Ahryanna McGuirk, a senior at Kalāheo High School and Hawai’i State Board of Education student representative, will be the first student from Hawai’i to receive the coveted Jefferson Scholar honor at the University of Virginia.
The Jefferson Scholars Foundation honors high school seniors who excel in leadership, academics, and active citizenship. The scholarship covers tuition for four years of education as well as enrichment programs including personal development and travel studies.
McGuirk was one of a few dozen high school seniors who earned the honor out of over 2,500 pupils nominated by their schools. Candidates had to go through a rigorous, competitive, multi-stage selection procedure.
“I am grateful for the people who believed in me and supported me, and I aspire to make all of them proud,” McGuirk said in a statement. “I hope that earning this scholarship will increase awareness of this and other opportunities in higher education for students to pursue, and I look forward to using my education to take care of the people and the place that has taken care of me all these years.”
As the BOE student representative for the 2023-24 term, she represented students in public and charter schools across the state. The student representative has the same responsibilities as regular BOE members, but does not have the authority to vote on Board decisions. She was the first student from Kalāheo High School to become a BOE student representative.
“Ahry has been a great student representative on the BOE and has provided thoughtful and informative perspectives throughout her term,” stated BOE Chairperson Warren Haruki. “Most importantly, she is an extraordinary person with excellent interpersonal skills, a high level of respect, and the ability to communicate effectively. Her future is bright, thanks to her academic abilities and these capabilities, and we encourage her to pursue her aspirations.
McGuirk is also one of 20 Hawai’i juniors and seniors participating in the Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders Fellows program this year. She is an executive officer on the Hawai’i State Student Council, volunteers on the Youth Leadership Council for Make-A-Wish Hawai’i, and founded the Wish Club at Kalāheo High School, which helps grant wishes to children with serious diseases. She’s now pursuing her private pilot certificate with a scholarship from the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
“I am really proud of Ahryanna for becoming the first kid from Hawai’i to get this scholarship. She embodies the Department’s objective to prepare students to be globally competitive while remaining locally dedicated. It has been a delight to watch her take on leadership responsibilities and speak for the needs of public school pupils. Superintendent Keith Hayashi expressed his warmest wishes for her future chapter in Charlottesville.
McGuirk intends to major in public policy and global studies at the University of Virginia, as well as minor in Japanese. She aspires to address issues such as affordable housing and educational justice while also finding answers to economic and humanitarian disasters.
“I aim to be a public servant and embody the spirit of aloha in all of my endeavors,” she was quoted as saying.