It may be a tough time to try something like this, but Joe Onosai is thinking about kids like Aaron Tipoti.

Tipoti, who grew up in Kukui Gardens low income housing, just finished his first year at UC Berkeley on a full-ride scholarship. A few years ago, an opportunity like that didn't seem possible for him.

"I wasn't doing well in intermediate school. Bad grades, I was barely doing my work," Tipoti said. "Word of Life changed my mindset. It put me in the frame of mind to work hard and do the best that I could do."

Onosai, athletic director for Word of Life Academy, is worried about the kids like Tipoti who are full of potential but short on opportunity; so in the middle of this recession, he's holding the first Word of Life Scholarship Gala.

"I have a kid that recently was told by his dad that he will not be returning because they could no longer afford it because of unforeseen things and the economy," Onosai said. "Well, the dad just signed up for his third tour of duty to Iraq so he can pay for his son's tuition to WOL. This is what the gala is all about: helping families that need that extra financial help."

Word of Life Academy was founded 15 years ago and has steadily increased its profile among O'ahu private schools. Their athletic teams have won state championships and graduates have gone on to name colleges, like Tipoti who won a football scholarship to Berkeley. Every student is assigned a MacBook laptop computer and there is a growing school of media, music and performing arts. Students come from all over the island, and many are subsidized by the school, which has given more than $1 million in scholarships over the last 15 years.

"We don't like to say that Word of Life Academy is a small school. Instead we like to say that Word of Life Academy is a young school that is doing big things," Onosai said.

"I got individual attention, lots of one-on-one time. I had teachers who saw potential in me and helped me push beyond my limits," Tipoti said.

The academy is Christian and teaches biblical principles for every area of life. Tipoti says he relies on those lessons constantly, in school, in football, in everything.

"It helps us keep our minds right, to walk in righteousness, to be accountable for our actions," he said.

The Scholarship Gala banquet will be Saturday, May 23, at 5 p.m. at the Ko'olau Golf Club. For ticket information, call Word of Life Academy at 447-1115.