The Japanese Community Association of Hawaii recently announced that Tevin Atwal will receive a scholarship of $1,500 for the coming school year.
Atwal is the son of Money and Jill Atwal. He is a recent graduate of Waiakea High School and plans to attend Santa Clara University. While at Waiakea High, he was the WHS Soccer team captain, on the WHS Track and Field Team and a member of the Hilo Junior Tennis Club. He also received the WHS Athletic Achievement award, twice awarded the WSH Scholastic Achievement Award, and Outstanding Service Award. He held the office of Class Treasurer for three of his High School years and took part in the Student Government Association for all four years. Atwal’s volunteer work in the community includes helping the Salvation Army to cook and feed the homeless and helping his church with services, festivals, and representation at the state conference level.
At the University of Santa Clara, he will be majoring in computer science and engineering. He choice of this field was fueled by the joy he had playing video games and wanting to understand video game technology. His hope is to someday create technology that will excite teenagers the same way technology inspired him.
The Japanese Community Association of Hawaii promotes and preserves Japanese culture in Hawaii County and fosters harmonious relations with Japan. The organization works with the County of Hawaii and its Sister-City of Shibukawa, Japan, where the Ikaho Hawaiian Festival is held annually in honor of King David Kalakaua, “The Merrie Monarch.” Today, the association is best known for sponsoring an active calendar of cultural events, such as the biennial Bunka No Hi (Japanese Culture Day in Hawaii) and Kodomo No Matsuri (Children’s Day Festival). The annual Nikkei Kigyo (enterprise of Japanese ancestry) Banquet, recognizes long-standing, multi-generational Japanese American businesses, in East Hawaii. For more information, please call the association at 969-6437 or email jcahawaii@yahoo.com.