Eighteen-year-old Kyle Matsuda, of Hawaii Preparatory Academy, was named Wednesday a U.S. President Scholar, a distinction given to only one other Hawaii student this year.
Eighteen-year-old Kyle Matsuda, of Hawaii Preparatory Academy, was named Wednesday a U.S. Presidential Scholar, a distinction given to only one other Hawaii student this year.
Kyle will be among the 141 graduating high school seniors honored for their academic excellence, artistic accomplishments and civic contributions next month in Washington, D.C. Kimiko Matsuda-Lawrence, of the University Lab School in Honolulu, was also selected by the U.S. Department of Education.
“I’m so excited and humbled,” Kyle said. “This is such a huge surprise and a great honor. I really don’t know what to say, except wow!”
For Kyle, this accomplishment is not just his. He said it belongs to his parents, Richard and Leslie Matsuda, of Waimea, as well as his family, teachers, mentors, school and the island. Kyle, who will be attending Harvard University next fall, said he hopes other students see the huge support that exists within their community, and find the courage to ask for help and make connections to pursue their dreams.
“We are thrilled to see a gentleman such as Kyle recognized not only for his intellect, but for his musical talent, genuine and humble nature, and dedication to principles that people hold dear,” said HPA Headmaster Lindsay Barnes Jr. “This recognition is so well deserved. We are very, very proud of Kyle and all he has achieved on and off campus.”
Scholars invite a teacher to accompany them to the award ceremony, sponsored by the White House, where honorees will receive a special medallion. Kyle said he chose English teacher Gordon Bryson because of his challenging teaching style, which includes his unwillingness to accept superficial answers and deep questions that drive thoughts underneath the surface, often forcing students to deal with the complexity or give meaning to the information.
“Everyone loves him. He’s just really inspiring,” Kyle added.
This will be the second time Kyle has visited Washington, D.C. During this trip, he will meet government officials, educators, authors, musicians, scientists and other accomplished people. He’ll also visit museums and monuments.
An accomplished pianist, Kyle began playing the piano at age 8. He immediately fell in love with jazz, the quintessential art of improvisation. In jazz, he said innovation is welcome, imagination runs rampant and the rules are flexible or challenged. Kyle also enjoys the sense of freedom he feels when playing music.
His passion and dedication to music has paid off. Kyle was one of two pianists, out of 12 high school musicians nationwide, invited to participate in last year’s Vail Jazz Workshop in Colorado as the first participant ever selected from Hawaii in the program’s 16-year history. Kyle was also accepted from 2008 to 2011 to the Stanford Jazz Residency at Stanford University. He has been called extraordinary, genius and virtuoso, as well as received countless accolades from supporters like the Brubeck Institute Summer Jazz Colony and Hawaii Performing Arts Festival.
However, ask Kyle to list some of his greatest accomplishments and he modestly replies, “The coolest thing I’ve ever done was share jazz with fifth-graders at Kohala Elementary School.” Kyle was proud of his presentation, which explained how jazz developed and its influence in popular music today. He hoped it interested the next generation of jazz enthusiasts or motivated them to create something.
Since its creation by Executive Order in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored more than 6,000 top-performing high school seniors nationwide. Annually, the program invites students, who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts, to apply for recognition based on outstanding scores on the College Board SAT or ACT assessments. Applicants are further evaluated on the basis of school reports and transcripts, leadership activities and contributions to family, school and community.
U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, as well as Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, congratulated both Hawaii Presidential Scholars for being academically strong and well-rounded individuals. All agreed the “high recognition” was deserved.
“I would like to congratulate Kimiko and Kyle for their hard work, focus and dedication in the classroom. Not only did they excel academically, they are active, productive members of their community,” Inouye said. “A special thanks to their families and teachers who support these fine students and provide them the means to succeed. Their recognition is further proof that education is the greatest investment we can make in our future.”