WAIMEA — Emi Higgins has done some community service in her young life but nothing compared to what she was recently able to make happen. ADVERTISING WAIMEA — Emi Higgins has done some community service in her young life but
WAIMEA — Emi Higgins has done some community service in her young life but nothing compared to what she was recently able to make happen.
The junior soccer player at Hawaii Preparatory Academy was named the 2016-17 Hawaii Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year in June and along with that honor, the 5-foot-9 midfielder, who led HPA to an 11-2-2 record last year and their fourth consecutive HHSAA Division II title, received a $1,000 grant, which she donated to Waimea Athletics.
The $1K donation was only the tip of the iceberg though. All 51 winners of the Gatorade athletic excellence award — one from each of the 50 states and DC — were given the opportunity to send in an essay explaining why a charity of their choosing should earn a Spotlight Grant.
Higgins’ essay was the only one chosen, which awarded Waimea Athletics an additional $10,000.
“I have never really donated that kind of money and it felt really good,” Higgins said. “It has inspired to me try to do more things like this.”
Higgins was given the option of donating to four national charities, but since she said that none of the options really had an impact on her, Higgins instead decided to donate the money locally.
“Waimea Athletics has been around my entire life and they have affected the lives of a lot of people,” Higgins said. “I played volleyball with them, I played on their soccer fields and went to their dances. They helped me make friends and get to where I am today.”
Higgins was very thorough in explaining why Waimea athletics should receive the Spotlight Grant, noting in her essay how Hawaii County has the lowest per capita income in the state and is home to the highest percentage of welfare recipients in the nation. She also highlighted how Waimea is a community that is an “active, vibrant and caring — one that strives to ensure its youths participation in physical activities and competitive athletic pursuits.”
Higgins added that her success on the soccer pitch is a byproduct of her experience with Waimea Athletics and the “pay it forward” attitude of those in charge of the organization.
“The members of Waimea Athletics tally their victories … simply in the smiles of the area children who have scored, or defended, or simply given it their all,” Higgins said in her essay. “Moreover, when one of their own is able to realize outside success, the accomplishment … is sweet icing on the cake and is shared by all.”
Admirably, sharing to all is exactly what Higgins is doing in return, and she couldn’t be happier about it.
