Honor roll
• Scott Takahashi of Keaau graduated May 5 from The Citadel (Charleston, S.C.) during the South Carolina Corps of Cadets commencement ceremony. Takahashi received a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering.
Takahashi also was among cadets joining the Army upon graduation, taking his commissioning oath May 4 in McAlister Field House.
• Lindsey Yamane of Hilo graduated May 5 from Azusa Pacific University (Calif.) with a bachelor of music.
• Amelie Sterling of Hilo was among more than 1,000 students from Miami (Oxford, Ohio) University who received degrees during fall commencement exercises Dec. 15 in Millett Hall. Sterling graduated with a master of arts degree, majoring in biology.
• Hadley Beach of Kailua-Kona, a junior cognitive neuroscience major, was named to Harding (Searcy, Ark.) University dean’s list for grades achieved during the spring 2018 semester.
• Pulamanamauu Louis of Kailua-Kona was named to the dean’s list for Graceland (Lamoni, Iowa) University’s 2018 spring term.
• Genevieve Block of Keaau and Lauren Villafuerte of Paauilo presented their work during the Simpson College (Indianola, Iowa) Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium in April. The annual symposium is a multidisciplinary event that showcases outstanding student work through the presentation of papers, performances, posters and panel discussions.
• Dakota (Mitchell, S.D.) Wesleyan University student Maxine Block of Pahoa received the Elizabeth Graham Colton Prize, awarded to a student whose talent, work and promise in creative writing is most worthy of recognition. Block is a junior creative writing major and the daughter of John and Virginia Block of Keaau.
• Wheaton (Ill.) College student Jozua van Bakel of Kailua-Kona was inducted into Sigma Tau Delta English Honors Society. The honor was announced by the English Department at Wheaton College’s Honors Convocation.
• Wheaton (Ill.) College student Arah Ko of Keaau was awarded first place in the fiction division of the 2018 Lowell-Grabill Creative Writing Contest. Ko also was awarded first place in the poetry division of the contest.
Scholarships
Semester at Sea
Two University of Hawaii at Hilo students are recipients of the UH-Hilo Semester at Sea scholarship to participate in the fall 2018 voyage.
The recipients are Naneaikealaula V. Thoma, an English major, Hawaiian studies minor and chancellor’s scholar, and Cody Pacheco, a geography (environmental science) major and Hawaiian studies minor. Both are graduates of Kamehameha Schools Hawaii.
The scholarship will cover 60 percent of the lowest cabin cost for each recipient. The program will embark Sept. 9 from Hamburg, Germany, and disembark Dec. 23 in San Diego, where they will have traversed to 11 different countries and four different continents (Europe, Africa, Asia, North America).
The Semester at Sea Scholarship is available to full-time and classified UH-Hilo students who meet the following criteria:
• Acceptance to Semester at Sea program
• 3.0 UH-Hilo GPA
• 24 completed college credits
• Financial need
• Excellent recommendation
• Preference to first-generation college students
To learn more about study abroad opportunities, contact the Center for Global Education and Exchange at 932-7488 or visit www.hilo.hawaii.edu/studyabroad.
Keaukaha General Store, Hawaii Rise Foundation
Keaukaha General Store, in partnership with the Hawaii Rise Foundation, will award $1,000 scholarships to two high school seniors.
The Holomua Scholarship, created three years ago by Keaukaha General Store, encourages students to “holomua,” or improve, progress and move forward.
Kealani Gangwes will sponsor the scholarship offered this year by Hawaii Rise Foundation. Born in Ka‘u and now a registered nurse in obstetrics at Hilo Medical Center, Gangwes is an active community member teaches first aid to Big Island youth with Hawaii Rise. The scholarship is in memory of her sister, Rachel, who was born with Trisomy 18 syndrome (Edwards syndrome). Despite having a life expectancy of 1 year of age, Rachel thrived and lived until she was 18.
Students will be asked to write about what community they are from and if there was one positive change they could make, what would it be and why? As graduating high school seniors, it is important for them to look at issues in their communities and consider ways of helping to one day give back and improve where they come from.
The requirements:
• Must be a resident of the Big Island and a high school senior
• Enrolled in a four-year undergraduate program or be enrolling for the upcoming fall semester.
• No minimum GPA is required. Applications can be picked up at Keaukaha General Store or emailed to applicants by request by emailing contact@hawaiiriseclasses.com. Applications must be turned in no later than June 30. Late applications will not be accepted.
For more information, contact Breeani Lee at 969-1169, ext. 3, or contact@hawaiiriseclasses.com.