Honolulu, HI.   Tamara Lum, 17, of Honolulu was named the 2025 Distinguished Young Woman (DYW) of Hawaii on Sunday, August 18, 2024 and was awarded $7,250 in cash scholarships at the 66th annual statewide scholarship program. This year’s event was held at Sacred Hearts Academy and the participants were evaluated in the categories of Scholastics (25%), Interview (25%), Talent (20%), Fitness (15%) and Self-Expression (15%). 

 

Tamara, an Iolani School senior and daughter of Christopher and Linda Lum, won a $4,500 cash scholarship, a trip to the 2025 Distinguished Young Women National Finals in Mobile, Alabama, a 4-year tuition scholarship to Hawaii Pacific University, and wardrobe for the national finals from Jams World. Tamara also took home an additional $1000 in cash scholarship as the Top Scholar winner, $750 in the Talent category, $500 in the Fitness category and $500 in Marie Milk's Service to Others Award. 

 

Tamara will have the opportunity to win a $30,000 cash scholarship when she represents Hawaii June 26th - 28th at the National Finals in Mobile, Alabama. In the fall, she will attend Yale University.

 

Leiali'i Crowley, an Iolani senior, was 1st runner-up and was awarded a $3,500 cash scholarship and a $18,000 HPU tuition scholarship. Leiali'i also won $750 in the Talent category and $500 for the Self Expression category. She is the daughter of William and Lori Crowley.

 

The 2nd runner-up award went to Riho Umitani, a senior at Pacific Buddhist Academy and the daughter Toshiyuki and Yoshiko Umitani. Riho won a $2,500 cash scholarship and a $18,000 HPU tuition scholarship. She also received $1,000 for the Interview category.

 

Other award winners include:

• Aeryn Paet of Kamehameha Schools, $1,000 for Scholastic Achievement

• Sophia Victorino of Iolani School, $1,000 for Interview, $500 for Self Expression

• Sophie Abadziev of Kaiser High School, $500 for Fitness and $500 for Be Your Best Self Essay Contest

• Kyla Nakashima of Punahou School, $500 for the Corlis J. Chang No’ono’opono Award

• Gennellea Amasol of Sacred Hearts Academy, $500 as the Spirit award winner 

 

DYW Hawaii is the state’s longest running scholarship program for high school senior girls, providing students opportunities to earn over $20,000 in cash scholarships, 4-year tuition scholarships to Hawaii Pacific University, and many other awards provided by local sponsors. The non-profit scholarship program, previously called Hawaii’s Junior Miss, is run entirely by volunteers, and is available to high school senior girls across the state.