Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL HomeKaimana Close Up: Waialua High's Rowley

Kaimana Close Up: Waialua High's Rowley

By Liz Chun - bio | email

HONOLULU (HAWAIINEWSNOW) - Graham Rowley has been in high demand by colleges to play football. But what really makes him a stand out to his community is all of his volunteer work. Graham excels not just as an athlete, but as a citizen. Liz Chun introduced him in this month's Kaimana close up.

Graham Rowley describes himself as a country boy from Waialua and is proud of it.

"You just know everybody, and it's not like strange at all, just a small town, no big buildings, it's like a farming town pretty much," said Rowley.

In a place where everyone knows everyone, Graham is quite a role model. He has almost all A's with a 3.7 grade point average. Graham really likes his computer science class because there's so much he can learn and he also gets to help his school.

"We set up computers around the campus and we fix them and learn how to install programs. Even physical work we work with the computers fixing them," said Rowley.

When it comes to leadership class Graham's who is normally a quiet guy can be found leading a meeting for a canned food drive. And while Graham would rather his actions speak louder than his words. There's one cause that really gets him talking. It's the community bookfair, which he volunteers for every month. Something he's been doing for the past six years.

"We meet at 7:30 a.m. We sort the books we bring them to the library we put them on the tables and yah there's a lot of books so it takes a lot of people. Yah there's a lot of children's books, and there's a lot of kids that come. It just makes me feel good and makes me feel like I've accomplished something and have done something for my community," said Rowley.

Another one of Graham's good deeds has to do with improving the environment, which was the inspiration behind his Eagle Scout project.

"We made a water catchment system in the mountains which is going to water the endangered species when there's no rain during the summer time," said Rowley.

But it doesn't have to be an organized service event for Graham to help, which was the case when he surprised one of his teachers by showing up to her house one Saturday.

"He parked the bike in front of my house and said okay were here to clean up your yard. They cleaned all the weeds out and they've been coming by since then periodically to keep up and that's just the kind of person he is," said Graham's teacher.

When Graham has time for himself he's usually training to become a better football player.

"Just being active, and staying fit is probably one of the most important things to me. It's just a big part of your life," said Rowley.

After 4 years of playing defensive end at Waialua, Graham is headed to BYU with a full scholarship. The cougars were one of six schools who tried to recruit him for his ability on the field and his unselfish acts off the field.