SHINING STARS
State honors Konishiki's school kokua
Sumo wrestling legend
Konishiki (aka Salevaa Atisanoe) received a State of Hawaii recognition award for his efforts to raise $70,000 to support seven Leeward Coast elementary schools. Each school -- Makaha, Leihoku, Nanakuli, Nanaikapono, Waianae, Maili and Kamaile -- received $10,000 for books, supplies or computers from the Konishiki Kids Foundation. The foundation has helped these schools for 11 years and also once paid for a trip to Japan for 35 students from each school.
Brookfield Homes Hawaii's Holomua ("succeed") education program has awarded equipment, supplies and other resources to Kalaheo, Koloa and Hanalei Elementary Schools on Kauai. The program fulfilled the wish lists of several teachers: LaVonne Garlie and Terese Barich at Kalaheo; Jackie Baker, Donna Okihara, Brook Hurd, Soledad Negrillo, Joy Abreu and Scott Topp at Koloa; and Kathy Kiaha, Melanie Hermstad and Wendy Paik at Hanalei.
Goodwill Industries of Hawaii was given $10,000 grants from the Cades Foundation and the Pettus Foundation, as well as $5,000 from the Cooke Foundation. The money will be used for the construction of Goodwill's Ohana Career and Learning Center in Kapolei to assist Leeward residents with vocational and professional skills.
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