2025 Scholarship Awards

The Waianae Coast Rotary Club is proud to announce it's annual scholarship awards for the following high school seniors graduating in 2025.  For more information about our scholarship awards, visit our Scholarship page.

Xander-Troy Gueco

Recipient of the 2025 Hawaii Rotary Youth Foundation $5,000 Scholarship. Xander-Troy is a graduate from Nanakuli High School.
 
Xander-Troy is more than a 4.0 GPA student - he is a driven leader, a resilient scholar-athlete, and a proud first-generation college student with a passion for cybersecurity. Whether its earning early college credits, serving 300+ hours with KUPU's HYCC Program, managing his school's football team, volunteering to clean up local parks and help kupuna, Xander-Troy embodies the Rotary spirt of “Service Above Self”. 
 
His personal motto: “It only gets better - you just need to keep showing up”. 
 
We are proud to support this future Computer Science major as he takes his next steps at Washington State University. Go Xander-Troy! Your hard work , heart, and humility inspire us! 

Ladayna Aranas

Nanakuli High School graduate Ladayna Aranas is selected to receive the In-State College $2,500 Scholarship.
 
Ladayna has worn many hats; valedictorian, student council leader, MVP athlete in judo and bowling, and a proud advocate for her community.  From organizing campus events to traveling 10,500 miles to South Africa for a youth-led service project, her heart for giving back knows no bounds.  
 
With a 4.0 GPA, years of volunteer service, and leadership rooted in aloha, Ladayna is the kind of changemaker our world needs.  We're honored to be a small part of her incredible journey.  
 
Congratulations Ladayna! We can't wait to see how far you will go!

Shylee Tabilang

Waianae High School graduate Shylee Tabilang  is awarded a In-State Community College $1,250 Scholarship. 

From a young age, Shylee knew she was meant to be a teacher.  Now she is answering that calling with a powerful sense of purpose and kuleana.  She plans to double major in Hawaiian Language and Education, inspired by her  love for learning and the deep importance of preserving and spreading the language of her ancestors. 

“For me, being a Hawaiian Language teacher would be a part of my kuleana of spreading Hawaiian culture and language to young minds alike.” 

In school, Shylee is more than a top student - she's a true leader. She's served as VP of Hospitality for DECA, President of the E-Sports Club, Secretary of Waianae Strong, and an unofficial “teacher assistant” always ready to support her classmates.  

We can't wait to see you thrive and return to serve the next generation right here in Waianae.

Caleb Akoni-Kelii

The $2,500 Vocational/Trade School Scholarship is awarded to Caleb Akoni-Kelii, a graduate of Nanakuli High School.

Caleb's journey is one of resilience, growth, and determination.  In his own words: “I have always been fascinated by the mechanics of how things work, especially in the automotive world.  From helping my family with car repairs to researching advancements in vehicle technology, I've developed a deep passion for problem-solving and understanding complex systems."

A future student of UTI, Caleb has worked hard to overcome academic challenges, including repeating the 8th grade during the pandemic - a decision he now says helped him mature and thrive: “My worst subject was math, and now it is my greatest strength. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Today, Caleb is an honor roll student graduating with honors, and committed to giving back to his community through hands-on skills and strong work ethic: “I am determined to attend UTI, come home with my degree, work and give back to my community.”

Congratulations Caleb on this incredible milestone and we wish you continued success on your journey with automotive technology.

Want to help grow the Waianae Coast Rotary Club scholarship program?  Become a sponsor of our annual Christmas Parade, visit our sponsor page for more information.