KAHULUI–Three 2024 graduates of Maui high schools have been named awardees of the 2024 Friends of Haleakalā National Park’s Memorial Scholarship.

Emmi-Lin Felten of Kamehameha Maui, Nyla Mullen of King Kekaulike High School, and Lucia McKinnon of Seabury Hall will each receive $1,000 as they begin working on degrees related to the study and preservation of the natural environment.

Felten will attend Pacific University Oregon, Mullen the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, and McKinnon the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Nyla Mullen has been backpacking in Haleakalā Crater and the mountains of California for most of her life.

Nyla Mullen of King Kekaulike High School

“Many experiences growing up have given me reasons to love the natural world as well as respect it,” Mullen said of her experiences. “I’ve been looking into the possibilities of working at a national park because so many interests have sparked from visiting Haleakalā National Park since I was young.”

Bee-keeping, banding ‘Ua’u chicks, landscaping with Maui Seabird Recovery to protect ‘Ohi’a trees as well as helping at the Maui Ocean Center with in-water green sea turtle rescues are some of the experiences that have been influential in leading Lucia McKinnon to her calling.

“I aspire to conduct research and lead local efforts to conserve our native wildlife,” McKinnon said.

Emmi-Lin Felten majored in Kamehameha Maui’s Environmental Science Academy where, among other studies, she was able to do research on the effects of invasive species on local flora and the development of sustainable agricultural techniques. She hopes to pursue a career where she can influence meaningful conservation efforts and policy development to protect our natural heritage.

The Friends of Haleakalā National Park Scholarship annually honors three founders of the organization and heroes of conservation on the mountain, Don Reeser, Mary Evanson and Dr. Fern Duvall with scholarships for young people entering or continuing studies that will contribute to the knowledge and preservation of natural, and particularly of endangered, ecosystems.

Lucia McKinnon of Seabury Hall

More information about the Friends of Haleakalā National Park scholarships and other programs can be found at fhnp.org.