Jack Walther is back in his classroom at Kapaa High School with a newfound understanding of national politics and the potential of medical advances after his three-day trip to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington D.C. A highlight
Jack Walther is back in his classroom at Kapaa High School with a newfound understanding of national politics and the potential of medical advances after his three-day trip to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington D.C.
A highlight was when he took a literal seat at the official desk in Hawaii Congresswoman’s Tulsi Gabbard’s office.
“She is on the fifth floor and it was not easy to find in the beginning,” Walther said. “The best thing was to have a tour of the capitol. We even went into the House of Representatives Meeting Room. They weren’t in session so we were able to go in and sit in the leather chairs. What was so interesting was that we were actually in the room where many presidents gave their State of the Union address and where history was made.”
Walther said the trip boosted his interest in science through a shared excitement with students from around the country who had the opportunity to hear from inspiring speakers.
“I liked listening to Jack Andraka, who when he was 15 years old created a new test for pancreatic cancer that is much faster and less expensive and more sensitive than the current tests,” said Walther.
Another of Walther’s favorites was Jim Kwik, a memory and rapid learning expert.
“As a kid he had problems learning,” said Walther “And now he dedicates his life to helping people learn. He made learning fun.”
Other Washington D.C. observations when comparing the city to the islands include how spread out everything was when he needed to get around and the cold temperatures.
“The downtown was crowded and I noticed there was poverty,” he said. “They had a subway called the Metro which was easy to get on and off but you had to be fast because the doors opened and closed quickly.”
He added that there seemed to be more technology and that the pace in the capitol city was considerably faster than Kauai.
“Oh yeah, there were more roads and highways to get lost on and people honk their horns a lot.”
• Lisa Ann Capozzi, a features and education reporter can be reached at lcapozzi@thegardenisland.com
