Announcements: June 1, 2021

Rosenberg scholarship awardees announced

Kealakehe High School Community Council Sarah Rosenberg Memorial Scholarship awardees were recently announced.

The council established the four scholarships that honor graduating Waveriders who truly represent the school’s vision and mission in 2000-01. These young adults are honored as the Most Outstanding and Most Charitable students in their class. Since Kealakehe’s first graduation in 2001, there have been 96 awardees who have earned a total of $178,500 to support their post-secondary educational plans.

In 2005, the scholarships were renamed to honor Sarah Rosenberg, a talented, driven and compassionate student-athlete who attended Kealakehe High from 2001 to 2004. During Christmas break of 2004, Sarah was killed in a car crash. Over the course of her high school career Sarah came to embody the highest qualities of a Kealakehe Waverider. These scholarships came to bear her name as a means of capturing her spirit and to serve as an inspiration for future Waveriders. After Sarah’s death, a fund was established through the Hawaii Community Foundation so that the scholarships would be perpetual.

The 2020-21 awardees for “Most Outstanding Waverider” were Riley Blaber who took first place and a $3,000 scholarship and second-place winner Alexander Bell, who earned $2,500. First place for “Most Charitable Waverider” and a $3,000 scholarship went Kiane Rode while Kayli Gaspar took second and $2,500. The four were recognized while Blaber and Rode shared speeches with the class of 2021 during the school’s commencement held Saturday.

Each of the winners is planning to attend a four-year university in the fall. Blaber will attend Cornell University and plans to major in government and minor in education. Bell will attend Harvard College/University and plans to earn a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Rode will attend the University of Hawaii at Hilo and plans to major in psychology and minor in sociology with a specialization in teen mental health. Gaspar is attending Chapman University and plans to major in environmental science and policy with a minor in law and justice.