More than 40 top public high school seniors from throughout Hawai‘i named Citizen-Scholars

More than 40 of Hawai’i’s top public school seniors were recently honored as this year’s Citizen-Scholar Award winners.

The annual awards program — which marks its 22nd year in 2026 — is sponsored by Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association, Hawai‘i Department of Education and Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

It also welcomed a new campus this year: Kulanihahao‘i High School on Maui.

Six of the seniors were singled out for special recognition: one representing each county along with one boy and one girl representing the entire group.

Top Citizen-Scholars of 2026 were (college selections in parentheses):

• Jeremiah Jacinto, Baldwin High School (Harvard University), Maui.
• Lotus Yasuda, Waipahu High School (Harvard University), O‘ahu.

County honorees were:

• Hawai‘i: Marley McIntyre, Honoka‘a High and Intermediate School (Harvard University).
• Kaua‘i: Alena Abell, Kapa‘a High School (Reed College, Portland, Ore.).
• Maui: Aaron Omuro, Maui High School (University of California, Los Angeles).
• O‘ahu: Ian Matthew Eugenio, Campbell High School (Rice University, Houston).

Each of this year’s 43 Citizen-Scholars — selected by the state Education Department — receives a $1,000 scholarship provided by Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association member-businesses. Southwest Airlines is providing a round-trip anywhere in the United States for each honoree as well.

Each county honoree received $2,500 in addition to their $1,000 scholarship, and the top two received $5,000 on top of their initial award.

Awards top $900,000 since the program’s inception.

“The character and caliber of our public school graduates never cease to impress us,” said Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association President and Chief Executive Officer Mufi Hannemann in an announcement about this year’s awards. “The dedicated teachers and administrators of the Department of Education continue to produce exceptional students year after year, imparting them with the educational foundation and skills that enable them to earn admission to top universities across the nation as well as right here at home.”

In addition to the award recipients, the selection committee chose several of the Citizen-Scholars to speak at the luncheon.

Each received an additional $500 award for their contribution. The pule was delivered by Kaleonahe Paleka of Ke Kula Kaiapuni ‘O Anuenue (Hawai‘i Community College).

“The visitor industry’s support for the Citizen-Scholar Awards is a reflection of our unwavering confidence in our public schools, in our young people and in our future,” Hannemann said.