'I took a chance'
A Student Publication of the University of Hawai`i • Honolulu Community College • April/May 2014
Ka LA photo by Mathew Ursua
Jeremiah Tavares challenged his mother, Jasmine, to go back to school. Now, she's planning to graduate in May, one year after he did.
Mom follows in son's footsteps at school By Mathew Ursua
Ka La editor
Jasmine Tavares and her son Jeremiah make the pilgrimage from their home in Waimanalo to the college’s campus in urban Honolulu every weekday. It’s a long bus ride. They’ve been doing it together for three years. Jasmine uses a wheelchair. She has arthritis in her back that makes it hard to walk. She said she walks when she can, but can’t make it far. Jeremiah pushes his mother’s wheelchair from the bus stop on King Street where they’re dropped off. Jeremiah graduated from HonCC last year and is pursuing another degree in computer networking. This year, he’ll watch as
his mother gets her own degree. It was Jeremiah who talked his mother into going to college, more than two decades after she graduated from high school He said that his mother would ask him what he learned in his classes day after day. One day he told her to enroll and find out for herself. She did. “I took a chance,” Jasmine said. She said that she would attend for one semester and see what happened. Three years later she’s on track to graduate with her first degree. Jasmine says possibilities are limitless. After graduating with an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts, she plans to pursue another degree in science so she can move closer to becoming a biologist.
She writes and illustrates children's stories, too. She said she started telling stories to her son when he was an infant in the 1990s. Soon after, she started putting them on paper and producing artwork. Jasmine said she’s expanding on one of her stories -- making it longer and updating the art. It’s about an alien named Mikey who commandeers his parents’ spaceship, shoots across the universe, and encounters new forms of life on a planet called Earth. When she wrote it in the 1990s, she saw her story as a means of teaching elementary school students about biology. “The moral of the story was to be honest,” she said. Continued on Page 5
Inside More than 800 to graduate
-- Page 2
Annual art & poetry issue -- Pages 7-10 Fashion, hair styles on campus
-- Pages 12-14
Who's on the dean list ?
-- Page 15
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 2
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Amazing Grace Etelagi Kaleo Gagne
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Jacqueline Miszuk April/May 2014
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April/May 2014
More than 800 graduates will get certificates, degrees By Amazing-Grace ETELAGI Ka La staff writer
More than 820 people are expected to graduate from Honolulu Community College this year with certificates and degrees, a significant jump over previous years. The increase stems, in part, from a new process to "auto-award" the certificates and degrees to people who had previously completed required work but had not applied for gradation. The change resulted from HonCC officials going back and looking for people who had earned their degrees and certificates and then notifying them. Judging by past years, about 300 of the graduates will be on hand to accept their diplomas at commencement ceremonies May 16 at the Waikiki Shell. According to the Records Office, the programs with the highest number of graduates are Liberal Arts and Applied Trades. These include everything from fashion to early childhood education and from automotive technology to administration of justice. Misti Chiechi, 36, will be one of those graduates, receiving her Associates of Applied Science degree. “Graduation will be one of my future most favorite memories at HCC, which I have been looking forward to for a long time,” Chiechi said. Chiechi started at HonCC three years ago and has served as a ASUH-HCC senator and delegate to the UH systemwide student caucus team, a student group that works to identify and solve problems within the system. “I would like to attend the University of Washington, which my father and sister both attended and graduated from,” Chiechi said. Chiechi, a single mother, said she will never forget
Ka La photos by Dareal Barcelona
Hundreds of students showed up for a job fair in the HonCC cafeteria in April. Many of them were hoping to find part-time and full-time jobs as they move forward in their college careers. the HonCC keiki center. “It has been a life saver and I just adore the women and men who work there and I enjoyed the many events they have hosted here on campus not only for the children, but for the parents.” Among the many activities and opportunities Chiechi enjoyed, the STAR awards ceremony was one of the most memorable she has had with her daughter. “I decided to go to school as a means of selfdevelopment, increasing my professional abilities and widening my opportunities for employment advancement,” said Phi Theta Kappa President
Jamie Rodrigues. Rodrigues enrolled in HonCC to acquire her associate’s degree as a stepping stone in her academic long-term plan, which is to earn a master’s degree. She is co-attending HonCC and UH Manoa, as a social worker major. Rodrigues works for Parents and Children Together and is a mother of five. “I would definitely recommend my family members and friends attending Honolulu CC just as I have done with my cousin Star, my co-workers Joy and Merleen, and a few others within the community" “Honolulu CC has very supportive profes-
sors,” Rodrigues said. “All of whom I encountered are genuinely invested in students’ achievements.” As Honolulu CC goes forward and is still obtaining more resources to make learning more convenient, Rodrigues recommends programs such as the Native Hawaiian Center and TRIO-SSS, which consistently aid students on multiple levels. “Not to mention that Honolulu CC has a fearless chancellor,” Rodrigues said. “Erika (Lacro) is an excellent leader and very passionate about the quality of care the students are afforded.”
