The HPA Community Book Club will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 17, in the Ko Kakou Student Union, Upper Campus. Community Book Club meetings are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served and participants are invited to bring a snack to share.

Lois Inman, Dyer Memorial librarian, and Jaime Johnson, Upper School English teacher, will lead the group. The current book selection is The Sellout, a New York Times and Los Angeles Times Bestseller by Paul Beatty.

The Sellout is a biting satire about a young manʻs isolated upbringing and the race trial that sends him to the Supreme Court. The Sellout showcases a comic genius at the top of his game and challenges the sacred tenets of the United States Constitution, urban life, the civil rights movement, the father-son relationship, and the holy grail of racial equality—the black Chinese restaurant.

Beattyʻs work also won the Man Book Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction, and the John Dos Passos Prize for Literature.

For more information, contact Jaime Johnson at jjohnson@hpa.edu.

Chewbacca, Princess Leia, and Rey made a special appearance at the Village Campus on Thursday, May 4, in celebration of the galaxy far, far away. Delighted students in grades K-8 posed with the legendary Wookiee warrior, the fearless princess, and the tough Jakku survivor during the lunchtime event, hosted by the Friends of the HPA Libraries at the Lynn Taylor Library.

Star Wars fans watched the 1977 movie that started it all, while other students checked out multiple Star Wars-themed activity stations, including tattoos, Lego character building, coloring, and mask making. Students also picked up Star Wars pencils, bookmarks, and stamps, and enjoyed Star Wars-themed snacks on the lanai. The eighth grade class offered special treats for sale, including "Yoda Soda" to raise funds for the Hawaii Island Visitor Industry Charity Walk.

"I canʻt decide which is my favorite activity," said first grader Kupono.

"I like doing the masks," stated third grader Mio, as she finished cutting out her R2-D2 mask.

"Building the Lego character was fun," said fourth grader Kalei, who proudly displayed his Lego Yoda.

"The students are so excited about all the activities, treats, and giveaways," said David Giff, K-8 librarian, who organized the event and wore his favorite Star Wars shirt for the occasion. "One kindergartener said she didnʻt like Chewbacca until he walked by; she ran over, squealing with delight to say ʻhello!ʻ And who would have thought that middle schoolers were so into tattoos?

"All in all, it was a great Fourth Be With You celebration."

The Lower School held its annual May Day celebration on May 5 at the school's Gates Performing Arts Center. This yearʻs program, Mālama Honua Ka Poʻe Hawaiʻi: The People of Hawaiʻi honored Hawaiiʻis melting pot of cultures and ethnicities, and the school's mission statement to "provide exceptional learning opportunities and a diverse community honoring the traditions of Hawaiʻi." Here are highlights:

For registration and information about these and other summer programs, contact the Auxiliary Programs Office at 808-881-4088 or summer@hpa.edu, or visit the school website at www.hpa.edu.

Junior Tennis Camps: May 29-August 16

HPA tennis coach Jeff Lewis has planned 9 sessions for children ages 6-17 of all ability levels. All classes run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Thursday. The camps are targeted toward both older, goal-oriented students as well as younger students who are just developing their athleticism. Fee: $192 per week includes lunch, a snack, and video analysis.

For more information and registration, contact Jeff Lewis at 808-881-4037 (email: jlewis@hpa.edu), or download a registration form at www.hpa.edu/summer/sports-camps.

Basketball Camp: May 30-June 2

HPA basketball coaches Dave Huntington and Fred Wawner will lead this camp for rising fourth through eleventh grade girls and boys. The camp will focus on skill development, footwork fundamentals, and team and in-game instruction in a fun atmosphere. All campers will take home a basketball. Fee: $80 per session.

For more information and registration, contact Fred Wawner at fwawner@hpa.edu or visit www.hpa.edu/about/summer/sports-camp-and-more.

Equestrian Camps: June 6-8 and June 13-15

The daily three-hour equestrian camp, open to all students eight years and older, offers a diverse training regimen designed to create a working knowledge of the aids and mechanics involved when riding English, as well as proper grooming and tacking procedures. Instruction will encourage students to enhance and challenge their existing equestrian knowledge, or, for beginners, learn stable management and basic riding skills. Fee: $80 per day.

The weekly two-hour Friday Riding Program also is open to students eight years and older. During the summer, the riding program runs from 3 to 5 p.m. This ongoing program gives students an opportunity to ride on the field with one instructor or head up into the hills with another instructor. Fee: $40 per session.

Trail rides can be arranged on an individual basis. Fee: $40/hour (two-hour minimum).

For more information, registration, or to arrange a trail ride, contact Judy Folk (808-885-4302 or 808-937-2569) or Laura Rose (808-885-7194 or 808-895-6632). Registration forms also are available at www.hpa.edu/summer/sports-camps.

