Four deserving winners of this year’s Wayne “Big Dog” Scholarship were announced at last week’s BIIF Track and Field Championships, as the high school senior girls were awarded $2,000 for outstanding excellence in academics and community service while being involved in track or cross country.
The basis of this prestigious award is to aid these qualified runners to pursue their endeavors in higher education and make a difference in the local community. The scholarship has awarded over $88,000 to Big Island runners over the years, and was created by the late Wayne Joseph — a cross country coach and educator.
The 2025 scholarship winners are Kamehameha-Hawaii’s Kerilyn Wise and Peyton Botelho and Hilo High’s Titahni Ruano-Parada-Kaawaloa and Kekaihulali Halpern.
Additionally, a $500 “Most Inspirational” award was donated by Sunrise Athletics, given to an athlete that exemplified actions of courage, hope and strength in character. That award was given to KSH’s Sanoe Quintana.
Kerilyn Wise
Deciding to become a runner was the best decision Wise ever made.
Wise wrote that trying out for track and cross country gave her lasting relationships, self discipline and the lasting mindset that anything is possible.
“Running has allowed me to make some of my closest friendships, with past graduates who I keep in touch with and undergraduates that feel like my younger siblings,” Wise wrote in her application. “Running has no age limits. I’ve become so close to so many of my coaches as well, which has created such amazing bonds within our team and my life.
“Becoming a runner in high school was the best decision I ever made, reshaping my mindset for the better.”
Wise qualified for states in track and cross country, even beating her cross country personal record in her senior season. Outside of running, Wise logged over 500 hours of volunteer service, including helping at Sure Foundation Puna. She has also been a junior helper for the local Children’s Ministry, assisting keiki from ages 3-10.
While always having a core for helping others, Wise plans to attend the University of Southern California this fall to study psychology. She then wants to attend law school to become an attorney or government representative. Wise wants to return to the Big Island to help those with substance addiction.
Prior to setting foot on a college campus this fall, Wise will intern for a lawyer in Puna.
“A law degree will enable me to advocate for the less fortunate, protect their legal rights and ensure they have access to the help needed to turn their lives around,” she wrote. “I hope to lessen the negative stigma surrounding addiction and develop solutions that truly address the needs of one of Hawaii’s most vulnerable populations.”
Peyton Botelho
Running has always been a crutch for Botelho, no matter what obstacles are thrown her way.
A multi-time BIIF medalist and state qualifier in track and cross country, Botelho acknowledged that running helped her balance multiple facets of her life.
“Beyond the medals and races, running taught me the value of hard work, perseverance and leadership,” she wrote. “It pushed me past my limits and gave me a second family. I learned how to be disciplined, how to manage setbacks and how to motivate both myself and my teammates.
“Running changed who I am, and how I see myself.”
Out in the community, Botelho taught elementary students about health and wellness.
“Through this project, I saw how education can show younger generations how to make healthier choices. This experience reinforced my passion for helping others and solidified my interest in pursuing a career that allows me to make a difference. It also deepened my understanding of the importance of community service and how small efforts can create lasting changes.”
Following graduation, Botelho plans to major in either education, speech pathology or environmental engineering.
Titahni Ruano- Parada-Kaawaloa
Ruano-Parada-Kaawaloa didn’t like running at first, but that soon changed during her sophomore soccer season.
“I never thought I had a passion for running, especially during conditioning at practice,” she wrote. “However, I soon realized that I was naturally fast, leading me to try out for the track team.”
Soon enough, Ruano-Parada-Kaawaloa was turning heads on the track. Her 4×400-meter relay team qualified for the 2023 state meet, while Ruano-Parada-Kaawaloa was named an alternate for the open 400. Last season, she gave cross country a try — placing seventh at BIIFs. During the 2024 track season, Ruano-Parade-Kaawaloa finished second overall in the 4×800 at the state championship.
“Running has taught me that with mental strength, you can achieve what you once thought was impossible.”
She will be the first in her family to attend college, which she plans to major in biology. Ruano-Parada-Kaawaloa wants to ultimately help others, aiming to become a dermatologist physician assistant.
“While this is a new journey for all of us, I’m determined to succeed and help ease the financial burden on my family,” she wrote.
Kekaihulali Halpern
As Hilo High’s valedictorian and long-distance-running star, Halpern is a champion on and off the race course.
Halpern, a winner of Hawaii’s Gatorade Player of the Year, won the regional and state championship in cross country while also collecting 47 wins in various track and field events across her four years. While the wins felt great, Halpern claims that the overall impact of running has far outweighed her personal results.
“Running helped me to experience great personal growth, building leadership, discipline and perseverance,” Halpern wrote. “Leading my team through hard workouts and races built leadership skills, which I now continue to use every day during school, work and more. Moreover, the psychological toughness gained by this tough sport allowed me to excel at school.”
Halpern decided to give back to the sport by being a volunteer running coach for young athletes aged 4-13, giving them exclusive training sessions to build upon their techniques.
“My responsibility extended beyond supervising practice,” Halpern said. “I directly instructed them on how to enhance their running technique, build endurance and optimize race performance. Being able to experience the enthusiasm and dedication of these youth runners, aside from their various levels of proficiency, age and experience, was very rewarding.”
Halpern intends to continue running in college and plans to study pre-physical therapy, with an ultimate goal of opening a practice in her home state.
“(My goal) is driven by the critical shortage of physical therapists and medical professionals in our state’s healthcare system,” Halpern wrote. “This shortage not only increases costs, but also forces many residents to travel to the mainland or island-hop for necessary care. With Hawaii’s already high cost of living, this added expense is significant.
“By opening my own practice, I aim to make physical therapy services more accessible and affordable for our community.”
Sanoe Quintana
Since becoming a track and cross country athlete, Quintana has learned to cherish the little things..
Qualifying for the state cross country championships as a freshman and the state track meet as a junior, Quintana admitted she enjoyed the journey just as much as the destination.
“I found equal pride in the smaller victories — like achieving a new personal record at each meet, which reinforced my dedication and progress,” Quintana wrote. “While I’ve always held a deep passion for running, I faced challenges with mental blocks and a fear of failure that, at times, made the sport feel overwhelming. However, the encouragement of coaches, teammates and family helped me move forward and maintain my love for running.”
Outside of running, Quintana has volunteered at Hawaii Island Adult Care, helping support the elderly. Quintana called the volunteering an enriching experience.
“This experience deepened my understanding of underserved communities and the importance of compassionate care for vulnerable individuals,” she said. “By assisting with daily activities and engaging in meaningful conversations, I witnessed first-hand the vulnerability of these seniors, particularly those lacking family.
“This reinforced my passion for healthcare and solidified my commitment to serving others, aligning with my career goals in medical imaging and sonography.”
Quintana plans to attend the Oregon Institute of Technology in August, majoring in pre-medical imaging — aiming to continue her passion of serving others.
