We are honored to announce the 2022 Castle Alumni/Community Association Scholarship Recipients. This year, we presented three scholarships to Castle High School students. Two of the recipients were awarded $1000 from the Association, and a third student received a NEW $1000 scholarship from the Association that was funded by the WCIT Foundation in honor of Castle High School 1968 alumnus, Kevin Chun.

The WCIT Foundation was created by WCIT Architecture to honor two of their late founders, Kevin Chun and Stan Takaki, by awarding scholarships to Hawaii students. The Foundation awarded the Alumni Association with a substantial sum to present a scholarship to a Castle student.

Who is Kevin Chun? Here is an excerpt from the Foundation's website.

"KEVIN CHUN

A 1968 graduate of Castle High School, he attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, and the School of Architecture at University of Hawai‘i. Chun married Susan Yamashiro and, together, they had a son Ryan.  He joined Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG), then known as Wimberly Whisen Allison Tong & Goo (WWAT&G), in 1977. While at WATG, Kevin Chun was recognized as being among the most powerful creative resources. Pete Wimberly once commented, “We are very lucky to have Kevin Chun with us.” Chun left WATG in 2000 and joined forces with Eugene Watanabe to found Watanabe and Chun Architects and Design Consultants, LLC. Watanabe and Chun were soon joined by Rob Iopa and Stan Takaki to form Watanabe Chun Iopa Takaki, Inc. (WCIT Architecture).

With WCITArchitecture, Chun continued to create award-winning designs, including Sheraton Moorea Resort and Spa, French Polynesia; Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa in Kona on Hawai‘i Island; The Uplands at Mauna Kea, Hawai‘i Island; as well as a luxurious residence at the Old Kaiser Estate on Portlock Road. Chun held a position of eminence among Hawai‘i design professionals. His leisure industry projects evoked an appropriately Hawaiian grace and charm. Chun created notable residential designs, as well as spas and convention facilities. Many of his works are monumental in size and palatial by client mandate, but function as tropical architecture and are informally comfortable. Chun approached design with sensitivity, thoughtfulness and quiet confidence. He drew from European, Oriental, and Pacific themes, often expressing them in a compatible blend eschewing the trendy in favor of timelessness.

Proceeds from the golf tournament will go towards a college scholarship fund in memory of the late Stan Takaki and Kevin Chun.  This fund is for college-bound Hawai‘i high school students with a desire to major in architecture or the allied arts.

Mahalo for supporting The WCIT Foundation.  Without you, we would not be able to honor Stan and Kevin’s legacy of helping and educating the young men and women of Hawai‘i in the field of arts and architecture. This corporation is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code."

This year's scholarship recipients are, Ryden Matsuda, Teijah Lee, and Bryson Kumashiro.

President Lynn Miyahira, presented the awards to these students on May 10, 2022.

Bryson Kumashiro is our WCIT Scholarship recipient $1000 and has a GPA of 3.817 and is an AVID student. He earned 37 college credits via Castle's Early College Program and has plans to attend UH-West Oahu and Major in Emergency Management.

Ryden Matsuda has a GPA of 4.078 and is also an AVID student. He received a $1000 scholarship from the Alumni Association. He earned 31 college credits via Castle's Early College Program. His Post High School Plan is to attend the University of Hawaii in the fall to Major in Bio-Engineering.

Teijah Lee had a GPA of 3.3 and earned 17 college credits via Castle's Early College Program. She was a Student Ambassador for the Natural Resources Pathway and has plans to attend the University of Hawaii, Hilo, majoring in Communications.

Congratulations to our 2022 scholarship recipients!

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