The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation Inc. last week awarded a total of $88,000 scholarships to seniors at public and private high school in Hawai'i.

Two students were presented Distinguished Student Awards of $10,000 each, and one student received an Outstanding Student Award of $5,000. Seven high school seniors received $2,000 scholarships, and 49 additional students were given $1,000 awards.

The scholarships — based on academic achievement, community service and financial need — were presented Saturday at an awards luncheon at the Wai'alae Country Club in Honolulu.

Zoe Morrison, of Punahou School, was the recipient of the Mamoru Takitani Distinguished Student Award. Ruth Chen, of 'Iolani School, was the recipient of the Aiko Takitani Distinguished Student Award. Mary Guo, of Roosevelt High School, was the recipient of the Karen Uno Outstanding Student Award.

PRIESTER PICKED FOR MID-PAC

Mid-Pacific Institute has selected Dwayne "Dee" Priester as its new middle school principal.

Priester is currently the assistant headmaster at Hawaii Preparatory Academy in Kamuela. Previously, he served as principal of Fremont Junior High School in Mesa, Ariz. Other experiences include college teaching at Northern Arizona University, history and social studies teacher in public schools, assistant principal and team leader at Carson Junior High in Arizona.

Dee holds a bachelor's degree in history from the University of North Carolina, a master's degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. Priester will start working at Mid-Pacific Institute next month.

THREE STUDENTS WILL STUDY CAMBODIA

Three Hawai'i high school students have been selected to take part in the East-West Center's AsiaPacificEd Program "Partnership for Youth: Reporting for Change: Cambodia" program.

Hannah Ross and Davin Ao-yagi of Honolulu's Mid-Pacific Institute and Maria Walczuk of Hilo's Connections Public Charter School will join 18 Mainland students for the four-week program, which gets under way July 1.

Focusing on the Khmer Rouge Tribunal as a case study, the students will analyze the role of journalism in covering the event as well as the role of the media in the democratic process.

Participants will work in teams to create mini-documentaries aimed at informing peers about the tribunal process and the changing dynamics of Cambodian society.

The program was made possible through scholarship funds provided by the Global Youth Center (GYC) Hawaii. The GYC Hawaii is a non-profit organization that supports youth to help shape a better world through collaboration between young people from Hawaii and youth from around the world to take responsibility in addressing issues for a more peaceful world and a healthier Earth. The three Hawaii students will join the East-West Center program as GYC Ambassadors.