“How will you make Hawaii a better place through acts of kindness?” This was the question posed to students as they were challenged to "identify an act of kindness and illustrate how it can positively influence and inspire our community." Congratulations to Tytus Ahn '26 and Addy Shelverton '28, who are grade-level winners for the 13th Annual Inspired in Hawaii "Acts of Kindness" Essay, Poster, Digital Media Poster, and Video Contest, sponsored by The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation. Along with their respective teachers, Mrs. Fong and Mrs. Takahashi, Tytus and Addy were recognized at an awards program held at Kahala Mall Center Stage on February 22.

Addy's "Acts of Kindness" poster, a sweet depiction of simple and small ways to show kindness to others, earned her first place and a cash prize of $200. As an aspiring graphic artist, Addy enjoys drawing cartoon and anime characters in her free time. Through his essay, Tytus powerfully described what he learned through sharing Chris Tomlin’s song “Good Good Father” with his family’s first foster child: “An act of kindness does not have to be a significant, grand action that makes headline news; it can simply be spending quality time with someone.” As the first-place winner for the ninth-grade division, he also received $200. With 1,900 students from across the state submitting entries for this year's contest, we applaud Addy's outstanding artistic talent and Tytus's excellent writing skills!