PUHI — To say that Linda Kosen was thrilled is an understatement.

Kosen, the regional representative from the Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Pi Xi Chapter of Kaua‘i Community College, worked hard to earn the Pacific Region Distinguished Chapter award during a weekend convention on Maui.

“This is truly an accomplishment,” said Jeff Mexia, an English instructor at KCC. “The award means the club is the tops among all of the 13 chapters in the Pacific Region. This includes Hawai‘i, Samoa, Guam and the other Pacific Islands.”

In addition to earning the distinguished chapter award, described by Kosen as the most prestigious award a club can earn, the Alpha Pi Xi Chapter was presented its first-ever “Five Star Program” award during the convention.

“We’ve had four stars for five times since the club was chartered in 1996, but this is the first time we’ve earned a five-star rating,” said Anne McKenna, one of the club’s advisors.

The KCC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa earned four-star ratings in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004.

KcKenna also was presented the Pacific Region Paragon Award for New Advisor at the convention.

“The Pacific Region coordinator said earning the Distinguished Chapter award was great because of the small number of members in our chapter,” Mexia said. “A lot of credit should go to Kosen for all the work she does.”

Currently, the club has what Mexia describes as a “handful of members” that are active.

Membership in the Phi Theta Kappa is by invitation and open to students who have a better than 3.5 grade point average after taking at least 12 credits, Kosen said.

Criteria for getting the five-star award is based on participation, involvement in the community, leadership and scholastic programs, Kosen said.

One of the events that earned the Alpha Pi Xi its ongoing series on topical items.

McKenna said the community lecture series is based on the club’s two-year theme of Paradox of Affluence and since it started as featured speakers such as Dr. Nan Greer, Luke and Dr. Kate Shanahan, and more recently, state senator Gary Hooser who worked the theme into his talk on environmental and effective legislation.

The public is invited to these seminars and McKenna said notice of future speakers and presentations will be coming as more speakers are set up.

“This is an ongoing series with one, or two planned each semester,” Kosen said.

Working around the community lecture series, Mexia said the club will be doing a roadside cleanup in April and on the heels of that project, will be doing a Project Graduation Project, May 15.

During Project Graduation, the graduating students and guests are asked to bring either a canned food item or books for deposit in special boxes set up.

Kosen, who will be graduating with an Associate in Arts in liberal studies, said last year’s project netted more than 800 pounds of food, and hopefully, this year’s event will net more than that.

Following graduation, Kosen said she plans on traveling with one of the KCC professors to Nicaragua where the professor will be working with indigenous people there to get land titles for land that is being sold illegally.

“I’ll decide what I’m going to do after that,” Kosen said. “I might transfer to the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa and major in Environmental Studies with a minor in Ethnic Studies.”

Colten Moore is the president of the Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Pi Xi Chapter. Chuck Dedaney serves as vice president and treasurer and Jessie Hill is the secretary.

Brian Cronwall joins McKenna as advisors for the club.