KALAHEO — Moani Genegabuas is heading to Philadelphia.
That announcement was made Tuesday night by Mille Ah Hee, Scholastic Coordinator for the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football Leage.
Genegabuas, a cheerleader with the Koloa Pop Warner Association, was joined by Kelson Andrade, also of the Koloa Association, in being named to scholastic honors during the annual Pop Warner WESCON Convention held in Kona, March 5-7.
Ah Hee presented the certificates and prizes to Genegabuas and Andrade during the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League meeting, Tuesday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center with the parents and family of both student-athletes on hand for the honor.
Genegabuas is not over with her awards, though, as Ah Hee said she was selected as the Spirit/Cheer winner of the WESCON Regional Scholarship.
Her application has been submitted to the National Headquarters in Philadelphia for consideration for a National Scholarship.
By winning the WESCON Regional Scholarship, Genegabuas represents the entire Western states including Hawai‘i and Guam at the Pop Warner Little Scholars National Convention, which will be held May 28-30 in Pennsylvania celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Pop Warner Little Scholars program.
“It’s not every day that a Kaua‘i student-athlete gets selected to such an honor,” Ah Hee, who will be accompanying Genegabuas as a chaperone, said. “I can’t remember when a Kaua‘i athlete has made it to the National level.”
To be recognized for scholastic scholarships, each participant must be in the eighth grade, or higher, and maintain a grade point average of 96 percent or better.
Applicants are required to submit completed report cards, an essay, and an addendum listing extracurricular activities.
Completed forms are submitted to the WESCON Regional Coordinator where a committee of at least three people select one participant from Tackle Football and one from Spirit/Cheer.
Andrade, when queried about returning to Pop Warner in the fall of 2010, said he would be in the 9th grade and will be trying out for high school football.
Genegabuas, on the other hand, has to decide who of her family will be going to Pennsylvania with her for the National Scholastic Banquet in May.
