The number of local high school graduates who enrolled at the University of Hawaii at Manoa jumped 12 percent this fall from last year, reversing a downward trend of the previous three years.

The current crop of freshmen at Manoa is also more diverse, with a 29 percent rise in Native Hawaiians enrolling upon graduation from high schools across the state.

“This year we focused on our local students — we wanted to enhance our efforts for them,” said Roxie Shabazz, director of admissions and an assistant vice chancellor. “It definitely paid off.”

The Admissions Office stepped up its outreach to students and guidance counselors at local high schools to smooth the way and help students see that the best choice for them might be in their own backyard, she said.

This fall, 1,241 students from Hawaii’s high school class of 2016 started their studies at the Manoa campus, up from 1,108 in 2015. The numbers had dropped each year since 2012, when 1,258 freshmen entered UH Manoa from local high schools.

Current freshman Sydney Millerd, who graduated from Waipahu High School in May, had long thought she would head to the mainland for college. She received various scholarships but opted for UH Manoa largely for financial reasons and says she’s glad that she did.

“This semester I had enough to cover my full tuition and room and board through multiple scholarships,” said the 17-year-old, who is aiming to be the first in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Like many freshmen, she has already switched majors, choosing natural resources and environmental management.

“The good thing about being at UH Manoa is there are all these different possibilities,” said Millerd, who represented Hawaii at the 2016 National Youth Science Camp, held during the summer in West Virginia.

She is among a growing number of students of Filipino ancestry enrolling at UH Manoa from local high schools, up 8 percent this fall over last year.

University officials reached out to local seniors in multiple ways, with a public campaign themed “Make Manoa Yours,” a revamped and friendlier admissions website, social media posts and spotlights on the experiences of specific students.

The Admissions Office boosted by 50 percent the number of “application days” it held at local high schools to help students get started on their college journey. It also held an “Explore Manoa: Application Day” for prospective students and their families on campus, where they could meet faculty and students and learn about academic programs and financial aid.

“These events allow us to support our local students in the college application process, which can be daunting for any high school senior,” said Ryan Yamaguchi, associate director of admissions.

A Scholar-to-Scholar Day paired scholarship recipients already on campus with new awardees, and an awards brunch recognized each student for their achievements.

As this year’s high school seniors ponder their choices, the university is offering the Manoa Academic Merit Scholarship, an automatic award of $2,000 per year for first-time students who meet certain criteria, including a 3.5 grade point average.

“The criteria are a little higher this go-round, and there are more students who qualify, which means stronger students are applying and are willing to stay right here in Hawaii for their educational needs,” Shabazz said.

First-time freshmen enrollment overall at the Manoa campus grew 3.6 percent over the past year, to 1,931, following a 2.8 percent increase the previous year. New student enrollment, including undergraduates and graduates, is up by 1.8 percent this fall.

But total enrollment has been falling in recent years at Manoa and the UH system as a whole, as it has at many colleges. It was down by more than 4 percent this year, to 53,418.

Part of that trend is national; part of it is local. College enrollment rose with the Great Recession, when jobs were scarce. As the economy recovered, more people moved into the workforce rather than pursuing degrees.

Another factor is the rising graduation rate at UH, which means more students get their degrees on time and move on, rather than lingering and inflating the enrollment count, according to university spokesman Dan Meisenzahl.