“When we look at Pauahi, she left her legacy for us. And this is the same concept or idea that we want our students to think about as they are doing their legacy,” says Roy Alameida, a kumu at Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiʻi Campus. “Senior legacy project is like a senior project, that, here is required for all seniors for graduating. Here we have five different academies, so within the academy that they select, they need to do a project, a legacy.”
As a part of the Health and Wellness Academy, Khaila felt it was fitting that she continued “A Walk For Pauahi”, an event from last year that she has transformed to call her own.
“This year, I added to it and my focus was to kind of promote the value of education especially after high school through like a fun and active environment,” says Khaila Moke-Sakamoto, a senior at Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiʻi Campus.
So she looked to Kamehameha Schools’ very own, Ke Aliʻi Pauahi Foundation to incorporate a scholarship to this benefit walk that would support the National Honors Society, a club of which she is a member and President.
“Our society has four main, I guess, goals or things that we base ourselves off of, and that’s um, leadership, scholarship, character and service. And, what we want to do is kind of give back, without expecting anything in return, which ties really closely to the foundation, cause their whole thing is kahiau, which is giving without expecting. So the proceeds from my event will go to the scholarship.”
But according to Kumu Roy, getting there wasn’t as easy as it sounds.
“There is a lot of work, I saw Khaila go through all the paperwork that needed to be done. They can share that all bases had to be covered in order for this to happen. But it’s worth it. I’m glad to see that it happened, and it will be part of the legacy, the continuation over the years, in the future.”
This is because Khaila has already found a fellow Health and Wellness Academy member to perpetuate the Walk For Pauahi next year.
“One of the meetings for NHS, Khaila had asked if anyone wanted to take over this event. I didn’t have a senior legacy in mind, so I just thought it might be a good thing to do,” says Shaiyla Iwata, who is a junior at Kamehameha Schoosl, Hawaiʻi Campus.
And Khaila couldn’t be happier.
ʻIt feels good to know that all my work is being put to use and its going to a good cause.”
A good cause that you can still be a part of, incase you didn’t make it to “A Walk for Pauahi”.
“Even after the event, you can help to perpetuate this scholarship,” says Khaila. “We have these envelopes where you just fill out and you can check off which ever component or I guess scholarship you want it to go to.”