Two Kauai graduates earn HMSA Kaimana scholarships, $5,000 each
David Braman and Brynn Lee Hirata put Kauai schools in a statewide spotlight, each earning a $5,000 HMSA Kaimana Scholarship as part of a 15-student class.
Two Kauai public-school graduates are heading into college with $5,000 scholarships and a statewide honor that stretches beyond academics alone. David Braman of Kauai High School and Brynn Lee Hirata of Waimea High School were among 15 Hawaii seniors selected for HMSA’s 2026 Kaimana Scholarship program, a class that highlighted achievement, athletics, community service and healthy activities.
The scholarships were presented at Oahu Country Club on Sunday, June 14, during HMSA’s 21st class of Kaimana scholars. HMSA awarded 15 scholarships worth $5,000 each, for a total of $75,000, and said the money can be used for tuition, books, computers, airfare to and from school, and room and board. For Kauai families facing college expenses that can quickly climb into the tens of thousands of dollars, that support can make the difference between a student leaving the island and being able to stay on track.
The Kaimana program is run by Hawaii Medical Service Association in partnership with the Hawaii High School Athletic Association. HHSAA says Kaimana is the Hawaiian word for diamond, and the broader program also includes awards for schools and support for coaches’ education. HMSA described the scholarship as a way to recognize all-around excellence and commitment to well-being, not just grades.
To qualify for the 2026 cycle, students had to graduate from a Hawaii high school in 2026, hold at least a 2.75 GPA, participate in at least one sport, take part in community service and school activities, and submit a personal statement, essay and two recommendations. Applications were due by 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, and finalists were notified by email in April before the June celebration. The selection committee included Katie Chang of the Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders, Jenn Diesman of HMSA, Debbie Nakanelua-Richards of Hawaiian Airlines, Honolulu Star-Advertiser sports columnist Dave Reardon and Hawaii News Now anchor Steve Uyehara.
For Kauai, the recognition carries weight well beyond the two individual awards. More than 700 seniors in the Kauai Complex Area earned eligibility for graduation from the island’s three public high schools this spring, a reminder of how selective the scholarship is within a much larger local class. HMSA CEO Mark M. Mugiishi said the ceremony is one of the company’s most meaningful events of the year, and the program’s reach suggests why: it is one of the few statewide honors that connects student leadership, community service and the practical cost of continuing school.
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