Since introducing our new Tertiary Scholarship Programme in 2025, we have supported four local residents pursuing a diverse range of tertiary qualifications and career pathways.
Amelia Morison and Flynn Register were the inaugural scholarship recipients, each receiving financial support over two years, in 2025 and 2026. They were joined in 2026 by Anna Kelsall and Charlie Matthews, who each received a one-year scholarship.
We are pleased to share their stories, based on updates received in August 2026.
Find out more about our Tertiary Scholarship Programme and future funding opportunities on our Tertiary Scholarships page.
2026 Scholarship Recipients
Anna Kelsall
Postgraduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching – Primary
“My study this year has focused on exploring effective teaching pedagogies and curriculum areas including Science, the Arts, Social Sciences and Technology.
At the end of August, I begin an eight week placement at Featherston School Te Kura o Paetūmokai. The scholarship will help significantly with covering the costs associated with this vital part of my learning. During this placement I will be working with year 8 students. I am excited for the challenge and opportunity to work with senior primary students – it will be a big change as my work and placements to date have been in early childhood and junior primary areas. Spending time in a classroom is such a powerful way to build my readiness for teaching next year.
In November, I will complete my Post-Graduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching and I am hopeful to find a teaching role at a local school as I continue working towards full teaching registration.
Outside of study, I’ve been relieving at Greytown Kindergarten and spending time in many classrooms across the Wairarapa observing different teaching practices. A personal highlight this year has been working with other parents to re-establish the Greytown School PTA. The scholarship has supported me to have the capacity to support my children’s school and give back to our wonderful community while also studying. Our first fundraising initiative raised almost $14,000 towards the costs of a shade solution for the junior playground. Thanks to all the community who supported us!”
Anna Kelsall
Charlie Matthews
Bachelor of Arts – Psychology, with minors in Music Production and Philosophy
University of Otago
“I am incredibly grateful to have been awarded one of the 2026 academic scholarships from Greytown Lands Trust. The funding has made a substantial difference to my university studies and my journey towards completing the third year of my Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Music Production and Philosophy at Otago University.
I am proud of how my studies are progressing and am on track to complete my degree halfway through 2027. One project in particular I have been working on is a full album I have written and produced myself, incorporating everything I’m learning: Psychology’s insight into how people think and feel, and why; Philosophy’s discipline of questioning and reasoning, and Music Production’s craft of shaping sound into something meaningful.
Looking ahead, I hope to pursue postgraduate study, with a particular interest in exploring how music affects the human mind and behaviour. This scholarship has helped lay the groundwork for that path, and I’m excited to continue to follow it.
Once again, I would like to thank Greytown Lands Trust for granting me this scholarship. That kind of backing means a great deal, particularly during the demanding stretch of a university degree.”
Charlie Matthews
2025 Scholarship Recipients
Amelia Morison
Bachelor of Science – Psychology and Human Resource Employment Relations
Victoria University of Wellington
“I am currently in the final few months of my degree at Victoria University of Wellington, completing a Bachelor of Science majoring in Psychology and Human Resource Employment Relations. It feels a little surreal to be so close to finishing after several years of study, but I am really proud of everything I have achieved along the way.
One of the biggest highlights for me this year has been securing an HR and Health & Safety Graduate role. I have already started working part-time in the role while completing my final papers, which has given me a great opportunity to start building practical experience before graduating. I have really enjoyed being able to apply what I have learned throughout my degree in a real workplace and develop a better understanding of the areas of HR and health and safety that I am most interested in.
For the remainder of the year, my main focus is completing my final papers and finishing my degree while continuing to work part-time. Once I graduate, I will move into the graduate role full-time, which I am really looking forward to. It feels like a big transition after being a student for so long, but I am excited to begin the next stage of my career.
The support from this scholarship has made a huge difference throughout my time at university. It has helped ease some of the financial pressure that comes with studying and allowed me to focus more on my degree and make the most of the opportunities available to me. I am extremely grateful for the support I have received, and it has played an important part in helping me reach this point.”
Amelia Morison
Flynn Register
Chemical and Process Engineering, with a minor in Sustainable Energy Engineering
University of Canterbury
“I’m currently in my final semester of Chemical and Process Engineering (with a minor in Sustainable Energy Engineering) at the University of Canterbury, with graduation set for November. I finished my final ever university exam in June which was a great milestone. It’s been a busy and rewarding final semester balancing my final coursework which consists of two major capstone projects:
ENCH494: Designing and optimizing a next generation catalyst system for ammonia synthesis.
ENCH495: Building and testing an experimental rig focused on advanced gas separation processes.
A real highlight over the past year was completing my second engineering internship with CarbonScape, accumulating over 1,000 hours of hands-on experience in their pilot plant and production facilities. Applying my studies to physical, high-temperature thermal processing operations was incredible preparation for my career.
Looking beyond graduation, I’m thrilled to share that I have secured a full-time Graduate Process and Plant Engineer role with Etex Group at their plasterboard manufacturing plant in Bundaberg, starting in November! I’m really excited to get into the industry and apply my theoretical and practical knowledge from my studies.
Thank you again to the Greytown Lands Trust for all the support throughout my degree. Being one of your first scholarship recipients has meant a lot to me and the support provided has helped me focus fully on my studies. “
Flynn Register