In partnership with the Ministry of Inspiration, the Trust has been funding the delivery of AquaBots, a school-based programme where teams of ākonga build and operate underwater drones to test water DNA.
The kaupapa runs as a national programme where school-based teams compete on a regional basis for entry to national championships. The Trust is leveraging its relationships with kura through our literacy and numeracy programme to encourage the participation of Ōtautahi-based kura kaupapa in the competition. Following the Ōtautahi pilot, the Trust will consider scaling the partnership to include multiple regions in FY2022-23.
Below are ākonga from Te Pā o Rākaihautū with the AquaBots they built and tested as a team (photo credit to Te Pūtahitanga o te Waipounamu).
![Te pa o rakaihautu 6](https://www.tapuwaeroa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Te-pa-o-rakaihautu-6.jpg)
![337506355_231864602540152_2549512461537069871_n](https://www.tapuwaeroa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/337506355_231864602540152_2549512461537069871_n.jpg)
![Te pa o rakaihautu 10](https://www.tapuwaeroa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Te-pa-o-rakaihautu-10.jpg)