Burger King accepting scholarship applications

Burger King’s Have It Your Way Foundation celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and will be awarding scholarships to deserving high school seniors, according to the Burger King Scholars website. Applications are currently being accepted, and the deadline to apply is Jan. 10, 2011.

Last school year, 32 high school students across the islands earned $1,000 Burger King Scholars awards for their academic achievements in the classroom, work commitments and community giving.

Students from O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i and the Big Island used their scholarships to purchase books and pay housing expenses and tuition.

Kiana Pascua and Roben Buyat (Waimea High School class of 2010) were among the 32 students who were awarded scholarships.

During her senior year, Pascua worked 35 hours a week at Baby Blutique in Lihu‘e, twice a week performing hula with her mother and two sisters for guests at the Kaua‘i Beach Resort, was active in the Spanish Club and BIONIC Club (Believe Or Not I Care, a school-to-school outreach program) all while maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.8.  After college, Pascua plans to return to Kaua‘i to stay near her family while working as an elementary school teacher.

Over the past three years, Kazi Foods, franchisee of 24 Burger King restaurants in Hawai‘i, has provided 50 scholarships to high school students locally.

  “We’re extremely proud of all 32 of the high school seniors who were awarded scholarships for their commitment to their education and unwavering work ethic,” said Denise Yamauchi, managing director of Burger King Hawai‘i. “Giving Hawai‘i’s students the opportunity to pursue higher education is a responsibility we take seriously and always do our best to try and help in any we can.”

Visit www.haveityourwayfoundation.org for more information about the Burger King Scholars award and to download an application.