SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
COMING T OGE T HER F OR OUR K EIK I
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n Hawai‘i, we value things like family, togetherness, and traditions. We also value the wisdom that comes with age, and the potential that comes with youth. That’s why it was no surprise when individuals from government, state agencies, businesses, the faith community, and others, came together as the Kaua‘i Resilience Project to address the alarming statistic – one in eleven Kaua‘i teenagers attempted suicide last year. The Kaua‘i Resilience Project, chaired by Mason Chock, recently launched an educational campaign for adults and youth with two key messages: “Kaua‘i’s Kids Are Your Kids,” and “You Got This!” The committee’s action plan includes increasing safe places for kids to gather, and adding programs that build resilience. So serious and so pervasive is the problem of teen suicide on Kaua‘i that many other organizations are getting involved. Among them, the Boys & Girls Club, which 18-year-old Bryden Kaauwai attributes with saving his life. “When I first walked into the Līhu‘e clubhouse, I felt hopeless, like a mistake; my life was so dark, I wanted to end my life.” Little by little, Bryden’s involvement in the Leaders in Training program gave him valuable skills like public speaking, and, more importantly, a sense of purpose and a chance to mentor other teens. He won the Youth of the Year competition on Kaua‘i and qualified for the Pacific regionals, but “the greatest reward,” he acknowledges, “was the chance to change my life, not end it.” With initial funding from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF), the group was created under Keiki to Career Kaua‘i, an initiative of Kaua‘i Planning & Action Alliance (KPAA), to provide solutions and hope. “Kaua‘i’s kids are all of our kids,” said KPAA President Marion Paul. “We want the community to know that having the support of one caring adult helps build resilience in our young people and protect them from despair. Together, we can help young people withstand adversity and not give up.”
Bryden regularly volunteers as a mentor for youth at the Boys and Girls club in Līhu‘e.
“The greatest reward was the chance to change my life, not end it.” - B RY D E N K A A U WA I
You got this! Supporting a teen in small ways can make a huge difference. You can be a lifesaver by doing a few simple things. Here’s how: 1. Remember what it was like to be a teenager and welcome teens as valuable community members. 2. Check in on the teens and preteens in your life every day in person or through a text. 3. If you observe a teen or pre-teen who is struggling or sad, offer to listen or help.
Individual actions, group efforts, and multi-organization partnerships are all part of creating CHANGE in Hawai‘i. Learn more about CHANGE at HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org