KEN IGE / KIGE@STARBULLETIN.COM The Lumanai Award winners, from left, are Losivale Fa'aiu, Taualai Fonoti, Wilson Unga (Outstanding Youth Male), John Siofele (back), Athena Tufu, Caryn Lefaga Kunz (Outstanding Youth Female), Mesepa Reed (back), Ashlee Auli'i Fely and Hana Esekia.

9 Samoan students earn
church merit scholarships

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Star-Bulletin staff

Nine high school seniors of Samoan ancestry were applauded for their academic and creative achievements Thursday in a new honors program of the Nu'u Ministry of the United Church of Christ.

The Lumanai Awards, including cash scholarships for the star seniors, were presented at a banquet at the Disabled American Veterans Hall by the ministry which serves Samoan congregations

"Samoans are often marginalized and stereotyped among our population," said the Rev. Grant Lee of the Hawaii conference of United Church of Christ.

"Samoan students are usually recognized as athletes. We want to uplift the whole achievement of Samoan youngsters."

The top awards of $1,000 each went to Kahuku High School students Wilson Unga, who aims to study political science and law at Georgetown University, and Caryn Lefaga Kunz, who is headed for Stanford University to study biology.

The winners of $500 awards and their academic goals are the following:
>> Mesepa Reed of St. Louis School, pre-med studies at University of Hawaii.
>> John Siofele of St. Louis, computer science at University of Hawaii.
>> Taualai Fonoti of St. Louis, business/communications at Stanford University.
>> Losivale Fa'aiu of Farrington High School, nursing/aviation at Norwich University.
>> Athena J. Tufu of Radford High School, political science/law at University of Hawaii.
>> Hana Esekia of Nanakuli High School, nursing at Graceland University.
>> Ashlee Auli'i Fely of Kahuku High School, nursing at Arizona State University.

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