BY CAROLYN LUCAS-ZENK | WEST HAWAII TODAY The second time’s the charm for 17-year-old Kealakehe High School senior Carissa Kitaoka. ADVERTISING She was crowned Miss Oahu on Feb. 5 at the Manoa Grand Ballroom in Honolulu and will vie this
BY CAROLYN LUCAS-ZENK | WEST HAWAII TODAY
The second time’s the charm for 17-year-old Kealakehe High School senior Carissa Kitaoka.
She was crowned Miss Oahu on Feb. 5 at the Manoa Grand Ballroom in Honolulu and will vie this summer for the Miss Hawaii title. The winner there will represent the state in the Miss America competition.
Kitaoka first sought to become Miss Hawaii by competing locally in the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival’s annual scholarship pageant. Kitaoka thought she had “a good chance” after serving as the 2010 Miss Kona Coffee’s Outstanding Teen.
Kitaoka started competing in pageants because she wanted an outlet to share her love of music and performing.
“Music is in my blood. I come from family of musicians. My dad plays the drums, and my grandma plays piano. My family has all these home movies of me singing, something I have done even before I could talk,” she said. “I started taking piano lessons at the age of 5 and continued to do so on and off throughout the years. Music is a huge part of who I am.”
She is the daughter of Coran and Christy Kitaoka of Kealakekua.
Kitaoka said the Miss Kona Coffee pageants helped her become a stronger, well-rounded person who cares more about worldly events and is passionate about community service.
When her dream of becoming Miss Kona Coffee and heading to the Miss Hawaii competition didn’t come to fruition, she didn’t quit.
Instead, Kitaoka stayed “positive and humble” and used her drive to succeed and pursue the Miss Oahu, Miss Diamond Head, Miss Waikiki, Miss Ala Moana Scholarship Pageant. Kitaoka also got a job to pay for her pageant expenses and is grateful for constant encouragement from Miss Hawaii Lauren Cheape.
The Miss Oahu, Miss Diamond Head, Miss Waikiki, Miss Ala Moana Scholarship Pageant is open to contestants, ages 17 to 24, who live outside of Oahu, Kitaoka said.
“The fact I am only 17 made me the youngest and put the odds against me from the start. However, I’m really determined and decided to use this as an advantage,” she said. “While others may have underestimated me, I wasn’t going to start underestimating myself. Age doesn’t matter. My previous pageant experiences also made me mentally and emotionally ready.”
During the Oahu pageant, Kitaoka won the talent award by playing the piano and singing her rendition of Beyonce’s “Stand Up for Love.” Besides the title, Kitaoka also received a $10,000 scholarship, which she intends to use at Argosy University in Honolulu. She hopes to pursue a music career.
“I’m really excited about representing my island and Oahu. For me, this is not about being a queen of something,” she said. “It’s about having the opportunity to do a year of service in unbelievable ways.”
One way, she said, is using to “make miracle through music.” Kitaoka plans to hold benefit concerts for the Kapiolani Children’s Miracle Network.
clucas-zenk@westhawaiitoday.com
