3 Kaua‘i kids bound for Hershey’s

LIHU‘E — Sienna Santiago, Kristin Kawamura and Thomas Yam will be heading to Hershey, Pa., next Tuesday.

Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and Pat Viernes, the Kaua‘i Hershey’s coordinator with the county Parks and Recreation Department, took time to present certificates of achievement to the three student-athletes, Monday.

“They’re all going to be competing in Softball Throw, although in different age groups,” Viernes said.

Sienna Santiago, throwing a distance of 186 feet during the Kaua‘i Hershey’s meet, May 8, will be throwing in the 13-14 Girls division.

Kristin Kawamura, who sat forlornly on the side when twin sister Kaitlin qualified two years ago, threw a distance of 151 feet to qualify for the Girls 11-12 division.

Thomas Yam, coming from a strong baseball background as a pitcher, will be throwing in the Boys 9-10 division after qualifying with a throw of 176 feet during the May 8 meet.

“That throw is really something,” Viernes said. “All of these kids had to wait until the state and regional meets were complete before finding out if they qualified.”

Previously, if a student-athlete won an event at the Kaua‘i meet, they would advance to the state meet. But with the advent of technology, the student-athletes now wait to see the results of other meets posted and with Viernes’s help, got to see if they advanced.

Viernes said Yam’s toss of 176 feet soared past his closest competitor who threw the ball 130 feet.

“I’ll be taking the kids to Honolulu next Tuesday,” Viernes said. “Once there, I turn them over to the chaperone who will fly them to Pennsylvania. That’s where the action starts.”

In the certificate, Carvalho congratulated each of the student-athletes, noting that each person’s long hours of practice, skill and commitment to track and field events has provided an opportunity to continue in competition at a national level.

The National Hershey’s Track and Field finals will be held on Aug. 7.