UH Hilo nursing student Luche Ganot, a lifelong artist, wins six awards at local youth media challenge
Luche Ganot received five 1st place awards for her art and film work and also won Best in Show for Digital Artwork at the 2025 Youth Media Challenge hosted by Nā Leo TV.
By Susan Enright/UH Hilo Stories.
A nursing student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo who also excels as a multi-media artist won several gold medals and Best in Show for Digital Artwork at the recent 2025 Youth Media Challenge hosted by Nā Leo TV, a local incubator for nurturing talent in Hawaiʻi Island’s creative and media industries.
The Na Leo Youth Media Challenge accepts submissions from youth across Hawaiʻi Island in digital art, short film, and public service announcement (PSA) video formats representing a range of important themes for the community. Luche Ganot earned a total of five first-place awards for her five individual submissions, one of which also won the distinction of Best in Show for Digital Artwork.
“These awards affirm the power of fresh voices and creativity,” says Ganot. “Also, they serve as a reminder that a young woman like me is supported by vital pillars of her community, such as the Nā Leo organization, who genuinely uplift and empower youth.”
Ganot’s award-winning multimedia work at the 2025 Youth Media Challenge:
- Digital Artwork: “Embers of Life” received two distinctions — it won 1st place in the Community Pride category and also won the championship title of Best in Show for Digital Artwork.
- Digital Artwork: “Water: The Pulse of Life,” 1st place in the Water Preservation category.
- Digital Artwork: “Texting: The Ultimate Roadblock,” 1st place in the Road Safety category.
- Short Film: “The Garden Within,” 1st place in the Mental Health category.
- PSA Video: “Rooted in Community,” 1st place in the Support Local category.
Ganot’s artwork also was recognized at last year’s inaugural Youth Media Challenge. The events have included over 250 participants each with winners sharing in prizes totaling more than $20,000.
“Art has been my lifeline for as long as I can remember,” Ganot says. “From my earliest memories, creativity was treasured and actively encouraged by my parents. They have always gone above and beyond to nurture my passion, enrolling me in private art lessons, and standing by my side as my biggest supporters at every contest and milestone.”
“Being recognized as a winner last year at the inaugural Nā Leo Youth Media Challenge, and once again this year in the competition’s second year, fills me with much gratitude,” she adds.
Ganot was unable to attend this year’s award event on July 20, so Ashley Kierkiewicz, president and CEO of Nā Leo TV, asked UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin to attend on Ganot’s behalf.
“I was thrilled to accept all these awards on Lucheʻs behalf,” says Chancellor Irwin. “As a nursing student, she carries a heavy academic load, but she clearly loves the arts and has so much talent. I was pleased to know that she and I share having artistic mothers. Clearly, Luche has gained much inspiration from her family.”
Uniting an artistic spirit with a commitment to healthcare
Ganot was valedictorian of the 2023 Pāhoa High School graduating class and has accomplished stellar academic achievements at UH Hilo including a 4.0 grade point average that has earned her way onto the Dean’s List at the College of Natural and Health Sciences.
“At this point in my journey at UH Hilo, I am stepping into my role as an incoming junior, my third year as a nursing student,” says Ganot. “The joy I felt upon receiving my acceptance letter from the UH Hilo School of Nursing is something I will always cherish. Being admitted into such a highly competitive program truly felt like the reward for countless days of dedication.”
Her aspirations are to earn her bachelor of science in nursing, become a registered nurse, and ultimately pursue a doctor of nursing practice degree, so that one day she can establish her own clinic.
While her academic and career goals revolve around healthcare, Ganot says art remains her inseparable companion as it continues to enrich every chapter of her life.
“Balancing a rigorous course load while striving to maintain my 4.0 GPA and scholarships, including the UH Presidential Scholarship, demands hard work,” she says. “During times when stress runs high, art becomes my refuge and source of comfort. My greatest hope is to unite my artistic spirit with my commitment to healthcare, bringing compassion, creativity, and healing to my community.”
In addition to the UH Presidential Scholarship, Ganot has received numerous other scholarships including from the CU Hawaii Federal Credit Union in each of the years 2023 and 2024. In a HFC media release it’s noted she is a “hardworking and kind-hearted individual who wants to create more access to health care services in Hawaii.” Ganot is quoted as saying: “By establishing a clinic, I could offer more culturally-sensitive care and early intervention, ultimately reducing health inequality.”
Story by Susan Enright, public information specialist for the Office of the Chancellor and editor of UH Hilo Stories. She received her bachelor of arts in English and certificate in women’s studies from UH Hilo.
