Duke Award Scholarship

A prestigious one-time award recognizing an outstanding Hawaii high school senior who exemplifies the character and personality traits of Duke Kahanamoku.

Geographic Scope: Hawaii high school seniors only

Award Details:

• One-time award of up to $15,000
• Only 3 to 6 Hawaii high school seniors are selected as finalists each year
• Each school or sports club may nominate up to 3 candidates

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be a Hawaii high school senior
• Must meet Ambassador of Aloha Scholarship requirements at the highest level
• Must maintain a GPA of at least 3.5
• Must be nominated by a school athletic official, school administrator, or coach
• Nominees must demonstrate ability to compete at a high level of athletics and be outstanding in athletics, academics, AND community service

Financial Need: While financial need is not a requirement of the Duke Award, it may be weighed as a determining factor.

Nomination Process: Applicants cannot self-nominate; they must be nominated by a school athletic official, school administrator, or coach. Before submitting a nomination, nominators should verify the nominee's qualifications.

Special Notes:

• Duke Award applications not selected for interviews are automatically rolled over to the Ambassador of Aloha application pool
• There is no need to apply to both
• Scholars applying to the Duke Award who do not have a nomination from their school official will only be considered for the Ambassador of Aloha Scholarships
• Nominees are showcased individually at Duke's Night event, with a live white envelope reveal of the top awardee

Focus Areas: Recognizing exceptional character embodying Duke Kahanamoku's spirit of aloha

Nomination and Application Process

Nomination Required:

• Must be nominated by a school athletic official, school administrator, or coach
• Each school or sports club may nominate up to 3 candidates
• Nominators must verify nominee meets qualifications before submitting

Online Application (After Nomination):
Once a nomination is verified, a link and password to the Duke Award application is emailed to the student.

The application includes:

• Essay
• Short-answer questions
• Transcript of Grades
• Three Letters of Personal Reference
• Athletic Resume (Last Four Years)
• FAFSA Submission Summary

Additional Documentation: ODKF reserves the right to ask for further financial need documentation if needed.

Note: Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants should ensure every field is completed.