Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island
Kauai Community College student workers Russell Gushiken, Devin Tanuvasa, and Melena Rita wait to change clothes on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025 before doing duty at the college’s loi under the Taropy Tuesday volunteer program.
PUHI — Every graduating senior from a public high school on Kauai that is enrolled at the Kauai Community College is eligible for the Hoolei Scholarship, claims a flier on the proposed scholarship.
PUHI — Every graduating senior from a public high school on Kauai that is enrolled at the Kauai Community College is eligible for the Hoolei Scholarship, claims a flier on the proposed scholarship.
“When I graduated high school, there wasn’t anything like this,” said Russell Gushiken, a KCC third-year student who is on track to receive his degree in Accounting at the end of the current semester. “College was not even on my mind. I was planning to go straight to work.”
Data from the University of Hawaii Community Colleges claim that more than 50 percent of seniors who graduated from a public high school in 2023 did not attend college.
These kinds of stories motivated KCC officials to start the Hoolei Scholarship, a new scholarship fund that aims to make higher education more accessible for local high school graduates, providing the candidates with a pathway to success that benefits both students and the community.
By increasing college access, the Hoolei Scholarship creates opportunities that lead to higher wages, better job prospects, and a stronger workforce.
“No scholarships, no Kauai Community College,” said Melena Rita who is studying English as a teacher in Secondary Education. “I was fortunate to qualify for the Waialeale Project and Momentum. As the primary payer for my scholarships, I’ve got two jobs besides going to school. It’s hard. I can barely earn enough to pay for school and live.”
According to UH News, the Hoolei Scholarship Fund aims to cover first-year tuition following financial aid for every senior graduating from a public or charter high school on the islands of Kauai and Niihau. Additionally, student employment opportunities such as the positions held by Gushiken, Rita and Devin Tanuvasa will be available to help students gain valuable work experience while earning their respective degrees.
KCC Chancellor Margaret Sanchez said the scholarship fund enables the community to support the future of the Garden Island.
“We are so excited to help more of our local high school students realize that they can go to college,” Sanchez said. “I am so grateful for the support of our college’s mission from the community.”
Funding for the Hoolei Scholarship is through donations from the community and individuals.
KCC officials are passionate about starting the Hoolei Scholarship Fund in time for the fall semester that would impact the current senior classes at the high schools that graduate in May.
“The college will host ‘Find Your Future’ day on Feb. 28,” said Caitlyn Fowlkes of the KCC marketing department. “All of the teachers and counselors from the different schools on the island will be here, and hopefully we can make a formal announcement of the Hoolei Scholarship Fund.”
To make this opportunity available in the fall, KCC needs to raise $250,000 by March 1. Donations made following the deadline will help sustain the program for future students. Community support is crucial to ensuring that every student who wants to pursue higher education has the chance to do so.
Contributions can be done online by visiting www.uhfoundation.org, the KCC website at www.kauai.hawaii.edu, or calling 808-245-8240.
On learning of this new fund, local business establishment Deja Vu Surf Hawaii stepped up with a $20,000 contribution, reinforcing the community’s role in supporting educational attainment.
“The Hoolei Scholarship provides a unique opportunity for students to obtain both a college education, and on-campus employment,” said Tad Miura, the president of Deja Vu Surf Hawaii, a fourth-generation store on Kauai. “Deja Vu Surf Hawaii is excited to be a part of it, and support Kauai Community College Chancellor Margaret Sanchez’s vision for Kauai. We are grateful for the community’s support. Our gift to the Hoolei Scholarship fund is one of gratitude and embracing kuleana.”
For more information, or to help get the Hoolei Scholarship off the ground, visit www.kauai.hawaii.edu/hoolei-scholarship.
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