9 Big Island students receive $31K in scholarships from Takitani Foundation

Nine Big Island high school seniors are the recipients of $31,000 in scholarships from the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation in honor of their academic excellence and commitment to community.

The students from Hawaiʻi Island who were awarded are:

• Estelle Dadzie from Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy.
• Maya Kaneshiro from Waiākea High School.
• Branson Hatakenaka from Hilo High School.
• River Aitken from Honokaʻa High School.
• Xiaoshun “Maria” Sun and Maile-Lei Ji from Keaʻau High School.
• Jurney Miyamoto from Pāhoa High School.
• Ethan DʻAmbrosio from Kamehameha Schools-Hawaiʻi.
• Elwin Shotts from Parker School.

The students were among a total of 59 from throughout Hawaiʻi, one student from each of the state’s qualifying public and independent schools, awarded financial assistance through the foundation’s annual Legacy Scholarship Program.

Awards are based on academics, community service and financial need.

A total of $219,000 was awarded this year through the annual scholarship program.

Since its creation more than 30 years ago, the foundation has given more than $13.5 million to scholarship and academic enrichment programs throughout the islands.

Mamoru and Aiko Takitani founded chocolate company Hawaiian Host in 1960 in Honolulu. The couple had no children of their own, so they wanted a way to help future generations achieve their potential free from financial barriers. The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation was created in 1993.

The nonprofit charity is the Takitanis’ way to invest in Hawaiʻi’s bright young minds.

“Mr. and Mrs. Takitani … knew that hard work, commitment to excellence and a strong dedication to one’s community were key factors in their success,” said KSSK Radio personality Michael Perry, chairman of the Takitani Foundation board. “The Takitanis wanted to recognize those same qualities in Hawaiʻi’s outstanding students with support to further their education.”

Here is a little more information about each of the Big Island’s winners.

District Finalist — $5,000 scholarship awards:

• Estelle Dadzie is the daughter of Suzanne and Kwaoviga Dadzie. In her sophomore and junior years, Dadzie received recognition from the College Board for excellence in academic achievement, and has been on Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy’s Dean’s List every semester. She assists teachers at Kealakehe Intermediate School, is a member of the academy’s Shanti Alliance and on the cross-country and track and field teams. She hopes to have a career in nursing and will attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in the fall.
• Maya Kaneshiro is the daughter of Shana and David Kaneshiro. She has earned academic honors at Waiākea High School since her freshman year. Kaneshiro has been a member of the girls varsity basketball team since her sophomore year and was a team captain of the track and field team. She also competed with Special Olympic athletes in bocci ball competitions. She will attend Pacific University in Oregon next fall.

Hawaiʻi District Public Schools — $3,000 scholarship awards:

• Branson Hatakenaka, the son of Jenny and Brandon Hatakenaka, will attend the University of Southern California in the fall. In his junior year, Hatakenaka received recognition as a College Board National Hispanic scholar; he was also awarded the Harvard Book prize from Hilo High School for excellence in the classroom, extracurricular contributions and high moral character. He served as the 2023-24 state chairperson at the Hawaiʻi state student council conference.
• River Aitken, the child of Thomas Aitken, will attend Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore. A volunteer with the Waimea Outdoor Circle, Aitken’s mentor described his’s participation as “critical to the future of the park. She has clearly learned the importance of community service.” She hopes to earn a degree in environmental science.
• Xiaoshun “Maria” Sun is the daughter of Anne Liuweichen. Sun won first place in the HOSA – Future Health Professionals Hawaiʻi Regional Competition in behavioral health as a senior and first place in the regional competition in extemporaneous writing as a junior. A member of the Keaʻau color guard team and her class treasurer, she worked on community outreach to launch the first ever Keaʻau High School Credit Union Hawaiʻi Branch. Sun will attend the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., next fall.
• Maile-Lei Ji is the daughter of Etsuko and Bryan Ji. In her junior year, she founded a college support club to “share information, opportunities and guidance” for her classmates to assist in preparation for college applications. Ji has also served as an advisor for the Science Bowl team, is co-president for the National Honor Society and was captain for her varsity tennis team. Recently named a Presidential Scholar, she will attend Princeton University.
• Jurney Miyamoto is the daughter of Tierra Haʻaloʻu-Medeiros and Lealataua Aiolupotea. She will attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Miyamoto received an Honor Roll certificate as a junior, served as president of the Hawaiian Club and is also a member of Pāhoa High School’s varsity paddling team. She was accepted into Nalukai Academy’s fall program as a junior and helped create Hui Hooʻonaʻauao. Miyamoto hopes to be a kumu and create a safe space for students to learn.

Hawaiʻi Association of Independent Schools — $3,000 scholarship awards:

• Ethan DʻAmbrosio is the son of Natalie and Douglas DʻAmbrosio. He has been on the Headmaster’s List at Kamehameha Schools-Hawaiʻi since freshman year and also earned recognition from the College Board as an AP Scholar as a junior. The club president of the Mock Trial Club, DʻAmbrosio recruited and coached new members and earned best litigator in state competitions. He has played traditional Japanese taiko drums with Puna Taiko and helped fundraise for the Maui Relief fund. DʻAmbrosio will attend Dartmouth College in New Hampshire in the fall.
• Elwin Shotts, the son of Jennifer Futrell and Andrew Shotts, will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass., next fall. Shotts spent last summer at the W. M. Keck Observatory working with optical engineers to “catalog different metrics on each mirror segment inventory.” H was also involved in Parker School’s varsity cross-country, soccer and debate teams and was named an AP Scholar with Distinction in his junior year.