Summer Swim Academy: May 30-July 6

Three two-week sessions are scheduled, with lessons held Monday through Thursday. Students will receive a half-hour of instruction each day with free swim for lesson participants available from 1 to 3 p.m. Fridays. This is a great opportunity to learn to swim or to advance one's swimming technique and endurance, as all levels of classes are provided—From Parent and Tot to Pre-Team.

If you are not sure what level your child might be, we strongly recommend an assessment. Ten-minute assessments at the HPA Dowsett Pool will be offered between 3 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 21, and by appointment in June. Please contact Coach Sarie Imonen at sarie.swim1@gmail.com to reserve an assessment time. Fee: $95 per session. For registration and more information, visit www.hpa.edu/summer/sports-camps.

Ka Makani Kids Camp: June 5-16

Two one-week sessions are scheduled. The weekday camp runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the HPA Village Campus multipurpose building for rising kindergarten through fifth grade students. Campers will explore the ocean to the mountains this summer. During Week 1, An Ocean of Fun, students will discover tide pool life and go beachcombing for ocean treasures. During Week 2, Ascent to the Summit, students will explore volcanoes with visits to a pu'u and the Astronomy Center. Fee: $200per session (includes camp T shirt, daily lunch, snacks, activity fes, and supplies). Multiple session discount. Call 808-881-4088, email: kamakanicamp@hpa.edu, or visit www.hpa.edu/summer.

Summer Session: June 27-July 21

HPA's diverse Summer Session offers enrichment and unique study opportunities for boarding and day students entering grades 6-12. High school credit classes this summer are Marine Science Seminar that offers a four-hour daily hands-on discovery of Hawaiiʻs unique marine environment, and Open Water Scuba Certification with an Introduction to Hawaii's Reef Ecology, where students earn their open water diver certification and use their underwater expertise to study Hawaiian coral reef ecology.

New classes this summer include CSI & Forensics: Not Just Digging Up Bones! Introduction to VR/AR, Variety Stage Performance, and A Mindful Exploration into the Natural World.

Two-hour enrichment courses for students in grades 9 through 12 include comprehensive test preparation with BEST SAT Tutorial Service, Algebra I, Creative Writing, Robotics, and more.

Two-hour enrichment courses for students in grades 6 through 8 include Robotics, Science of Creative Writing, Basic Web Development, Natural Tools and Mixed Media Processes, and more.

Tuition: $5,200 (boarding). Fee for individual courses: $550/class. For more information, call 808-881-4088, or email:summer@hpa.edu. Online registration available at: www.hpa.edu/summer/summer-session/overview.

Senior Alicia Chow has been named a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winner in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program. Dana Petteys, HPA's interim dean of academics, made the announcement.

Chow is one of 2,500 Merit Scholar designees chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program. National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the nation's graduating high school seniors.

These Scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by both the Finalists and their high schools: academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from two standardized tests; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the Finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.

Chow, the daughter of Ivan Chow and Lynda Chao of Kamuela, is fluent in English and Mandarin, one of the top writers in her class, and an excellent photographer. She is fascinated with understanding how humans communicate their most important messages and has initiated four self-directed research projects. In linguistics, she has studied Latin and translation theory independently and through Stanford's summer program; in anthropology, she is analyzing and comparing various aspects of Hawaiian, Greek, and Roman mythologies; in information technology, she is evaluating the school's current use of social media and offering suggestions for improvement; in independent novel writing, she is working on a seven-part fantasy/science fiction novel series. She will attend the University of California Berkeley this fall.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) finances most of these single-payment National Merit $2,500 Scholarships. Corporations and company foundations that sponsor awards through NMSC also help underwrite these scholarships with grants. On April 19, HPA senior Thomas Yoo was named the winner of the National Merit Delphi Foundation Scholarship.

Scholars may use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

HPA honored the following Upper School students on May 15 for special achievement in academic studies, the arts, athletics, and community service.

