LAWA‘I — Aqua Engineers Inc. announced the winners of its fourth annual Employee-Owner Dependent Scholarship Program.
This year, eight sons and daughters of four Aqua employee-owners received scholarships in amounts ranging from $500 to $2,500.
The 2020 recipients are: Anna-Malia Santos, Kapa‘a High and the University of Portland; Ruth Santos, Kapa‘a High School and the University of Hawai‘ at Manoa; Danielle Santos, Kapa‘a High and University of Hawai‘i at Manoa; Serena Lum, Saint Francis High School and Menlo College; Dylan Lum, Saint Louis High School and Simpson University; Bryce Yoshida, Iolani High School; Andre Adams, Lana‘i High School; and Jamahl Adams, Lana‘i High School and West Point Prep School.
The Aqua scholarship selection committee has awarded $40,000 to 13 different scholars in the first four years of the dependent scholarship program.
The mission of the program is to provide financial assistance to the dependent scholars of active, full-time employee-owners, in recognition of their academic achievement and their pursuit of higher education or vocational training.
Herman Santos, treatment plant supervisor, said: “This helps my girls with tuition, meals and books. I am glad that our company has this program. It helps with my kids’ dreams. Reading their personal statements through the scholarship-submittal process makes me proud that they can dream of their future and think outside of the box.”
Aqua President and CEO David Paul said: “I’m pleased that Aqua is able to support our employee-owners’ goal to further their children’s education. Many of our recipients make the most out of their opportunities, and being able to reflect on that is gratifying.”
In addition to its scholarship program, Aqua supports the community with a donation program administered by a committee of non-management employee-owners.
Aqua has consistently landed on the Hawai‘i Business magazine Most Charitable Companies list, donating over 1% of its gross revenue in both time and money to charities throughout the state, including many supporting higher education and programs in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
The success of Aqua’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan results in a robust benefit and profit-sharing program for its employee-owners. Sharing with community members remains at the heart of the Aqua ‘ohana culture.
Aqua is an award-winning water and wastewater services company, a 2016 and 2020 Best Places to Work company, and in 2018 Hawai‘i’s ESOP Company of the Year.
Aqua has been in business since 1981, serving numerous water and wastewater utility clients throughout the state, including its acquisitions of the U.S. Army sewer system on O‘ahu and Puhi Sewer &Water Company on Kaua‘i.
