MidWeek West - May 26, 2021

A SAFER ‘EWA
A West-based EMS unit increases its hours to work around the clock.
SEE PAGE 2
FABULOUS FELINE
This 2-year-old has the sweetest disposition. Learn more about her in Pet of the Week. SEE PAGE 7
An ‘Ewa Beach Teen Receives Her Crown
FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 26, 2021
A PUBLICATION OF
AN EDITION OF
Ilima Sexton, an ‘Ewa Beach resident who attends Waipahu High School, was crowned Miss Hawai‘i’s Outstanding Teen May 2 at Hawai‘i Convention Center. PHOTO COURTESY JON FUJIWARA
IBY GINGER KELLER
t’s a full-circle moment for Ilima Sexton, an ‘Ewa Beach resident who was recent- ly crowned Miss Hawaiʻi’s Outstanding
Teen. She will head to Orlando, Florida, in July, when she’ll compete for the national title in the same city where she was born.
The now-15-year-old moved to Oʻahu as a toddler — her mom and dad are both from the Westside — and grew up in Waipahu, before moving to ʻEwa five years ago. Though danc- ing has been an integral part of her upbringing, it wasn’t until last year that pageants were even on Ilima’s radar.
“My hairdresser, Dustin, thought I would be good for it,” she says. “At first I wasn’t very in- terested because it didn’t seem like my type of scene, but I was on Instagram and came across the program, and from looking on their social media and seeing what they stood for and what the last titleholder Makaila (who’s a fellow ‘Ewa Beach girl) was doing got me interest- ed. I wanted to connect with my community ... and share that positivity with everyone and connect with other young woman like me.”
SEE PAGE 5
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