Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 2, 1 February 2015 — OHA scholarship helps student achieve academic success [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA scholarship helps student achieve academic success

By Zach Villanueva The road to achieving a higher education ean be a very expensive endeavor for many students, including Native

Hawaiians. For Kaua'i native and Kamehameha Schools-Kapālama alumna Puanani Hee, her aspirations of achieving academic success eame with a lot of hard work - and the Ananeial burdens that eome along

with paying for a college education. After graduating in 2009 fromOregon State University with a bachelor's degree in psychology, Hee pursued her master's degree in elinieal psychology at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. In her search for Ananeial support, she eame across the OHA Higher Education Scholarship, whieh helped alleviate some of her Ananeial stress. "I was looking for a lot of funding opportunities, but OHA was the only one to offer me consistent funding over the past four years," said Hee. During her four years of receiv-

ing OHA scholarship funding, Hee received up to $2,000 per school year. "Certain scholarships require extra work (when applying), but OHA has been the most generous in funding for graduate school," she said. "This has allowed me to build my skill set." In the fall semester of 2014, Hee, earned her master's degree and successfully defended her master's thesis, titled "The Home Environments and Emergent Literacy Skills among Children in a Hawaiian Community on Kaua'i." SEE SCH0LARSHIP ON PAGE 10

Puanani Hee earned a master's degree in elinieal psychology and is working toward a Ph.D. - Courtesy photo

SCHOLARSHIP

Continued from page 7 Her research focused on the effects home literacy had on a child's educational success. "If kids are behind before they even get to school, it's good to find out where the problems are and look at what the data shows," said Hee. Currently working on eaming her doctorate degree, Hee also works as a elinieal staff member for the Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy at UH-Mānoa. It is here that she conducts mental heahh evaluations for children with emotional and behavioral issues. She also conducts behavioral therapy workshops for staff in the Department of Education, and gives in-home therapy sessions to families in the loeal system of care. After completing her doctorate degree in elinieal psychology, Hee plans to move back to her hometown of Kekaha, Kaua'i. It is there that she will reunite with

her family, including her mother (a UH alumna) and father (an Oregon State alumnus). "There's no plaee like home," Hee says. She hopes to work within the community and specifically wants to help those who have mental heahh issues. "I want to serve loeal and Native Hawaiian people on Kaua'i and provide not only great care, but care that is culturally sensitive," she said. To apply for the OHA Higher Educational Scholarship you must be of Native Hawaiian ancestry, a resident of Hawai'i or the U.S. continent, an enrolled full-time or part-time student, and demonstrate hnaneial need, among other things. To apply online, go to www. hawaiicommunityfoundation. org and search for the "Office of Hawaiian Affairs" scholarship. Deadline to apply is Feb. 19. For information eall (808) 537-6333 or visit www.oha.org/scholarships. ■

Zach Vi.llanueva i.s a student helper i.n OHA's Communi.cati.ons Program.