KCS News & Happenings
Posts Tagged "Class of 2025"
Volleyball teams make history this season
October 11, 2024
The HSF volleyball teams took fans on an exciting ride this fall, with comeback victories and close wins, resulting in the best overall performances since KCS joined the Hawaii Sports Fellowship (HSF) league in 2012. This year, KCS competes in the East division of the newly expanded eight-member league.
Finishing the regular season at 6-4, the girls' team entered the post-season tournament as the #4 seed. Last Thursday and Saturday, they dropped their two tournament games, ending a successful season of strong performances by upperclassmen and younger players gaining valuable game experience. For Elisha Kurian '25, her season was highlighted by celebrating with her younger teammates after they made key plays. These plays "encouraged [her] to play better and want to win for the team."
The boys' team earned the #1 seed in tournament play with an impressive 9-1 record, which included going undefeated until the last game of the regular season. On Saturday afternoon, KCS played in a championship game for the first time, facing Calvary Chapel Christian School in their home gym. Despite rallying from deficits in both sets, KCS lost the match 19-25, 20-25. Nevertheless, the boys bring home the second-place trophy and groundbreaking moments from which to build in future seasons. Nicholas Kao '25 highlights the group huddle cheer during the final game as his memorable moment. In reflecting on the season, he also shares, "We all grew not just as a team, but as a family."
Coaches Dr. Kwong, Zachary Kao '22, and Curren Kong '22 guided the teams throughout the season. Dr. Kwong acknowledges that players who have been a part of the KCS program for multiple years and players gaining outside club experience contributed to the success of this year's teams. He also credits the parent support of the athletes. The senior leadership of Nicholas Kao, Elisha Kurian, Kamryn Nguyen, Terra Shinbo, and Sean Yuen will be missed next year!
Senior earns recognition from National Merit Scholarship Program
September 27, 2024
KCS is pleased to announce that Noah Sumikawa '25 has been named as a Commended Student in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. Recognition is based on Selection Index scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which is taken during students' junior year. On September 27, Mrs. Ahn and Mr. Kanakanui presented Noah with a Letter of Commendation from the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). He is the eighth KCS high school student to be recognized for this honor.
Noah's Selection Index score on the 2023 PSAT/NMSQT test placed him among the top 50,000 students who took the test. According to an NMSC spokesperson, "Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success." Congratulations, Noah, for your scholastic recognition and commendation!
Junior earns 2nd place in poetry contest, perpetuating a survivor's story
March 22, 2024
Through a powerful poem expressing a Holocaust survivor’s struggle with "how to remember," Elisha Kurian '25 earned second place in the high school poetry division of the 25th annual Holocaust Art and Writing Contest. The Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education at Chapman University, the 1939 Society, the Irving and Nancy Chase Endowment for Holocaust Education, the Samueli Foundation, and Yossie & Dana Hollander sponsor this prestigious international competition. This year, the contest drew entries from 220+ registered schools and thousands of students across the U.S. and nine other countries. Elisha's recognition as a finalist is the third for KCS, following Emily Kuwaye’s '19 winning poem in 2018 and Maile Fowler's '22 second-place poem in 2022.
The contest prompt challenged participants to identify a specific word, phrase, or sentence from the survivor’s testimony to explore and action to take in response to this call to memory. Utilizing descriptive language and specific details, Elisha's poem, "In Remembrance," captures Selene Bruk wrestling with the conflicting thoughts of forgetting and remembering when she finally returns to Poland. Ultimately, Selene's courageous resolve to remember "a way of life that will never be again" resonated with Elisha on a personal level, inspiring her to use her voice by "simply speaking up."
A photo of Elisha and Literature Teacher Mrs. Fong (above) was shared during the live stream presentation of the awards ceremony held on March 15 at Chapman University. For her second-place poem, Elisha received a $200 cash prize, while KCS and Mrs. Fong were also awarded $100 each. Bravo, Elisha, on your award-winning piece that answers the call to memory!