Meet our 2020 Legacy Scholarship Winners

Meet our 2020 Legacy Scholarship Winners

The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation, Inc. has awarded $218,000 in scholarships to 59 exceptional seniors from every qualifying public and independent high school in Hawaii. Nominated by their respective schools, the award winners received scholarships based on their strong academic achievement, dedicated community service and financial need. View All 2020 Scholars  

Meet our 2018 Legacy Scholarship Winners

TOP SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Mamoru Takitani
Outstanding Student Award
$10,000

Charles Tran
Henry J. Kaiser High School
Honolulu District

Aiko Takitani
Outstanding Student Award
$10,000

Mia Ricciardi
Kapaʿa High School
Kauai District

 

Karen Uno
Distinguished Student Award
$8,000

Hunter Worth
Kamehameha Schools Maui
Hawai‘i Association of Independent Schools

 

District Finalist
$5,000

Jessica Chau
McKinley High School
Honolulu District

District Finalist
$5,000

Andrea Leomo
Aiea High School
Central District

 

District Finalist
$5,000

Miki Musgrove
Pearl City High School
Leeward District

 

Mildred Higashi
Director’s Award
$5,000

Lacey Shiigi
Hilo High School
Hawaii District

District Finalist
$5,000

Roland Afaga
Honokaʿa High School
Hawaii District

 

District Finalist
$5,000

Nikki Zamani
Lahainaluna High School
Maui District

 

District Finalist
$5,000

Sienna Byrne
Hawaii Preparatory Academy
Hawaii Association of Independent Schools

District Finalist
$5,000

John Nguyen
Damien Memorial High School
Hawaiʿi Catholic Schools

 

$2,000 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

HONOLULU DISTRICT

Kylie Carganilla
Farrington High School

Emi Lin Luo
Kaimuki High School

Keenan Goo
Kalani High School

Justin Wong
Roosevelt High School

CENTRAL O‘AHU DISTRICT

Kehau Campos
Mililani High School

Kylan Tomita
Moanalua High School

Destynee Fagaragan
Radford High School

Nikky Evangelista
Waialua High School

LEEWARD O‘AHU

Kyrus Lancaster
James Campbell High School

Isaac Badua
Kapolei High School

Cayenne Gabaylo
Nanakuli High and Intermediate School

Hiilei Iokia
Waianae High School

WINDWARD O‘AHU DISTRICT

Kahoʿopomaikai Kekua
Kailua High School

Presley Anderson
Kalaheo High School

HAWAI‘I DISTRICT

John Flores
Ka‘u High School

Crimel Juan
Keaʿau High School

Shaylee Thompson
Kealakehe High School

Naomi Ney
Kohala High School

Bethney de la Torre
Konawaena High School

Jeryll John Bernardo
Pahoa High School

Leira Joyce Vea
Waiakea High School

KAUA‘I DISTRICT

Drewan Pigao
Kauaʿi High School

Leilani Higashi
Waimea High School

MAUI DISTRICT

Kiki Bekkum
Hana High School

Caitlin Villarosa
Henry Perrine Baldwin High School

Janine Harris
King Kekaulike High School

Lino Yoshikawa
Maui High School

Caele Manley
Molokaʿi High School

HAWAII ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

Megan Park
Assets School

Lorian Casem
Hanalani Schools

Joel Lau
Hawai‘i Baptist Academy

Jenna Ann Maruyama
‘Iolani School

Elise Pangelinan
Island Pacific Academy

Emily Sullivan
Island School

Lei‘ohu Tong
Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i

Shaylynne Matayoshi
Kamehameha Schools Kapalama

Kate Jeszenszky
Le Jardin Academy

Griffin Sagar
Maui Preparatory Academy

Allyson Kuwana
Mid-Pacific Institute

Mathias Migliorini-Marchesi
Parker School

Justin Abe
Punahou School

Darby Mulligan
Seabury Hall

Tracy Pham
Saint Andrew’s School
The Priory

Crystal Juyi Auz
Calvary Chapel Christian School

HAWAII CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Sage Iona
Maryknoll School

Kimi Tokunaga
Sacred Hearts Academy

Krislyn Martinez
Saint Anthony School

Malia Guerrero
Saint Francis School

Joseph Lyons
Saint Louis School

Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation, Inc. Awards $181,000 in Academic Scholarships

May 17, 2017 —The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation, Inc. has awarded $181,000 in scholarships to 62 exceptional seniors from every qualifying public and independent high school in Hawai‘i as part of its Legacy Scholarship Program. Three students were recognized with scholarship awards totaling $28,000. Two students received Outstanding Student Awards of $10,000 each and one student received a Distinguished Student Award of $8,000. Two students received Director’s Awards of $6,000 each. Nine high school seniors received $5,000 scholarships as district finalists and 48 students were awarded $2,000 scholarships. Nominated by their respective schools, the award winners received scholarships based on their strong academic achievement, dedicated community service and financial need.

“Mr. and Mrs. Takitani’s legacy of commitment, dedication and generosity is honored each year through the Takitani Scholarship Foundation,” said KSSK Radio personality Michael W. Perry, Chairman of the Board of the Takitani Foundation. “The Takitanis knew hard work, innovation and commitment to excellence were key factors in their success with Hawaiian Host, and wanted to recognize those same qualities in Hawaii’s outstanding students with the opportunity to further their education.”

