In Brief | Schools | 7-2-15

Rotary Club of Kona Mauka awards scholarships

The Rotary Club of Kona Mauka recently awarded $30,000 to West Hawaii high school seniors at Konawaena and Honokaa high schools and to second-year college students at West Hawaii Community College and other campuses.

Among these awards was the first $10,000 scholarship from the Kavanagh Educational Fund and the annual Hawaii Rotary Youth Foundation $5,000 scholarship. These two awards were received by Arielle Totten and Chloe Delaney, respectively, both students at Konawaena High School.

Other scholarship recipients at Konawaena High School are Tianna Morimoto, Carly Spilker, Kililani Kunitomo, Skye Suzuki, Nikki Kunitomo, Kelsey Katayama, Shlya Victor, Keven Medeiros and Neymai Lawrence-Yamagato.

Merriman’s lists scholarship winners

Merriman’s Restaurant has awarded its 2015-16 Merriman’s Culinary Scholarships. James Thomas of Kauai, who will be attending Kauai Community College, and Hana Jung-Okuda of Hawaii Island, who will be entering Hawaii Community College in Hilo, have each been awarded $1,100 toward schooling this year. Thomas is the first student on Kauai to have been awarded the scholarship.

Started in 2000, Merriman’s Culinary Scholarship provides scholarships for students in Hawaii entering or continuing study in culinary arts. The scholarships are awarded annually based on the applicant’s outstanding qualities, passion for the field and financial need. To date, Merriman’s Culinary Scholarship has donated $51,450 and helped more than 46 students advance their culinary education.

Johnson awarded scholarship

Kealakehe High School senior Sara Johnson has been admitted to University of Pennsylvania and has been awarded a full, four-year QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship.

Based in Palo Alto, Calif., QuestBridge is a national nonprofit organization that connects exceptional students from low-income backgrounds with admission and full scholarships to selective colleges. By serving as the bridge between students and institutions of higher education, QuestBridge aims to increase the percentage of talented low-income students attending the nation’s best universities. For more information, please visit www.questbridge.org.

Thompson earns his degree

Aren Thompson, 2005 Konawaena High School graduate, was awarded his osteopathic physician degree from A.T. Still School of Osteopathic Medicine on May 22 in Mesa, Ariz. His undergraduate biology/premed degree is from Hawaii Pacific University.

In addition to the campus in Mesa, Thompson also studied at the Waianae Comprehensive Health Center on Oahu and was a member of the honor society, finishing in the top 10 percent of his class. He will be completing his residency at the Tucson Medical Center in Tucson, Ariz., and plans to practice primary care family medicine in Kona.

Osteopathic physicians practice traditional medicine, with emphasis on wellness of “mind, body, spirit,” disease prevention, and how the musculoskeletal system affects body health.

Strawn receives associate’s degree

Sarah Strawn, daughter of Gary and Valerie Strawn of Holualoa, graduated May 17 with an associate in science degree from Cottey College in Nevada, Mo.

Strawn was also on the dean’s list for her scholastic performance during the spring semester. In order to be on the dean’s list, student’s grade point average must be between 3.50 and 3.74 on a 4.0 scale, with a minimum of 12 credit hours completed.

Di Zinno graduates from Boston College

Madison Di Zinno of Kailua-Kona has graduated from Boston College with a bachelor of arts degree from the university’s Robert J. Morrissey College of Arts &Sciences in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Her majors were political science and economics.

Nakachi named to dean’s list

Kaikea Nakachi, an oceanography major and resident of Kailua-Kona, was among the students from Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla., named to the dean’s list for the spring semester.

To be included on the dean’s list, a student must complete 12 or more graded credits in a semester with a semester grade point average of at least 3.4.

Auxiliary awards nursing scholarships

The Kona Community Hospital Auxiliary recently awarded six $2,000 nursing scholarships. Scholarships were awarded to first-year student Lei Aloha Rivera, and second-year students Austin Kilkenny, April Aniban and Ellie Kalawe. Two scholarship recipients from last year, Bobby Chadwick and Yarden Davis who are now second-year students, also qualified for an additional year of funding from the auxiliary.

The auxiliary will award the scholarships at its planned summer luncheon and program Aug. 15 at Kona Community Hospital.

Parker School alumni reunion to be held Aug. 1

Parker School welcomes alumni to attend its annual summer reunion to be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Aug. 1 on Parker School’s front porch. Alumni are encouraged to bring their families and enjoy an afternoon of catching up with friends, faculty and staff, while looking through yearbooks and reminiscing together. Pupu and beverages will be served.

Reservations are due July 27 to Parker School’s Advancement office at advancement@parkerschoolhawaii.org or by calling 885-8709.

Alumni unable to attend are encouraged to share personal milestones or news, as well as update their contact information by visiting Parker’s website at parkerschoolhawaii.org/alumni. Alumni are also encouraged to “like” Parker School’s Alumni Ohana Facebook page to connect, update and network with fellow Parker alums.