Alumni Association Award: Jonah Hurney and Alexandra Thomas (Juniors); Christopher Chock and Holly Hoffbauer (Sophomores)

John L. Pricher Award: Malcolm Davis and Julia Perry

Holi Bergin Memorial Scholarship Award: Michael Hanano and Kiaʻi Lindsey

Cy Keala Spencer "Spirit of Aloha" Award: Keanu Young

Ulrike Katharina "Bieni" Kohler-Johnson Scholarship Award: Alyssa Klett, Ella Martin, and Kristina Novotna

U.S. Army Reserve Scholar Athlete Award: Braden Kojima and Rowan Kotner

Ka Makani Career Athlete Awards: Noah Wise and Janelle Laros

Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) Champion Awards: Joar Berglund (Boys Diving), Girls Soccer Team (Division II), and Boys Soccer Team (Division II)

New members of Cum Laude, the school's honor society: Malcolm Davis, George Donev, Sora Frysinger, Oliver Grayson, Daniel Groves, Braden Kojima, Rowan Kotner, Anna Morita, Nathaniel (Bip) Padrnos, Ghar Pautz, James (Austin) Schneider, Yerden Suraganov, Alexandra Thomas, Ziyan Wang, Mimi Werdegar, Thomas Yoo, and Sanghyup Yoon

ENGLISH

Mount Holyoke College Award: Alex Thomas; Paul Knauff Creative Writing Award: Alicia Chow; Excellence in English Award: Shanae Butler

FINE ARTS

Ka Makani Technical Theatre Award: Jeeyoon (June) Kim; Career Performance Award: Colby Camero; Phyllis A. Richards Theatre Arts Scholarship: Katherine Gargiulo; Andy Ackerman Art Award: Elza Moore; Academy Art Award: Laney Van Tassel; Art History Award: Clara Saalfeld; George Watson Audio-Visual Award: Daniel Groves; Yearbook Award: Ava Jean Johnston and Riley McMackin; Photojournalism Award: Elyse Fujioka

MATHEMATICS

Exponential Growth Award: Adam Pigott; Outlier Award: Sidney Vermeulen; Riemann Sum Award: Seungyou (Bruce) Kim; Positive Divergence Award: Jeeyoon (June) Kim

MODERN LANGUAGE

Chinese Language Award: Kayla Hollister; Japanese Language Award: Sidney Vermeulen; Eva Perez Hawaiian Language Award: Noah Wise; Spanish Language Award: Thomas Yoo; Institute of English Studies Outstanding Progress Award: Elizaveta Kozlova; Institute of English Studies Achievement Award: Maria Yamada

SCIENCE

Joseph Martire Biology Award: Rachel Bonn and Rachel OʻToole; Thomas Webb Mar Physics Award: Sarah Emmons; Alan Fujimoto Chemistry Award: Yann-Hsiang (Victor) Chen; Environmental Science Scholar Award: Amelia Snyder; Engineering Award: Ilan Naibryf; The Science Award: Viet Tung Dao

SOCIAL STUDIES

Jay Wilder Award for Excellence in History: Adam Pigott; Cathy Schmidel Award for Excellence in Social Studies: Maile Kuyper; Ben Dillingham U.S. History Award: Matthew Vazquez

The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation, Inc. has awarded nine Hawaiʻi Island seniors college scholarship awards in its annual Legacay Scholarship program. HPA senior Tanner Riley and Kaʻu High School senior Chloe Gan were each awarded $5,000 scholarships as finalists in the statewide competition. Seven seniors from Hawaiʻi Island schools each received $2,000 scholarships in recognition of their strong academic achievements and commitment to their community.

The students were among 62 recipients, one from each qualifying public and independent schools in the state, who received scholarships based on academic achievement, community service and financial need. In total, the Foundation awarded $181,000 to students throughout the state in its Legacy Scholarship Program this year.

Riley is the son of Tara and Bryan Riley of Kailua-Kona. A National Merit Semifinalist, Riley's academic excellence earned him a place on the Headmaster's List throughout high school. A member of the HPA Honor Committee, Riley also volunteered for the Outreach Program as a teen leader, the Neurolab Research Institute in Genetics, and the New Life Ranch Leadership Development Program. Riley will attend Dartmouth College in New Hampshire this fall.

"Mr. and Mrs. Takitani's legacy of commitment, dedication and generosity is honored each year through the Takitani Foundation," said KSSK Radio personality Michael W. Perry, who serves as Chairman of the Board of the Takitani Foundation. "The Takitanis knew hard work, innovation and commitment to excellence were key factors in their success with Hawaiian Host, and wanted to recognize those same qualities in Hawaii's outstanding students with the opportunity to further their education."

For more information, visit http://takitanifoundation.org

Sidney Vermeulen, a senior at Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy, was named one of 723 semifinalists to advance in the final round of the 2017 U.S. Presidential Scholars competition. She was one of eight Hawaiʻi semifinalists and the only one from Hawaiʻi Island.

The semifinalists were selected from more than 5,100 students identified as candidates in the program on the basis of superior achievements, leadership qualities, personal character, and involvement in community and school activities.

Kyle Matsuda (2012) and Zoe Sims (2013) are the school's most recent Presidential Scholars.

