Dale Carnegie Youth Programme Scholarships

Scholarships

Dale Carnegie Youth Programme Scholarships

Scholarships are provided to Tauranga secondary schools each year to help cover the costs for Year 13 students to attend a Dale Carnegie Youth Programme three-day course to learn valuable new skills around public speaking and improve their self-confidence.

The students are selected for their leadership potential, strong work ethic and open-minded attitude to try new things by their school deans in conjunction with the staff of Dale Carnegie Bay of Plenty Waikato. Students will need to contribute towards their course costs.

The estate of the late Mary and Roy McGowan funded these scholarships that have been offered since 2010.

About Roy & Mary McGowan:

Roy was born in Bristol, England and was one of the first people to join the RAF Volunteer Reserves. He took up full-time service for the Royal Air Force in 1939. Roy was shot down in his single-seater Hawker Hurricane in 1940, during one of the pivotal battles of World War II: the Battle of Britain.

Roy underwent plastic surgery due to the battle and was posted to New Zealand during his recovery where he helped set up fighter squadrons and fighter operation rooms.

Mary was born in Brunei and was attending boarding school in Singapore when the Japanese invaded during WWII. Mary lived in various parts of the world. She met Roy in Singapore in 1964, and they retired to New Zealand in 1982. They first moved to Kerikeri, before settling in Tauranga in 2000. Roy died in 2012 at age 94.

Mary was a fiercely intelligent, independent and witty person whose kindness to others never failed. She was thoughtful and considered, always with a quick laugh and a twinkle in her eye. Mary died in 2020 at age 95.

Their fund also supports St John Tauranga/Mt Maunganui, Canteen, and many other charities benefitting youth in the WBOP. The impact of these two special people will be felt by many locals for a long time to come.