Kamehameha Schools Maui senior and salutatorian Nanea Ah You is shooting for the stars, and the place she wants to do it at is the .
On the premise of being interviewed by reporter Chelsea Davis about her award-winning video in the ʻŌlelo Community Media Youth Xchange Student Video Competition, Ah You excitedly shared how she hopes to use storytelling to cultivate her culture. The interview took a different turn when Ah You was told that she was named the winner of the #TakeMeToManoa social media contest hosted by .
UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ admissions counselor Jose Magno, Kamehameha Schools teachers and staff presented the visibly stunned student and her parents with a giant check for a year of free tuition at UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹, courtesy of the (UHFCU).
“Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Thank you!” said Ah You with tears in her eyes.
“Each spring for the past four years, the #TakeMeToManoa social media contest has allowed our campus to connect with the local community in a very thoughtful, engaging, and authentic way,” said UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ Provost Michael Bruno. “Nanea is an incredible visual storyteller, with an enormous amount of talent. Beyond a voice for herself, she is a voice for her community. We are honored and privileged to have Nanea?s academic journey continue here at ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹.”
“Since 1955, we’ve been committed to helping members and our community thrive. To honor that promise, we’re excited to partner with the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ to offer scholarship programs like the #TakeMeToManoa social media contest that support students and the future well-being of our communities,” said UHFCU President and CEO Travis Bow. “We recognize the financial challenge and sacrifices a family and student must make to complete a degree, and we are proud to play a part in helping them reach their academic goals.”
The online contest, which was open to incoming fall 2022 Â鶹´«Ã½ freshmen and transfer students, asked entrants to upload a short video explaining why UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ is the right college for them, and the impact a year of free tuition will have on their life.
touched upon how winning this contest will enable her to go farther in pursuing her dreams as a filmmaker and use her talent to shine the spotlight upon her l¨¡hui.
“When I see my future at ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹, I see myself thriving at what I love to do while also remaining close with the ʻāina and its k¨¡naka,” said Ah You. “I know that this school will help me do my part as a k¨¡naka Â鶹´«Ã½ by sharing the stories that take place amongst my home.”
Ah You cannot wait to start her UHM-azing journey at UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹.
This work is an example of UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹¡¯s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.