Amanaki STEM Academy

01/04/2026

🎓✨ ASA Alumni – UCOL Graduation 2026 ✨🎓

We’re proud to celebrate two Amanaki STEM Academy alumni who graduated at the Universal College of Learning (UCOL) 2026 Graduation Ceremony:

Tre Viviani – Diploma in Electrical Engineering
Now working in Niue, giving back to his family and community through his skills and knowledge.

Jesse Vikiani Teumohenga – Bachelor of ICT
Currently employed as a Technician at Advantage Computers in Palmerston North.

These achievements reflect the strength of the ASA pipeline—supporting our Pasifika students from primary-intermediate- high school, through tertiary study, and into meaningful STEM careers. Congratulations to you and your families.

We are proud of your work ethic and the example you set for your younger peers.

01/02/2026

🌟 Congratulations to Discovery Scholar and ASA Alumnus Jesse Vikiani Teumohenga! 🌟

We are proud to celebrate Vikiani for representing ASA, Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific at the Global Young Scientist Summit 2026 in Singapore as a nominee of the MacDiarmid Institute.

This outstanding achievement reflects his commitment to STEM excellence and the power of opportunity, mentorship, and Pacific leadership. We look forward to the impact he will continue to make.
👏🏽 Well done, Vikiani — you continue to inspire the next generation of ASA learners.
Please take time to read Vikiani's reflections on this incredible experience. Meitaki to the MacDiarmid Institute: https://www.macdiarmid.ac.nz/ for supporting . You can read about Vikiani's reflections in the text below taken from the MacDiarmid Institute January 2026 Newsletter -

Discovery Scholar Jesse Teumohenga attended the Global Young Scientist Summit 2026, 5-9 January, in Singapore as one of the MacDiarmid Institute’s nominees. His report on his experience is as follows:

"At the beginning of 2026 I was honoured on behalf of The MacDiarmid Institute to attend the Global Youth Scientists Summit (GYSS) held at the National University of Singapore (NUS). I was very fortunate to receive this nomination considering I had just completed my undergrad. Leading up to the conference I was rather nervous as this was my first solo trip and only second conference I had attended. Not only that but a clear majority of attendees were PhD students or doing their postdoc. Regardless, getting this once in a lifetime opportunity to not only meet new people but learn about topics from experts and noble laureates made the experience even more fulfilling.

Coming from an IT background focussing on cybersecurity, I was mainly interested in Adi Shamir’s lecture, Deep Neural Cryptography. He delved deep into deep neural networks (DNN) and how to securely and correctly implement a cryptographic function on a DNN. I also enjoyed the talks about Quantum computing, especially the panel on “Supercomputing and Quantum: Redefining the Future”. The panel discussed the differences between quantum computing and traditional computing both in performance and the way problems are represented and solved. Quantum computers use qubits that exist in superposition (e.g. 1 and 0 at the same time) and become entangled to handle large numbers of algorithms at once, unlike traditional computers that depend on binary states, only 1’s and 0’s at one point in time. Like many of the presentations and panels they were highly sophisticated so I tried my best in deciphering certain words and jargon used by the speakers.

My favourite aspect of the conference was meeting new people from around the world. Being able to meet people from different cultures who have different perspectives was an amazing experience for me. I made friends there that I still keep in contact with and whenever I’m on their side of the world I hope to visit them. This conference not only inspired me to pursue further studies but also helped me to get out of my comfort zone and meet new people".

Jesse Teumohenga at GYSS 2026.

25/11/2025

🌟 YOU’RE INVITED! ASA AWARDS 2025 🌟

Everyone is welcome to join us as we celebrate Pacific excellence, achievement and leadership! 🎉✨

📣 All families, friends, partners and supporters — this is for you.
Come along, bring the aiga, and help us honour our incredible young people and the village that surrounds them 💚🤍🖤

📍 Details on the flyer below — see you there!

06/11/2025

Update from Amanaki STEM Academy
What a busy year it’s been so far! Despite limited resources, our team continues to push forward with passion and committment to supporting our students STEM success. We’re grateful for every student, volunteer, supporter and partner who has helped keep our mission alive.

