LIHU‘E — Saturday was a special day for Kaira Terui, Lily Millard, Karissa Fuchigami, Tristan-Ckylar Andres, Austin Sadamitsu and Justin Ganir at the Lihu‘e Neighborhood Center, where the fourth grade students picked up their awards for the Kaua‘i Character Counts! citizenship contest.
The day was even more special for the Kaua‘i Association of Family and Community Education (KAFCE), the local sponsor of the competition, and one contestant, Kaira Terui of Elsie Wilcox Elementary School, who was named to first place of the state competition.
Terui, who was named the first place winner of the Kaua‘i competition, had her essay and artwork forwarded to the state level competition where she was selected the first prize winner, with its accompanying $100 award, last Wednesday by Terrie Sewake, Youth Education Chair from the Hawai‘i Association of Community and Family Education. Terui’s piece will be forwarded to the national level competition for consideration.
“In 2023, one of our Wilcox Elementary School fourth graders placed first in the national competition. In 2021, one of our homeschooled fourth graders placed third in the Nation, and in 2020, one of our Kalaheo Elementary School fourth grade students placed second in the national competition,” said KAFCE President Laurie Ho.
“In 2019, one of our Wilcox Elementary School fourth graders placed first in the National competition.”
The contest winners included Lily Millard receiving second place. Third place honors belonged to Karissa Fuchigami. The winners are all students at Wilcox Elementary School under teachers Karen Heresa and Dayna Fujii.
Tristan-Ckylar Andres, Austin Sadamitsu and Justin Ganir were named to KAFCE Honorable Mention honors. The trio are from the Kapa‘a Elementary School under the tutelage of Mila Sagucio.
The state level Character Counts! winners include first place, Terui of Kaua‘i, Keala Klein of Windward O‘ahu getting second place and $75. Third place honors, including $50, was awarded to Finn Conrad of Hilo, Hawai‘i Island.
Character Counts! focuses on building students’ character skills and shaping a positive school culture by writing essays or short stories and drawing pictures that show us what any of the Six Pillars of Character — Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship — look like.
This year’s contest was focused on citizenship. Next year, the topic should be Trustworthiness.
The contest is open to fourth grade students. For more information, contact the KAFCE.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
