LIHUE — In a time-honored tradition, the top four scholarship recipients — Lyla Nakayama, Aliya Brodman, Rain Hannsz and Chloe Hannsz — the recipients’ families, and members of the North Shore Lions Club had an opportunity on Thursday to meet with Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami.
Earlier in May, the North Shore Lions Club distributed more than $50,000 in scholarships to a total of 34 North Shore students that graduated high school, or are attending a college or university.
Nakayama, a graduate of Island School with a 4.0 Grade Point Average, will start at the University of Hawaii at Manoa studying social work.
She works in the family-run taro farm and food truck in Hanalei (the Hanalei Taro food truck is also a regular vendor at The Grove Farm Market on Saturdays at the Puhi park open field). Nakayama has also worked with the Easter Seals Program Learning Center for adults with developmental disabilities.
Brodman graduated Kapaa High School, carrying a 4.125 GPA, and will start San Diego State University in the fall, studying for a degree in biology with hopes of continuing a career path in medicine and dentistry.
While at Kapaa High School, Brodman was part of the student council, a member of the National Honor Society, the Climate Action Club, and president of the Interact Club.
Brodman also received college credit from Chaminade University through Kapaa High School’s special Dual Education Program.
Rain Hannsz also graduated Kapaa High School, carrying a 4.127 GPA, and will start at Harvey Mudd University studying engineering. She was on the Kapaa tennis team and volunteered at Waipa Foundation and Malama Huleia at the Alekoko Fishpond.
Chloe Hannsz graduated from Kapaa High School with a 4.154 GPA and will start at Stanford University in the fall studying earth sciences. She was also on the tennis team, and is a member of the National Honor Society.
The Hannsz sisters also worked together to co-found the Climate Action Club at Kapaa High School, and designed “Climate for Cookies” to raise funds for waste management on Kauai.
Kawakami asked North Shore Lion Gary Pacheco if he was going to call Bingo when the club hosts its annual Back to School Bingo Bash to help students and families with school supplies later in the summer.
“I might go,” Kawakami said. “I like Bingo, and if it’s to help the kids with school supplies, I might stop in, IF the Mayor of Kilauea is calling.”
