Hā‘awi Makana
Presentation of Awards

The Song Contest is unique to Kamehameha - a tradition that has involved all students in musical competition for eighty years. Miss Laura Brown, Director of Music at Kamehameha 1926-1947, stated that "the objectives of the song contest are to build up the repertoire of the best in Hawaiian music for the cultural heritage of any student who attends Kamehameha; to develop leadership, cooperation and good class spirit and to give the students the use of their singing voices and to give them pleaser in singing as means of expression."

Outstanding Student Director
Louise Aoe McGregor Award
This award was named for a member of the first graduating class of the School for Girls in 1897, was first presented in 1972. It recognizes the student director who has made the most significant contribution to the class in organizational ability, leadership, assistance to others, and persistence.

‘Ōlelo Makuahine Award
Richared Lyman, Jr. Trophy
This award recognizes excellence in the use of the Hawaiian language within a song. Mr. Lyman, a Kamehameha Schools trustee from 1959 to 1988, was keenly interested in the preservation of Hawaiian language and culture.

Best Musical Performance
Helen Desha Beamer Award
This award recognizes the best musical performance. Donated by the Kamehameha Alumni Association, the award honors the substantial contributions of Helen Desha Beamer to the lexicon of Hawaiian music. Helen Desha Beamer was a 1900 graduate of the Kamehameha School for Girls.

Kamehameha Schools Boy's Award
George Alanson Andrus Cup
The first song contest for male students was held at the School for Boys in 1921. A cup named for George Alanson Andrus, a former director of music at Kamehameha School for Boys who inspired the idea of an annual song contest, was offered as an incentive in the competition.

Kamehameha Schools Girls' Award
New England Mothers' Cup
1922 marked the first year that both the Kamehameha boys and girls held song contests. Mrs. E. G. Scoville, a visitor to the Islands from Watertown, Connecticut, was so impressed with the singing of the Kamehameha girls that she donated the New England Mothers' Cup for the School for Girls competition.

Kamehameha Schools Combined Class Award
Charles E. King Cup
In 1967, an additional trophy was offered by the Trustees in honor of Charles Edward King, an 1891 graduate of the School for Boys and distinguished composer of Hawaiian music. This cup is awarded to the class winning the combined class competition.