Upcountry student wins statewide $10K Rotary scholarship; 7 others honored on Maui

Kamakanoweo Kekauoha-Schultz, a senior at King Kekaulike High School, has been awarded the prestigious $10,000 Joanna L. Sullivan Scholarship from the Hawaiʻi Rotary Youth Foundation. He was selected after advancing through local and statewide interviews representing the Rotary Club of Upcountry Maui.

Kekauoha-Schultz plans to attend the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, where he will double major in Hawaiian studies and environmental science.

“I am truly honored and grateful,” he said in a statement. “I am committed to reaching my educational goals, pursuing my dream career of working in conservation and serving to care for my community and land. The good work of the Rotary clubs locally, nationally, and internationally is inspiring, and sets an example for all to follow. I will represent the Rotary ‘ohana with aloha and pride. Mahalo nui loa!”

Each year, seven Rotary clubs across Maui County each award a $5,000 Hawaiʻi Rotary Youth Foundation scholarship to a graduating high school senior. Kekauoha-Schultz was among these winners and selected to move forward to the statewide competition, ultimately earning the top honor.

The following students were selected by their respective clubs for $5,000 awards:

• Sharmaine Elan, Lānaʻi High School – Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset (UH Mānoa, computer engineering/computer science)
• Chris Salem, Maui Prep – Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunrise (UH Mānoa, Shidler College of Business)
• Sadie-Lyn Barbosa, Maui High – Rotary Club of Kīhei-Wailea (Grand Canyon University, advertising & graphic design)
• Emma Jane Roy, Baldwin High – Rotary Club of Wailuku (Chapman University, film & television production)
• Skylar Kuroda, Seabury Hall – Rotary Club of Maui (Scripps or Stanford, environmental science)
• Joshua Mori, Maui High – Rotary Club of Kahului (Cornell University, Earth & atmospheric science)

The Hawaiʻi Rotary Youth Foundation was founded in 1976 by Maurice J. “Sully” Sullivan during his term as Rotary district governor. The foundation’s mission is to support Hawai‘i high school graduates pursuing higher education in Hawai‘i or on the mainland.