Vermeulen is the daughter of Tom Vermeulen and Koren Kobayashi of Kailua-Kona. She is a member of the Cum Laude Society, president of the school's Pacific Asian Affairs Council (PAAC) Club, and an active participant in HPA's Sea Turtle Research Program. As a volunteer with the Kohala Watershed Partnership, her projects have included working as a teaching assistant in Waimea Middle School's STEM program, teaching English to children in Vietnam, helping with reforestation initiatives on the slopes of Mauna Kea, and volunteering as a Teen Leader. She will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this fall.

Final selection of the Scholars will be made by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of eminent citizens appointed by the president, will make the final selection of the Scholars in May. The Commission will select one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. students living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education.

Scholars will be invited to Washington, D.C., in June to receive the U.S. Presidential Scholars medallion at a recognition ceremony and to participate in various activities and events held in their honor.

Since 1964, this unique federal program has honored almost 7,500 of the nation's top-performing students, who have demonstrated scholarship, leadership, artistic excellence, and selfless service to others. The work of the Commission on Presidential Scholars, on behalf of the President and his administration, reflects recognition of the immense value and potential of the nation's youth, and a deep commitment to ensuring that every child in America receives the benefits of a world-class education.

For more information, visit www.ed.gov/psp.

Rika Inaba, Upper School Japanese teacher, received this year's Ellbogen Meritorious Teaching Award during the Upper School Awards Ceremony held on Monday, May 15, at the school's Castle Gym. Head of School Robert McKendry presented the award and a $3,000 check to the beloved teacher, who also received the award in 2013.

"Students wrote about the many ways that this teacherʻs positivity makes a daily difference," said McKendry. "They also said, ʻYes, I learned a lot, yes the person is a skilled teacher. But they said that what makes the biggest difference to ME is how this person makes me FEEL.ʻ ...The value of a mentor who chooses consistent, genuine positivity as a hallmark of an approach to life and most importantly to people around her is something for us all to ponder."

The Ellbogen Meritorious Teaching Award was established in 1997 by Mary Ellbogen Garland '77, Patrick Ellbogen '78, and Theresa Ellbogen '82 to recognize excellence in the classroom and in every other aspect of HPA life. The award is one of the greatest honors an HPA Upper School teacher can receive because awardees are determined by a vote of all juniors and seniors.

On Thursday, May 18th, HPA put on its first campus-wide exhibition of student project work. Running the gamut from art installations to campus sustainability initiatives, robotic hands to genetic research on coqui frogs, the event was a celebration of project-based learning in every academic discipline. Students presented their work in a variety of formats, including seminar discussions, short presentations, multi-media displays, and interactive exhibits. This zero-waste event brought several food vendors to campus, allowing students and parents to enjoy locally-sources meals while exploring the exhibition.

Common Sense, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in a world of digital media and technology, has recognized Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy's (HPA) Village Campus (grades K-8) as a Common Sense Certified School: Digital Citizenship.

HPA's Village Campus has demonstrated its commitment to taking a whole-community approach to preparing its students to use the immense power of digital media to explore, create, connect, and learn, while limiting the perils that exist in the online realm, such as plagiarism, loss of privacy, and cyberbullying.

"We applaud the faculty and staff of HPA's Village Campus for embracing digital citizenship as an important part of their students' education," said Jessica Lindl, Head of Common Sense Education. "HPA's Village Campus deserves high praise for giving its students the foundational skills they need to compete and succeed in the 21st-century workplace and participate ethically in society at large."

The HPA Village Campus has been using Common Sense Education's innovative and research-based digital citizenship resources, which were created in collaboration with Dr. Howard Gardner of the GoodPlay Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The resources teach students, educators, and parents tangible skills related to Internet safety, protecting online reputations and personal privacy, managing online relationships, and respecting creative copyright. The free resources are currently used in more than 90,000 classrooms nationwide.

"We're honored to be recognized as a Common Sense Digital Citizenship Certified School," said Patty Walker, Interim Middle School Principal.

"By preparing our students to use technology safely and responsibly, we are providing them unlimited opportunities to maximize and personalize their learning," said Cathy Grant, Lower School Principal.

For more information about the HPA Village Campus, visit www.hpa.edu. To learn more about the criteria the HPA Village Campus met to become certified as a Common Sense Certified School, visit http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/certification.

The HPA Lower School Student Council, with assistance from advisor Rachel Baydo, planned and organized the Lower School Walk-a-Thon, held on April 4, 2017 at the school's Village Campus. The event raised $6,016.93 to help fund the rebuilding of Anuenue Playground in Waimea. Lower School Student Council members presented a check to representatives from Friends of Anuenue Playground on Thursday, May 18.

