SOUTH PACIFIC REPRESENTATIVES: Caleb Lerm, Chase Wharehoka, Te Pau Mariu (Kaea - leader) Manaia Osborne and Matuku Tamaki (guitar) who with Leroy King are heading to Italy to perform at an international festival of arts.
Hato Paora students are heading to Italy for three weeks. The school has been exchanging students with an Italian school for two years, but this year, instead of exchanging two students, a team of six have been accepted to also perform in the finals of the World Creative Arts Festival in San Remo, on the Italian Riviera.
"This is the eighth year San Remo has held this festival of art, drama, music and craft for schools from around the world," said music teacher Rosalyn Williamson, who is one of four adults accompanying the students.
"We are the only school from the South Pacific who have been selected, so we are very honoured.
"The boys will not only be representing their school, but also their country."
During the four-day arts festival, the boys will perform Tupato, a song composed by a Hato Paora old boy, plus two haka, Paikea, and the Hato Paora haka.
They auditioned for the festival by sending a video, filmed in the school chapel.
As well as the four days in San Remo, the team and their teachers and chaperones will spend three days in Rome and eight days billeted with families at Borgo San Lorenzo while they attend Giotto Ulivi School. While the school has covered the entry fees for the festival, the boys and adults have had to pay their own fares.
"Its very expensive," Mrs Williamson said, "but the parents have been very supportive."