PUHI — More than $44,000 in scholarships were shared by eight contestants at the 2012 Miss Garden Isle/Miss Kaua‘i scholarship pageant Saturday night at the Kaua‘i Community College Performing Arts Center. Playing before a good-sized audience, emcee J. Robertson of
PUHI — More than $44,000 in scholarships were shared by eight contestants at the 2012 Miss Garden Isle/Miss Kaua‘i scholarship pageant Saturday night at the Kaua‘i Community College Performing Arts Center.
Playing before a good-sized audience, emcee J. Robertson of Ho‘ike Community Television said this is the first time in the history of the pageant that all contestants received a scholarship.
“This is due to the tremendous effort of pageant director Loke Dahle, who has been working hard to get scholarships for all the contestants,” Robertson said.
This year’s scholarships are being provided by Argosy University, which has its Hawai‘i campus in downtown Honolulu and branches on the Big Island and Maui, Robertson said.
Each contestant was awarded a minimum of $2,000 in scholarships. Miss Garden Isle and Miss Kaua‘i won $10,000 each in scholarships.
“Anytime you have an opportunity for young people to get ahead, you support it,” said Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., who provided the koa bowl trophies for the winning queens. “This is all about helping young people to get ahead in life.”
Lei U‘i Kaholokula, a graduate of Kapa‘a High School, was named Miss Kaua‘i.
Liane Ancajas, a student at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, was voted Miss Garden Isle after also earning the Best Talent award.
“If I Wrote a Note to God” was an inspirational song performed by Ancajas in the only vocal rendition among the eight talent presentations.
Kaholokula, with her father Robby doing vocals, and with the help of her mother in performing the hula “Kawika,” offered up a kahiko hula adapted to become a contemporary piece about the life of David Kalakaua. Kaholokula was also voted Most Congenial by her peers.
Rye-Lee Cracknell of Hanalei, a student at Kapa‘a High School, was named first runner-up. She promoted health and wellness through dance. Cracknell was also voted Best in the Fitness and Appearance categories
Siarah Perreira, performing a dramatic hip-hop dance, had a platform that promoted hunger relief in Hawai‘i. Perreira was voted second runner-up.
Kiana Seigel, voted the contestant with the Most Spirit, is a senior at Kaua‘i High School. She said young people can become involved in saving endangered plant species, some of which are at dangerously low levels of survival.
Other contestants included Christina Nguyen, Cristy Bonilla and Sydnee White.
The Miss Garden Isle and Miss Kaua‘i pageant is a prelude to the Miss Hawai‘i pageant, a step toward the Miss America program.
Kaholokula and Ancajas will represent Kaua‘i at the state pageant later this year.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
