This year, 10 scholarships were awarded by HFS Federal Credit Union to graduating Big Island high school seniors and five scholarships to current college students attending a two-year, four-year or graduate program.
Each recipient was awarded $3,000 for a total of $45,000 in scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Recipients include a two-year student who is majoring in fire and environmental emergency response, nine four-year students heading off to various colleges for the first time, and five current college students completing degrees in psychology, history, nursing, business administration, mechanical engineering, sociology, biochemistry, electrical engineering and computer science.
The credit union congratulates the following scholarship recipients:
• Leahi Coloma (Kamehameha Schools Hawaii);
• Richard Gonsalves (Hilo High School);
• Nali‘ipo‘aimoku Harman (Ke Kula ‘o Nawahiokalani‘opu‘u Iki PCS);
• Daphne Igloria (Keaau High School);
• Lucas Kay-Wong (Kamehameha Schools Hawaii);
• Avani Naleimaile (Kamehameha Schools Hawaii);
• Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista (Waiakea High School);
• Kahilikuikala‘i Paleka (Kamehameha Schools Hawaii);
• Andrew Paresa (Waiakea High School);
• Elwin Shotts (Parker School);
• Ewalea Dameg (University of Hawaii at Hilo);
• Sandy Galves (University of Hawaii at Hilo);
• Wilde Germano (Colorado State University, Pueblo);
• Kale‘a Kuamo‘o (California State University, East Bay);
• Kaliko Tangaro (Chamberlain University).
“We received many impressive applications this year, which made choosing just 15 recipients difficult,” said Jesica Carriaga, HFS Federal Credit Union scholarship committee chair, in a press release. “Congratulations to all 2024 graduates on your accomplishments thus far, and we look forward to seeing all that you achieve in the future.”
HFS FCU releases applications at the beginning of each year, offering scholarships for both graduating Big Island high school seniors pursuing a two or four-year degree, as well as current college students pursuing a two-year, four-year or graduate degree.
For more information, please contact the credit union at (808) 930-1400 or visit our website at hfsfcu.org/scholarships/.