Keahi and Kiana Favela wish you aloha from Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Their dad, Steve Favela, was a solo bike officer with the Honolulu Police Department. On November 21, 2006, Steve was in a motorcycle accident while providing protection for then-President George W. Bush. His motorcycle slid on wet pavement as the presidential motorcade entered Hickam Air Force Base and he was thrown from his motorcycle. Keahi and Kiana were seven and five years old at the time of his accident and spent the next five days at their dad’s bedside in the ICU until he passed away on November 26, 2006.

Keahi Favela shares, “The doctors and medical staff that took care of my dad during the five days that he was in the ICU made a huge impression on me and because of that experience, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. I am currently enrolled at Chapman University in Orange, California, and will be entering my senior year in the fall. I am on track to graduate next May with my bachelor’s degree in health science with an emphasis on pre-med. I will also be taking the MCAT in August and will start applying to medical schools in the fall.”

Kiana Favela recounts, “For as long as I can remember, I have always loved being in front of a camera and speaking in front of audiences. My earliest memories of “reporting” goes back to elementary school where I was elected to represent my homeroom on our school’s student council committee. I attended weekly meetings and reported everything that I learned back to my homeroom; it was the first time in my life that I thought about pursuing a career in broadcast journalism. I just completed my freshman year at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts in Orange, California, and am enrolled in their Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program in Broadcast Journalism and Documentary. I feel lucky to be able to attend one of the best colleges in America for broadcast journalism.”

Keahi and Kiana are very grateful to Kids’ Chance of Hawaii for the generous educational scholarships that they have been awarded and welcoming them into their ohana (family). KCHI has made a huge impact on the trajectory of their lives and they will always be thankful for the opportunities their scholarships have given to them. The KCHI scholarship not only defrayed a large portion of their college costs but it has also allowed them to follow their academic dreams to attend college on the mainland in fields that will allow them to one day give back to the people of Hawaii.