Recipients of the Outstanding and Distinguished student awards are as follows:

• Joseph Kim of Maui High School was awarded the Mamoru Takitani Outstanding Student Award of $10,000 and will attend Columbia University in New York this Fall. He is the son of Sung Yun and Kyung Sook Kim.

• Leilani Chelliah of Kaimuki High School received the Aiko Takitani Outstanding Student Award of $10,000. Chelliah is the daughter of Anton Chelliah and will enroll at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa in the Fall.

• Lexie Leon of Maui Preparatory Academy was the recipient of the Karen Uno Distinguished Student Award of $8,000 and plans to attend Nova Southeastern University in Florida in the Fall. Leon is the daughter of Richard and Valerie Leon.

• Rudyjay Keopuhiwa, Jr. of Waianae High School received the Mildred Higashi Directors’ Award of $6,000. He is the son of Rudyjay and Malia Keopuhiwa and will enroll at Whitworth University in Washington in the Fall.

• Taryn Wong of Sacred Hearts Academy was the recipient of the Directors’ Award of $6,000. Wong is the daughter of Brian and Lisa Wong and will enroll at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland in the Fall.

District Finalists and recipients of $5,000 scholarships are as follows:

• Alyssa Lau of President Theodore Roosevelt High School. She is the daughter of Man Fai Lau and Ruixian Liao.
• Pomaikai Canaday of Leilehua High School. She is the daughter of Thomas and Edlene Canaday.
• Michael Caris Abagon of Mililani High School. He is the son of Michael Anthony and Cristina Abagon.
• Reina Mitsuda of James Campbell High School. She is the daughter of Rie Grow.
• Branda Chen of Kalaheo High School. She is the daughter of rank Chen and Diann Lee.
• Chloe Gan of Ka`u High School. She is the daughter of Thomas and Mary Sugrue.
• Sharay Rapozo of Waimea High School. She is the daughter of Roy and Shasta Rapozo.
• Tanner Riley of Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy. He is the son of Bryan and Tara Riley.
• Marcus Eugenio-Mendoza of Saint Louis School. His guardian is Fe Cardenas.

Recipients of $2,000 scholarships are as follows:

• Honolulu District: Jacynth Tate Agraan of Gov. Wallace Rider Farrington High School; Micah Mew of Henry J. Kaiser High School; Emily Yang of Kalani High School; Leo Wu of President William McKinley High School and Arden Patoc of University Laboratory School.

• Central O`ahu District: Nicole Arca of `Aiea High School; Jasmine Loo of Moanalua High School; Eugene Tunac of Admiral Arthur W. Radford High School and Saige-Caleigh Dayacos of Waialua High and Intermediate School.

• Leeward O`ahu District: Alexandria Borges of Kapolei High School; Joey Pantil of Nanakuli High & Intermediate School; Alex Yamada of Pearl City High School and Rhonaleih Joy Sao of Waipahu High School.

• Windward O`ahu District: Serena Castleberry of James B. Castle High School; Zamic Sullivan of Kahuku High & Intermediate School and Max Arakaki of Kailua High School.

• Hawai’i District: Leilahi Pupuhi of Honoka`a High & Intermediate School; Chayna Yoshida of Kea‘au High School; Gabrielle Tabbada of Kealakehe High School; Cosette Daniels of Pahoa High & Intermediate School and Kiaria Zoi Nakamura of Waiakea High School.

• Maui District: Katelynn Oliveira of Hana High School; Katie Yoshioka of Henry Perrine Baldwin High School; Erica Sawczynec of Kihei Charter School; Alexus Yoro of King Kekaulike High School; Ian Paul Viloria of Lana‘i High & Elementary School and Sonja Angst of Moloka‘i High School.

• Kaua`i District: Jayson Hawthorne of Kapa‘a High School and Sydney Brady of Kaua‘i High School.

• Hawai`i Association of Independent Schools (HAIS): Kelsey Ikeda of Assets School; Tarah Kuhn of Hanalani Schools; Lauren Lee of Hawai’i Baptist Academy; Cierra Nakamura of ‘Iolani School; Mark York of Island Pacific Academy; Carolyn Price of Island School; Naneaikealaula Thomas of Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i; Vance Farrant of Kamehmeha Schools Kapalama; Dorian Raboy-McGowan of Kamehameha Schools Maui; Alexandra Araki of La Pietra Hawai’i School for Girls; Miah Tapper of Le Jardin Academy; Kerri-Ann Kamei of Mid-Pacific Institute; Darien Jones of Parker School; Brent Shimoda of Punahou School; Milena LaMonica of Seabury Hall and Kaitlyn King of St. Andrew’s Schools, The Priory.

• Hawai`i Catholic Schools (HCS): Keila Lee of Damien Memorial School; Ian Paulo Santiago of Maryknoll School and Shinya Saito of Saint Francis School.

Mamoru and Aiko Takitani founded Hawaiian Host, Inc., manufacturer of Hawaiian Host chocolates, and established the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation, Inc. to give back to the community by providing the gift of education to the young people of Hawaii. Hawaiian Host donates part of the proceeds from the sales of Hawaiian Host products to the Foundation in support of its scholarship programs. Since 1993, the Foundation has annually presented scholarships to an outstanding student from every qualifying high school in the state and has awarded over $2.4 million in scholarships through its programs.