CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2025 CONTEST WINNERS!
A special MAHALO to the following for their kokua: Watermark Publishing,
ESPN 1420 Radio, The Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts,
Kahala Mall, PBS Hawaii, Native Books, Honolulu Star-Advertiser/Midweek,
West Hawaii Today, Hawaii Tribune Herald, tgi The Garden Island
and Steve Uyehara from Hawaii News Now, Sunrise
Essay Division
6th Grade – 1st Place
Vielle Capuz
Teacher: Gayle Pai
Damien Memorial School
More Than A Greeting
6th Grade – 2nd Place
Jayden Casallo
Teacher: Gayle Pai
Damien Memorial School
The Unique Charm of Hawaii
6th Grade – 3rd Place
Aegean Ray Ramos
Teacher: Gayle Pai
Damien Memorial School
Hawaii’s Gems of Life
7th Grade – 1st Place
Kaia Pascual
Teacher: Leona Kassel
Homeschool
What Makes Hawaii Special
7th Grade – 2nd Place
Koen Maikai
Teacher: Gayle Pai
Damien Memorial School
The History That Built Hawaii
7th Grade – 3rd Place
Rhythm Coloma
Teacher: Gayle Pai
Damien Memorial School
In The Middle of the Ocean
8th Grade – 1st Place
Savannah Miguel
Teacher: Daena Tokunaga
Waipahu Intermediate School
The Aloha Spirit
8th Grade – 2nd Place
Caroline Porras
Teacher: Gayle Pai
Damien Memorial School
Unique Social Customs of Hawaii
8th Grade – 3rd Place
Rhayne Amaya Ramos
Teacher: Gayle Pai
Damien Memorial School
Landmark Treasures of Hawaii
9th Grade – 1st Place
Mikaella Tong-Pave
Teacher: Kapualoke Renaud
Kamehameha Schools Kapalama
The Meaning of Hawai’I
9th Grade – 2nd Place
Tevahine Fiafaimane
Teacher: Kapualoke Renaud
Kamehameha Schools Kapalama
Hawaii’s Unique Connections
9th Grade – 3rd Place
Myka Aquino
Teacher: Kapualoke Renaud
Kamehameha Schools Kapalama
The True Hawaii
10th Grade – 1st Place
Chelsey Tyau
Teacher: Laura Wang
Iolani School
The True Beauty of Hawaii
10th Grade – 2st Place
Aspen Taylor Ke’auli’imaikalani Hanohano
Teacher: Koko Casey
Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu
The Heartbeat of Hawaii:
A Legacy of Aloha
10th Grade – 3st Place
Sakura Harris
Teacher: Sharlene Teraoka
President Theodore Roosevelt High School
Finding Belonging in a
Lei of Cultures
11th Grade – 1rd Place
Mika Velasco
Teacher: Van Tran-Trimner
Kalani High School
The Aloha in Me & Our Community
11th Grade – 2nd Place
Toa Alaiasa
Teacher: Mikayla Kloeppel
Kahuku High School
What Makes Hawaii Special
11th Grade – 3st Place
Helen Miranda
Teacher: Chayanee Brooks
Ka’u High School
Hawaii’s Charm
12th Grade – 1st Place
Tatyahna Kaupu-Embrey
Teacher: Chayanee Brooks
Ka’u High School
Home
12th Grade – 2nd Place
Raiyan Rahman
Teacher: Whitney Aragaki
Waiakea High School
Hawaii – The Living Classroom
12th Grade – 3rd Place
Hailey Brown
Teacher: Chayanee Brooks
Ka’u High School
Hawaii My Home,
My Heritage, My Heart
Poster Division
Kindergarten – 1st Place
Drexton Goo
Teacher: Jessica Rita
Nānākuli Elementary School
Hawaii Is My Home
Kindergarten – 2nd Place
Sophie Luciano Maggy
Teacher: Jordynne Ching
Momilani Elementary School
I Love the Volcano and the Beach
Kindergarten – 3rd Place
Malacai Uchino
Teacher: Jordynne Ching
Momilani Elementary School
The Hawaiian Beach Day
1st Grade – 1st Place
Madelyn Mitsuda
Teacher: Carol Hasegawa McOuat
Momilani Elementary School
Hawaii is like a greenhouse
1st Grade – 2nd Place
Elle Ocean Lobaton
Teacher: Paris Vo
Momilani Elementary School
Kalo in Hawaii
1st Grade – 3rd Place
Miwa Aurio
Teacher: Karen Hirata
Momilani Elementary School
Hawaii’s Beautiful Sunset
2nd Grade – 1st Place
Cole Ganiko
Teacher: Elise Teruya
Moanalua Elementary School
Fishing in Hawaii
2nd Grade – 2nd Place
Desmond Hoover
Teacher: Elise Teruya
Moanalua Elementary School
