Achievers
Brian Liu, a Wai'alae Iki resident and recent graduate of Iolani School, was named a recipient of a State Farm Insurance Companies Foundation Scholarship. Liu, the only Hawai'i recipient among 100 winners nationwide, will receive $3,000 a year for four years for college.
Honolulu attorney Michael F. Nauyokas, who has taught courses for Kapi'olani Community College's legal education department for more than a decade, received the college's 2001 Award for Excellence in Teaching for Lecturers.
The following recent high school graduates each received $1,000 from the scholarship fund of Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, D-15th (Kalihi Valley, 'Aiea): Sherri K.S. Kono and Melody M. Yoshimura of 'Aiea High, Jamie-Lee S.K. Alderman and Sasha M. Wilson of Farrington High, and Kahala K.J. Kabalis and Jacquelyn A. Tacotaco of Moanalua High.
Kim's Aloha Spirit Awards went to Roxanne P.A. Hood of 'Aiea Intermediate, Charmae T. Echavarre of Dole Middle School and Reid H. Kawakami of Moanalua Middle School. Each student received a $100 U.S. savings bond, $50 and an engraved plaque.
Cynthia Acierto of Kalihi-Kai School, Laurie Hallisey of Kailua Complex, Windward District, and Cathy Iwaoka of Kaumana Elementary School in Hilo, were chosen to attend a NASA Educational Workshop at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif. The three teachers were the only Hawai'i residents among 25 teachers from 13 states who were chosen to participate in the workshop. The teachers were selected through a national competition among mathematics, science and technology teachers in the United States.
The following university students were selected to participate in the Summer Student Research Program, which provides an introduction to clinical research, sponsored by the Straub Foundation. They are: Laurel Fox of Hawai'i Pacific University, Sarah Grekin of University of Michigan, Mona Higuchi of University of California-Berkeley, Todd Kaneshiro of Eastern Oregon University, Malia Lam of University of Notre Dame, Vincent Lee of University of Hawai'i-Manoa, Genie Mefford of Hawai'i Pacific University and Chelsea Walker of Oregon State University. Each research scholar will receive guidance and mentorship from a principal investigator, who is usually a physician in the community, and will become a special member of a research team.
