May 2026 Grads

Four Stories. One Incredible Class.

Celebrating the Ho'omau Foundation's Kamery Lee Jr. Scholarship Recipients - Class of 2026

By Ho'omau Foundation

The Ho'omau Foundation exists to uplift Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students to invest in their dreams, support their journeys, and celebrate their achievements. This year, we are proud to honor four remarkable young women who embody everything the Kamery Lee Jr. Scholarship represents: excellence, resilience, and a deep commitment to their communities.

Meet the Class of 2026.

Kailena Akau

Hawaiian Studies, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

Kailena Akau has always known what she was called to do. A graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo with a degree in Hawaiian Studies, Kailena is entering the Kahuawaiola Indigenous Teacher Education Program with one clear goal: to teach ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and give back to her community.

For Kailena, language is more than communication; it is identity, culture, and continuity. Her dedication to perpetuating Native Hawaiian language reflects a deep understanding that the health of a culture is tied to the voices that carry it forward. She is not just choosing a career. She is choosing a calling.

The Ho'omau Foundation is proud to support Kailena as she steps into the classroom and into her purpose. The next generation of Hawaiian language learners is lucky to have her.

Kaʻiulani Bento

Business Administration & Legal Studies

Kaʻiulani Bento is on her way to law school — and she has earned every step of the journey.

A graduate with a dual focus in Business Administration and Legal Studies, Kaʻiulani brings both analytical rigor and a passion for justice to everything she does. Her path toward law is fueled by a desire to advocate for her community, to understand the systems that shape people's lives, and to build the skills to change them.

She is exactly the kind of leader the NHPI community needs in legal spaces - grounded in culture, equipped with knowledge, and driven by purpose. We cannot wait to see where she goes.

Jada Lee

Society & Environment, UC Berkeley

Jada Lee graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Society and Environment and she did it in three years; one of the most demanding universities in the world.

Jada's achievement is a testament not just to her intellectual ability, but to her drive, her discipline, and her vision. Her focus on the environment reflects a deep awareness of the challenges facing both the planet and the Pacific Islander communities who are among the most vulnerable to its changes.

She is a scholar, a thinker, and a force. The Ho'omau Foundation is honored to have supported her.

Mahina Silva

Finance & Accounting, Menlo College - Collegiate Volleyball Athlete

Mahina Silva knows what it means to compete on the court and in the classroom.

A Finance and Accounting graduate from Menlo College, Mahina earned her degree while competing as a collegiate volleyball player. Anyone who has balanced the demands of a Division-level sport with the rigor of a finance program knows: that is no small feat. It requires time management, mental toughness, and the ability to show up fully even when you're exhausted.

Mahina is now returning to the Bay Area to begin her career in finance, carrying with her the discipline and resilience that defined her college years. We have no doubt she will bring that same energy to everything ahead of her.

Ho'omau. Persevere. Continue.

Kailena, Kaʻiulani, Jada, and Mahina are exactly why this scholarship exists. They are proof that when NHPI students are supported and believed in, entire communities are lifted.

We are so proud of this Class of 2026. And we are grateful to everyone who has supported the Ho'omau Foundation and made moments like this possible.

To learn more about the Ho'omau Foundation and the Kamery Lee Jr. Scholarship, visit www.hoomaufoundation.org.

Ho'omau Foundation | Uplifting Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Students

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