[2][1] She was raised by her maternal grandmother Barbara Kapela on a coffee farm in Captain Cook, Hawaii, where the family lived in poverty.
[3][4] Kapela is a 2012 graduate of Konawaena High School in Kealakekua, Hawaii, and attended Kapiʻolani Community College in Honolulu.
[6][3][7] She performed a lyrical dance during the talent competition and her platform was "Support Our Students: Empowering Hawaii's Youth to Achieve Their Dreams".
[9][10][1] Entering the state pageant in May 2015 as one of 29 finalists, Kapela's preliminary competition talent was a lyrical dance routine to "My Heart Will Go On" as performed by Tioni Tam Sing.
[3] Kapela won the statewide competition on Saturday, May 30, 2015, when she received her crown from outgoing Miss Hawaii titleholder Stephanie Steuri.