‘Find purpose and follow your passion’

Waimea High School football coach Jason Caldeira said the impact of graduation didn’t hit him until he saw the nervous students, some already donned in graduation attire and others with gowns slung over their shoulders rushing to meet their classmates at the library Friday evening.

“I have a son graduating,” Caldeira said. “He was alright with everything. I was alright this morning, but now, I’m getting nostalgic. He’s a big boy now.”

Waimea High School hosted graduation ceremonies for its Class of 2018 before a sea of spectators lugging a colorful array of graduation bling.

The graduates made a collective effort of hiding their excitement — there was subdued laughter and hushed conversations, and no caps being thrown in the air — as the ceremony unfolded in the quiet coolness of dusk, punctuated with a misty blessing.

“It’s scary,” said Bri Lozensky, a Waimea sophomore who was blowing up beach toys with her friend Nani Kamaka-Riley whose brother, William Kamaka-Riley, was among those making the big walk. “We’re going to be doing this in two years and there is so much we need to think about and do. It’s scary.”

Nani said her brother is planning on going to college to play football.

“My prayers have been answered,” said Kamaka-Riley’s aunt who paused briefly in the surging crowd. “He was going to play city football, but now, he’s going to California where he can play football in college.”

Avery Miguel was one of the graduates who took advantage of the private time to mingle with classmates before making the big walk to the bleachers.

“We have big dreams,” said Miguel, a Menehune football standout. “I’m going to the University of Las Vegas and study landscape architecture. I’m also planning on walking on for the football team.”

Anna Broyles, normally a bubbly enthusiastic cheerleader, masked her emotions.

“I’m going to UNLV, too,” Broyles said.

“I got a major JROTC scholarship which enables me to study nursing for three years there.”

Hawaii Senate President Ron Kouchi, an alumnus of the Class of 1975, addressed the audience.

“When I sat where you are sitting, Val Tsuchiya was our keynote speaker and said to go forward, but I didn’t know what to do,” he said. “The most important thing in life is to find purpose and follow your passion. If you do, you will never work a day in your life, you’ll be too busy enjoying.”

There were 134 students in the class.

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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.