Kaimana Scholarship Winners Bios

BIIF

Jonathan Chow, Keaau High School

Jonny, as he is known, was a first-team BIIF selection and team captain in football and baseball, and also a member of the Cougar basketball and track and field teams. He was the top-ranked student in his senior class, attended a prestigious summer program at the United States Coast Guard Academy, and volunteered for the Salvation Army’s Feed the Hungry program for more than 10 years.

Jordan Heres, Makua Lani Christian School

Jordan was captain of the Lion soccer team and a member of the tennis team. He was a superior honor roll student all four years of high school, helped coach an AYSO team, and inspired his parents to co-found a school in Cambodia for children in poverty or at risk of sex trafficking.

Melissa Plato, Kealakehe High School

Melissa was a member of the Waverider volleyball team. She says that she went from “never caring about school” to taking Advanced Placement classes. She also volunteered at Kealakehe Elementary School’s A-Plus program and helped build a women’s shelter in San Lucas, Guatemala during spring break.

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ILH

Kendal Kagawa, Maryknoll School

Kendal was a member of the two-time Division II state champion Pac-Five soccer team, and a member of the Maryknoll volleyball team. She was a National Honor Society member, volunteered at Variety School of Hawaii, and worked with children in foster care for her Girl Scout Gold Award project. She plans to pursue a career in physical therapy to help children with autism.

Ryan Lau, Punahou School

Ryan was captain of the Buffanblu cross country and track and field teams, and a member of the wrestling team. He was a National Merit Scholar semifinalist and led an effort to renovate a unit at the Mayor Wright Homes Complex for his Eagle Scout project.

Brittney Like, Kamehameha Schools Kapalama

Brittney was a member of the Warrior cheerleading, cross country, softball, and paddling teams. She was awarded second place in the senior display division in last year’s state History Day competition for her presentation on the Mahele of 1848 and spearheaded a fundraising drive for a youth rehabilitation center.

Katherine Lum, University Laboratory School

Katherine, known as Kimmi, was a member of the two-time Division II state champion Pac-5 soccer team, and a member of the judo and track and field teams. She earned excellence in achievement awards in English, French, math, and visual arts. She volunteered at The Queen’s Medical Center and the Family Services Center at the University of Hawaii.

Kyle Nakatsuka, Kamehameha Schools Kapalama

Kyle was a member of the Warrior cross country, swimming, and water polo teams. He was ranked third in the nation in his age group by USA Triathlon and competed in the junior national championships. He was a National Merit commended scholar and president of Kamehameha’s chapter of the National Honor Society. He also was selected by the National Institutes of Health to conduct scientific research at Temple University. Kyle was an Eagle Scout who taught bike repair and life skills to Kalihi Valley youth.

Rachel Roley, Mid-Pacific Institute

Rachel was a member of the Owl track and field team. She earned an International Baccalaureate diploma, and was inducted into Mid-Pacific Institute’s Holomua honor society. She also was president of her school’s Red Cross Club and organized multiple campus blood drives.

Jordan Thibodeau, Kamehameha Schools Kapalama

Jordan was the two-time ILH cross-country individual champion and led the Warriors to back-to-back state team titles. He was named Hawaii’s Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year and won ILH track titles at 800 and 1,500 meters. He volunteered at the Arizona Memorial with the Civil Air Patrol and was a member of Kamehameha’s National Honor Society.

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KIF

Kyle McDonald, Island School

Kyle was team captain of the Voyager cross country team as a junior, and also was a member of the soccer team. He was a member of Island School’s state champion Mock Trial team, worked on trail maintenance and the eradication of invasive species, and volunteered on a medical mission trip to Uganda.

Chas Okamoto, Kapaa High School

Chas won the 2011 boys tennis state singles championship and won the United States Tennis Association award given to the state’s top tennis scholar athlete. He was ranked first in his senior class, volunteered as a youth tennis coach, and tutored students at Kapaa Elementary School. He also was a member of the Warrior cross country and track and field teams.

