WelCom October 2022
The Trustees of the Ogonowska Education Charitable Trust – Jenny Gordon MNZM, Halina Ogonowska-Coates and Gordon Noble-Campbell – are pleased to announce the awarding of three grants to primary school students in the Archdiocese of Wellington. The grants will meet the archdiocese attendance dues for each of the three recipients in 2023.
The recipients are: Caeliah Ashcroft of Our Lady of Kāpiti School, Paraparaumu; Grace McKnight of Holy Family School, Porirua; and Nieson Palala of St Anne’s School, Newtown.
The grants acknowledge the personal qualities and contribution to the cultural and spiritual life the three students make to their schools. The students were nominated by their school’s principal.
The Trust honours and remembers two Polish sisters, Irena and Teresa Ogonowska who were members of the much-celebrated Polish refugee children offered refuge in New Zealand in 1944 during WW2. The Trust Patron is the Archbishop of Wellington, Cardinal John Dew.
In 1940, Irena and Teresa, together with their family, were forcibly deported to Siberia from their home in Ulanowszczyzna, a Polish military settlement in eastern Poland, near Baranowicze.
After arriving and settling in this country, both sisters were educated in New Zealand Catholic secondary schools and both chose teaching as their profession. They were committed and passionate teachers all their lives, underpinned by their deep and life-long Catholic faith. Irena and Teresa appreciated the importance of education in creating the opportunity for children to be successful in their adult lives.
Viv Conroy, principal of Our Lady of Kāpiti School said, ‘Caeliah is a wonderful girl who has a great attitude towards her learning and is a role model to other students.’ Sue Goodin, principal of Holy Family School said, ‘Grace is a delightful year 5 girl and always displays our Catholic values in class and in the playground.’ Doreen O’Sullivan, principal of St Anne’s School noted, ‘Nieson is an excellent student. His attendance, attitude and commitment are faultless. The way he plays “big brother” to his siblings is second to none. It’s lovely to see the way he steps up and takes on responsibility.’
The Trustees congratulate Caeliah, Grace, Nieson and their families.
The Ogonowska Education Charitable Trust is a registered, incorporated, charitable trust (NZBN 9429049158564) and is a registered charity (CC58940). The Trust is a ‘donee organisation’ in accordance with section LD 3(2) of the Income Tax Act 2007. Expressions of support, including donations, are invited.