WAIMEA — The Pilanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) Chapter L-Hawai‘i recently announced that three Waimea High School seniors and a West Kaua‘i woman pursuing a master’s degree are the recipients of the Lois R. and Lawrence H. Sommers P.E.O. Scholarship for the 2024-25 academic school year.
This is the first year this Sommers P.E.O. award has been offered.
The Lois R. and Lawrence H. Somers P.E.O. Scholarship was established to benefit a West Kaua‘i woman pursuing her post-secondary or post-graduate level degree at an accredited college or university.
Marley Kau‘i Samio is a graduate of Kamehameha School, and has earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychologyu with a minor in Fine Arts from the Washinton State University. She is currently working toward her Master of Science’s degree in Counseling Psychology at Chaminade University.
The three graduating Waimea High School seniors include Nicole Perpose, a Waimea High valedictorian, who will be attending the University of Portland majoring in nursing.
The second Waimea High graduate is Olivia Blackmer, another of the Menehune valedictorians, who will attend Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island, where she will study environmental sciences.
The third Waimea High graduate is Meiya-Lynn Ramos, who has plans on attending the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo with a major in nursing.
The memorial scholarship honoring its namesake, Lois Robinson Somers and Lawrence Hutchinson Somers was established by their family in 2023 and intends to be a legacy to their lives, their commitment to their family, to the island of Kaua‘i, particularly West Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau, and to P.E.O.
Following nearly 50 years in P.E.O. Chapter C O‘ahu, Lois at the age of 96, became a founding member of Chapter L Kaua‘i in August 2021. The Somers split their time between Honolulu and Makaweli.
They sacrificed much to ensure that the best education for their family was top priority with learning becoming a lifelong pursuit. With appreciation for their parents’ commitment to education, their family established a P.E.O. Scholarship.
P.E.O is a philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing education for women. Since its founding in 1869, the organization has given more than $416 million in scholarships, grants, awards and low-interest loans to help women achieve their scholastic goals.
For more information, visit the website www.peokauai.org, or www.peointernational.org. Mary Lardizabal is the P.E.O. Chapter L president and Sue Carlson is the P.E.O Chapter L Somers Scholarship Chairperson.