Stephanie Steuri, Island School

Stephanie was a member of the Voyager air riflery and tennis teams and has played inline hockey locally and nationally. She received her school’s National Honor Society Leadership Award and served as student body president. She also performed traditional Hawaiian blessings with Na Pali Coast ‘Ohana, restored native plants, and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity.

MIL

Miracle Helekahi, Hana High and Elementary School

Miracle was a first-team MIL Division II all-star selection in softball, a team captain on the Dragon volleyball and soccer teams, and a member of the basketball and paddling teams. She also was a National Honor Society member, senior class president, tutored at Kamehameha Preschool, and volunteered at the Hana Dialysis Center thrift shop and the Hana Youth Center. Her long-term career goal is to become a world-class pastry chef with her own bakery in Hana.

Chris Nunokawa, Kamehameha Schools Maui

Chris, known as Nahulu, was a team captain on the Warrior soccer team, and also was a member of the football, track, and tennis teams. He completed a pediatric internship through his school’s Science and Natural Resources Academy. He also participated in a leadership conference sponsored by Na Pua No‘eau, and led a koa reforestation project in Honokowai Valley.

Zachary Pezzillo, Seabury Hall

Zach was captain and steersman for the MIL champion Spartan boys paddling team. He won the Hawaii Psychological Association Award at the state Science and Engineering Fair for his project on public perceptions of disabled people. Zach has educated students, faculty, medical professionals, community groups, and Hawaii’s congressional delegation in Washington, D.C. about Tourette Syndrome. He volunteered at the Maui Veterinary Clinic for seven years, and trained service dogs for people with disabilities. He also is a talented photographer who has won many awards.

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OIA

Stephanie Kalili, Nanakuli High and Intermediate School

Stephanie was a member of the Golden Hawk basketball, cheerleading, softball, track and field, and volleyball teams. She was valedictorian of her class, the school’s scholar-athlete of the year last year, and president of Nanakuli’s chapter of the National Honor Society. She also was a religious education teacher and kupuna project member at St. Rita’s Catholic Church, and participated in food distribution efforts for the Hawaii Foodbank.

Adam Kostylo, Kaiser High School

Adam was a member of the Cougar basketball team. He was senior class president, a four-time winner of Kaiser’s Outstanding Leader Award, and made the honor roll all four years. He also won the viewers’ choice award in the New School Video Contest, taught religious education at Holy Trinity Church, and volunteered as a Big Brother.

Uy-Di Nancy Le, Kalani High School

Nancy was a first-team all-state selection and captain of the Falcon air riflery team, which won three OIA girls team championships during her career. She also captured first place at in her weight class at last year’s junior national judo championships. Nancy was a senior class valedictorian, National Honor Society member, and vice president of Kalani’s chapter of Health Occupations Students of America. She taught CPR to Kalani students and volunteered at Leahi Hospital and The Queen’s Medical Center.

Brendan Nakatani, Roosevelt High School

Brendan was a member of OIA championship teams in volleyball and basketball, and also a member of the Rough Rider cross country team. He was a National Honor Society member who graduated summa cum laude and served as chief editor of the Roosevelt yearbook. He also volunteered at Honolulu Christian Preschool, Shriners Hospital, and Kapiolani Hospital.

Daniella Reyes, Leilehua High School

Daniella was the top-ranked player and team captain of the girls tennis and soft tennis teams. She was class valedictorian and a National Merit Scholar commended student. She also served as vice president of the environmental service Eco Club and tutored at Wahiawa Middle School’s English for Language Learners program.

Fadi Youkhana, Roosevelt High School

Born in Mosul, Iraq, Fadi moved with his family to Hawaii in 2004. He was a four-year starter on the Rough Rider soccer team, and captain of both the tennis and soft tennis teams. He also was president of Roosevelt’s National Honor Society chapter, and made the honor roll every quarter of his high school career. Fadi collected T-shirts for the homeless, volunteered for the Newman Center parish, and helped with the Stevenson Middle School soccer program.

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