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2008 Youth Leadership Conference, See What Youth Can
Do!
Tuesday,
January 29, 2008 @ JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa
presented by
Valley of Rainbows, Making Dreams Come True
450 high  chool
students, grades 9-12, from Nanakuli, Waianae and Kapolei High
Schools attended the 4th Annual Youth Leadership Conference on
Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and
Spa. Dept. of Education administrators, counselors, teachers,
sponsors, and government officials were also invited, a total
of 556 participants were involved with this one-day educational
conference.
Our
featured speakers shared their knowledge, wisdom, and experience
with these young leaders. They were:
-
Senator
Colleen Hanabusa
-
C&C of
Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann
-
Celine
Nelsen, President Pacific Leadership Partners (sponsored by
Kamehameha Schools)
-
Mervlyn
Kitashima
Leadership Breakout Speakers:
-
College
Planning: Jan Shimabukuro and Larry Andres (LCC Counselors
and Faculty)
-
Career
Panelists: Dr. Alean Cook-Palmer, (UH John A. Burns School
of Medicine, Faculty); Micah Kane, (Dept of Hawaiian Homes Chair);
Dr. Gene Awakuni (UH West O'ahu, Chancellor); and Dawn O'Brien
(Morning radio personality with Salem Media FISH 95.5) with
Hanalei Aipoalani (NHIS Alumni), moderator.
-
7 Habits
of Highly Effective Teens: Steve Morales (Kamehameha
Scholars Program).
-
Kuder
Assessment and Online Surveys: Kamehameha Schools Staff with
40 laptops.
-
Setting
and Achieiving Goals/Life on Campus: Rocky Savaiigaea (UH
Student Athlete); Mishan Suiso (WHS Alumni and Account Executive
with Verizon Wireless).
  
College Fair and Community Resources:
Leeward
Community College (Waianae and Main Campus), Kapiolani Community
College, University of Hawaii at Hilo, University of Hawaii West
Oahu, INPEACE Ka Lama Education Academy, Waianae Health Academy,
Cahminade University, Remington College, Hawaii Pacific University,
Heald Business College, Office of Hawaiian Affairs/Kaui Inoa,
Kamehameha Schools Financial Aid Office and Kamehameha Scholars,
Ma'o Farms Scholarships, Liko A'e, YMCA of Honolulu, Honolulu
Community College, Windward Community College, and College
Connections.
Mahalo to our 2008 Sponsors:
C&C Community Benefits Grant, Kamehameha
Schools, James & Abigail Campbell Family Foundation, Queen
Lili'uokalani Children's Center, NFL Charities, GearUp/LCC,
Friends of Hawaii Charities, Ko Olina Charities, Kosasa Family
Foundation, Kau Inoa, C&C of Honolulu Mayor's Anti-Drug Grant,
Grace Pacific, Chevron Hawaii, Westside Stories, and
Searider Productions.
2008 Guest Speakers: Senator Colleen Hanabusa, Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Celine
Pi'ilani Nelsen, Dr. Gene Awakuni, Dr. Alean Cook-Palmer, Micah
Kane, Steve Morales, Jan Shimabukuro, Larry Andres, Mishan
Suiso, Mervlyn Kitashima, Hanalei Aipoalani (moderator), Kamehameha
Schools staff, and more! Mahalo to our speakers for
sharing their time and experience with us!
Entertainment: Nanakuli Intermediate & High School Performing
Arts
The purpose of
the Youth Leadership Conference, See What Youth Can Do Conference is
focused on leadership and the importance of a higher education
with career resources and a college fair to help the
students. Workshop topics include sessions on:
Leadership, College Planning, Career and Goal Setting, Personal
Development, and College/Career Assessment.
2007 Guest speakers: The
Honorable Mayor Mufi Hannemann; Celine Pi'ilani Nelsen,
President and Founder of Pacific Leadership Partners
LLC; Dustin Shindo, President/CEO with Hoku Scientific; Anthony
Guerrero, Vice Chairman with First Hawaiian Bank;
Dr. Ric Custodio, Medical Director with Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health
Center, Larry Andres and Kami Kato with UH/Leeward Community College,
Helen Wai and Kamehameha Schools
staff.
Bruce Murakami and Justin Cabezes with Safe Teen Driver will share
their important story about reckless teen driving, forgiving and
moving forward.
Entertainment: Nanakuli
Performing Arts Program from Nanakuli High and Intermediate
School and Augie T will entertain the students during lunch.
Student representatives from Nanakuli and Waianae high
schools (students in the black shirts) formed the The Planning
Committee, who met months in advance help
organize this awesome event. They provided input on the topics,
choice of speakers, created the conference logo, promoted within
their school and helped develop and collect registration
forms. (Continue reading below for more info and
conference
highlights)
   
    
 
  (Photos by Devon Gomes, courtesy of
Westside Stories)
Special
thanks to our 2007 sponsors:
Other contributors: Westside Stories, Searider
Productions, Nanakuli Performing Arts Program, NHIS Graphic
Arts, Jamba Juice Kapolei, Starbucks Kapolei, and A Cookie
Corner
College Fair
Participants: Remington
College, Hawaii
Business College, University of Hawaii at Manoa,
University of Phoenix
Hawaii, Leeward
Community College, Kapi'olani
Community College, Waianae Health
Academy, Waianae
Maritime Academy, Honolulu
Community College, INPEACE - Ka Lama Education
Academy, Kamehameha Schools,
Big Brothers & Sisters of
Honolulu, College
Connections and Safe Teen
Driver
Post
Conference activities include helping Junior and Senior
students begin their college planning process. Funds are
available to assist with SAT registration and testing
fees. Financial aid and college planning workshops are
planned Thursday, February 22, 2007 at Waianae High School Career
Counseling Center, 6:30-9pm and Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at
Nanakuli High & Intermediate School Cafeteria/Auditorium,
6:30-9pm. Contact GearUp at (808) 454-4772 or see your school
counselor for more info. This is a FREE workshop for parents
and students, dinner provided.
Online Career and College Assessment - www.hi.kuder.com
All students received batch codes to participate in the www.hi.kuder.com online career
and college assessment surveys. This is another free service
sponsored by Valley of Rainbows for all students, grades 5 to
adulthood.
The Kuder
system is the premier online career assessment system, providing
a comprehensive, research-based approach to career exploration,
planning, and development. It is brief, user-friendly, and it’s
results–based on extensive research–are highly reliable. The KCPS relates the results of
interests, skills, and work values assessments to occupational
information. The system opens the door to continued exploration with
direct links to job opportunities, postsecondary options,
scholarship and financial aid information, and additional career
development resources.
This system will give students the resources
to set goals and make career decisions based on their personal
interests and abilities. We have an opportunity to
inspire student enthusiasm for career planning, help them understand
their available opportunities, and prepare them
for post-high school success.
Click here to access www.hi.kuder.com batch
codes.
E-mail denice@valleyofrainbows.org
for additional information.
Valley of
Rainbows....Making Dreams Come True!
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