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April/May 2014
School grounding its flight program By Mathew Ursua Ka La editor
The college announced last month that it will stop teaching students to fly in 2016. Aviation students wishing to get their degrees have until then to graduate, and the school says it will work with them. The announcement signals the end of Honolulu Community College's Commercial Aviation program, a program that was sought after by many pursuing lifelong dreams of taking to the skies as pilots. But it was criticized in recent years for failing to award enough degrees and for being too costly. In 2013, evidence surfaced that the college’s flight school was underperforming. Pegi Braun, whose granddaughter was enrolled in the program, said students lost scholarship money over F grades they didn’t deserve. Students were failing courses that involved flight time because the flight school wasn’t working with students to get them their flying hours, according to Braun. She said students couldn’t
Students in the HonCC aviation program could learn to fly planes like this one. But records show there had been few graduates in recent years, forcing the school to shut down the program. finish the degree path on time and on budget. Ka La couldn’t reach Braun’s granddaughter for comment. She was on Kauai at the time, Braun said. Braun said her granddaughter completed an associate's degree through a UH community college, but not in aviation as she dreamed of doing.
Around that time, the college said that it was working to make the program better and that the privately contracted flight school was changing management. Now, a year later and as budget cuts loom, the college says it will no longer fund the program. Officials said, on average, it graduated just one student every two years, and so Commercial Aviation is on
track to close its doors. Erika Lacro, the school's chancellor, called the shut down a "sunset" in her email to faculty. “The program has faced many challenges since its inception and was never able to accomplish the original goals set forth in the degree proposal,” Lacro said in the email. She also said that Commercial Aviation was costing the school over $400,000 a year. Current students are reacting. Javison Caires knew he wanted to fly since he was 6. His father was an Air Force mechanic. For Caires, the announcement means new beginnings. He said he plans to quit the program this semester. His best case scenario has him going to Embry Riddle’s Arizona campus. Embry Riddle is an internationally renowned school of flight that offers certifications for nearly all levels of aviators. He said he’s in talks with his parents to get there. Even if that doesn’t pan out, he plans to continue learning to fly through private teachers and academies.
THE KEYS TO SUCCESS ARE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Most students enter college thinking they’ll graduate on time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen often. In Hawai‘i, on average, full-time students take 5.6 years to earn a 2-year degree. This means more time and more money. Besides tuition and fees, not finishing on time also costs you more in terms of lost income. Shift the odds in your favor by taking 15 credits per semester. Students who earn 15 credits are more likely to finish college on time, earn better grades, and have higher completion rates. On average, residents in Hawai‘i with associate degrees earned $10,000 more per year than residents who did not earn a college degree. It pays to earn your degree; and earning it faster means you’ll make more money over the span of your career!
Take control! You determine how long it will take you to graduate. The first step is to register for 15 credits each semester and take English and Math courses in your first year of college. Students who take 15 credits per semester and complete English and Math courses early are more likely to graduate on time. The next step is to be proactive and ask for help. Know the courses you need to take to graduate, and meet with your academic advisor, who will help you map out a plan to finish on time. If you can’t take 15 credits a semester, then take summer classes to stay on track.
