Jiu Jitsu champion Kai Godwin has been awarded a four-year scholarship to attend Maui Preparatory Academy.

NAPILI — The Pueo Pilot Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship awarded to a rising high school student each year. The scholarship covers the cost of tuition for four years at Maui Preparatory Academy.

This prestigious award is granted to one deserving student who is chosen based on academic achievement as well as excellence in the arts, athletics and community service. The scholarship aims to help students who might not otherwise be able to attend Maui Prep and gives them the opportunity to excel in a premier college preparatory program.

This year, Maui Prep has chosen Kai Godwin, a West Maui resident who hails from Kahana, to be the newest Pueo Pilot.

In his admissions application, Godwin received outstanding accolades from his former teachers, such as, “In my 50-plus years of education, he’s the top student I’ve worked with;” and “… in the 15 years of teaching, he stands out — he’s an amazing kid.”

This 6’1″ 14-year-old was born and raised in West Maui and is a natural-born athlete. Godwin attended both King Kamehameha III Elementary School and Lahaina Intermediate School before he decided to transfer to Maui Preparatory Academy to pursue his passion for creative writing and basketball.

Godwin has participated in Jiu Jitsu since he was five years old, has traveled the country to compete at the highest levels, and is an IBJJF American National Champion, three-time IBJJF International Champion, Kids World Champion, and F2W Champion.

He is currently a green belt training at Aloha Roll Academy in Lahaina, where he is also the head instructor of the teenager program.

Godwin is currently sponsored by Day by Day Jiu-Jitsu, a worldwide and local-based Jiu Jitsu brand. Godwin reflects that “Jiu Jitsu has taught me work ethic, humility and perseverance which I am blessed to have learned.”

Godwin will start in August of 2021 as Maui Prep’s newest Pueo Pilot. He is ecstatic to take advantage of MPA’s exceptional writing program through challenging courses such as AP Language & Composition and AP Literature. Godwin hopes to pursue a degree in journalism in his future and later plans on becoming a sports journalist, covering basketball and football at the professional level.

Godwin demonstrates his dedication and grit on the basketball court and is looking forward to becoming a Pueo for Maui Prep’s ever-growing boys basketball team.

Godwin wrote, “I am honored to be given the opportunity to accept the Maui Prep Pueo Pilot Scholarship. Thank you so much to Dr. Solis, Dr. Zamora, Mr. Kirkham and Ms. Turcik for believing in me and giving me the chance to show myself as deserving of this opportunity.”

Maui Prep looks forward to welcoming Kai as a freshman in Maui Prep’s largest-ever student body!