WAIMEA — The Waimea Alumni and Friends will present six Spirit Awards at the general membership meeting and luau which will be held 6 p.m. Saturday at the Waimea High School cafeteria.
The Spirit Award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated the Menehune Spirit through their contributions to their school and/or community.
This year’s honorees are Marieann Ono Ferreira, Mabel and Norman Hashisaka, Kay Koike, Kylie Linoz and Glenda Valenciano Miyazaki.
For tickets to the luau, call Janice at 482-1034.
Here are the honorees:
Marieann Ono Ferreira
Raised in Kekaha, Marieann Ono Ferreira is s 1963 graduate of WHS. After graduation, she ventured to California and earned a teacher’s degree from Southern California College. She returned to Kauai and dedicated nearly 30 years as an elementary school teacher. She began her teaching career at Kekaha School but spent the remainder of her teaching years at Kalaheo School where, as K-6 music teacher she did May Day and Christmas programs, spring concerts, talent shows and Sunshine Express performances. She was the 1995 Kalaheo School Teacher of the Year.
Ferreira has been the keyboard player at Holy Cross Church since 1980, learned proper hula dancing from Leilani’s Hula Halau as well as taking hula classes with Vernon Kauanui and Blaine Kia. Under the County of Kauai Na Kupuna Council Program, she is also the ukulele instructor for the Kalaheo seniors who entertain at the various care facilities from Waimea to Kapaa.
Mabel and Norman Hashisaka
Mabel Kawakami graduated from WHS in 1946. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and sociology and a master’s degree in education with a reading major from Indiana University.
Upon her return to Hawaii, she taught on the Big Island. While in Hilo, she married Norman Hashisaka.
The couple returned to Kauai in 1955 and opened Big Save and Kauai Kookie. Mabel continued her teaching at Kekaha School and Eleele School.
The Kawakamis started the Eleele Laundromat and organized a corporation with 10 other Kawakamis. After teaching for 10 years, she retired to devote time to their growing business ventures. She retired from the Big Save Corporation in 1996.
Born on Oahu but raised on Kauai, Norman attended Kauai High School. His family returned to Oahu and he graduated from McKinley High School. After graduation, he worked at the Honolulu post office.
He volunteered in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the MIS Language School in Minnesota. He was assigned to the Philippines, then to Yokohama, Japan, for work with the war criminal trials. Upon discharge, he attended the University of Hawaii on the GI Bill, where he met Mabel. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and economics. He worked in Hilo and started the frozen food business with Suisan Co., Hilo.
When Norman and Mabel returned to Kauai they started Big Save, Hanapepe and Ben Franklin in Eleele. They went on to establish a chain of stores in the other communities — Waimea, Lihue, Koloa, Kapaa, Hanalei, Kekaha and Kalaheo. Norman served as the manager, then as president.
In 2005, with son Reid, Norman opened a laundromat. They have since expanded to Eleele, Lihue, Kapaa and Koloa.
Kay Koike
Raised in Kekaha, Kay attended Waimea Elementary and High School from kindergarten to 10th grade, then graduated from Mid-Pacific Institute in 1958. She then earned a bachelor’s degree in education from what is now known as the University of Northern Iowa.
After teaching at Dike Elementary School for three years, Koike spent the rest of her 31-year teaching career with the U.S. Department of Schools in Europe in various countries — Terceira Island, France, Germany and Seville, Spain.
Upon returning to Kauai, she has been very active with numerous community organizations as a volunteer and officer or board member including the Storybook Theatre of Hawaii, Hui o Laka, Kokee Resource Conservation Program, Kauai Concert Association and Kauai Historical Society.
Kylie Linoz
Kylie Linoz attended Kalaheo and Kaumakani elementary schools before attending Waimea Canyon Middle School, then graduated from WHS in 1991. He was the starting quarterback and safety for the Menehune in 1989 and 1990. In his senior year, he earned All-Star honors in both positions and was the KIF’s Offensive Player of the Year.
In 2006, he returned to WHS as head varsity coach. His tenure with the Menehune ended in 2008 with an overall record of 15-10.
Linoz returned to community youth football in 2009 with the Hanapepe Pop Warner Association in the Junior Peewee division, where he remained until 2017.
Over the eight seasons as JPW head coach, he coached his team to seven Kauai Pop Warner Football League championships, three Neighbor Island championships, and one regional championship.
During the last four years, he held double duty responsibilities coaching the JV football team. In four years in this division, his team won four Kauai Pop Warner Football League championships, one state championship, one regional championship, and a 1-1 record in the National Pop Warner Super Bowl.
To date, he has been coaching football for 26 consecutive years — 18 in Pop Warner and eight at WHS.
Glenda Miyazaki
Glenda Valenciano Miyazaki attended Eleele School, then graduated from WHS in 1968. She attended the University of Wyoming, and graduated with a bachelor’s of education degree in special education.
She then earned a professional teaching diploma and an administration certificate from the University of Hawaii.
Miyazaki returned to her alma mater, Eleele Elementary School, as a special education teacher.
She then transferred to Kauai High School as a special education teacher. She entered the administration training program as a cohort trainee at Wilcox Elementary School and an exchange cohort trainee at Kapaa High School.
She began her administrative career as vice principal at Kauai High School, then transferred to Waimea Canyon School.
She again returned to her alma mater, Eleele School, this time as a principal. She completed her career as principal at Waimea Canyon School.
