Five Big Island high school seniors were among 47 students statewide who shared more than $250,000 in scholarship awards from the Hawaii Rotary Youth Foundation.
There were 47 $5,000 scholarships and two $10,000 awards. All five Rotary clubs on the east side of Hawaii Island received a $5,000 scholarship for selected students.
The Big Island awardees, their schools and sponsoring clubs are:
• Yukio Ishii, Kamehameha School-Hawaii, Rotary Club of Volcano.
• Jasmine Smeraglia, Hilo High School, Rotary Club of South Hilo.
• Jyselle Arruda, Hilo High School, Rotary Club of Hilo Bay.
• Mary Noble, Pahoa High School, Rotary, Club of Pahoa Sunset.
• Amber Nagata, Waiakea High School, Rotary Club of Hilo.
Scholarship funds are derived from gifts and investment income from Hawaii Rotarians and the Harry &Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. Hawaii Rotary Youth Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting college scholarship opportunities for graduating high school seniors in Hawaii. These students will be attending a four-year university or college in Hawaii or on the mainland.
Each local Rotary club reviewed applications and interviewed students from their area to be recommended for the $5,000 scholarship.
“Our committee was honored to have so many worthy applicants,” said East Hawaii area chairwoman Helen Shirota-Benevides. “They were all outstanding students and they were excellent representatives of youth from our area.”
