. Event organiser Catherine Fallon says to look out for the tried-and-true favourites, as well as some fresh ideas which she thinks will be very popular.