2 Saint Louis students win first Mariota scholarship

Saint Louis School announced last week that four of its students will receive scholarships to complete high school there thanks to three donors, including Marcus Mariota.

The four ninth-graders and their donors are Donovan Lee, Jack and Edith Leong Educational Grant; Alexander Galeai, WEBCO Foundation Scholarship; and Isaiah Filisi and Emmit Vaiese, Marcus Mariota Scholarship Fund.

The inaugural Marcus Mariota Scholarship Fund will be awarded to a new or returning student athlete entering the ninth grade and applied to the student’s tuition for four years. Mariota, a 2011 alumnus of Saint Louis School, is a Heisman Trophy winner and NFL starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans.

Choosing just one deserving student for the inaugural Marcus Mariota Scholarship proved to be a challenge, according to the school’s press release.

“There were so many qualified candidates, that the selection committee recommended two equally deserving students,” said Head of School Glenn Medeiros. “Marcus generously awarded two scholarships, which came as a pleasant surprise to both boys.”

The Jack and Edith Leong Educational Grant and the WEBCO Foundation Scholarship have assisted Saint Louis scholars since 1992 and 2006, respectively. The Leong Grant is for a junior classman enrolled in Hawaiian studies. The WEBCO Scholarship is a four-year fund awarded to a qualified freshman. Both funds have been instrumental in shaping the lives of young men in academics based on a Catholic Marianist education.

Galeai is the son of Alexander and Shannon Galeai; Lee’s parents are Patrick and Valerie Lee; Filisi is the son of Paul and Susie Filisi; and Vaiese is the son of Esther Vaiese.

In other awards and recognitions:

>> Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., recently honored Deira Itagaki of Punahou School with a Teacher of Excellence Award, which recognizes teachers who have had a significant impact on the lives of students.

According to a press release, incoming Evergreen students were asked to nominate their former instructors for the award.

Itagaki was nominated by former student Ellen Olson, who wrote, “She was a great joy to be around. She was always trying to get to know the students and she encouraged their best work. She was not discouraged by a teen’s bad attitude and would try and figure out what was going on.”

“Most of us can point to a pivotal experience in our education when a teacher noticed, encouraged, or influenced us. Maybe that teacher bolstered our confidence; maybe she or he changed the course of our lives,” said Evergreen’s vice president for academic affairs and provost, Michael Zimmerman. “Because Evergreen values the art and practice of high-quality teaching, we ask incoming students to consider former instructors who made a profound positive impact. This award recognizes Deira Itagaki as a Teacher of Excellence who inspires and makes a real difference in students’ lives.”

>> Chaminade University will induct The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation and Vaughn G.A. Vasconcellos into the Silversword Hall of Fame at its eighth annual intercollegiate athletics gala in February.

The Ching Foundation has provided critical support to Chaminade through scholarships and capital renovation funding. Most recently, the foundation provided one of the largest grants in Chaminade University’s history ($5 million) to renovate The Clarence T.C. Ching Hall, which serves all students and the central administration.

Vasconcellos is the current chairman of the Board of Regents and long-time supporter of Chaminade athletics through student-athlete scholarships, the Hui ‘Āhinahina Booster Club, the Intercollegiate Athletics Gala and the annual golf tournament. In honor of his late brother, Albert Akana Burns, Vasconcellos donated $50,000 in student athlete scholarships. Earlier this year, Vasconcellos contributed a major gift of $150,000 toward the construction of the new Coaches’ Office Complex and will have the Women’s Volleyball Coach’s Office in his name, according to a press release from the university.

“We are once again proud to honor an individual and a foundation that have made important contributions not only to Chaminade but to the community at large,” said Chaminade University President Bernard J. Ploeger.