"The Walk-a-Thon fundraiser for the rebuilding of Anuenue Playground provided an opportunity for our Lower School Student Council, and all of our students, to know that they have the ability to make a positive impact on our greater community," said Baydo. "We are very grateful for everyone's support of this event.

(Photos Courtesy Shannon Doak)

"This diverse class has learned so much together," said class speaker Grace Bostock. "Wherever we go, we'll carry with us the knowledge we gained together."

Forty-nine members of the class of 2021 are ready to make the transition to high school after receiving certificates of completion at the Eighth Grade Transition Ceremony held Wednesday evening, May 24, at Gates Performing Arts Center.

(Photos by Bob Fewell Photography)

Patty Walker, interim Middle School principal, welcomed parents, families, and friends, and Stephanie David, English and capstone teacher, offered the invocation. Isabella Police and Jessi Sohriakoff presented the eighth grade video, followed by Bostock's address.

The class recognized Walker, David, and history and capstone teacher Matt Piercy, who are leaving the Middle School at the end of the school year.

The eighth graders then presented their class hula about the beautiful hills of Waimea, Nā Puʻu Kaulana o Waimea.

Class advisors presented this year's Character Virtue Awards to:

Morgan Davis and Nicholas Barrick — Pursuit of Excellence

Raquel McMackin and Ethaniel Wilson — Wonder

Kahalley Anton and Xander Lai — Respect

Malia McKendry and Kelsen-Jaye Walker — Integrity

Piercy, who has been at HPA for 10 years, offered the closing remarks.

"Class of 2021, enter high school full of appreciation...Being grateful is seen as a positive human attribute from Tunisia to Hawai'i. At this exciting crossroads, I hope you think about all that you're thankful for. In doing so, you'll continue to give back, which will bring you more satisfaction. May you keep appreciating and enjoying all that you have."

Eighth graders concluded the ceremony with their lively rendition of Don't Stop Believing and a mahalo chant.

Congratulations, Class of 2021!

"You are each capable of making powerful change in the world. We are so proud of you."

—Scott Bradley '80, Chair, Board of Trustees

"We are here today to celebrate you. Not only your achievements and your presence, but also your potential; your promise. Celebrating your potential is to celebrate what you will make of it. Not my image of your potential, and not anyone else in this room. The only failure, again, is if you don't dare to pursue it."

—Robert McKendry, Head of School

"Kumu Kuwalu Anakalea said something that I believe sums up this entire year. She said that this moment is important because never again will we be in this place, with this specific group of people, at this specific time, but we will always have the experience."

—Janelle Laros ʻ17, Student Council President

"Seniors, your true character was revealed by your convictions and statements, the choices you made, the promises you kept, and what you did to help others. This defines you and how you will be remembered."

—Lupe Diaz, Upper School math teacher and senior class advisor

One hundred three members of the Class of 2017 were awarded diplomas during the Sixty-Sixth Annual Commencement Exercises on May 26 in Castle Gymnasium.

The Reverend Diana Akiyama offered the invocation and Head of School Robert McKendry welcomed students, family, and friends.

Speakers included Scott Bradley '80, Board of Trustees chair; McKendry, and Janelle Laros ʻ17, student council president. Lupe Diaz, Upper School math teacher and senior class advisor, gave the commencement address.

Laros received the Head of School Award and Sidney Vermeulen was named the Senior Scholar.

During a senior awards ceremony held on May 25, the following seniors also received awards: Janelle Laros, National Center for Women and Information Technology Award; Tanner Riley, Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation Scholarship; Shanae Butler, Founder's Award, Elijah Anakalea-Buckley, Walter Liu '65 Memorial Leadership Award; Adam Pigott, Kevin Kitagawa '77 Memorial Bootstrap Award; Sarah Emmons, Phyllis A. Richards Theatre Award; Jasmine Buerano and Kai Miller, Spirit of 2012 Award; Sabrina Marvin and Noah Wise, Stanford W. Shutes Athletic Award; Taylor Doherty and Braden Kojima, Athletes of the Year.

After receiving their diplomas, the Class of 2017 presented their gifts of song and dance—Hole Waimea, No Kohala (chant and hula kahiko), and No Kohala Ka Makani Āpaʻapaʻa (ʻauana).

The Reverend Diana Akiyama closed the ceremony with benediction, followed by a mahalo chant from the class, Hawaiʻi Aloha, and the Class of 2017ʻs Lei O Hilo.

Congratulations, Class of 2017!

HPA coaches recently honored this school year's outstanding student athletes. Student receiving awards were:

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR: Taylor Doherty and Braden Kojima.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY: Ilan Naibryf and Javan Perez, Most Valuable; Tristan Sienkiewicz, Malcolm Davis, and Jason Lee, Coach's Award; Skyler Roque-Sunahara, Jonah Hurney, and Luis Madrid, Most Improved.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY: Sabrina Marvin, Most Valuable; Natalie Klett, Coach's Award; Zoë McGinnis, Most Improved.