TM
Part of the Hawai’i Graduation Initiative
LEARN MORE AT: WWW.15TOFINISH.COM
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April/May 2014
School increases efforts to bring high schoolers to the campus Amazing-Grace Etelagi Ka La staff writer
Over 100 students from Kaimuki, Waianae, and Roosevelt high schools toured Honolulu Community College this month as part of an event hosted by the Outreach program. Booths were set up by the Cosmetology program, the Fire Science Dept., Small Vessel Fabrication and Repair Program, Ka La, Student Life & Development, and Early Childhood Education for the seniors to get information and handson experience. Jennifer Naguwa, the Gear Up College and Career Readiness Program manager said “the purpose of this event is to help seniors apply to college and to take them into the next step into enrolling in college.” Naguwa earned her BA in Marketing and Management at UH Manoa in 2006. Other Gear Up groups from high schools across the island visited Windward CC, Leeward CC, Kapiolani CC, UH Manoa, and UH West O’ahu. Roosevelt senior Raime Aake was amazed by the campus. “I like the campus—it’s big and I had no clue the Berlin Wall was right here,” she said, “I learned about the many programs HCC has to offer, and I am interested in Aviation.” The event is just one part of an on-going agressive recruitment program at HonCC. . The plan outlines a number of specific strategies to increase our numbers from that population, which will help increase our overall enrollment. HonCC is working more closely with counselors at several high schools to implement a number of activities that will bring counselors as well as students to the College campus (e.g., a “Counselors on Campus” day; reinstating something like HS2HCC; coordinating campus tours.
Workers from the Honolulu CC Construction Academy built these doors at the state Capitol last month to symbolize the opportunities that all seven University of Hawaii community campuses offer students
CCs celebrate 50-year history Kaleo Gagne Kā La staff writer
The University of Hawaii Community College system kicked off its year-long 50th anniversary celebration in March with an event at the state Legislature. In March 1964, the Hawai`i State Legislature passed a law that created campus community colleges in the University of Hawai`i system through out the state. Before this system was created only a few high school graduates had the opportunity for higher education. “Going to college was something that maybe only the top part of the high school class did,” explains University of Hawaiʻi Vice President for Community Colleges John Morton. ”The likelihood that you as an adult would go back to college was rare.” Fifty years later, hundreds of thousands of students have
Legislature report
attended community college in Hawaii, and that achievement was celebrated at the state Capitol with all seven community colleges participated in the day’s events. The day started with an `oli chant celebrating this momentous occasion. Then there were seven doors, each colored in a school’s color, where the chancellor of each campus opened the door allowing students to go through. This was symbolic of the journey each community college student goes through. Honolulu Community College was there in full force from fashion tech (which provided a fashion show) to carpentry, auto mechanics, and the MELE program, which
provides students the opportunity to learn about the ins and out of the music industry . One area that stood out was the information provided information on HonCC’s Liberal Arts program, showing that the school is more than just a trade school. The day’s events concluded with all seven chancellors and Vice President John Morton receiving certificates of achievements on the Senate floor, commemorating all the efforts that the community colleges have done in the past five decades. Why is the community college system an asset? Morton summed it up best. “We believe strongly that higher education is good not just for the individual, but good for society,” Morton said. “People get good jobs, they contribute, they become part of the fabric of this community."
Getting tsunami lessons from experts Amazing-Grace Etelagi Ka La staff write
What do you do if you are out at sea and a tsunami hits? Stay put. It’s the safest place to be. That’s just one of the things students in Michelle Smith’s Oceanography Lab class learned when they went for a visit to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach last month. Ten students got a first-hand tour of the center from Oceanographer Nathan Beckar, who explained what instruments the center uses to detect signs of earthquakes and tsunamis and what action to take when a warning is
issued. Beckar also pointed out the phones the center usedsto keep in touch with many stations across the Pacific, including the weather station. Whether at sea or on land, the best place to survive a tsunami is away from the shore, he said. Beckar has been with the center since January 2006 and was happy to help the students learn about its operations. "This tour hit the message of what tsunamis really are and they are nothing to think lightly of," Smith said. It is an important part of her curriculum for students to have a hands-on or an eye-witness experience in order to make learn-
ing more relevant. Student Clayton Ham said he enjoyed learning about tsunami and earthquakes because he has never seen or experienced a natural disaster first hand. Gerard J. Fryer, a senior geophysicist at the center, said its primary responsibility is to issue warnings and then improve their systems. He said the biggest challenge PTWC faces is public education. For instance, when the 8.1 magnitude earthquake occurred in American Samoa, there were no sirens installed at the time, but school officials and church members rang their bells as a warning sign.
