A young relative works to get a group shot of the 14 graduating Kauai High School Academy of Travel and Tourism (AOTT) class during their graduation banquet held Tuesday night at the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort. The graduates, self-proclaimed “survivors,”
A young relative works to get a group shot of the 14 graduating Kauai High School Academy of Travel and Tourism (AOTT) class during their graduation banquet held Tuesday night at the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort.
The graduates, self-proclaimed “survivors,” were honored during the year-end program celebrating their successful completion of a two-year curriculum program at the high school headed up by director David Kagawa.
Under the program that is in its eighth year of operation, students were recruited from within the high school population, and following a screening process, became part of the specially-designed program that operates under the auspices of the National Academy Foundation program.
Students are expected to present themselves in a professional manner during the two-year course, and are assigned to a special curriculum instructed by Betsy Sakoda, Lane Tokita, and Kagawa. The courses are designed to enhance the students’ chances for success in a career in the visitor industry.
Also included in the curriculum are field trips to various institutions of higher education that offer programs oriented towards careers in the visitor industry, and familiarization trips to the various organizations, agencies, and businesses that work directly with the visitor industry. Students are also offered, under the school’s work-study program, an opportunity to work for various visitor industry-oriented companies under an internship program, and during the course of the school year, are offered career shadowing opportunities with various community businesses.
Students were visible in the community, working alongside leaders at the Festival of Lights, the NFL Quarterback Challenge, the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, as well as being participants in the United Way Walk and the Visitor Industry Charity Walk.
Some of the previous projects that were accomplished by students in the AOTT program include the establishment of a display at the Lihue Airport that still welcomes visitors and instructs them of the various island offerings, and the construction of the instructional signage and display at the Menehune Fishpond which was worked on in conjunction with travel students at the Kauai Community College.
One of the highlights during the commencement program was the awarding of scholarships to deserving seniors.
Erin Kamibayashi was the recipient of a $700 scholarship, Chandelle Rego-Koerte earned an $800 award, Brandon Allianic and Mai Shintani each were presented with a $1,000 scholarship, and Jolene Koerte was awarded a $1,500 scholarship.
Scholarship funds for the program were contributed through the Kauai Visitor Industry Charity Walk and the Festival of Lights program.
Board members of the program include Danny Aki of the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort, Nalani Brun of the Office of Economic Development, Pamai Cano of the Hyatt Regency, Dominic Cerelejia of United Airlines, Peggy Cha from KCC, Laurie Chow of Hilo Hattie’s, Dennis Fujimoto from The Garden Island newspaper, Sue Kanoho of the Kauai Visitors Bureau, Kimberly Kato of the Kauai Teachers FCU, Leesha Kawamura of Hawaiian Airlines, Jolene Kono of Aloha Airlines, Cheryl Michioka of Mokihana Travel Service, Bruce Morehead of Budget Rent a Car, Lynne Nagaoka of the Kauai Marriott, and Freckles Smith of Smith’s Tropical Paradise.
