In Brief | Schools | 6-11-15

Cowell, Okamoto earn degrees

Kailua-Kona residents Garrett Cowell and Ryan Okamoto graduated this month from Oregon Institute of Technology with a degree in the listed field of study:

Cowell earned a civil engineering degree and Okamoto a degree in manufacturing engineering technology.

Meals provided to school children

Kona Pacific Public Charter School is participating in the Summer Food Service Program, with the assistance of six community partners who have stepped by to help fight childhood hunger over the summer, when schools and school lunch programs are closed.

Summer Food Service partners include the management of Lailani and Lokahi Ka‘u affordable apartments in Kailua-Kona, Family Support Services West Hawaii, the youth program managers of Keauhou and Keoua Honaunau canoe clubs, and the Happy Feet Soccer program.

Meals will be provided to all children younger than 18 without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. There will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.

Meals will be provided at the sites now to July 28 as follows: Old Kona Airport Park, 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. Monday through Friday; Lailani Apartments, 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. Monday through Friday; Lokahi Ka‘u Apartments, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. Monday through Friday; Keauhou Canoe Club, 1:30 to 2 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; Keoua Honaunau Canoe Club, 2:30 to 3 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Meals will be provided at the following site from July 6 to 10: Pualani Estates Park, noon to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Mother and daughter join Teach for America

Maureen Appleton and her daughter, Lindsey, both from Waimea, have been accepted into Teach for America.

Lindsey graduated from Parker School in 2009 and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Hawaii Pacific University. She is a graduate assistant at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and will complete her master’s in English in May 2016. She is currently in Argentina with a UH-Manoa study abroad group. She will attend the Teach for America Academy in Phoenix in June 2016 and begin her two-year commitment in San Diego County, Calif.

Her mother, Maureen, earned her bachelor’s degree in child development from Concordia University last year. She has been working and teaching in the local community for the past 10 years. While earning her degree she taught and led parent child groups with Baby STEPS, migrant education and substitute teacher at Kamehameha Preschool. She also worked at Waimea Elementary School for two years as the Parent Community Network coordinator and educational assistant. She is currently teaching at the Montessori Education Center of Hawaii in Waimea. She will be attending the Teach for America Academy this summer and hopes to be placed in a school here in North Hawaii where she can continue her commitment to our local students and their families.

Teach for America is a federal program that aims to recruit qualified applicants for placement in rural and underserved schools throughout the United States. During their two-year commitment they will earn their Hawaii teaching credential and financial help toward any advanced teaching degrees.

Nair earns spot on Fort Lewis dean’s list

Cara Nair of Kailua-Kona was among more than 400 students named to the Fort Lewis College’s dean’s list for the spring semester. Nair’s major is elementary education and economics-economics at the school located in Durango, Colo.

Sarwar awarded bachelor’s degree

Eaman L. Sarwar of Waimea was one of nearly 600 students who received bachelor’s degrees from St. Lawrence University during commencement ceremonies held May 17 in Canton, N.Y..

Sarwar received the degree of bachelor of arts. Sarwar majored in government and global studies. Sarwar graduated from Hawaii Preparatory Academy.