Kaimana Awards honor achievements of 15 student-athletes


 



Ayumi Sakamoto hasn't had the easiest childhood growing up. The recent Iolani School graduate has overcome multiple challenges in her short life, but perhaps none as trying as the two years she had the sport she loves taken away from her.

Sakamoto, one of 15 class of 2015 high school graduates that were honored Saturday afternoon at the HMSA Kaimana Awards Luncheon at the Hawaii Convention Center, was diagnosed with scoliosis as an eighth grader, which kept her off the golf course and in a brace for all but one hour a day.

"That was really hard," Sakamoto said. "I couldn't golf for almost a year and a half, two years. It was really hard not being able to practice, play the sport I love and coming back to the sport was also hard."

With the help of the Shriner's Hospital for Children, Sakamoto worked her way back into playing shape and, as she put it, helped her "get back into the swing of things, literally."

These days Sakamoto can be found back on the golf course, with a new-found sense of appreciation.

"I'm able to push cart now because carrying the bag is a little bit too much of a strain on my back, so it's tough, but for me it's worth it," Sakamoto said. "The sport means a lot to me, so no matter what, I want to keep playing the sport into college and beyond."

Sakamoto was a member of the girls' golf team at Iolani throughout high school and helped the Raiders to a team state title in 2012, but her athletic accomplishments are just part of what makes her special. Sakamoto founded a scoliosis support group at the Shriner's Hospital, as well as the Kupuna Care Club at Iolani.

"After losing my grandma to Alzheimer's when I was in the tenth grade, I was inspired to form a Kupuna Care Club at my school and for the past two years we've been making monthly visits to Leahi Hospital to spend time with nursing home residents and that's been a big part of my life," Sakamoto said. "The scoliosis support group has been a work in progress, but Shriner's has treated me so well with my scoliosis journey that I wanted to help give back to patients like myself.

Sakamoto, who will study medicine at Carleton College in Northfield, Minn. in the fall, said managing her time wisely has been a key component to juggling her hectic schedule.

"For me, what keeps me grounded or what drives me is my family," Sakamoto said. "When things get tough with school and community service and sports I just keep going because I know that my family has sacrificed a lot for me and I just try to get things done step-by-step. I try not to look too far ahead, but just keeping my focus on school and sports equally distributed."

One of Sakamoto's former classmates at Iolani, Erik Yamada, knows all about time management. Yamada, who was also recognized at the luncheon Saturday, was a member of his school's basketball, volleyball and tennis teams, while also spearheading several altruistic initiatives.

"This is huge for me, because after hearing about what everyone else who won this award has done made me realize how special this is and it's such an honor to be in the class of all these other student-athletes who have done so many amazing things off the court as well as on the court and it just makes me feel really special," Yamada said.

Yamada helped create the Tassel Club at Iolani, where students teach Cambodian youth phonetics through video chat.

"It's super rewarding and it teaches you to be grateful for what you have because when you're able to see these kids and how much they appreciate your time and that you're teaching them, you have to take a second to look at what you have and it makes you appreciate your life a lot more," said Yamada, who also started a financial literacy class for teens with misdemeanor offenses. "It's just basic advice about making good choices and how to manage your money and basically information about credit cards versus debit cards and things like that."

Yamada also credited his parents for their support over the years.

"I think the hardest part of doing anything is getting started and I think a big credit needs to go to my parents and my family for always supporting me and encouraging me to do whatever I wanted," said Yamada, who will attend Rice University in Houston in the fall and pursue a career in engineering or medicine. "They always encouraged me if I wanted to do something else and gave me what I need to pursue that opportunity and that's a big part of why I've been able to accomplish what I have."

Another awardee, Tiffany Chang, started her own non-profit organization while she was still attending Punahou. The initiative, known as "The Canvas," is a co-working space for high schoolers and is located in Kalihi.

"We wanted to inspire kids to be more motivated in education and we realized that a lot of kids go to Starbucks and do collaborative work, so we wanted to open a space just like that," Chang said. "We have a lot of events, workshops, opportunities for kids to get engaged and find what they're interested in and pursue it and also do homework together."

Chang, who completed in volleyball and golf for the Buffanblu, will attend the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business in the fall.

"I feel really honored because these are all really inspiring kids," Chang said. "It really means a lot to help me forward my education and also my service to Hawaii. I really want to come back and be able to help Hawaii."

It is the 10th consecutive year that HMSA has recognized the efforts of student-athletes through the Kaimana Awards program. In that span, it has awarded more than 200 scholarships and more than $500,000 in scholarship monies.

"I think for us, when we started the program, it was as simple as celebrating students who were participating in healthy activities, but it has grown into so much more," said Wendy Nakasone, HMSA Assistant Vice President for Brand Management. "We've been able to provide more money to the scholarship recipients and we see this as an investment in the future of Hawaii and it's such an important way for us to give back."

Some of the former award winners are now professionals in their own right. Among them are doctors, teachers and even a former Miss Hawaii.

"It's incredible," Nakasone said. "I think when we select the students we anticipate that they're going to do great things, but then to actually see that have happened is pretty remarkable and to see that we had a small piece in that is really redeeming. Hopefully it gave them the boost that, ‘We believe in you and we think you're going to do great things,' and hopefully it helps them through some tough times when they remember that people really thought highly of them and we're counting on them to do great things."

HMSA received a record 465 applications this year, Nakasone said.

Twelve other individuals were recognized Saturday with a $5,000 scholarship. Also, nine schools received a $1,500 check and were honored for excellence in academics, athletics, community service, sportsmanship and healthy activities.

For a complete list of winners and biographies of each individual, visit HMSA.com/Kaimana.



Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




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