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April/May 2014
New student orientation going online By Brian Cheung Ka la staff writer
New students will no longer have to attend a physical, oncampus orientation with a group before starting their career at HonCC. Instead, the administration will start an online orientation this year. Michael Barros, the school's director of secondary education, explained the plan to the student government on the open forum of ASUH meeting in April. "Orientation should not be a single tour," Barros said. He said the reason that the administration stopped Passport to College is because they want to have a better service to new students. According to Barros, the newly accepted students will receive an orientation package via email. It requires students to go into an online program for college orientation. After they finish watching the online program, students will receive a phone call from a counselor and attend a physical campus trip. Barros said they know the "personal touch part" of the orientation is important. They will have more events such as iKea workshops to help students in campus life.
Ka La photo by Dareal Barcelona
With the end of the semester at hand, worried looks were giving ways to lots of smiles across the campus.
ASUH officers elected for coming year By Brian Cheung Ka La staff
Seven of eight available positions of ASUH-HCC were filled during voting in April. All of the candidates won without opposition. Outgoing President Kaleo Gagne announced that Anthony Park, Souraj Dutta, Clarence Cottrell, Ferdinand Bermudez and Jonah Carino as senators-at-large elected, Sean Brown elected as
Jasmine and Jeremiah conquer school together Continued from Page 1
Mikey the alien eventually tells his parents about his trek across the universe. He wasn’t supposed to hit the red button to activate the spaceship. Jeremiah, who is absorbed with science fiction, agriculture, and loves to watch old episodes of MASH on a portable DVD player he brings to school, said that he doesn’t remember his mother’s bedtime stories. “I used to tell him stories to put him to sleep,” Jasmine said. “I think he would get bored and doze off.” Twenty years later, she sees new themes in her Mikey the alien story. She said the new moral is to “take a chance.”
“You have to grab opportunity when it presents itself,” she said, “because it doesn’t present itself all the time. When that door opens, and you’re being given an opportunity, grab it.” Jasmine said. For Jasmine, it’s more about the journey than the destination. She’s made a lot of friends along the way. Computer networking major Edward Chang met Jasmine and Jeremiah in 2011. Jasmine said hello and invited him to sit at a table in the science building’s courtyard-the same table where you’ll find them almost every morning. "He came and sat down,” Jasmine said, “and he’s been doing it for three years now.” "She says hi to everyone who walks by,” Chang said.
communications director, and Gerimi Tagonan as president. The vice president position remained vacant. The only VP candidate withdrew before balloting. The new administration will have a re-election or appoint a VP. Gagne said that only 13 votes were cast in the election. Sen. Sean Brown questioned why Gagne did not include the online voting page's link on an
election email blast. He thought it discouraged students to vote, but Gagne and Vice President Misty Chiechi disagreed. They said the website is put on posters and flyers. Student could easily access it. Gagne said the elected team will take office on April 25, with the ceremony on STAR Awards. The new administration will serve until next April.
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April/May 2014
Security, students debate campus guns By Mathew Ursua Ka La editor
Statistics from the Honolulu Police Department show that Honolulu Community College and the nearby neighborhoods are relatively safe and crime free. But when incidents like a recent police shooting of a 17-year-old boy at Roosevelt High School or the report (ultimately not true) of a wandering gunman near campus occur, students still get concerned about security at the school. John Santos, head of HonCC’s security force, said all of the college’s security guards, whether they’re working for the state or privately contracted, are required to have professional licenses -known more commonly as “guard cards” -- but don’t carry any weapons. “Eventually, somewhere down the line, we might have to be armed,” he said. “If I’m ordered to, I will.” But Santos said withstanding an order he’d rather not carry a gun, even a nonlethal one. Santos said that the training security guards receive enable them to respond to incidents without firearms. According to Santos, their training includes self-defense tactics and learning methods of subduing disorderly people. Santos said guards wear utility belts that include handcuffs, batons, and first aid equipment. According to Santos, the golf carts that security guards use are stocked with things like flashlights, first aid equipment, and yellow caution tape. Santos, who has been with the college for around six years, talked about some of the things that happened on his watch.