Spred the Shakas
2nd Grade – 3rd Place
Mila Paisley DelaCruz
Teacher: Lisa Nakama
Momilani Elementary School
Hawaii’s one of kind sunset
3rd Grade – 1st Place
Sophie Rich
Teacher: Sarita Rich
Home School
Only in Hawaii
3rd Grade – 2nd Place
Daxten Goo
Teacher: Abigail Balais
Nānākuli Elementary School
Spirit of Aloha
3rd Grade – 3rd Place
Trevan Cheng
Teacher: Terry Mitsuda
Manoa Elementary School
Mixed Plate
4th Grade – 1st Place
Shogun Takao
Teacher: Erin Oda
Punahou School
Hawaii’s Plants and Animals
4th Grade – 2nd Place
Ava Kapua
Teacher: Dawn Shiinoki-Ho
Maryknoll School
Hawai’i Ono Food
4th Grade – 3rd Place
Kate Kurashige
Teacher: Kathy Yang
Maryknoll School
Hawaii’s Beautiful Coral Reef
5th Grade – 1st Place
Daysen Goo
Teacher: Abraham Nahulu
Nānākuli Elementary School
Cultural Diversity
5th Grade – 2nd Place
Abigail Miyagi
Teacher: Melissa Lingenbrink
Kamehameha Elementary School
Hawaii’s Music Makers
5th Grade – 3rd Place
Juliette Boyte
Teacher: Laurie Dela Cruz
Hokulani School
Special Things In Hawaii
6th Grade – 1st Place
Carson Masuhara
Teacher: Stephanie Pierobello
Ahuimanu Elementary School
What Makes Hawaii Special
6th Grade – 2nd Place
Kaimana Espiritu
Teacher: David Randall
Sacred Hearts Academy
Ohana & Hoaloha
6th Grade – 3rd Place
Chili Tan
Teacher: Yan Guo
Home School
We Love Hawaiian Food
7th Grade – 1st Place
Breya Girmsey
Teacher: Daryle Mishina
Ewa Makai Middle School
Aloha
7th Grade – 2nd Place
Jaiden Villena
Teacher: Daryle Mishina
Ewa Makai Middle School
The Rich History of Hawaii
7th Grade – 3rd Place
Makena Kim
Teacher: Jane Kim
Punahou School
The Heart of Hawaii: Our Pilina with Aloha and ‘Aina
8th Grade – 1st Place
Hunter Bailey
Teacher: Orthreb Arios
Highlands Intermediate School
A Gathering By The Sea
8th Grade – 2nd Place
Hailey Tellyer
Teacher: Daryle Mishina
Ewa Makai Middle School
Petals of Hawaii
8th Grade – 3rd Place
Vera Julyanna Dealino
Teacher: Daryle Mishina
Ewa Makai Middle School
Taste of Hawaii
9th Grade – 1st Place
Emily Diaz
Teacher: Christina Uchibori
Kalaheo High School
What Makes Hawaii Special
9th Grade – 2nd Place
Isabelle Anzai
Teacher: Britney Kam
Mililani High School
Native Species of Hawaii
9th Grade – 3rd Place
Lyrissa Kim
Teacher: Kaycie Baltunado
Sacred Hearts Academy
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ‘Aina I ka Pono
10th Grade – 1st Place
Kayley Yu
Teacher: Siang Chyn Lim
Waipahu High School
Aloha ‘Ohana: Kūpuna and Keiki Under the Ānuenue
10th Grade – 2nd Place
Aariah Goo
Teacher: Christine Puni Badis
Kamehameha High School
Patchwork of Aloha
10th Grade – 3rd Place
Joshua Emond
Teacher: Chris Pascual
Konawaena High School
Diversity
11th Grade – 1st Place
Adeline (Alec) Wong
Teacher: Matthew Endo
Punahou School
We Know Our Roots
11th Grade – 2nd Place
Rana Terai
Teacher: Sherrilea Katasako
Kalani High School
Ho’omana’o Hawaii
11th Grade – 3rd Place
Matea Pampulov
Teacher: Maile Tran
Henry J. Kaiser High School
Ha’aheo
12th Grade – 1st Place
Elia Emmsley
Teacher: David Bowen
Kahuku High School
Hawaiian’s Culture
12th Grade – 2nd Place
Miya Greene-Naki
Teacher: Bethany Berry
Kahuku High School
The Cultural Blend
12th Grade – 3rd Place
Aiden (Vea) Skinner
Teacher: David Bowen
Kahuku High School
Represent
Digital Media Poster Division
6th Grade – 1st Place
Luna Pace
Teacher: Daryle Mishina
Ewa Makai Middle School
Our Hawaiian Garden
6th Grade – 2nd Place
Spencer Morikone
Teacher: Jay Hernandez
Kaimuki Middle School
Our Hikes
6th Grade – 3rd Place
Reina Smith
Teacher: Jay Hernandez
Kaimuki Middle School
Our Marine Life
7th Grade – 1st Place
Edriane Zara-Verosil
Teacher: David Higa
Ewa Makai Middle School
Hana Pa’a!
