Posted on: Thursday, November 11, 2004

Leaders for a day named

Advertiser Staff

Sacred Hearts Academy senior Marie Pineda will be governor of Hawai'i for a day after being selected as one of seven winners of the 2004 HMSA Hawai'i Leader for a Day essay contest.

Pineda and other student leaders were selected from a field of 3,000 essay entries by students in grades five through 12 who answered the question "How would you improve physical activity and/or health education in our schools?"

Pineda proposed a "Health Wise" program that would train teachers how to teach simple health topics, broaden students' knowledge and encourage parents to also live a healthy lifestyle.

All seven winners received a certificate of achievement and a $100 U.S. savings bond. They will each spend a day with their respective leaders.

The other winners are:

• Lt. Gov. Aaron Kamiya, a freshman at Kahuku High.
• Department of Education Superintendent Mark Fa'alele, an eighth-grader from 'Aiea Intermediate School.
• Honolulu mayor: Tiffany Strong, a fifth-grader from Sacred Hearts.
• Hawai'i mayor: Alex Pualani Disney, a fifth-grader from Holualoa Elementary.
• Maui mayor: Sophia Asing-Yuen, a fifth-grader from Kula Elementary.
• Kaua'i mayor: Quincee Parongao, a fifth-grader from Kalaheo Elementary.