LIHU‘E — Bill Arakaki, the complex area superintendant for the Kaua‘i district, said Tuesday that the Kaua‘i Community School for Adults graduation is always so inspiring he wishes his school principals could witness the event. Arakaki said the commencement exercises
LIHU‘E — Bill Arakaki, the complex area superintendant for the Kaua‘i district, said Tuesday that the Kaua‘i Community School for Adults graduation is always so inspiring he wishes his school principals could witness the event.
Arakaki said the commencement exercises at the War Memorial Convention Hall saw 90 high school diplomas being presented. They were represented by the 28 graduates who participated in the exercises.
Graduates range in age from 16 to 50 years old and come from several different states and countries.
“It is always inspiring to hear the stories the graduates have to say, and I wish I could show this to the school principals,” Arakaki said. “These are stories of courage.”
Arakaki said the graduates not only celebrate attaining their high school diploma, they have discovered the need for a high school diploma to advance to a higher level in their lives.
“The high school diploma is the key to opportunities for tomorrow,” he said.
One of the driving forces behind this year’s program was addressed by two of the three student speakers.
“I was referred to the adult school by the unemployment counselors who said I had a better chance for unemployment if I had a high school diploma,” said Clarisse Haumea. “After taking several classes, I realized I liked food and nutrition. Now, I’m planning on attending the Kaua‘i Community College to study culinary arts.”
Chrislan Wright-Callejo, the student hostess for the night, said she, too plans on attending KCC in pursuit of a degree in nursing.
Matthew Horita said Tuesday was 10 years to the date when he was supposed to graduate from high school.
“I moved from job to job until I got a job at the Sheraton Kaua‘i for the past five years,” Horita said. “The class situation made learning easier than when I was in high school and now, I’m planning on studying diesel technology in Arizona with the hope of becoming an auto mechanic, something I really like doing.”
Lisa Wilson said a dramatic change in her life sent her back to school.
As one of the oldest graduates in the group, Wilson said she was a young, happy girl working in physical jobs like waitressing and bartending.
All of that changed when she and her boyfriend, out for a motorcycle ride, were hit from the back by a car and she was actually run over by the vehicle.
During her rehabilitation from the accident, she realized she could better her life and returned to school.
“Today I’m a literacy tutor and I realize that what I’m doing helps others, and I couldn’t be happier,” Wilson said. “It’s never too late to educate.”
Eugene Uegawa, the Kaua‘i Community School for Adults principal, was joined by Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. who attended the event fresh from his trip to Japan, and Kaua‘i County Councilman Tim Bynum who delivered the commencement address to the graduates.
The processional was performed by Arnold Meister with Kiana Okino, a seventh-grader, doing the vocals.
“At the Kaua‘i Community School for Adults, ‘can’t’ can be ‘can,’” Wright-Callejo said.