Ka La photo by Mathew Ursua
Security Chief John Santos says trouble on campus is minor, but student leader misty chiechi wants guards armed so tragedies can be averted .“Incidents are mostly minor fender benders or stolen bikes and laptops,” Santos said, “and sometimes students get out of hand — there have been a few fights.” Student Life & Development employee Tracy Alambatin reacted during the first few minutes of local media reports of the Roosevelt shooting. She was watching a live stream on her office computer. She said that in light of the incident, the state’s comparatively strict gun laws appeared ineffective. But nearly a half-hour later Honolulu Star Advertiser reported that it was actually police who fired. A 17-year-old boy was shot in the wrist. He was reportedly threatening officers with a kitchen knife as they tried to take him into
custody. He had run away from home. Alambatin, who founded the college’s chapter of Young Americans for Liberty pointed out that guns aren’t the only weapons people can use to do harm, and that guns may have saved lives in the school. Former Honolulu Community College student Aaron Fernandez said that gun ownership “kind of doesn’t make sense.” He said that hunting is the only reason people would need firearms. Liberal arts student Keoni Bumgarner said he’s afraid of Hawaii becoming too much like the mainland when it comes to gun violence. “We don’t need Hawaii turning into another LA,” he said. “The current restrictions are fine.”
Larry Kuapahi, a former liberal arts student, said that people should be allowed to carry guns in public. “Open carry should be allowed for protection,” he said. When first reports of the shooting at a high school just three miles away from the college started disseminating, some feared the worst. Still Chiechi has developed a plan she hoped would add to the school’s security. Chiechi proposed arming school security guards with non-lethal weapons such as guns that fire rubber bullets and beanbags. Chiechi succeeded last semester in getting handcuffs and batons for the school’s uniformed guards.
From Kansas to Finland to Honolulu CC By Edlynne Harrell-Sanchez Ka La staff writer
April Ching likes to help people. Maybe that’s why she is such a good teacher. Ching, who grew up in Kansas and taught for a while in Finland after going there as as an exchange student in college, helps students at Honolulu Community College. “I’m a people person and I believe in my students,” said Ching, who teaches English 22. Ching enjoys teaching because it allows her to meet many interesting people, and it allows her to practice some of her favorite things: reading and writing. She earned a bachelor’s while-
April Ching took a round about course to teach at HonCC going to school in Finland, where she also taught others to read and write English. But she decided that she needed an American degree if she wanted to come back
home to teach. So Ching came to Hawaii ato escape the cold of Finland and graduated from UH-Manoa with master’s in English . She taught at several other schools, including Hawaii Pacific University, UH-Manoa and Wayland Baptist University before coming to HonCC. Ching brings high expectations for her students, expecting them to learn to be confident in their writing. “Never be afraid of a blank page,” Ching said. Ching also hopes that students will remember the writing process -- drafting, writing, editing,
rewriting -- to make their stories better. In her spare time, Ching reads a lot: Everything but romance stories because the stories there are “just so predictable.” One of her favorite books is the Secret Garden. Amber Kono, a student in Ching’s English 22 class, said she enjoys starting her day off with Ching's English class and likes the journals that are part of the class, which give her time to reflect on her own life. “I’m glad that I took this class because I’m really starting to learn how to write properly.,“ Kono said.
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April/May 2014
Best of HonCC
Each year at graduation time, Ka La features the work of some of Honolulu Community College's talented students. In this issue we share a few photographs, poems and essays by out students. They are just a tiny sampling of what Honolulu Community College is all about: diversity, friendship and moving forward through education.
Nick Lum photograph
Shattered Glass By Kristine Bautista, Eng. 201 The moon was full, and the neighborhood street was foggy. She’s coming for us, isn’t she?” cried my nephew. I nodded my head with terror in my eyes, and my skin turned pale as a ghost. Indeed she was coming. Bubbly, brown liquid spread across the kitchen floor along with broken glass of a cup. The sound of cracking glass echoes throughout the house. My nephew and I were not alone. White smoke creeps out of the slightly opened door which we called “her chamber.” The sound of her footsteps grew louder and louder. She’s coming. The doorknob turned right, and the door of her chamber opened wide. My heart stopped beating. Her bright red fingernails opened the door. She was in a dark shadowed area when she slowly walked out of her chamber. “What the hell is on the floor?” she roared at the top of her lungs. “Coca Cola,” my nephew replied while pointing his index finger at me. She stepped into the light, and I stared into her red, bloodshot eyes. My heart was pounding out of my chest. She was five feet tall Her long hair was as frizzy as tumbleweed. Her eyelids were droopy while her big eyes were red. Her stomach was hanging out of her tiny white tank top. She snatched the collar of my shirt, And she lifted me up two feet high with my legs dangling in the air. She stared at me with a dead look on her face. She whispered in my ear while I could smell her morning breath. “You’re gonna pay for that.”
