Sterling Scholarships
award schools’ best
and brightest

Top winner Daniel Evans'
interests range from sociology to
business to microbiology

By Craig Gima
Star-Bulletin

This year's top Sterling Scholarship winner, Daniel Evans of Kahuku High School, hasn't decided what he will do with his life.

It may be something to do with nanotechnology -- building machines as tiny as a human enzyme. Or helping to save coral reefs.

He's also interested in microbiology, economics, sociology and business.

"My first year in college is going to be devoted to figuring what I want my life to be," Evans said.

Even though he may not know what his major will be, Evans does know how to succeed in school.

He has a 4.0 average and is the top scholar in his class of 274 students at Kahuku. He was also chairman of the Hawaii State Student Council, an Eagle Scout and active in speech and debate and the marching band.

He is also the winner of the top prize of a $6,500 scholarship in the annual Sterling Scholar Awards Program.

Evans will use the money to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in the fall.

The other winners in the general scholarship category included Tanner Fahl of Iolani, who received the second-place scholarship of $3,000, and Naomi Klein of Hilo High School, who received $1,500 for third place.

The Sterling scholarship program has presented more than $1 million to Hawaii's high school seniors since 1987.

This year, $91,000 in scholarship money was awarded in 13 categories.

Evans is the son of Robert K. Evans, a vice president for administration at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, and Mildred E. Evans, a special-education teacher at Kahuku High School.

Evans said he was speechless when he learned he had won the top award during a ceremony at the Polynesian Cultural Center Saturday.

"I'm extremely honored," he said. "I think all of the participants are some of the finest people I've ever met."

The Sterling Scholar Awards is one of Hawaii's most prestigious and one of the most comprehensive college scholarship programs in the country.

The program is open to all Hawaii high schools, with each school selecting nominees for consideration. Five finalists are selected in each category.

Scholarships are awarded to the top three finalists in each category. The others receive savings bonds.

Sterling Scholar winners receiving $4,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place are:

Business Education -- Christopher Matthew Petersen of Mililani High School, first; Jocelyn Sinco del Rosario of Waipahu High School, second; Cliff Chen-Chang Hsia of Iolani School, third.

English -- Emilie Sushannah Fagin of Radford High School, first; Leslie Kikuno Inamasu of Mid-Pacific Institute, second; Meredith Reiko Ishida of Punahou School, third.

Family & Consumer Science -- Mika Lei Izutsu of Baldwin High School, first; Lynne Mariko Yasui of Iolani School, second; Brandi Masako Horikawa of Mililani High School, third.

Foreign Language -- Jodie Kaleonahe Rothschild of Iolani School, first; Laurie Ann Yen Fen Dunn of Punahou School, second; Kristen Yukiko Keonaonaokapua Kong of Kamehameha Schools, third.

Hawaiian Studies -- Cyd La'ie Anahiwa Gasper of Kamehameha Schools, first; Lehuanani C. Waipa Ah Nee of Hilo High School, second; Chrislyn Anne Pakele of Waiakea High School, third.

Industrial Arts -- Richard Quang Duong of McKinley High School, first; Scott Seiichi Atta of Aiea High School, second; Marysol Ancheta Damo of Radford High School, third.

Mathematics -- Erin Mei Nishimura of Punahou School, first; Nichole Irene Smith of Hilo High School, second; Luk Ki Lam of McKinley High School, third.

Music -- Jolene Satsuki Muneno of Iolani School, first; Deven Ikaika Shinya Kono of Aiea High School, second; Joseph Francis LeBlanc of Moanalua High School, third.

Speech & Drama -- Carmen M. Herlihy of Baldwin High School, first; William Whitmore Nguyen of Roosevelt High School, second; Inga Christina Earle of Punahou School, third.

Social Science -- Megan Colleen Lloyd of Hilo High School, first; Jessica Robinson Preece of Kahuku High School, second; Lauren Chiemi Hong of Moanalua High School, third.

Science -- Emi Malia Eno of Baldwin High School, first; Nina 'Olulani Yuen of Hilo High School, second; Jeffrey Scott Malins of Iolani School, third.

Visual Arts -- Renee Kathryn Pualani Coates of Hana High School, first; Nina Alena Elizabeth Beatty of Kahuku High School, second; Elijah Brandon Cabiles of Baldwin High School, third.

Title sponsors are Polynesian Cultural Center, Coca-Cola Foundation, DFS Hawaii and NBC Hawaii News8.

Category sponsors are Host Marriott, Lokelani Lindsey and the Organization of Chinese Americans.

Supporting sponsors are the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Aloha Airlines, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, Clarence Lee Design, McNeil Wilson Communications, The Schiller Group, Pizza Hut, Roberts Hawaii and Rodeway Inn Hukilau Resort.