FOOTBALL: Finn Richmond, Offensive Back Award; Dane Francis, Offensive Lineman Award; Jevon Flippin, Defensive Back Award; Sean Donnelly, Defensive Lineman Award; Alex Winters, Most Improved; Noah Wise, Holi Bergin Award.

BOYS PADDLING: Etera Teururai, Most Valuable; John Farrell, Coachʻs Award; Sheldon Aribal, Most Improved.

GIRLS PADDLING: Rachel Bonn, Most Valuable; Mikela Parris, Coachʻs Award; Annika Berezney, Most Improved.

BOYS SWIMMING: Frederik Moeller, Most Valuable; Aapo Eerola, Coach's Award; Joar Berglund, Most Improved.

GIRLS SWIMMING: Taylor Doherty, Most Valuable; Tereza Kanalosova, Coach's Award; Kira Parker, Most Improved.

BOYS SOCCER: Braden Kojima, Most Valuable; Noah Wise, Coach's Award; Kama Kahoe-Morrison, Most Improved.

GIRLS SOCCER: Emi Higgins and Rowan Kotner, Most Valuable; Julia Perry and Teah Van Bergen, Coach's Award; Zoë Ganley, Most Improved.

BOYS WRESTLING: Jack Rose, Most Valuable; Jacob Grimme, Coach's Award; Tommy Truong, Most Improved.

GIRLS WRESTLING: Sneha Nair, Most Valuable; Cassidy Majors, Coach's Award; Taryn Bonham, Most Improved.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Jonah Hurney and Michael Hanano, Most Valuable; Dylan Ngango Dikobo, Coach's Award; Matija Vitorovic, Most Improved.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Chyna Hanano, Most Valuable; Emma Saito, Coach's Award; Mikaela Chong, Most Improved; Chyna Hanano, Honoring the Game Award, Coco Shafer, Captains Award.

BOYS TRACK: Ilan Naibryf, Most Valuable; Riki Nims, Coach's Award; Luis Madrid, Most Improved.

GIRLS TRACK: Rowan Kotner, Most Valuable; Sabrina Marvin, Coach's Award; Harley Kell, Most Improved.

BOYS TENNIS: Jeff Marks and Ethan James, Most Valuable; Andy Lee, Coach's Award.

GIRLS TENNIS: Kayla Hollister, Most Valuable; Sora Frysinger, Coach's Award; Anna Morita, Most Improved.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL: Ghar Pautz, Most Valuable; Kai Miller and Zach Chaikin, Coach's Award; Matija Vitorovic, Most Improved.

WATER POLO: Taylor Doherty, Most Valuable; Ava Jean Johnston, Coach's Award; Sarah Houser, Most Improved; Janelle Laros, Hoʻohana Award.

GOLF: Jaxon Heitz, Most Valuable; Jody Jamin, Coach's Award.

BASEBALL: Braden Kojima, Jonah Hurney, and Finn Richmond, Most Valuable; Tristan Sienkiewicz, Coach's Award; Blake Winston, Most Improved.

SOFTBALL: Vanessa Gary, Most Valuable; Kiaʻi Lindsey, Coach's Award; Mikela Parris, Most Improved.

The following students at Hawai'i Preparatory Academy (HPA) were named to the Dean's List for the second semester:

Middle School:

Grade 6: Gabriel Aiona, John (Jack) Arrillaga, Bianca Brown, Jane-Grace Cootey, Lia Craven, Andrew Fung, Ryder Garcia, Isabella Hodges, Jakob Honda, Bayla Jefferson, Harlow Johnston, ʻAnolani Liu, Aleena Madrid, Caleb McKendry, Roxanne McMackin, Malia Mitchell, Nicholas Sebastian, Maya Slaven, Parker Smith, Laʻakeaokanaʻauʻao Sohriakoff, Ali Wawner, and Chase Zucker.

Grade 7: Sydney Chin, Roisin Darby, Chloe Delos Santos, Briana Harmon, Ruby Helmuth, Emily Houser, Sofia Howard, Lily Kassis, Ava Koepper, Forest McKinney, Catherine Moynahan, Jona Patig, Jordan Perry, Ella Prado, Maile Puckett, Emily Thompson, Cache Van Tassell, William (Bear) Wawner, and Matthew Wiecking.

