Waimea High School senior Lynnell Wright was the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation district winner for Kaua‘i, receiving scholarships totaling $2,000 last weekend. Wright was awarded the first $1,000 for being the school’s recipient of the award and was given
Waimea High School senior Lynnell Wright was the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation district winner for Kaua‘i, receiving scholarships totaling $2,000 last weekend. Wright was awarded the first $1,000 for being the school’s recipient of the award and was given a $1,000 bonus for being the district winner.
Wright was one of seven district winners recognized at a luncheon at the Waialae Country Club, on O‘ahu.
“It was more expensive, but not too formal,” said Wright.
Wright adds this scholarship to her list of awards, which include those from the Kauai Government Employee Federal Credit Union, the Zonta Club of Kauai, West Kauai Youth Rotary Club and the West Kauai Lion’s Club.
Wright will use her scholarships toward her engineering education when she attends Brigham Young University in Utah this fall.
“Originally, I was going to study music and then it was math,” Wright said. “Then people were talking about engineering. So I’m going to start with that.”
Kaua‘i High School senior Nicolas Hasegawa and Kapa‘a High School senior Jason Orbe-Smith were also recognized at the ceremony for being their schools’ recipients, receiving $1,000 each in scholarships.
Orbe-Smith said his scholarship will be used toward tuition this fall when he attends the University of Colorado at Boulder. While there, he plans on studying architecture.
Hasegawa, who is currently in Oklahoma for the Mock Trial Championship, said his scholarship will be sent directly to Harvey Mudd College where he will be studying engineering.
Hasegawa has also won scholarships from the Hawaii Youth Rotary Club, Robert C. Byrd Honors Program, Sam Walton and the Takehiko Hasegawa Goodwill.
These students were among 59 recipients — one from each of the qualifying public and independent schools in the state — who received scholarships, based on academic achievement, community service, and financial need. In total, the Foundation awarded $88,000 in scholarships this year.
The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation was established to give back to the community by providing the gift of education to the young people of Hawaii. Since 1993, the Foundation has annually presented scholarships to an outstanding student at every qualifying high school in the state. The total in scholarships since 1993 is more than $1.1 million.
• Lanaly Cabalo, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.
