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Lahainaluna High School Foundation distributes more than $111,000 in scholarships and awards

By Staff | Jul 19, 2012

Gerald Ichiki presented Cheyenne Baltonado with the Shigeru & Toyoko Ichiki Endowed Scholarship.

LAHAINA – The Lahainaluna High School Foundation was honored to have 35 donors for a total of 44 Lahainaluna student scholarships (three were new) along with two teacher awards.

LHSF both funds and administers donated scholarships for the benefit of Lahainaluna’s students, which include students from around the state as members of the Boarding Department.

“We continue to be amazed by the generosity of our community and the many contributors who help make post-high school education of our recent graduates a reality,” shared Andrew Kutsunai, LHSF Scholarship Committee chairman.

“LHSF participated in the school’s Senior Scholarship and Awards Program at the Royal Lahaina Resort on May 9 and made our scholarship presentations to 44 anxious seniors and two accomplished teachers. Since our foundation began its scholarship program with just six scholarships totaling $6,000, the program has dramatically grown to this new record amount of $111,250 this year. With the addition of this year’s awards amounts, LHSF is proud to have worked with our community and donors to provide $504,620 in scholarships since 2001.”

At the awards program, LHSF Deputy Executive Director Matthew Erickson presented the $1,000 endowed Lahainaluna High School Foundation Scholarship to Aida Taylan and the $1,000 endowed LHSF Academy of Hospitality & Tourism Scholarship to Takavaha Taufa.

Pictured, from left, are Jami Burks, Gunars Valkirs, Joshua Gaastra and JoRene Valkirs. Gaastra received the Makana Aloha Foundation Scholarship.

Added this year were the Territorial Savings Bank, Maui Jazz Festival and Front Street scholarships. The Territorial Savings Bank Scholarship of $750 was awarded to Alec Wagner and the Maui Jazz Festival Scholarship of $1,000 to Janeen Higuchi. The Front Street Scholarship, made possible through an anonymous donation, allows recipient Jeremy Briones DeGracia up to $35,000 each year for four years.

Returning scholarships presented again this year include the Maureen Setsuko Ariyoshi Memorial ($1,000 to Loa Uehara); Bank of Hawaii ($1,000 to Mikah Franz); Boss Frog’s Dive & Surf ($1,000 to Elliott Smith); Breana Polynesian Clothing & Gifts ($500 to Loa Uehara); LHS Class of 1956 ($1,000 to Arik Dutcher); Ilocandia ($500 to Marcus Badua); Fumio & Kiku Nishimoto Memorial ($1,000 to Amanda Murphy); RVN Restaurant ($500 to Ruchelle Cabida); Dr. Steven Strong Memorial ($2,500 to Gleylynn Paige Casil); Valley Isle Community Federal Credit Union ($500 to Michael-Bodean Bates); and $1,000 West Maui Community Federal Credit Union Scholarships to Kailani Amine, Kiara Galicinao, McNiel Castillo Magdaong, Janeen Higuchi and Erin Sana.

Also returning were the West Maui Veterans’ Club, Roy & Betty Sakamoto and The Makana Aloha Foundation Scholarships.

Tyler Okimoto received the $1,000 West Maui Veterans’ Club Scholarship. The club chose to award a second scholarship of $1,000 to their 2011 recipient, Sharon Hashimura.

The $1,500 Roy & Betty Sakamoto Scholarship was presented to Leilani Santos Miranda. The 2011 recipient of this scholarship, Lewilyn Gutierrez, will also receive a $1,500 scholarship for her second year of education.

Arthur Tabanao (left) and Thomas Kunishige (right) presented West Maui Community Federal Credit Union Scholarships to students (from left) Kailani Amine, Kiara Galicinao, Janeen Higuchi, McNiel Castillo Magdaoang and Erin Sana.

The Makana Aloha Foundation $5,000 Scholarship was awarded to Joshua Gaastra. The foundation also funded a second-year $5,000 scholarship to the original recipient, Emna Baccar.

For the ninth year, the following awards were made: ‘Imi Na’Auao (To Seek Education) Scholarship of $500 to Jimlord Tagayuma and $1,000 Michael M. Nakano Scholarship to Jasmine Garde.

For the eighth straight year, two $1,000 West Side Friends for Higher Education Scholarships, funded by anonymous Maui residents, were presented to Kelcie-Marie Naleieha and Aleia Natividad.

For six continuous years, the following scholarships have been funded and awarded: $6,000 Shigeru and Toyoko Ichiki Scholarship to Cheyenne Baltonado; $6,000 Shigeru and Toyoko Ichiki Scholarship to Elizabeth Lagbas; $6,000 Shigeru and Toyoko Ichiki Scholarship to Jing Hua; $6,000 Shigeru and Toyoko Ichiki Scholarship to An Hua; $2,000 Fred Izumi Legacy Scholarship to Ashley Magno; and $1,000 Tadashi Sato Memorial Scholarship to Holland vanHemert.

The Lillian and Robert Wright Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 was awarded to Jinky Ramos Aguiran, and the $1,000 Alfredo Fred Sarian Agricultural Memorial Scholarship was presented to Starlyne Abut. Kiana Yamat received the H&K Takenaga Legacy $1,500 Scholarship.

Presented for the fourth year were the following scholarships: Central Pacific Bank ($1,000 to Jasmine Domingo); Kaanapali Land Management Corporation ($1,000 to Kiara Galicinao); Lahainaluna Boarders’ Association ($1,000 to four-year boarder Kanoelani Dodd); Leilani’s on the Beach TS Restaurants Scholarship of $1,000 and Kimo’s TS Restaurants Scholarship of $1,000 to Kailani Amine; Hula Grill TS Restaurants Scholarship of $1,000 and Duke’s Beach House TS Restaurants Scholarship of $1,000 to Annie Ruiz.

The teacher award named “Okage Sama De” (I am what I am because of you) honoring Matsue and the late Hisao Fujii, parents of the donor and retired Baldwin High School principal and LHS graduate Wallace Fujii, was presented to senior English teacher and Class Advisor Anne Goff. Additionally, faculty member Shannon Fields received the $1,000 Kumagai Teacher scholarship.

For information regarding the Lahainaluna High School Foundation and its scholarship programs, contact Erickson, executive director, at 661-5332 or e-mail lhsfoundation@hawaiiantel.net.