10 Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i Students Receive $32,000 in Scholarships

The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation, Inc. awarded 10 high school seniors from Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi scholarships based on academic achievement, community service and financial needs.

The Foundation grants its scholarship to one student at each of 61 eligible schools in the state and selects a district finalist. In total, the Foundation awarded $225,000 to students throughout the state in its Legacy Scholarship Program this year.

HP Baldwin High School senior Donna Kim was selected as Maui District’s Finalist, winning a $5,000 scholarship.

Kim, the daughter of Yongkum Kim and Hyun Heo, maintained a 4.0 GPA in all four years of high school. She was an active member of Baldwin’s student council, band program and worked with school counselors to launch a math tutoring program for students, all while practicing Taekwondo as a second-degree black belt and serving her church’s Young Women’s Club and its community benefit projects. Kim also earned the Harvard Prize Book award for excellence in academics and the Maui County Regional Science and Engineering Fair Merit Award. Kim will attend Brigham Young University in the fall.

Nine other Maui county seniors received a $3,000 scholarship.

Award recipients of $3,000 scholarships from Maui District public schools were:

• Shayden Hoopai-Waikoloa of Hāna High school, who will attend Central Washington University;
• Cole Uyehara of King Kekaulike School, who has enrolled at American University in Washington D.C.;
• Cael Yasutake of Lahainaluna High School, who plans to attend Columbia University;
• Kaitlyn Purdy of Lānaʻi High School, who will attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo;
• Jadynne Zane of Maui High School, who will attend the University of Southern California; and
• Reese Raguindin of Molokaʻi High School, who will attend Pacific University in Oregon this fall.

The Takitani recipients of $3,000 scholarships from the Hawaiʻi Association of Independent Schools were:

• Joshua Worth of Kamehameha Schools Maui, who will attend Princeton University this fall;
• Keeana Villamar of Maui Preparatory School, who will enroll at Scripps College this September; and
• Kristel Layugan of Seabury Hall, who plans to attend the University of Rochester in New York.

“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.”

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 more than $6 million to scholarship and academic enrichment programs throughout Hawaiʻi.