'Iolani senior Alyssa Alysson Ochiai was named the 2009 Hawaii Junior Miss, during a scholarship competition this week at Kamehameha Schools.

Ochiai was awarded a $4,000 cash scholarship, a trip to the America's Junior Miss competition in June 2009, a four-year scholarship to Hawai'i Pacific University and the Governor's trophy, among other prizes.

Ochiai also took home an additional $750 in cash scholarships as one of the top winners in the talent competition. She hopes to attend Stanford University next fall, she said.

The Hawaii Junior Miss Program is one of the state's oldest scholarship programs.

Now in its 50th year, the competition gives high school seniors a chance to win more than $10,000 annually in cash scholarships, college scholarships, awards and prizes provided by local sponsors.

Allison Chen, a senior at Punahou School, took home a $3,000 scholarship as first runner-up. She wants to attend either Brown University or Harvard College.

Marissa Sakoda of 'Iolani School was named second runner-up. Sakoda won a $2,000 scholarship, and hopes to attend Brown University next fall.

Punahou senior Veronica Glen was the third runner-up, taking home a $1,000 scholarship. Glen wants to attend Loyola Marymount University.

For more information about the program, e-mail hijrms@yahoo.com or go to www.ajm.org.