Title slide: Dreams and aspirations

Sala Alona, Teacher, Onepoto School, Auckland, facing camera

As a parent coming from the islands, we moved here to give our kids a better life, I suppose. I move here for a better life and now I want my kids to have what I don't have. So more opportunities for my kids, just go to school, study hard and just follow their dream. Whatever's there, don’t limit yourself to anything less because for me I don't have much. Shane and I, we don't have much to offer our kids, but we want our kids to have the best of what's in front of them. Try to focus and we will support it, all of our kids, whatever they decided to do.

Parents, teachers and children in classrooms

Kate Faavaivaiomanu Va’aelua, Parent, Christchurch, facing camera,

The aspirations that I have for my children are really culturally-based which is respecting your elders, being empathetic, sincere and just generally being kind to one another. And these are connected to my cultural values because we have grown up knowing that we respect our elders. We eat last. We let our parents eat first. We let them walk in the door first. Just little things like that and then that helps in their education. One thing I’ve always told my daughter is that you weren't born to follow, you were born to lead. And I try to plant that seed in her because I've grown up, I'm 30 now, and I still have these qualities where I'm leading my youth group within my own church. And I lead culture groups and now I'm also teaching my daughter’s culture group at her primary school. And I just want to plant that seed in my children, is to be leaders, don't follow.

Sunema Tepulolo, Student Prefect, Kelston Girls’ College, Auckland, facing camera

My dream is to study law. I only found interest in it because my sister took it, and then I started developing an interest for law. Basically, my parents, they value education a lot. So finishing high school first would really make them proud especially because they didn't get to graduate high school. They didn't get to go to university so I think that's why they value it so much and so seeing me maybe in the future if I do ever graduate from uni that would make them proud and that's my dream.

Rosaline Latuila, Student, Kelston Girls’ College, Auckland, facing camera

My dream is to become a doctor. Why I chose this dream is because growing up I've always seen like Pacific Islanders struggle with, especially my grandma. She struggled a lot through her health like diabetes and stuff and I've always wanted to help her and like I've always I've also always wanted to help people as well which makes me choose my dream of being a doctor.

Reverend Fitifiti Luatua, E.F.K.S Church, Christchurch, facing camera

One of the realities also that we need to know, as teachers, is these children are here to stay. They are going to form the future of our communities and our government.

Students of all ages, in different settings

So, we need to work with them well and to train them well because this would be the leaders of our communities in the future. So they need to also be supported to frame them and educate them well.

Reverend Fitifiti Luatua, E.F.K.S Church, Christchurch, facing camera

So it's a very important area of our holistic beings so to speak, you know, of being supportive and also consideration of other people because everyone is important. Everyone has a part to play within our lives.