Grade 8: Nicholas Barrick, Grace Bostock, Kaija Cooper, Morgan Davis, Julian Fried, Malia Honda, Hana Husek, Sara Kimura, Katharine Kuyper, Xander Lai, Malia McKendry, Raquel McMackin, Dominic Pagano, Isabella Police, Kanalumaliemaikalani Shimizu, Jessi Sohriakoff, Kayla Tadaki, Kelsen-Jaye Walker, and Ethaniel Wilson

To receive Dean's List recognition, a student must achieve: a semester grade point average of 3.67 or higher, no semester grade below B, and a conduct grade of A- or better.

Upper School:

Grade 9: Lily Ameika, Ry Bleckel, Madison Bram, Kirra Brown, Hang Bui, Lily Eastman, Sacha Grunberg, Charlotte Head, Kassadie Hurney, Ami Ibaramoto, Ivanni Jamin, Harley Kell, Alyssa Klett, Natalie Klett, Fisher McKinney, Maia Mills, Gabriella Nakamaru, William Nudo, Mia Patig, Jenna Perry, Gabriella Pike, Maria Ramirez, Bess Arielle Rowland, JuliaAnn Salvador, Mark Schiller, Anna Schroedel, Hikari Shaver, and Anna Sorensen.

Grade 10: Seth Beach, Annika Berezney, Yann-Hsiang Chen, Christopher Chock, Mikaela Chong, Yui Chu, Sydney Cochran, Hayley Emmons, Yong Jae Ha, Riley Hiatt, Emalia Higgins, Holly Hoffbauer, Maiki Kawakami, Ted Kim, Maile Kuyper, Jason Lee, Luis Madrid Aguera, Daniel Mark, Delilah McMahan, Brendan Moynahan, Keaton Riley, AnnMarie Ryan, Tess Savage, Jacob Schneider, Xiaoli Tang, Kiawehokua Tarnas, Airi Tomihara, Zachary Vermeulen, Hayden Virtue, Moritz von Buchwaldt, David Welch Keliihoomalu, Mako Yamamoto, and Zixin Yan.

Grade 11: Jakob Au, Payton Au, Joar Berglund, Soli Boo, Sienna Byrne, Zachary Chaikin, Kristen Cole-Lanier, Malcolm Davis, Emily Fong, Sora Frysinger, Kailer Garcia, Kieran Wiese Gibson, Oliver Grayson, Daniel Groves, Sarah Houser, Jody Jamin, Alice Kirkham, Madison Lee, Pan-Pan Lin, Anna Morita, Sneha Nair, Karly Noetzel, Kira Parker, Caroline Parks, Julia Perry, Silas Rhyneer, Emma Saito, William Savage, Aliya Smigel, Amelia Snyder, Samantha Sponer, Yerden Suraganov, Nahe Texeira, Alexandra Thomas, Minh Truong, Teah Van Bergen, Laney Van Tassell, Matthew Vazquez, Gillian Winston, , Zichun Xia, and Sanghyup Yoon.

Grade 12: Elijah Anakalea-Buckley, Anthony Beetem, Hailey Briseno, Hyunjin Choi, Alicia Chow, Casimir Dahrouch, Viet Tung Dao, Vuk Durdevic, Kevin Durkin, Sarah Emmons, Elyse Fujioka, Vanessa Gary, Chyna Hanano, Chi-Hao Hsu, Tereza Kanalosova, Seungyou Kim, Rowan Kotner, Nicole Lorenzo, Tola Mahoney, Dyllan Millar, Kai Miller, Rachel O'Toole, Gharin Pautz, Adam Pigott, Clara Saalfeld, James Schneider, Millenna Seid, Sidney Vermeulen, Ziyan Wang, Mimi Werdegar, and Thomas Yoo.

To receive Dean's List recognition, a student must achieve: a semester grade point average of 3.67 or higher, no semester grade below B, no honor violations, and a passing citizenship grade.

Head of School Robert McKendry recently announced the following administrative appointments at Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy, effective July 1, 2017:

Dr. Alain Carmen Sykes has been named dean of academics, overseeing all aspects of the school's K-12 academic program. She also will serve as a member of the school's residential life team.

Dana Petteys has been named interim Middle School principal, responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of the Middle School and coordinating curriculum and faculty development.

Sykes, who has roots on Maui, brings extensive administrative and classroom experience in the United States and abroad to her new position. She most recently served as the Middle States Accreditation Internal Coordinator, social studies department chair, and teacher at the American Overseas School of Rome. She previously taught history and English and served as the K-12 director of multiculturalism and inclusion at Chadwick School in California, taught seventh and eighth grade English at the Berlage Lyceum in Amsterdam, and taught seventh, ninth, and eleventh grade English and standard/IB History at Anatolia College in Greece. She served as a site coach for the University of Washington's Teacher Education Program, where she mentored teacher candidates in humanities and STEM subjects. She also taught the theory and practice-based Multicultural Teaching course for the University of Washington's Elementary Teacher Education Program (ELTEP). Sykes earned her Ph.D. in Education from the University of Washington with a focus on curriculum, instruction, and multicultural education. She has been published in the areas of student identity and philosophy for children and has presented at conferences on mixed raced families and teachers and identity.

