Big Island high school seniors encouraged to apply for scholarship program

The Hawaiʻi Rise Foundation, along with its community partners, is opening the 2024 Scholarship application program, offering over $25,000 worth of scholarships to Big Island students.

Applications are due on June 15 and awardees will be notified in early July. Following the awards, the foundation will hold a scholarship award banquet at the Hilo Yacht Club to recognize each awardee for their achievements.

Click here to apply.

The foundation’s first $1,000 scholarship was donated by Keaukaha General Store in 2017. Throughout the years the scholarships have grown and sponsors have inspired others to create scholarships of their own.

This year, varying scholarship amounts will be distributed to Big Island seniors in support of their future endeavors. These scholarships are offered to island-wide graduating seniors and residents of Hawaiʻi Island.

Students interested will be asked to answer essay questions in their application process. Some questions encourage the students to look into their past and share how they have grown through adversity. Others prompt them to look at issues in their communities and consider ways to give back and improve where they come from.

Some scholarships have a preference for those pursuing a specific major, such as Nursing, Political Science, Hawaiian Studies, etc. Each scholarship is different and has been uniquely created by the scholarship sponsor.

Other partner sponsors with Hawai‘i Rise Foundation for the scholarship program include:

• Aloha Will Save The World Scholarship, sponsored by Bronson Kobayashi and Alaina Villatora
• Charles & Dorothy DeSilva Scholarship, sponsored by Lisa Robbins
• Danny K. Paleka Memorial Political Science Scholarship, sponsored by Susan Paleka
• Hawai’i Development Group Scholarship, sponsored by Lailan Bento
• He Manu I Ka Lewa Lani Scholarship, sponsored by Manuheali’i
• Hill-Estabilio Scholarship, sponsored by Rinna and Mikey Hill
• Hilo Yacht Club Scholarship, sponsored by the Hilo Yacht Club
• Ho’opuakea Scholarship, sponsored by Napua and Kealani Canda
• Holomua Scholarship, sponsored by Keaukaha General Store.
• Kim and Kids Scholarship, sponsored by Breeani, Bronson and Brock Kobayashi
• Na’au Ho’omaika’i Scholarship, sponsored by Ka’iulani Hedlund
• Pumehana Scholarship, sponsored by Brock and Shoshanna Kobayashi
• Rachel’s Gift, sponsored by the ohana of Rachel Leilani Gangwes