GIJD academic achievers honored in Mana

And they’re off!

The Garden Island Junior Dragsters acknowledged the academic achievements of its members in three divisions Saturday during the Garden Isle Racing Association’s annual Christmas Party.

Tracie Sakamoto, GIJD board member, said awards for Academic Excellence were presented to Ryant Sakamoto in the Elementary School division, T’Ryane Sakamoto, in the Middle School division, and Kelsie Iida-Vierra in the High School division.

In addition to the academic achievers, GIJD also awarded Zailea Lawrence-White a Start Your Engines Top Participant award at the Kauai Raceway Park.

The drag strip located in Mana has been closed to racing for the entire year for resurfacing and other work to improve the facility.

GIRA officials hope everything can be completed in time for drag races early in 2014.

Tracie said the Garden Island Junior Dragsters was founded in late  2012 and granted its Internal Revenue Service 501 (c) 3 status in April 2013.

One of its programs is the educational component, “Racing Toward the Future” which is comprised of different incentives to motivate youth drivers aged between 8 to 18 to not lose sight of their academics and service to the community.

The youth drivers race their half-scale dragsters in a controlled environment at Kauai Raceway Park, an NHRA sanctioned track.

While providing the excitement of racing their scaled dragsters at speeds reaching more than 60 mph down a 1/8-mile track, the participating youth drivers are eligible for many incentives, awards, activities and opportunities to travel and compete off-island, providing they meet the academic requirement of maintaining a 2.0 grade point average.

For more information on the Garden Island Junior Dragsters visit www.facebook/gardenislejrdragsters.