Pictured at the scholarship presentation are (from left): Brad Macloves, Almarie Nava Macloves, Samantha Alvarado, Kimo Kai (University of Hawaii Foundation), Kalani Stephens, and Drew Santos (Admor HVAC president).

LAHAINA – Back in December 2016, Lahaina News told you about a scholarship honoring the memory of a seven-month-old boy, Mason Kekoa Nava Macloves, who lost his life to sepsis. Now, his parents and family would like to thank all of the generous donors who contributed to making his scholarship possible.

Parents Almarie and Brad Macloves said, “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! It’s truly amazing to witness the generosity of others – those that never got to meet our son and those that don’t even know who we are. It’s because of all of you we’re able to take our tragedy and turn it into something positive while helping us to ensure that our son’s memory lives on. We can’t express enough how grateful we are.”

Mason’s scholarship is only available to graduates of Lahainaluna and Mililani High Schools. On Aug. 31, 2017, the Mason Kekoa Scholarship was awarded during Admor HVAC Products’ Vendor Fair held in Mason’s honor with the scholarship recipients, hundreds of Hawaii contractors, and HVAC vendors from across the nation in attendance.

The scholarship received total donations of $6,700 in its first year, allowing two scholarships to be awarded at $3,350 each. The 2017 Mason Kekoa Scholarship recipients were Kalani Stephens and Samantha Alvarado.

Kalani is a 2013 graduate of Lahainaluna. Kalani attends the University of Hawaii at Manoa and majors in economics and Asian studies. He has studied abroad in Korea, China and Japan and speaks fluent Korean and Chinese.

Kalani has a passion for helping the less-fortunate. He plans to attend graduate school after his graduation in the spring of 2018 and looks forward to a career in education and launching a nonprofit organization to help underdeveloped nations with access to healthcare and clean water.

When asked how the scholarship has helped him, Kalani replied, “It’s life- changing. I’ve had to pay for schooling myself, and it helps me tremendously. The scholarship has paid for tuition for this semester and the next, and some of my books.”

Samantha is a 2015 graduate of Mililani. Also a student at UH Manoa, Samantha majors in natural resources and environmental management. Set to graduate a year ahead of schedule, she plans to attend graduate school to further her education in the environmental conservation and education sectors.

Samantha hopes to become a Hawaii high school educator while helping to preserve Hawaii’s ecosystems and serving her community.

In a letter Samantha wrote to Mason’s parents, she noted, “I never would have been able to cover the costs of school through my employment alone nor have been able to dedicate enough time to my studies had I been too preoccupied with working full-time. I cannot express what a wonderful thing this scholarship opportunity is for a student such as myself, and what a great impact it has had on my life.”

Congratulations to Kalani and Samantha! Mason’s family and friends look forward to your continued support in helping them honor his memory. For information on how you can make a donation, read Mason’s story or get details on applying for the scholarship, visit www.masonkekoa.com.