Petteys joined HPA in 1999 as an ESL teacher at the Upper School. She assumed full-time registrar duties in the 2006-2007 school year and was responsible for the Upper School's overall schedule and working on curriculum, coordinating and leading workshops, and co-advising the Service Learning Advisory Council Club. She most recently served as interim dean of academics overseeing all aspects of the school's K-12 academic program. Petteys, who is a strong service-learning advocate, studied in France at a private Catholic university and earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Washington. She holds a certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language from Seattle University and received her master's in English as a Second Language (ESL) from the University of Hawaii-Manoa.

By Jordan Virtue '16

In an iconic scene from Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams as Sean Maguire adjusts his tweed jacket and sits down in a musty office across from Matt Damon. He asks if Damon, playing Will Hunting, has a soul mate, someone who opens things up, challenges him, and touches his soul. Will rattles off a list of great philosophers, playwrights, and poets, and Sean quickly dismisses the possibility of dialogue with them because they are all dead. "Not to me, they're not," Will replies.

I agree with Will Hunting— those authors are alive through their books, and they come to life every time I write about them. I really fell in love with literature and writing in high school, especially in AP Literature during my junior year. I loved it so much that I completed an independent English study with Mr. Braithwaite the following year, studying William Faulkner and Joseph Campbell while working as a teacher's aide.

Literature is filled with stories of glorious victories and stunning defeats, roads taken and roads left behind, epic adventures in far off lands and adventures in the scaled-down life we call ordinary. Writing about the tension between those experiences and "problems of the human heart in conflict with itself," in the words of Faulkner, opened my eyes to the truly miraculous nature of our lives.

I have carried my passion for writing with me to college, where I ended up taking four English courses in my freshman year. One of my Harvard professors, in a lecture hall just down the street from where Good Will Hunting was filmed, told us that a great book never finishes saying what it has to say. It is alive, and it thrusts the reader into an enduring dialogue about what it means to be human.

I enjoy journalism for the same reasons— I love entering into a dialogue with someone and finding the essence of their story. Journalism gives the facts, but it also provides an avenue to demonstrate a human connection. I was privileged to work with Fred Barbash, the former national editor and current editor of the Morning Mix section of the Washington Post, during my senior year at HPA.

Learn more about what it's like working with an editor at the Washington Post

In an internship outside of class, Mr. Barbash asked us to pitch Hawai'i-centered stories that could be published. I decided to write about local foods, eventually settling on the Original Big Island Shave Ice Co. After walking through the door of their turquoise shave ice truck and listening to their story, I was most struck by the sense of family that permeates every aspect of their business. I learned how the Ignacios revived the family business after nearly 20 years, bringing "the perfect shave" to a whole new generation of shave ice enthusiasts. The story was eventually published in the Travel section of the Post and was picked up by other publications across the country. But, like Reggie Ignacio says, it all comes back to family. The desire to write about that human connection has been my inspiration.

The Isaacs Art Center at Hawai'i Preparatory Academy is holding an ArtRageous Summer Sale from 10 a.m.. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 18, through Saturday, July 22. The sale features summer specials on treasures old and new, starting at $5. Browse through paintings, vintage prints, historic photos, rare books, and memorabilia of Old Hawaii. Treasure hunters will find works by legendary artists Jean Charlot, Hon Chew Hee, Herb Kane, and Shirley Russell, among many others.

All proceeds benefit the HPA Scholarship Fund, which assists promising young people from Hawaii in realizing their educational goals.

View some of the artwork below:

Mike Donnelly has been named director of alumni relations at Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy (HPA).

Donnelly, an HPA alumnus, joined HPA in 2014 as assistant director of admission after retiring from the U.S. Army with 27 years of service. As part of the schoolʻs admission team, Donnelly was responsible for grades 9-12 admissions, focusing on the Hawaiian Islands and greater Asia-Pacific region.

In his new position, Donnelly will lead local and regional alumni activities.

Prior to joining HPA, Donnelly was communications advisor for the commander of U.S. Army Pacific at Fort Shafter on Oʻahu. He previously held Army public affairs positions in Hawaii since 2004, and participated in several operational deployments. Donnelly earned his bachelorʻs degree from Gonzaga University.

Currently, HPA has alumni living in and from virtually every country around the world.

Learn more about Alumni events and ways to get involved.