WAILUA — Six Kapa‘a High School seniors received $13,000 in scholarships, Wednesday. The presentations were done during the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a’s meeting at the Aloha Beach Hotel, and in addition to the scholarships, awarded a $1,000 grant to the
WAILUA — Six Kapa‘a High School seniors received $13,000 in scholarships, Wednesday.
The presentations were done during the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a’s meeting at the Aloha Beach Hotel, and in addition to the scholarships, awarded a $1,000 grant to the Interact Club of Kapa‘a.
Lauren Esaki, the outgoing president of the Interact Club, was one of two recipients of the state level Hawai‘i Rotary Youth Foundation scholarships.
She and Kristen Miyasaki each received $5,000 scholarships.
In a correspondence to Fahy Bailey, president of the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a, Stanley Togikawa, president of the Hawai‘i Rotary Youth Foundation, said the organization awarded 72 students to share in $346,000 in scholarships.
Awardees are 2008 graduating Hawai‘i high school seniors who will be full-time students to an accredited 4-year college or university in the United States.
Esaki plans on attending the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa while Miyasaki is heading to Linfield in Oregon.
In addition to the two Rotary Youth Foundation winners, Lila Neuberger, Kristin Jim, Dylan Haight and Cara Koerte were each presented scholarships of $750.
“This is just one of the examples of the ‘Taste (of Hawai‘i)’ dollars at work,” said Rotarian Lisa Wilson.
Esaki was joined by incoming Interact Club president Mindy Agena in accepting the $1,000 grant for the club that is instrumental in helping at the “Taste of Hawai‘i” event which generates a large portion of the many scholarships presented by the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a.
“Ticket sales for this year’s event scheduled for June 1 at the Smith’s Tropical Paradise have been brisk,” said Marty Kahn, a Kapa‘a Rotarian and one of the organizers for this year’s Taste. “We’re also putting a limit on the number of tickets available so patrons can have a better experience at the event, so people wanting to experience this year’s event need to hurry with their purchases before the tickets run out.”
This year’s “Taste of Hawai‘i” will feature a silent auction between 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Gates to the event will open from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and tickets are available from any member of the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a, or by visiting the Taste of Hawai‘i Web site at www.tasteofhawaii.com
Ticket outlets include the Magic Dragon in the Princeville Shopping Center, Hanalei Surf Co., Jim Saylor Jewelers, Vicky’s Fabrics in Kapa‘a, Zack’s Frozen Yogurt in the Coconut Marketplace, Bambulei in Wailua, Inkspot printing in Lihu‘e, the Kukui Grove Shopping Center management office, Progressive Expressions in Koloa and the Westside Pharmacy in Hanapepe.
Advance tickets are $85, and at the door, $95.