Kihei Charter School has been selected to receive the AARP Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Award, along with a donation of $10,000 for outstanding educational achievement. The award is offered in celebration of AARP’s 50th Anniversary this year, and is part of more than $1 million offered by AARP nationally to support educational programs with a demonstrated a commitment to connect generations and foster greater civic engagement among students and their communities.

The award was presented to school administrators on Monday, April 28, at an assembly at the Kihei Charter School Auditorium. The school was selected by a panel of judges comprised of retired Hawai‘i teachers.

Kihei Charter School is a public school with a diverse student body, 80 percent of whom attend institutions of higher learning directly after graduation. Its educational programs include a K-12 Virtual Academy combining home and school-based education, a High School Academy, and the first middle school in Hawai‘i with a core science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum.

AARP was founded 50 years ago by Ethel Percy Andrus, a retired teacher and principal from California. “Dr. Andrus was a champion for all generations who believed, as we do today, that the generations are connected by a strong commitment to values, community and service,” said AARP Hawai‘i State President Stuart Ho. “These awards not only pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Andrus, but also underscore our continued intergenerational commitment to recognize and encourage educational achievements in communities throughout the nation. Congratulations to all of the winning schools.”

AARP received nearly 1,000 applications from public schools throughout the nation and granted an Innovation Award to one public high school in every state including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia.

Additional information about AARP’s 50th Anniversary is available at www.aarp.org.