2 named state's top volunteers
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Kamehameha Schools Kapalama senior Jacqueline Ho and Megan Nakahara, an eighth-grader at Hawai'i Preparatory Academy, have been named the state's top student volunteers.
Both are headed to Washington, D.C., for the national Prudential Spirit of Community Awards ceremony this weekend at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Ho and Nakahara each won $1,000, an engraved silver medallion and the all-expenses-paid trip to Washington. Ten of the state winners will be recognized as America's top youth volunteers.
For the past seven years, Ho has volunteered for Special Olympics. Her mother serves as vice president of Special Olympics Hawai'i and her father participates as a weightlifting coach. She credits her parents for inspiring her to get involved.
"I've always been passionate about helping people with special needs and disabilities and helping them to accomplish things that others believe they are not capable of," she said. "Working with Special Olympics made me the type of person who stands up for others that are unable to stand up for themselves."
Nakahara played a key role in a monitoring project that collected data on Hawaiian green sea turtles and raised awareness about the plight of the endangered species.
The awards, in their 13th year, are sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
HIGH HONOR FOR 6 HAWAI'I SCHOLARS
Six Hawai'i students have been named as semifinalists of the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program for 2008.
They are:
Young was also named as a winner of the Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement for Excellence in Math and Science in February, according to a news release from Punahou. He received a $2,000 scholarship as part of the award.
For more information on Presidential Scholars, go to www.ed.gov/programs/psp/index.html.
NEW LEADER AT PRIORY SCHOOL
Sandra J. Theunick has been named head of school at St. Andrew's Priory School after acting as interim head for more than six months at the Downtown private school for girls.
"We believe she is a great asset to our school," said Ivan Lui-Kwan, chairman of the school's board of trustees. "Sandy is not only highly experienced as a head of school nationally, but she brings strong leadership skills and a deep understanding of the global learning environment and the diversity of students we serve."
Theunick has more than 26 years of experience as a head of school for schools around the nation, the school said in a news release.
She has been head at The Seven Hills School in Cincinnati, the Chapin School in New York City and at schools in New Jersey and Washington, the Priory said.
She has a master's degree in divinity from Washington Theological Union and a BA in psychology from Newton College.
