Retired Army general Eric Shinseki, represented by James Odan, left, and Mark Inouye, right, honored Kauai’s public high schools and students Kanoe Haneberg of Kapaa High School, Margarita Lomongo of Waimea High School, and Lauryn Hashimoto of Kauai High School with scholarships for each of the students. Shown are Odan, Kapaa High School Principal Tommy John Cox, Haneberg, Lomongo, Waimea High School Principal Mahina Anguay, Kauai High School Principal Marlene Leary who accepted the scholarship on behalf of Hashimotol, and Inouye. The presentation was done on Friday, May 2, 2025, during a luncheon coordinated by the Kauai Complex Area office and Superintendent Daniel Hamada.
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Children’s Day is Monday, and Jocelyn Slade of Deja Vu Surf Hawaii shows one of the Tara-designed Hapa House koinobori they have available on Friday, May 2, 2025. The koinobori are also available at the Hapa House booth at the Mei Makeke.
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Steve “Stream” Beckinoff and other National Day of Prayer participants like Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami, Liz Hahn, Suzzanne Kobayashi and more, are garbed in May Day finery at the event held on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at the Moikeha Building.
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Kapaa High School senior Veronica Bonnie Nagahisa shows off the green-and-white lei she received for being a Lady Warrior on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, during the Kapaa High School Foundation awards ceremony at the school’s cafeteria.
Dennis Fujimoto | The Garden Island
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Congratulations to Veronica Bonnie Nagahisa and her mom, Kimi, who will be participating in the Chaminade University commencement where Veronica will be receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Veronica, a senior at Kapaa High School, makes Hawaii Department of Education history by being the first Kauai student to actually receive her college degree before walking with the Class of 2025 at graduation on May 23 at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Park stadium.
Congratulations to Veronica Bonnie Nagahisa and her mom, Kimi, who will be participating in the Chaminade University commencement where Veronica will be receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Veronica, a senior at Kapaa High School, makes Hawaii Department of Education history by being the first Kauai student to actually receive her college degree before walking with the Class of 2025 at graduation on May 23 at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Park stadium.
When other students will be starting their respective journeys toward a college degree, Veronica will be enrolled at the Chaminade University Masters program for Psychology. Following that leg of her journey, Veronica said she plans to take a break and hopefully teach back home for a while. Eventually, she wants to get involved in aviation.
Sara Miura, representing one of the scholarship donors at the Kapaa High School Foundation awards ceremony, said Deja Vu Surf Hawaii has decided to offer the Tara-designed Hapa House koinobori that can be flown besides Children’s Day (it used to be known as Boys Day before 1958) that falls on the same day as Cinco de Mayo (anyone offering things to do?).
That’s just part of the Mei Makeke that opened on Thursday at the Kukui Grove Center. Courtney Wilson (how many of you remember her on the soccer field for Kauai High School?) of Shiprek Hawaii expanded her offerings to include clothing and said she’ll be here for every day the makeke is open through Mother’s Day.
Kaeo Bradford of the “Kauai: Sense of Place” has not only Native Hawaiian featherwork, but colorful featherwork of Native Americans, and woodcarver Kenneth Bray just finished a goddess from a forgotten heiau. Hiipoi Kanahele Vakameilau (she’s playing at the Rob’s Good Times Grill Muumuu Contest on Saturday, starting at 6 p.m.) is home (Jean Souza was doing the earring workshop before opening up the Kauai Ocean Discovery), and don’t forget to come see Kilipaki Vaughn perform with the Steel Guitar Festival on Sunday.
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Dennis Fujimoto can be reached at 245-0453 or at dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
