LIHU‘E — One elementary school student and three middle school students will represent Hawai‘i at the National Hershey Track & Field Games on Aug. 4 in Harrisburg, Pa.
Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. and Pat Viernes, the Kaua‘i Hershey’s coordinator from the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation, made the announcement of Makeyah Wisneski, Bryceson Abigania, Levi Otsuka-Luis and Alyssa Miyamoto’s eligibility for the national competition, at which nearly 500 student-athletes from across the country and Canada are expected to participate.
Viernes said the county hosted its Hershey’s track and field event on May 19, but results could not be released until all the other islands in Hawai‘i as well as states in the region had completed their respective events.
“The Kaua‘i scores are sent to the Hawai‘i Hershey Committee to be compared to other islands’ results,” Viernes said. “The top overall scores from Hawai‘i are then compared to the other states in the region, including northern and southern California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona, to be able to qualify for the Region II team.”
Hawai‘i will be represented by 11 student-athletes, Kaua‘i getting four qualifiers, O‘ahu getting six and the Big Island getting one qualifier.
“To have four out of 11 students representing the state is awesome,” Carvalho said. “You represent Kaua‘i first, and then the state.”
Wisneski, the only elementary school student, will be competing in the 50 meter dash for girls 9 and 10 years old, an event she finished fifth on an 8.16 run during the county’s age group track meet in late April.
Top finisher in that event went to Wailea Edwards of Island School who finished at 7.9, but Wisneski rebounded from the county age group meet to qualify for the Pennsylvania trip during the Kaua‘i Hershey’s event in May.
Alyssa Miyamoto, a Waimea Canyon School student, will be participating in the softball throw for girls 13 and 14 years old, an event she won during the county’s age group meet on a throw of 175 feet.
Otsuka-Luis, another Waimea Canyon School student, will be running the 200 meter dash for boys 13 and 14 years old, an event he also won during the county’s age group meet on a 28.04 run.Abigania, of Lihu‘e, will be participating in the 100 meter dash for boys 11 and 12 years old.
“This feels kind of funny,” one of the parents said. “During our days in track, everything was measured in yards. Now, it’s all meters.”
The four students will receive an all-expense paid trip to compete in the National Hershey Track & Field Games sponsored by the Hershey Family Corporation. During their stay, the students will also visit the Hersheypark amusement park, the Hershey factory and Hershey’s Chocolate World Attraction.
“Do your best and when you come home, we’ll talk about this,” Carvalho told the student-athletes. “We are proud of you.”
The mission of the Hershey’s Track& Field Games is to encourage physical fitness, foster teamwork and improve self-esteem among youth.
For more information on the Hershey Track & Field program, call Viernes at 241-6858.
