2024 Paubox Kahikina Scholarship recipients announced

What's happening: 15 Native Hawaiians were selected for the 2024 cohort of the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship.

Our scholarship: The primary objective of the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship is to encourage Native Hawaiians to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) or Tech in general.

The scholarship is recurring in nature. In other words, recipients receive $1,000 per year until they graduate.

Scholarship requirements: 

• Native Hawaiian
• Pursuing a STEM-related major or Tech in general
• Enrolled in an accredited college or university
• Annually publish content on your college journey

Meet this year's class (alpha order): 

• Cashel Akana
  • High school: University Laboratory School
    
  • College: Oregon State University
  • Major: Mechanical Engineering
• Emele Blackmon
  • High school: Moanalua High School
    
  • College: Seattle University
  • Major: Biology
    
• Gabbie Gonzales
  • High school: Punahou School
    
  • College: Santa Clara University
  • Major: Biology
• Makamaenani Kaili-Kramer
  • High school: Kamehameha Schools Maui
    
  • College: Pacific University
  • Major: Kinesiology
• Noah Kalehuawehe
  • High school: Kamehameha Schools Maui
    
  • College: Santa Clara University
  • Major: Engineering – Undeclared
• Noah Kanahele
  • High school: Kamehameha Schools Kapālama
    
  • College: Dartmouth College
  • Major: Computer Science
• Dustin Kealoha
  • High school: Kamehameha Schools Kapālama
    
  • College: Dartmouth College
  • Double-Major: Economics and Environmental Studies
• Colton Mills
  • High school: Kauaʻi High School
    
  • College: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
  • Major: Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Aeronautics
• Brayden Morioka
  • High school: ʻIolani School
    
  • College: University of Michigan
  • Major: Civil Engineering
• Bronson Morioka
  • High school: ʻIolani School
    
  • College: University of Michigan
  • Major: Civil Engineering

• Kawika Naweli
  • High school: Kamehameha Schools Kapālama
    
  • College: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
  • Major: Computer Science
• Katelyn Onzuka
  • High school: Kamehameha Schools Kapālama
    
  • College: Hawaii Pacific University
  • Major: Doctor of Physical Therapy (Doctorates degree)
• Alika Rigaud
  • High school: Kealakehe High School
    
  • College: University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
  • Major: Exploratory Health Sciences (Pre-Nursing)
• Luana Sproat
  • High school: Grand Oaks High School
    
  • College: University of Texas at Austin
  • Major: Psychology
• Chloe Sylva
  • High school: Kamehameha Schools Kapālama
    
  • College: UCLA (waitlisted)
  • Major: Cognitive Science

By the numbers: Now in its sixth year, the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship has 40 active recipients and six graduates. 

Notable metrics: For the first time in the scholarship's history, we now have a recipient, Luana Sproat, who did not attend high school in Hawaiʻi.

In addition:

• University Lab School, Kealakehe High School, Kauaʻi High School, and Moanalua High School graduates are, for the first time, represented in the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship.
• The scholarship now has its first pair of twins, Brayden and Bronson Morioka. They join their older sister, Taysia Morioka, as Paubox Kahikina recipients.
• We still await a recipient from my alma mater, McKinley High School.

The bottom line: Our mission is the become the market leader for HIPAA compliant communication. We believe the leader always gives back. 

See also: The big ideas behind the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship