Mila Rexford receives the Hōkūala Scholarship from IfA Director Doug Simons and Coordinator Mary Beth Laychak on May 21. Credit: UH News
Waipahu High School senior Mila Rexford has been awarded the prestigious $10,000 Hōkūala Scholarship for her innovative astronomy research through the Maunakea Scholars program. She and 10 classmates earned telescope time on Hawaiʻi’s world-class observatories to study distant galaxies, nebulae, and more. Co-led by the University of Hawaiʻi’s Institute for Astronomy, the Maunakea Scholars program has reached over 1,300 students since its launch in 2015. This year marked its return to Molokaʻi, expanding access to rural communities.