State joins Green Ribbon Schools competition
Public and private schools may enter the inaugural Green Ribbon Schools competition by completing Hawaii’s online application at hawaiidoe.org.
The U.S. Department of Education announced its new Green Ribbon Schools competition in September. Schools will apply to Hawaii DOE, which in turn will nominate four schools for national recognition. At least one of the schools will be a private school. The deadline for schools to submit their applications to Hawaii DOE is Feb. 10. Hawaii’s nominees will be submitted to the U.S. DOE in March.
Hawaii has joined 32 other states, the District of Columbia and the Bureau of Indian Education Department of the Interior in this year’s Green Ribbon Schools competition. It will honor public and private elementary, middle and high schools that show progress in minimizing greenhouse gas emissions, positively affecting student and staff health, and producing students who are environmentally and sustainability literate.
The Green Ribbon Schools recognition award is part of a larger U.S. DOE effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about best practices proven to result in improved student engagement, academic achievement, graduation rates, and workforce preparedness, as well as a government-wide aim to increase energy independence and economic security.
Visit hawaiidoe.org for more information. Questions may be directed to Randy Moore, assistant superintendent, DOE Office of School Facilities and Support Services, at 586-3444 or Jenna Ishii (jenna@hais.org), Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, at 973-1538.
Application deadline for UHH scholarship is March 1
The University of Hawaii at Hilo is accepting applications for its Chancellor Scholarship, an award created for graduates from Hawaii high schools that covers four years of tuition. The estimated value over four years is $22,000.
High school applicants with a minimum 3.5 grade point average or 1,800 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT are encouraged to apply before the March 1 deadline. Applications should be submitted to the UH-Hilo Admissions Office.
Applications are available on the admissions website at hilo.hawaii.edu.
For more information, call the UH Hilo Admissions Office at 974-7714.
Credit union offering scholarships
Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union is accepting scholarship applications from high school seniors on the Big Island.
The credit union will award $12,500 in scholarships to 2012 high school seniors headed on to an institution of higher learning. The five scholarships — each in the amount of $2,500 — are each named after a volunteer who made important contributions to the financial institution.
Four of the scholarships — Peter Hirata Scholarship, Albert Akana Scholarship, Katsumasa Tomita Scholarship and Frank Ishii Scholarship — are general scholarships awarded to students based on need, academic achievement, career goals and extracurricular activities. The John Y. Iwane scholarship will be awarded to a high school senior who meets all the criteria mentioned above and plans to enter an agriculture-related field of study.
Any graduating high school senior attending a Big Island high school is eligible to apply. Each applicant must plan to attend a two- or four-year institute of higher learning.
Interested high school seniors may fill out an application online at hicommfcu.com, or may obtain one through their high school’s counseling office, at any Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union branch or Student Credit Unions at Kealakehe, Konawaena and Kohala high schools. Applications must be received by April 9 to be considered.