Every year for the past two decades, outstanding students and schools have been recognized through the HMSA Kaimana Awards & Scholarship Program. The awards ceremony is usually held in June after the busy graduation season and before the graduates embark on their higher education journeys.
In honor of this year’s milestone 20th anniversary, HMSA awarded 20 scholarships (five more than usual) to exceptional high school graduates from public and private schools. In addition, nine high schools from the Big Island, Kauai, Maui, and Oahu were awarded for all-around excellence, receiving $1,500 each.
Referred to as the "great kid award" by HMSA President and Chief Executive Officer Mark M. Mugiishi, M.D., F.A.C.S., the Kaimana Scholarship recognizes students who are multifaceted in their accomplishments and meet academic, athletic, and community service requirements.
Dr. Mugiishi at the HMSA Kaimana Awards & Scholarship Awards luncheon.
A scholarship selection committee evaluates and selects the Kaimana scholars from a large pool of applicants. Recipients receive scholarships worth $5,000 each, which can help pay for higher education expenses, including tuition, books, computers, and room and board.
Since 2005, HMSA has awarded a total of 361 scholarships to high school seniors pursuing higher education. Past Kaimana scholars have become doctors, educators, engineers, and more, making a difference in the world. Read more about what they’re up to today.
Meet the 2025 Kaimana awardees
The Kaimana class of 2025 was honored at an awards luncheon and ceremony at the Oahu Country Club on June 1. Dr. Mugiishi and Jenn Diesman, HMSA’s senior vice president of government policy and advocacy, presented the scholarships and school awards. The program was emceed by Cole Cabrera, Spectrum Sports commentator, and Dawn Kurisu, HMSA assistant vice president of community and government relations.
Row 1 from L to R: Logan Oshiro, Yekaterina Morozova, Alana Deeley, Nyla Bonisa, Katherine Keizer, Austen Kinney. Row 2 from L to R: Andrew Sadamitsu, Kolby Kaneko, Rain Hannsz, Tehana Maurice, Kamahao Halemanu, Malakai Vendiola. Row 3 from L to R: Kamakanoweo Kekauoha-Schultz, Jacob Romero, Siena Settle, Rylan Colbert, Shay Mc Elroy, Tiger Ader.
The 2025 Kaimana scholars include:
Big Island Interscholastic Federation
- Rylan Colbert – Waiakea High School, headed to Stanford University in California, majoring in aeronautics and astronautics.
- Kamahao Halemanu – Kamehameha Schools Hawaii, headed to Amherst College in Massachusetts, majoring in political science.
- Katherine Keizer – Kealakehe High School, headed to the University of Hawaii at Hilo, majoring in nursing.
Interscholastic League of Honolulu
- Austen Kinney – Punahou School, headed to Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., majoring in public health and safety.
- Tehana Maurice – Sacred Hearts Academy, headed to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, majoring in engineering.
- Shay Mc Elroy – Mid-Pacific Institute, headed to Boston College, majoring in international studies.
- Alisa Senaga – St. Andrew’s Schools – The Priory, headed to Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., majoring in biology or chemistry.
- Siena Settle – Le Jardin Academy, headed to Stanford University, majoring in environmental science.
Kauai Interscholastic Federation
- Rain Hannsz – Kapaa High School, headed to Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, Calif., majoring in engineering.
- Yekaterina Morozova – Kauai High School, headed to Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., majoring in business administration and design.
- Andrew Sadamitsu – Kauai High School, headed to Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, majoring in civil engineering.
Maui Interscholastic League
- Kamakanoweo Kekauoha-Schultz – King Kekaulike High School, headed to the University of Hawaii at Hilo, double majoring in Hawaiian studies and environmental science and minoring in agriculture.
- Logan Oshiro – Molokai High School, headed to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Calif., on the pre-medicine track.
- Jacob Romero – Seabury Hall, headed to the University of Washington to study mechanical engineering.
Oahu Interscholastic Association
- Tiger Ader – Pearl City High School, headed to Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Ore., majoring in health and exercise science.
- Nyla Bonisa – Kalaheo High School, headed to the University of Hawaii at Manoa Shidler College of Business, double majoring in international business and management.
- Alana Deeley – Kapolei High School, headed to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, majoring in nursing.
- Kolby Kaneko – Henry J. Kaiser High School, headed to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, majoring in biology.
- Malakai Vendiola – Kahuku High & Intermediate School, headed to junior college to study computer science.
- Malia Wagatsuma – Mililani High School, headed to San Francisco State University to study business administration and business management.
Read their bios and see their individual photos at hmsa.com/kaimana.
Winning schools included Parker School and Keaau High School on the Big Island; Hanalani Schools and Hawaii Baptist Academy in Honolulu; Waimea High School on Kauai; Maui Preparatory Academy and Kamehameha Schools Maui; and Kahuku High & Intermediate School and Moanalua High School on Oahu.
These schools were recognized for achieving the highest program scores in their league (classified by enrollment), in academics, athletics, community service, healthy activities, and sportsmanship.
A cover to remember
The summer issue of Island Scene features a cover story about the legacy of the Kaimana program by Summer Nakaishi, Courtney Takabayashi, and me. The stunning cover photo features Devin Chu (Kaimana 2010), a Hilo High School graduate who has a Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics, and recently moved back to his hometown in Hilo to work at Imiloa Astronomy Center.
The Chu family. Photo courtesy Devin Chu.
Chu is the astronomer in residence at Imiloa Astronomy Center and is a husband and father of two children. Chu worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the UCLA Galactic Center Group and feels incredibly lucky to return to Hilo and give back to the community that helped shape the person he is today. His love for astronomy started at a young age and Hawaii Island was the perfect incubator.
"I was fortunate to be surrounded by astronomy growing up on Hawaii Island. I first became interested by reading books at the Hilo Public Library, and I was able to foster my interest by working with local scientists on projects and attending events organized by the local observatories," he shares.
Meet the Kaimana "architects"
Michael Stollar, former HMSA president and CEO, and Bill Tobin, former HMSA compensation manager, were involved in the Kaimana program for many years.
Stollar and Tobin reflect on the legacy of the Kaimana program.
In the early 2000s, Stollar was the “architect” and Tobin was the “engineer” in establishing a blueprint for the HMSA Kaimana Awards & Scholarship Program, which was developed in coordination with the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA).
During their tenure, Stollar and Tobin met many inspiring Kaimana scholars. They appreciate that HMSA has continued supporting deserving high school seniors from across Hawaii in their higher education endeavors, especially when Kaimana scholars are able to establish careers in their home communities.
"Since the beginning, HMSA has been a part of the community and the Kaimana program is a shining example of that legacy," shares Stollar. "We’re very proud of all the applicants, winners, schools, administrators, educators, parents, and support systems who have been involved in the program and look forward to its continued success," Stollar says.
Looking ahead
At this year's Kaimana Awards luncheon, Dr. Mugiishi said it best – the Kaimana recipients represent our bright future.
"When you meet these kids, you just feel great because they have that vision of the future – where they want to go, where they want our state to go. It just makes me very excited," says Dr. Mugiishi.
Congratulations to all the Kaimana scholars and schools, past and present, for all they’ve accomplished and will accomplish!
Shining stars
Check out the summer 2025 Island Scene cover story, kaimana: a legacy in the making to find out what past scholarship recipients have been up to and what winning a Kaimana Scholarship means to them.
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