WAIMEA — Emi Higgins has done some community service in her young life but nothing compared to what she was recently able to make happen.
The junior soccer player at Hawaii Preparatory Academy was named the 2016-17 Hawaii Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year in June and along with that honor, the 5-foot-9 midfielder, who led HPA to an 11-2-2 record last year and their fourth consecutive HHSAA Division II title, received a $1,000 grant, which she donated to Waimea Athletics.
The $1K donation was only the tip of the iceberg though. All 51 winners of the Gatorade athletic excellence award — one from each of the 50 states and DC — were given the opportunity to send in an essay explaining why a charity of their choosing should earn a Spotlight Grant.