Hawaii Self Storage is accepting applications from high school students for its college scholarship program. The company will offer nine qualified O'ahu public high school students $1,000 scholarships renewable annually for up to $4,000 toward their college education.

Deadline for applications is Feb. 15. To qualify, students must be graduating seniors from one of the following high schools: 'Aiea, Farrington, Pearl City, Kaimuki, Kapolei, Mililani, Moanalua, Radford or Waipahu. Students must be accepted into or enrolled in a degree program at an accredited two- or four-year college or university and plan to enroll with a minimum of 12 credits per semester. To renew the scholarship, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 a year.

Students must submit the required application form and essay to Hawaii Self Storage by Feb. 15.

For more information, call 836-1500 or visit www.hawaiiselfstorage.net/communitypride.asp.

RECYCLE DRIVE AT WAIKELE SCHOOL

The Waikele Elementary School PTSO together with grade 2 will hold a HI-5¢ recycling drive from 7 to 9 a.m. Jan. 24.

Please bring your rinsed aluminum cans and plastic bottles.

Volunteers will collect the recyclables curbside at the bus shelter. No glass, please.

The school is at 94-1035 Kukula St.

NEW SUN POWER ROOFS ON SCHOOLS

Four O'ahu public schools began the fall semester with new photovoltaic technology on their rooftops provided through Hawaiian Electric Co.'s Sun Power for Schools program, a partnership among the utility, the state Department of Education and the community.

Jarrett Middle School, Highlands Intermediate School, Nanakuli High and Intermediate School and Wai'anae Intermediate School received the electric cost-saving equipment, which will also be used as educational tools for students.

Each installed system features an array of 10 photovoltaic panels and related equipment worth up to $48,000.

Amy Martinson, principal at Highlands Intermediate School, said the panels will be folded into eighth-grade curriculum on alternative-energy sources.

To date, 26 schools have received PV installations through the Sun Power for Schools program.

For more information, visit www.heco.com.

TOP SCIENTIST TO GIVE ADDRESS

J. Craig Venter, regarded as one of the leading scientists of the 21st century for his contributions to genomic research, will be the first presenter in the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's Centennial Distinguished Lecture Series.

Venter, one of the country's most frequently cited scientists, will present "The Ocean Genome: A Key to Earth's Habitability," at 7 p.m. Jan. 25 at the UH-Manoa Campus Center Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public.

Venter is founder, chairman and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute, a nonprofit research and support organization dedicated to human, microbial, plant and environmental genomic research.

More information about this event and the centennial year series can be found at www.manoa.hawaii.edu/dls.