It helped me knowing I could set my goals for education. Hashimoto was one of the 1987 Sterling Scholars. A Baldwin High School graduate, she won in the homemaking category, a reflection of her childhood involvement in 4-H activities, she said. She received a bachelor's degree in nutrition from the University of Hawaii and a doctor of pharmacy degree from University of the Pacific. The winners, then as now, are judged not only on their academic accomplishments but also on their involvement in activities that reflect leadership and citizenship, and on their performance in an interview with the judges.
Hawaii schools nominate candidates for the award, no more than one for each category.
This year there are 293 nominees from 33 public schools and 18 private schools statewide. Judging begins May 22. Title sponsors include the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, First Hawaiian Bank, DFS Hawaii and NBC Hawaii News 8, as well as the Polynesian Cultural Center in cooperation with the Department of Education and Hawaii Association of Independent Schools. There are 13 supporting sponsors. Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Polynesian Cultural Center, DFS Hawaii, First Hawaiian Bank and NBC Hawaii News 8.