7th Grade – 2nd Place
Jedakai Luke Baliba
Teacher: David Higa
Ewa Makai Middle School
High Tides and Good Vibes
7th Grade – 3rd Place
Jaybryn Yadao
Teacher: Daena Tokunaga
Waipahu Intermediate School
Hawai’i’s Aina
8th Grade – 1st Place
Antonella Aguilar Sierra
Teacher: Orthreb Arios
Highlands Intermediate School
Hawai’i’s Natural Beauty
8th Grade – 2nd Place
Amaya Tamboa
Teacher: Daryle Mishina
Ewa Makai Middle School
Hawaii: Woven by the past, strengthened by community, guided by culture
8th Grade – 3rd Place
Connie Jung
Teacher: Mia FitzGerald
Washington Middle School
Hawai’i Nei
9th Grade – 1st Place
Christina Carvalho
Teacher: LeRoy Makekau
Moanalua High School
Moomehu Mo’olelo
9th Grade – 2nd Place
Maile Liu
Teacher: LeRoy Makekau
Moanalua High School
A’ohe hana nui ke alu’ia
9th Grade – 3rd Place
Erielle Ishii
Teacher: Robert Green
Kauai High School
Diversity
10th Grade – 1st Place
Kazzandra Luis
Teacher: Robert Green
Kauai High School
Performing Traditions
10th Grade – 2nd Place
Shai Nishimori
Teacher: Robert Green
Kauai High School
Origins of Surfing
10th Grade – 3rd Place
Arianie Pizarro-Kolo
Teacher: Darren Rey
Aiea High School
Our beaches and culture
11th Grade – 1st Place
Lance Abinsay
Teacher: LeRoy Makekau
Moanalua High School
Hawaiian Voyaging
11th Grade – 2nd Place
Alexandria Jewell
Teacher: Chris Pascual
Konawaena High School
Ua Ola Loko I Ke Aloha
11th Grade – 3rd Place
Emily Meyer
Teacher: Whitney Aragaki
Waiakea High School
Community Through Culture
12th Grade – 1st Place
Terina Asifoa
Teacher: Mikayla Kloeppel
Kahuku High School
Hawaii’s Heart, Nature’s Soul
12th Grade – 2nd Place
Ellyana Guzman
Teacher: Jan Brignoni
James Campbell High School
Melting Pot of Hawai’i
12th Grade – 3rd Place
Jewel Ann Sophia Cortes
Teacher: Lacy Solis
President William McKinley
High School
Aloha Through Food
Middle School Video Division
1st Place
Elise Kim
Ivy Shen
Kiera Smith
Mailey Tuttle
Teacher: Jay Allen Hernandez
Kaimuki Middle School
Tracing Our Roots
2nd Place
George Trimner
Teacher: Van Tran-Trimner
Mililani Middle School
Aloha is a Way of Life
3rd Place
Can Can Zhou
Teacher: Aimee Clanin
Washington Middle School
What Makes Hawaii Special (Our Hawaii)
High School Video Division
1st Place
Emmanuel Cordova III
Teacher: Hailley Baughman
President William McKinley High School
More Than A Place
2nd Place
Kaitlyn Asiata
Charis Pettiford
Orianna Villaflores
Teacher: Sean Nishimura
Moanalua High School
Lamaku
3rd Place
Rhylie Sabuco
Teacher: Bryant Murakami
Waipahu High School
Pidgin Power Why
Hawai’I is Different
