LIHU‘E — Hawai‘iUSA Federal Credit Union utilized a grant presentation on Monday to introduce two members of its Executive Leadership Team to the Kaua‘i staff, and the recipient of its Hawai‘iUSA FCU Foundation.
Brandy Oki, whom Taylor Shigemoto of Hawai‘iUSA FCU Kaua‘i said has close family ties to Kaua‘i, has been promoted to chief administrative officer.
To fill the vacancy left by Oki’s departure, Hawai‘iUSA placed Maria Felton to be the new chief experience officer with Felton moving to Hawai‘i to fulfill the position’s responsibility of overseeing 14 Hawai‘iUSA retail facilities.
The members of the Executive Leadership Team joined Taylor, Karen Shigemoto and the staff of the Hawai‘iUSA FCU to present King Kaumuali‘i Elementary School Principal Jason Yoshida an award for $2,500 for the school’s General Learner Outcome Program.
Hawai‘iUSA FCU Foundation President Karl Yoneshige, said the donation supports the General Learner Outcomes Program through the Gotcha Program for Incentive Rewards.
“General Learner Outcomes are about behavior,” said Yoshida. “Basically, the program rewards good behavior.”
Bullying is a problem that is not limited to King Kaumuali‘i School, but exists in communities around the state and the nation. According to a survey done by Wallethub.com, Hawai‘i as a state ranked seventh safest in America despite ranking second for bullying incidents and second for share of uninsured population.
The problem is further reinforced by news and social media reporting on the number of high school football games or activities that were canceled due to harassment of officials and terroristic threats.
“Bullying is one of our top goals,” Yoshida said. “We want to eliminate bullying so students will feel safe coming to school.”
He said the award will cover the rewards for good behavior.
“We really appreciate this grant,” Yoshida said. “The school, the community and myself — the village that it takes to raise a child.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
