By Staff Reports
(HONOLULU)—The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation, Inc. (Takitani Foundation) has awarded $218,000 in scholarships to 59 exceptional seniors from every qualifying public and independent high school in Hawai‘i as part of its Legacy Scholarship Program. Two students received Outstanding Student Awards of $10,000 each and one student received a Distinguished Student Award of $8,000. Two seniors were awarded $6,000 Directors’ Awards, eight high school seniors received $5,000 scholarships as district finalists, and forty-six students were awarded $3,000 scholarships. Nominated by their respective schools, the award winners received scholarships based on their strong academic achievement, dedicated community service and financial need.
“Mr. and Mrs. Takitani founded Hawaiian Host, and knew hard work, innovation and commitment to excellence were key factors in their success,” said KSSK Radio personality Michael W. Perry, the Takitani Foundation Chairman of the Board. “The Takitanis wanted to recognize those same qualities in Hawaiʻi’s outstanding students with support to further their education.”
Recipients of the Outstanding and Distinguished student awards are as follows:
-Aaron Chang of Punahou School and winner of the $10,000 Mamoru Takitani Outstanding Student Award will attend Rice University in Texas this Fall. He is the son of Willard and Corinne Chang.
-Jenny Pang of Roosevelt High School received the Aiko Takitani Outstanding Student Award of $10,000. Pang is the daughter of Jing Huan and Annie Y.H. Pang, and will attend the Princeton University in the Fall.
-Micah Willweber of Kalaheo High School is the recipient of the Karen Uno Distinguished Student Award of $8,000, and plans to attend Concordia University in Nebraska this September. Willweber is the son of David and Marie Willweber.
Directors’ award recipients of $6,000 scholarships recipients are:
-Tammy Lam of Farrington High School, who will attend Swarthmore College. She is the daughter of Vincent and Anhdao Lam
-Amanda Schiff of Kealakehe High School, daughter of Michael and Deanna Schiff. She will attend the University of Portland.
District Finalist recipients of $5,000 awards are:
-Amira Fisher of ʻAiea High School. She is the daughter of Shoko Kai-Fisher.
-Isabelle Pescaia of Waialua High and Intermediate School. She is the daughter of Alan and Victoria Pescaia.
-Sarah Lewis of Campbell High School. She is the daughter of Christopher and Cheri Lewis
-Cade Sugiyama of Pearl City High School. He is the son of Dean and Camille Sugiyama.
-Breanna Taguchi of Maui High School. She is the daughter of Eric Taguchi and Laurie Tomita
-Maeha Piturachsatit of Kapaʻa High School. She is the daughter of Raehanne Piturachsatit
-Serah Matsunaga of HawaiʻI Baptist Academy. She is the daughter of Tad and Eiko Matsunaga
-Sarah Barrientos of Damien Memorial School. She is the daughter of Jun and Maryann Barrientos.
Recipients of $3,000 scholarships are as follows:
Honolulu District: Vivian Thach of Kaimuki High School; Matthew Kimura of Kaiser High School; Sydney Griffiths of Kalani High School; Damien Chang of McKinley High School, and Addyssyn Oppegaard of University Laboratory School.
Central Oʻahu District: Megan Okuma of Leilehua High School; Sasha Arreola of Mililani High School; Kristyn Mimura of Moanalua High School and Chase Daack of Radford High School.
Leeward Oʻahu District: Mataio Malana of Kapolei High School; Chrislin Strickland of Nanakuli High and Intermediate School; Daniel Wetter of Waianae High School and Marie Agoto of Waipahu High School.
Windward Oʻahu District: Draven Arnold of Castle High School; Kimiko Wong of Kahuku High and Intermediate School and Makena Bruhn of Kailua High School.
Hawaiʻi District: Logan Mizuba, Mildred Higashi Directorʻs Award winner, Hilo High School; Kayla Miura Honokaʻa High and Intermediate School; Aldwin Badua of Keaʻau High School; Makena Anderson of Konawaena High School; Xavier Tablit of Pahoa High & Intermediate School; Miya Yanagisawa of Waiakea High School and Jasmine Alcain of West HawaiʻiExplorations Academy.
Maui District: Heather Osterstock of Baldwin High School; Lannie Hisashima of King Kekaulike High School; Leilani Esperanza if Lahainaluna High School; Samantha Padron of Lanaʻi High and Elementary School and Maria Angst of Molokaʻi High School.
Kauaʻi District: Kody Kobayashi of Kauaʻi High School. Hawaiʻi Association of Independent Schools (HAIS): Michaela Miller of Assets School; Malachi Acdal of Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy; ToriAnn Abe of ‘Iolani School; Fionna Yuan of Island Pacific Academy; Kaikea Kaui of Island School; Kiana Aniu of Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi; Alulʻi Ludington of Kamehameha Schools Kapalama; Malie Watanabe of Kamehameha Schools Maui; Lilianna McDermott of Le Jardin Academy; Ava Merrill of Maui Preparatory Academy; Kyler Saiki of Mid-Pacific Institute; Emily Smith of Parker School; Ameera Waterford of Seabury Hall and Shaye Nishimura of St. Andrew’s School, The Priory.
Hawaiʻi Catholic Schools (HCS): Nikolas Robben of Maryknoll School; Maria Domingo of Sacred Hearts Academy and Brian Cox of Saint Louis School.
Mamoru and Aiko Takitani founded Hawaiian Host, Inc., manufacturer of Hawaiian Host chocolates, and established the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation, Inc. to give back to the community by providing the gift of education to the young people of Hawaiʻi. Hawaiian Host donates part of the proceeds from the sales of Hawaiian Host products to the Foundation in support of its scholarship programs. Since 1993, the Foundation has annually presented scholarships to an outstanding student from every qualifying high school in the state and has awarded over $5 million to scholarship and academic enrichment programs throughout Hawaiʻi.