In 2000-2001, the Kealakehe High School Community Council established four scholarships to honor Waverider graduates who represent the values of KHS. These young adults are named the Most Outstanding and Most Charitable students in their class.
Since the first KHS graduation in 2001, there have been 104 awardees who have earned a total of $203,500 to support their post-secondary educational plans.
In 2005-2006, the scholarships were renamed to honor Sarah Rosenberg. She was a talented, driven and compassionate student-athlete who attended Kealakehe High from August 2001 until December 2004. During Christmas break of 2004, Sarah was killed in a tragic car accident. Over the course of her high school career Sarah came to embody the highest qualities of a Kealakehe Waverider. These scholarships 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.
For 2022-23, Geonwoo Lee ($4,000) was awarded as the Most Outstanding Waverider, with Cozette Wood ($3,000) as runner up. Yeunggyun Kwon ($4,000) was awarded as the Most Charitable Waverider, with Mehana Resetnikov ($3,000) as runner up. All four winners were recognized at graduation while Geonwoo and Yeunggyun shared speeches with the class of 2023.
Each of the winners plans to attend college in the fall. Lee, who was a student council member for 3 years and a college match finalist, plans to study computer science at Pepperdine University in California.
Wood was a member of the STEM Academy and expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to work with the Mauna Kea scholars, giving her the chance to earn 12 college credits in engineering and experience the rigors of AP seminar and AP research. She isattending California State University in Monterey Bay where she plans to major in biology/research and run on the school’s cross country team.
Kwon was active with the KHS science bowl and Science Olympiad and was also involved in student activities (school vice president and NHS president) and the varsity swim team. He is planning to study nursing and will start his college career at UH/HCC Palamanui.
Resetnikov also served on the student council and is proud of the Waverider water polo team for their growth over the last few years. She plans to attend the University of San Francisco and major in nursing.