32 Maui Students Make AP Scholar List

Maui High School. Photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

A total of 32 students on Maui were honored with AP Scholar awards for their exceptional performance on Advanced Placement exams administered by the College Board.

Bryson Galapon of Maui High School was also named both a State and National 2014 AP Scholar recipient after earning an average score of 4 or higher (out of 5 possible points) on all 13 AP exams he completed.  That according to data released by the College Board and compiled by the state Department of Education.

Fellow Maui High student, Min Sung Kim also earned National Scholar status after taking 10 AP exams and scoring an average of 4 or higher on all exams, according to the report.

Galapon and Kim were among only seven students in the state who earned national scholar status.  Galapon was one of only two students in the state that earned the state AP Scholar award.

State education officials say there was a record 492 public high schools students in Hawaiʻi that earned AP Scholar awards this year, 32 of whom were from Maui.

On Maui the list of AP Scholar students included: 10 from Baldwin High School (4 with honors, 3 with distinction); 12 from King Kekaulike (3 with honors, 1 with distinction); 1 from Lahainaluna; 8 from Maui High (5 with distinction, 1 state scholar, 2 national scholars); and 1 from Molokaʻi.

The complete list includes the following:

Baldwin High School:

• Kellen K. Bean – 6 exams – AP Scholar with Distinction
• Matthew D. Demichele – 5 exams – AP Scholar with Distinction
• Jonah Hu – 6 exams – AP Scholar with Distinction
• Mary Ann A. Gomez – 6 exams – AP Scholar with Honor
• Seo Hee Orite – 4 exams – AP Scholar with Honor
• Jack V. Wolfgramm – 4 exams – AP Scholar with Honor
• Seanna Yoshioka – 4 exams – AP Scholar with Honor
• Karina L. Bhattacharya – 3 exams
• Megan D. Blair – 4 exams
• Matthew S. Foronda – 5 exams
• Luke H. Kimura – 6 exams
• Megan M. Matsuoka – 4 exams
• Miguel M. Morales – 3 exams
• Chloe Sernasie – 3 exams
• Taylor Smith – 3 exams
• William J. Summers – 3 exams
• Matthew Vanni – 4 exams

King Kekaulike High School:

• Zoe Wender – 6 exams – AP Scholar with Distinction
• Malia A. Kimmel – 4 exams – AP Scholar with Honor
• Maile J. Naito – 5 exams – AP Scholar with Honor
• Vanessa Sotoza – 6 exams – AP Scholar with Honor
• Kyle T. Armitage – 3 exams
• Kyllie Hisashima – 5 exams
• Haley N. Jernaill – 3 exams
• Alexandra T. Kong – 6 exams
• Rosemary Kulhavy-Sutherl – 3 exams
• Clara Lin – 5 exams
• Elizabeth A. Marian – 7 exams
• Samuel R. Olson – 7 exams
• Monica D. Patterson – 6 exams
• Feona Rehfuss – 6 exams
• Eva R. Richman – 4 exams
• Aitana Shough – 3 exams

Lahainaluna High School:

• Jessa A. Emmerich – 4 exams

Maui High School:

• Bryson J. Galapon – 13 exams – AP Scholar with Distinction, State Scholar, National Scholar
• Min Sung Kim – 10 exams – AP Scholar with Distinction, State Scholar
• Riley D. Camp – 10 exams – AP Scholar with Distinction
• Matthew T. Sturm – 6 exams – AP Scholar with Distinction
• Michael J. Yoshimura – 6 exams – AP Scholar with Distinction
• Barry Abe – 6 exams
• Racieli M. Andrada – 7 exams
• Justin A. Collado – 3 exams
• Marlena Cua – 4 exams
• Joseph B. Griffith – 4 exams
• Trent M. Hori – 7 exams
• Seyoung Nakama – 4 exams
• Joseph Pollard – 5 exams

Molokaʻi High School:

• James D. Pierce – 5 exams

“I commend all of our students and AP Scholars for taking advantage of and succeeding in challenging exams,” said Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi in a department press release. “Research consistently shows students who score a 3 or higher on AP exams typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher college graduation rates. We will continue expanding AP course offerings so students may dive deeper into their learning and get ahead in college while in high school.”