LIHU‘E — The Contractors Association of Kaua‘i awarded $10,000 in scholarships shared between nine recipients Thursday during its quarterly meeting held at the Royal Sonesta Kaua‘i Resort Lihu‘e.
The CAK made history by naming its first scholarship awarded to a CAK member, T-Jay Shigemoto of Hawai‘i Gas, who will be pursuing a master’s degree in business administration at the University of Hawai‘i Manoa Shidler School of Business starting this fall.
Shigemoto, a graduate of the University of Hawai‘i Hilo with a bachelor’s degree in economics, earned the Richard, Yasuo, and Hisae Minatoya scholarship of $1,000. The Minatoya scholarship is available to CAK members or their dependents, with preference given for non-construction studies. Shigemoto, who is also a CAK board member, is the first-time recipient of this award.
Eight other student recipients, including Kailee Oyama, Destrey Shibuya, Andrew James “AJ” Galiza, Dwight Apao, Bronze DeCosta, Kailash Letman, Ron Janus Acob and Julia Safford, earned their respective awards during the presentations made by CAK Scholarship Committee Chair Sean Michael Shigematsu, CAK President Demetrio Tolentino, with help from Trinette Kaui and Mel Rapozo.
Oyama, a graduate of Kaua‘i High, where she excelled academically, athletically and also a musician and taiko drummer, is the recipient of a $1,500 Hawai‘i Gas scholarship presented by Kaua‘i Island Manager Russell Winkelman. Oyama, the daughter of Mark and Wendy Oyama, is an intern with Esaki Surveying and Mapping, and will be entering Santa Clara University with a major in civil or mechanical engineering.
AJ Galiza, the son of Dollie and Jimmy Galiza and a recent graduate of Island School, is one of four recipients of the Kenneth Shioi Memorial Scholarship presented by the late Kenneth Shioi’s grandson Roy Shioi, who is the CEO and president of Shioi Construction. AJ earned a $1,000 scholarship that will help him when he enters Arizona State University majoring in construction management in the fall.
Bronze DeCosta, a 2022 Waimea High School graduate where he starred in baseball, is the son of Drena and Billy DeCosta, and was presented with a $1,000 Shioi scholarship to help him when he enters Butte College in California with a major in welding fabrication and training to be a heavy equipment operator.
Dwight Apao, the son of Katherine and Dirk Apao and a 2022 graduate of Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama, earned a $1,000 Shioi scholarship toward his study in mechanical engineering at the University of Southern California. While at Kamehameha Schools, he was captain of the junior varsity and varsity football teams as well as the varsity track and field team.
Julia Safford, going to be a junior at Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana, where she is majoring in physics, is the fourth $1,000 Shioi scholarship recipient. Safford, who was unable to attend in-person due to commitments with the ROTC program, will transfer to the University of Notre Dame in the fall to complete work towards a degree in civil engineering. Under her current path of study, the daughter of Laura Goodrich will have, following five years, a bachelor’s degree in physics and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering before completing her U.S. Air Force commitment.
Destrey Shibuya will be a junior at The College of Wooster in Ohio with majors in mathematics and civil engineering. After receiving his $1,000 CAK scholarship, the son of Kathy and Scott Shibuya will transfer to one of The College of Wooster’s affiliated engineering programs or his final two years of study.
Kailash Letman, the son of Hiroko and Jon Letman, is a 2022 graduate of Kaua‘i High School and earned a $1,000 CAK scholarship to help his pursuit of studying architecture at Wentworth Institute of Technology in the fall. During his high school tenure, he was a member of the Red Raiders’ swim team as well as being active in the Chess Club, Science Olympiad, Computer Science Honor Society and Climate Action Club.
Ron Janus Acob, the son of Clair and Edward Lagazo of Kaumakani, is also an architecture major, entering his senior year at Portland State University. Acob earned a $1,500 Guy Matsunaga Memorial Scholarship that honors the late general contractor who was a charter member of the CAK. The award was presented by retired judge Gerald S. Matsunaga.
The CAK was formed in 1957, and is a nonprofit trade organization that includes businesses and individuals involved in the construction industry. CAK strives to improve the construction industry through educational programs, services and public-awareness efforts.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
