Five 2025 Grants Made To West Coast Students

The Trustees of the Ogonowska Education Charitable Trust are pleased to announce the Trust’s 2025 Awards. The 2025 Awards acknowledge the important role of Catholic schools in educating children on the West Coast of New Zealand for over 150 years, the generous donations of toys, clothing and other items of comfort provided by the West Coast community to the Polish children who arrived in New Zealand in 1944, and the lifelong commitment to child education of Irena and Teresa Ogonowska who arrived in this country as orphans.


(Award recipients Abel Shinmoton and Koi Avila from St. Mary's School, Hokitika)


Trustee Gordon Noble-Campbell, Teresa’s son, considers that it is important to remember and honour these two sisters’ lifelong commitment to education and their faith in overcoming life’s many obstacles. “It is important to acknowledge and reflect on the contribution and commitment of these two women to the educational growth and development of the students they taught, given the personal hardships they triumphed over” he says.


The 2025 Trust Awards recognise the personal qualities and contribution of those selected to the cultural and spiritual life of St Mary’s School Hokitika, St. Patrick’s School Greymouth and John Paul II High School Greymouth. The Chair of Trustees, Gordon Noble-Campbell, presented the Awards on behalf of the Trustees in Greymouth and Hokitika on 4 and 5 December.


(Award recipient Ella Fitzmaurice from John Paul II High School)


The students (nominated by their respective school Principals) are: 

St. Mary’s School, Hokitika
Koi Avila
Abel Shinmoton

St. Patrick’s School, Greymouth
Paul Finlay

John Paul II High School, Greymouth
Ella Fitzmaurice
Cameron Klempel


(Published : 06/12/25)