POIPU — Kauai Council Chair Arryl Kaneshiro said he wished he had this type of event when he was in high school.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was in high school,” Kaneshiro said to the more than 700 freshmen students from Waimea, Kauai, and Kapaa high schools. “I had a job cooking food at Bar B Que Inn so I thought maybe culinary. But during my junior-to-senior year, we were smashed with customers. I looked at the people I was working with. They had two, maybe three jobs, and I said this wasn’t for me.”
“But then, food is popular with people — look at the people in the culinary fields, getting paid well and traveling around the world — just for food,” he said.
Kaneshiro was one of the speakers welcoming the students to the Career Exploration Fair, a part of Academies of Kauai, Kauai Economic Development Board, and presented by Hartung Brothers
Joshua Uyehara, a Waimea High School alumnus and the general manager of the Hartung Brothers Hawaii operations, said growing up, his dad was a paniolo in Makaweli, and grew kalo part time.
“We worked in the kalo fields during the weekends, and I said I will never be a farmer when I grow up. But, I’m still in agriculture,” he said.
Uyehara encouraged the students to “take the time to ask questions of the professionals because you never know where life will take you.”
During the short morning, students were released with a “passport,” a guidebook/workbook where they had the opportunity to meet and discuss the path leading to their desired field.
“It’s great to see the three high schools working, together,” said Kauai Area Complex Superintendent William Arakaki. “Many of the people representing the companies and organizations are former students who are working together to build a 21st century economy.”
Vendors representing health, business, natural resources, arts and communication were set up in the Grand Ballroom at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort &Spa, eager to field questions from the sea of students.
“Everyone talking part is participating in support of your success,” Uyehara said. “This event provides a glimpse of the exciting possibilities that await you, and the steps you can take to lay the foundation for the future.”
Jackie Kaina, program director for the Kauai Economic Development Board, urged the students to work hard.
“Your future success is important to your family and to our communities, and is vital to keeping America at the forefront of innovation,” she said.
