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Maui High inducts 5 new members into Hall of Honor

Leslie Arakaki

The Maui News

This year’s inductees to the Maui High School Hall of Honor include a longtime dentist, a county parks worker who helped develop after-school and sports programs, and the owner of gourmet food truck Maui Fresh Streatery, the Maui High School Foundation announced Monday.

Dentist Leslie Arakaki, Class of 1970, was awarded the Silversword Heritage Award, presented to an alumnus who is distinguished in life and work. After working in Chicago and Honolulu, Arakaki returned to Maui where he practiced for the last 35 years until his recent retirement.

Besides his professional work, Arakaki was active in the community, especially with the Kiwanis Club of Maui, which he joined in 1984 and served as president. An Eagle Scout, he also was involved in the Maui County Boy Scout Council.

Ross “Tom” Tamayose, Class of 1950, was named Spirit of Maui Award winner, for giving back and making a difference in the community. As an administrator for the county Parks and Recreation Department, Tamayose was one of the main architects of the county youth after-school and sports programs in early 1970s.

Ross Tamayose

He also was known as Pop Warner football coach, Pony League baseball coach and a Menehune League basketball coach.

Chef Kyle Kawakami, Class of 1989, was named the Award of Excellence winner, presented to an alumnus who has excelled in his or her field or profession. In 2013, he created Maui Fresh Streatery, bringing gourmet food, cooked fresh with ingredients grown and raised on Maui, to Maui streets in his food truck.

The Kula son earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, but eight years later returned to Maui to pursue his passion at then-Maui Community College in culinary arts. He would return to the college as a teacher and worked under the guidance of Executive Chef Tylun Pang at the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui.

The two other Hall of Honor inductees this year:

• Agnes Terao-Guiala, English teacher from 1975 to 2003, winner of the Inspiration Award, presented to a faculty member past or present who went above-and-beyond and made a difference to the students. She led the English and Language Arts department for many years and started the Advanced Placement English program. Through the years, Terao-Guiala served as class, yearbook, academic decathlon team and National Honor Society adviser; debate and speech team coach; and May Day coordinator.

Kyle Kawakami

“I personally can attest that she is a teacher of technical prowess in English studies,” said her former student Travis Kea. “She has made me a better writer, an astute student, and greater at public speaking. If it wasn’t for Mrs. Guiala, I would never have gone to college. . . . She wanted to bring the best out of me.”

• Bobby Medeiros, softball head coach from 1988 to 2015, Saber Spirit Award, presented to an individual who is an unsung hero to the school. He led the Sabers softball team to its first state high school tournament in 1991 and was named MIL coach of the year in 1995. Many of his players played college softball, some on scholarships.

His team slogan was “Expect the Best,” which was printed on all practice uniforms and travel jackets. He encouraged players to be respectful, honest, loyal and good sports on and off the field and to visualize long- and short-term goals.

The 2018 Hall of Honor inductees will be recognized at the foundation’s eighth annual Hall of Honor Banquet, set for 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at the King Kamehameha Golf Club Ballroom. The event is open to the public.

The Hall of Honor was created in 2011 and annually recognizes individuals with ties to Maui High School who have made major contributions to the legacy of the school and its community.

Agnes Terao-Guiala

For more information and to purchase sponsorships, tickets or ads, go to mauihighschoolfoundation.com or contact event chairwoman Erin Clapper at 330-8338. Inquiries and requests for tickets also may be emailed to hallofhonor@mauihigh.org.

Bobby Medeiros

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