OHS alumnus John Tagi was fortunate to be awarded a Keystone Trust Study Award as a Year 13 student in 2015.

John was supported by the trust and completed a Bachelor of Architectural Studies at Unitech. Through the trust, John had the opportunity to work with one of the country’s largest architectural companies, Ignite as an intern. This work experience opened John’s eyes to all the opportunities his degree would open up for him.

This year, John has completed a Masters of Architecture and has chosen to help his father run their successful business All Stone and Rock, which has recently won a multimillion-dollar contract to provide stonework around Auckland Airport.

Life was not always easy for this family. When John’s parents arrived in New Zealand from Tonga, they had nothing and nine children to support. His parents had to work extremely hard at all sorts of menial jobs to support their family. Getting an education was always a priority for the family and the children were taught that hard work and commitment would pay off.

We are delighted that for John and the Tagi family, their sacrifice and dedication has indeed paid dividends.

The Keystone Study Award Scholarships for Year 13 students who are embarking on tertiary study in the area of construction and its allied professions, are now open. Details can be found on the Scholarship Classroom page.