MISS HAWAII VOLUNTEER LEGACY
THE 2023
MISS HAWAII VOLUNTEER
Melody Shin Higa
Melody Shin Higa was born and raised in Hawaii and is a graduate of Maryknoll High School. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and International Business from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. As an incoming freshman, she was the only student from Hawaii to be invited to join the Cortina Living-Learning Community, a live-in society that challenges students to investigate social inequalities and prepares young leaders for a future of community service. She was also able to spend one year as an international student at Sogang University in Seoul, Korea.
Melody’s experiences inspired her to move back to Hawaii to support the movement of making Hawaii more sustainable. As the newly crowned Miss Hawaii Volunteer, Melody plans to
continue to actively engage with the community on projects that include sustainable farming, beach cleanups and renewable energy.
Following her year of service, Melody plans to pursue her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Hawaii to further develop her abilities and enable her to better address the need to promote sustainability to help diversify Hawaii’s economy.
THE 2023
MISS HAWAII VOLUNTEER TEEN
Remy Sayuri Kobatake
Remy Sayuri Kobatake was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi and is a Junior at La Pietra Hawaii School for Girls. She has embodied the spirit of service and volunteerism from a young age, helping her mom and sisters in various community service projects advocating for equal opportunity and seeking to elevate the quality of life for young people like her. She enjoys
dance, especially hip hop, and has won national dance competitions. She loves going to the beach, practicing yoga, hiking, traveling and eating different kinds of cuisines from all over the world. She also loves to collect teacups from everywhere she travels because they represent the special unique qualities of where they are from.
Remy was crowned Miss Hawaiʻi Teen Volunteer 2023 on November 8, 2022. Remy was inspired to select her platform, “Uplifting with Upcycling,” because she loves to practice being sustainable in every way she can and because of her appreciation for fashion and artistry. She is concerned that mass-marketed fashions are not environmentally and socially sustainable. As she
started to create new outfits from recycled clothing, she realized she was not only giving old clothes new life, but also giving herself and others a new start. Remy wants to remove the stigma of second-hand clothing being second rate. Instead, she wants to bring mindfulness into what we wear and uplift us. She is currently developing this into a business. She wants to collaborate with organizations to help youth in the community to benefit from uplifting with upcycling.
Remy is actively engaged in the community, volunteering with many organizations, including the American Lung Association. In March, 2023, she will compete in the national Miss Teen Volunteer America pageant in Jackson, Tennessee.