Chadwin Andres struggled to contain his emotions, Thursday evening. Andres, a Kaua‘i High School graduate, had just gotten a congratulatory hug from Waimea High School senior Carolyn Hoeckmann-Percival while awaiting the arrival of Michael Brewer, a senior at Kapa‘a High
Chadwin Andres struggled to contain his emotions, Thursday evening.
Andres, a Kaua‘i High School graduate, had just gotten a congratulatory hug from Waimea High School senior Carolyn Hoeckmann-Percival while awaiting the arrival of Michael Brewer, a senior at Kapa‘a High School.
The three graduating seniors were recipients of $1,000 scholarships for excellence in the field of instrumental music during their high school careers and received their checks from members of the Larry L. McIntosh Music Scholarship Association on the eve of high school graduation.
“This is the first time we’ve had one student from each of the three public high schools,” Wil Ronaldson, president of the association, said. “We would like to see this every year. This year, it just happened that there was one from each of the schools.”
The presentation was done on the eve of graduation and the weekend of the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a’s annual “Taste of Hawai‘i” event that will take place Sunday at Smith’s Tropical Paradise.
Steven McCreery, a former chair of the “Taste of Hawai‘i,” and Ronaldson, a Rotary Club of Kapa‘a member, said McIntosh has been with the “Taste of Hawai‘i” event from the time the event started.
“At first, I had the college band down there,” McIntosh said. “Then, we got the Kaua‘i High School Jazz Raiders to play.”
This year, McIntosh, who retired as the music director for Kaua‘i High School, will be back at the helm of the KCC jazz ensemble. Also joining the slate of entertainment will be the Kaua‘i High School Jazz Raiders under the baton of Daryl Miyasato, McIntosh’s successor at Kaua‘i High School.
“We wanted to present the checks at the Taste,” McCreery said. “But Carolyn won’t be able to make it, so we’re doing it early. The association made its selections earlier, and announcements of the winners were made at their spring concerts. Tonight, they get their checks.”
Hoeckmann-Percival will be heading to Smith College in Massachusetts where she is still undecided about a course of study, although the bubbly Menehune who has earned letters in cross country and softball, said she is leaning toward a career in elementary education.
Andres will be close by at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut where he plans to major in biology with a secondary major in pre-medicine.
“Since the campuses are about a hundred miles apart, I guess we’ll stay in touch,” Hoeckmann-Percival said.
Brewer, who earlier was the recipient of one of the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a’s scholarships, will be heading to the University of Portland to study engineering.
McIntosh said contributions to the association to reward and help students who excel in instrumental music are always welcome.
“We’re planning on doing some fund-raising on our own later this year,” McIntosh said. “We’re going to get a group together and travel and play to try and raise more funds for scholarships.”
McIntosh said there are a lot of former band students out there who are now doing well and contributions to the association is just one way they can give back.
