Last month, Sacred Hearts Academy hosted its second-annual Scholarship Presentation. The event celebrated both donors and the students who received scholarships for the 2025–26 school year. It also gave donors the opportunity to meet Academy students awarded their scholarships, helping build connections that organizers hope will last for years.
175 scholarship recipients, age 3 to Grade 12, attended the event at the school’s auditorium. Families were also invited to attend. Last year’s ceremony took place during the spring semester; however, the Academy moved it to the fall semester this year as a way to deepen relationships earlier in the school year.
During the event, Bank of Hawaii Vice President and Grants Administrator Claire Tarumoto presented students with the scholarships on behalf of the McInerny Foundation and the G.N. Wilcox Trust.
“Meeting the students who are scholarship recipients is always a meaningful experience for me,” Tarumoto said. “It is important because supporting Academy students is an investment in our future. They are the future leaders of our communities, and it is crucial to nurture their growth and development.”
The McInerny Foundation’s grant, established in 2020, provides tuition assistance for students in preschool through grade 12. The Academy currently receives $65,000 from the foundation, supporting 33 Academy students.
Five students received scholarships from the G.N. Wilcox Trust, which funds programs that aim to improve the lives of individuals and families in Hawaii. Established in 2020 with an initial scholarship of $5,000, the scholarship has since increased to $7,500.
G.N. Wilcox Trust recipient and senior Inez Cabasug was unable to meet Tarumoto at the event but said she remains grateful for the impact the scholarship has had on her education.
“Getting this scholarship helped me feel that receiving an all-girls education is possible even with my financial barriers,” Cabasug said. “[I’m] also glad…the Academy brought back the tradition of receiving scholarships and meeting the donors because it helps to connect the girls with the people who believe in them and want to support their journey throughout the Academy.”
