A senior at 'Iolani School and one at King Kekaulike High School on Maui yesterday were named as 2007 Presidential Scholars by the U.S. Department of Education.

The 141 winners of the prestigious award include a male and female high school senior from each state, as well as seniors from the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and from U.S. families living abroad. There were also 15 at-large and 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts.

'Iolani's Kellie Young and Maui's Benjamin B. Massenburg earned the honor.

All winners have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship and service at school and in the community. The scholars will be in Washington, D.C. from June 23 to June 27 to be honored.

This is the 43rd year the award has been given out, and more than 5,000 students have been honored. More than 2,700 seniors qualified for the award. A 27-member Commission on Presidential Scholars appointed by President Bush selected the scholars based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.

NHS SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO CHEE

Maryknoll senior Matthew Chee has been named Hawai'i's winner of a $1,500 National Honor Society scholarship from the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Chee is one of just 53 students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and overseas chapters of NHS to receive this national recognition.

He is co-captain of the school's varsity tennis team and math team, vice president of its National Honor Society chapter and student government, and yearbook editor in chief. He has also served as a special education teacher's aide and peer tutor, and volunteered for community beautification projects. In addition, Chee was a State Economics Challenge finalist and State Mathematics Championship winner during his junior year.

GRADUATION PLANS ARE POSTED ONLINE

A schedule of high school class of 2007 graduation ceremonies and related information is available online at www.MyAdvertiser.com — http://getpublished.honoluluadvertiser.com/graduations2007.html.

AIKAU ESSAY WINNERS NAMED

The student winners of the second annual Eddie Aikau Essay Contest will be recognized in an awards ceremony set for Saturday at Aikau's family home in Pauoa.

The contest, organized by the Eddie Aikau Foundation and the Hawai'i Department of Education, is open to seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders in Hawai'i public schools.

This year's entries were tied to the voyage of the Hokule'a now under way by addressing the statement: "Eddie would go! His spirit will live, too, wherever the Hokule'a sails."

There were categories for both English and Hawaiian language.

Aikau — Waimea Bay's first official lifeguard and a pioneer big-wave rider — embarked upon a Hokule'a voyage from Hawai'i to Tahiti in 1978. The voyage was never completed after the Hokule'a was swamped in heavy seas in the Ka'iwi Channel. Aikau was last seen paddling away to seek help for his crewmates.

First-place winners: Seventh-grade — Kyra Vila, Lokelani Intermediate, Maui; eighth-grade — Amber Fladung, Konawaena Middle School, Hawai'i; ninth-grade — Katherine Lee, Moanalua High School, O'ahu. The top award in the Hawaiian language division — Elise Kahikina, a ninth-grade student at Samuel M. Kamakau School, O'ahu.

$15,000 DONATED TO CHARTER SCHOOLS

Individual alumni classes of Kamehameha Schools, working with the institution's Parents and Alumni Relations office, have donated $15,000 to 12 Hawaiian-focused charter schools participating in Kamehameha's Ho'olako Like program.

Representatives from the charter schools accepted the donation Sunday during ceremonies held at Kamehameha Schools.

A total of 60 alumni classes — 1940 to 2005 — participated in the project. Kamehameha Schools offers a variety of support to Hawaiian-focused charters through its Ho'olako Like program, including contributing $1 for every $4 the state provides to these schools.

The Ho'olako Like charter schools are: Hakipu'u Learning Center, Halau Ku Mana, Halau Lokahi, Ka 'Umeke Ka'eo Hawai'i Immersion PCS, Ka Waihona 'o Ka Na'auao, Kanu 'o Ka 'Aina, Kanuikapono, Ke Kula Ni'ihau o Kekaha Learning Center, Ke Kula 'o Nawahio-kalani'opu'u Iki Laboratory PCS, Ke Kula 'o Samuel M. Kamakau, Kua O Ka La, and Kula Aupuni Ni'ihau a Kahelelani Aloha.

12 FROM HAWAI'I AT SPACE CAMP

A group of nine Waiakea Intermediate School sixth-graders, joined by three Maui middle-schoolers, recently completed a week-long space camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center's Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala.

The space campers — representing the "Buzz" Aldrin Team — spent a week in mid-March undergoing training related to Discovery missions trying out astronaut training simulators. Students participated in activities tied to rocket construction, Mars missions, hydroponics, shuttle anatomy, crew systems and astronomy. Space campers also visited the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, which houses more than 1,500 pieces of rocket and space hardware, such as the Saturn V Rocket and Apollo 16 Command Module.

STUDENT ARTWORK TO BE PRESENTED

'Aikahi Elementary next week will hold an "Art, Garden and Enrichment Showcase," featuring art from the Kailua school's 560 students, 'Aina garden tours and performances by students enrolled in after school enrichment activities.

The art displays — student paintings, drawings and sculptures — will be open from 12:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, and 8:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 10. The garden tours and enrichment showcase will run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday.

The enrichment showcase, set for 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, will feature student demonstrations of 'ukulele- and guitar-playing, sign language, karate and hula. Other showcase offerings: a play by the senior performing arts club and a fashion show featuring tie-dye T-shirt artists.

PHYSED FORUM UNDER WAY AT UH

"In the Zone," the sixth annual state physical education conference, is under way today at University of Hawai'i-Manoa.

This conference — a partnership between the state Department of Education, The Hawaii Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, The American Cancer Society and NikeTown-Honolulu — will feature more than 40 sessions showcasing the best practices for new standards-based physical education.

Pat Hewitt, an award-winning educator and South Carolina championship girls high school basketball coach, is the keynote speaker.