Aug. 6, 2018

Contributed by Ben Balberdi

The Pauahi Foundation – the fundraising arm of Kamehameha Schools – appealed to the competitive spirit of KS alumni to raise $80,000 for Native Hawaiian post-high scholarships.

The foundation recently hosted a dinner at the Waiwai Collective to celebrate the winners of its annual Reunion Challenge – a friendly fundraising competition between celebrating reunion classes aimed at boosting alumni donations. The dinner also served as a “mahalo” to this year’s Alumni Week volunteers.

The 2018 Reunion Challenge was between celebrating classes with graduating years ending in 3s or 8s, and had a participation rate of 18 percent. Ending in June 2018, this year’s challenge winning classes were:

• The class of 2003 for most participation with 44 percent
• The class of 1978 for most funds raised with $19,857, and
• A tie between the classes of 1978 and 1993 for most recurring donations with 25 each

The competition included prizes from the Pauahi Foundation in several categories including most participation ($5,000), most funds raised ($5,000), and most recurring donations ($3,000). In addition, nine classes received an additional $2,000 for meeting their class-specific goals in participation and amount raised.  

All funds raised, including the competition prizes, are put towards each class’ scholarship fund with the foundation. Last fiscal year, the Pauahi Foundation awarded a total of $858,680 in post-high scholarships supporting 350 haumāna – some earning multiple scholarships.

For more information on the Pauahi Foundation visit www.pauahi.org. For details on the Reunion Challenge, please contact Bran-Dee Torres, annual giving programs director with the Office of Advancement, at brtorres@ksbe.edu.