Kainoa '20

Kainoa's aerial aspirations started when he was a young child, reading books about planes and growing up with a father in the U.S. Air Force, who now serves in the 154th Wing, Hawaii Air National Guard.

Kainoa is part of Maryknoll School’s Mx Scholar Program for STEM & Aerospace and is heavily involved in the program’s Civil Air Patrol (CAP) squadron, which is, as his father Noah points out, just the first step of an exciting journey.

“Part of the reason why he went to Maryknoll was his interest in the Air Force and flying. He found out that CAP was part of the school, and that just piqued his interest even more,” Noah said. “He got the application and applied on his own, was really driven and wanted to be a part of it. He wanted to go to Maryknoll.”

Kainoa’s dedication to becoming a pilot does not go unnoticed as the 15-year-old spends time before school, after school, and sometimes on the weekends taking part in CAP classes and clocking flight hours. When he goes to college, he plans to major in aerospace engineering, a path which Noah is excited to see.

“I think his future looks bright,” Noah said. “It shows in his dedication, in all his hard work, and all the time he spends on his homework. Looking at everything that he does, nothing but good things are going to come up for him. As a dad, I’m very proud of that.”

The runway to being a pilot is wide open for Kainoa, and being part of Mx STEM & Aerospace is how his future career, as he says, is taking flight.

“This program sets you on the right track,” Kainoa said. “It will open up a lot of opportunities for any student like it has for me.”

If your child wants to become a pilot one day, Maryknoll School’s Mx Scholar Program for STEM & Aerospace is the place for soaring opportunities.

Students are exposed to an advanced curriculum that includes innovative engineering courses, 3-D virtual reality technology and professional mentorship. All students participate in Maryknoll’s CAP squadron and take part in leadership development classes.

Those who are interested also can receive flight hours and instruction, and even a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot’s license before graduating!

Many Maryknoll graduates have gone on to successful STEM and aerospace careers. Read more about 1982 alumnus Brad Chun, who now is the senior director of engineering at Hawaiian Airlines. Find out more about Maryknoll High School (grades 9-12).