Recently, we held our annual ASA Lotu — a special time to pause, reflect and uplift our NCEA students in prayer as they begin the intensive exam-prep camp and approach their external exams. We believe in nurturing not just academic success, but spiritual, emotional and communal strength too.

🎤 We were honoured this year to host Lupesina Koro as our guest speaker. Lupesina is an inspiring young Pasifika engineer and mentor — of Samoan and Tokelauan heritage — her STEM journey continues to inspire our children and young people that good work ethic, discipline, perseverance +faith can lead them to 'be what they see'.
Lupesina holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland, and is a recipient of multiple honours including the Ako Aotearoa STEM Award, Prime Minister’s Pasifika Youth STEM Award, and a Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Latin America.
Professionally, Lupesina has worked with Aurecon NZ and now serves as an engineer with Tektus Consultants. She also gives back through governance and community roles with Engineering New Zealand, Vinnies Tāmaki Makaurau, Mafutaga Tupulaga i Tokelau Aukilani, and as a Sunday School Teacher in her church. Fakafetai ni Lupesina for inspiring our students and sharing practical exam study tips with us all.

To all our ASA NCEA students: as you continue your ASA prep camp and sit these important external exams — we’re behind you! May you go with confidence, faith and the knowledge that your community stands with you.

Please feel free to like, share or comment to show support for our students and our journey. Every bit of encouragement helps.

Manuia na hatalaga

19/09/2025

Our co-founder and Director of ASA at the investiture ceremony today🙏🏾

Mr Viliami Teumohenga, of Ashurst, Honorary MNZM for services to education and the Pacific community

Viliami Teumohenga is the founder and Director of Amanaki STEM Academy (ASA), an initiative he established alongside his wife to address the underrepresentation of Pacific students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Since ASA became a trust in 2017, he has mentored more than 1,800 Pacific students. His leadership has been instrumental in establishing a pipeline for Pacific students pursuing careers in STEM. Mr Teumohenga is a vocal advocate for systemic educational reform, and he has presented at national symposiums hosted by Massey University, NZQA and other organisations, where he has highlighted the need for education policies that address the unique challenges faced by Pacific learners.

05/09/2025

✨ History Made at the 2025 Medical Science Conference! ✨

We are beyond proud to celebrate an incredible milestone for Amanaki STEM Academy (ASA) and our community!

This week, Simione Nau and Malama Palelei, two of our student leaders, became the first high school students to ever present at the prestigious Medical Science Conference in Christchurch – a space traditionally reserved for post-graduate students, researchers, and professors. 🙌🏽🧠💥

Their presentation showcased the co-design collaborative partnership between ASA and Sweet Pressure (Pūtahi Manawa) – a project centred on mobilising students and families to co-create alongside the Sweet Pressure team sustainable solutions for better heart health outcomes in our Pasifika communities.

Simione and Malama were phenomenal – delivering with poise, clarity, and confidence that left the audience in awe. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we couldn’t be more proud.

A heartfelt thank you to Professor Andrew Lowe, Dr Fiona McBryde - Sweet Pressure (Pūtahi Manawa) for walking alongside our community in genuine partnership – proving that when we design with our people, not for them, we shift the narrative and spark real change. Faafetai tele Kalani Fruean for your support. Viia le Alii

ASA continues to normalise higher education and build a strong pipeline of future Pasifika health researchers and leaders.

🌺 Congratulations Simione Nau and Malama Palelei – you’ve represented your families, community, and the ASA family with excellence, humility, and Godly pride. We are so proud of you!



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20/08/2025

Some of our high school students making the most of their day off today.

22/07/2025

Our tears have etched a riverbed in our hearts. Like the Manawatū River in winter, it’s been rising since the day we were reminded of your mortality.

You were just a boy when you stepped into your late father’s shoes, and since then we saw you as a To’a. You smiled through rough seas and personified ‘living life to the full.’ You effortlessly carried the weight of your mother’s dreams and your father’s legacy — ‘Otua mo Tonga ko hoku tofi’a.

Though we tried our best to anchor you here, because we didn’t want to part with your anga fakangalongata’a, God had plans to keep you forever young from now into eternity. Today you’re with our Saviour Jesus, a place where there is no pain, tears or sorrow, only completeness.

Rest in peace our boy Paula Matafahi. We continue to keep Nia and the girls in our prayers🙏🏾