Andrew McCarthy photograph
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Photograph by Joe Conely
April/May 2014
Photograph by Joe Conely
A place to go back to, Eng 201 By Garret Lang The stars come out, but they are not the stars I know
The wind blows, but this is not the wind I know.
The stars I know shine brighter in the dark
The wind I know is cooler on one's skin.
Photograph by Dareal Barcelona
The change of thought -- by Jiren Cao, ESL 23 One day I learned an important lesson from a mistake that I made in my English class at HCC. I should be not negligent about my life. It all began with a homework assignment. The homework was to find a definition and make a sentence for each word. I still remember it was on Wednesday night. At midnight, when I was copying the definitions, I was so sleepy to make a sentence. Then I decided to copy a sentence because I thought it was just a sentence; it’s not a big deal. Next day, when I got the paper with the word: PLAGIARISM? on it, I didn’t take it to heart. Plagiarism in other words is copying other people’s ideas; however, I thought it won’t matter so much to people’s lives. Next thing is I had a conversation with the teacher. After I walked out the class, the conversation kept spinning in my head. ”If I see it again it, I’ll report it to the office and you will be in trouble,” said the teacher. I didn’t say anything but nodded. The conversation wasn’t long, but affected me.
It’s a paradox that I can be honest with my mistake, but my mistake was being dishonest. It is a simple mistake I was told not to make, but I didn’t take it so seriously. While I was walking to the bus station, I was worried and depressed. I was worried for the impression I just made. While I was working, I recalled my other teacher saying that you only can live once. Soon I realized that I shouldn’t be so reckless. I let the teacher down and myself also. The mistakes on the paper could be erased, but the mistakes in the life couldn’t. Before I went to bed, I wasn’t sure about my feelings. I was happy for learning something, but I also regretted the mistake. I lost the teacher’s trust in me. From now on, I will treat everything more seriously, and try not to do something that is wrong. I hope that somebody would tell me if I made mistakes, and correct me. It was a great lesson that changed the attitude of my life, and I think it also made the day valuable.
Snow is soft and melts in my hands
River water cools and calms the body
Palm "trees" are not trees
Palm "trees" are an eyesore. Pine trees are real trees. The twigs crunch
beneath my feet, under the evening sunset. This place is not my home. There's a place I need to go back to.
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April/May 2014
Midday Dusk Trot
By Jacob Daniel Perri, Eng. 201 His feet strike the cool, moist pavement in
the frosty, autmn air. The runner is winning the race to keep the
lead. There's not a sound but his exhalation that
forms clouds of white, Sweat drips from his brow. Beads of the warm, salty waterfall flow
down his face and warm his neck. Breath is now a fabrication of the mind as his
lungs writhe under the continuous loss
of air due to the harsh, steep includes of the Pittsburgh
terrain. Country roads and fields of green become
endless, ever onward to the sinking red
ball in the near
distant surface of the skyline, Each streetlight blurs by as the ever
dwindling late noon sun is engulfed by darkness
The moon marks the beginning of the vast
darkness of the dense forest that is the
evening sky. The runner presses on towoards the finish
line.
Photograph by Clarke VelESCA
Photograph by Kalena Delima
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April/May 2014
Photogragh by Spencer Lum
Photogragh by Guillermo Gutierrez
Photogragh by Joe Conely
A Small Market in the Vietnamese Countryside -- By Mina Nguyen, ESL 3 When I travel to my homeland, Viet Nam, one of my favorite things to do is to walk to an open market. I am always interested about country life and especially about countryside markets. There was a small open market in a village near Hue city in the middle of Viet Nam, where people brought whatever they planted or raised to sell. On an early summer morning day, I visited the small country market. It was dark and cold when I walked to it nearby my motel. The road was narrow and a little wet, and it was alongside a beautiful river. I was walking slowly while enjoying the fresh air. The air of the countryside was filled with the smell of mud, plants, and animals. I was passing some houses with people who were still sleeping. I couldn't see the market clearly, but I heard people who were chatting nearby. When I went closer, I saw some lights of oil lamps, which people often used in the country. This market had been there a long time, and nobody knew when it was established. There were some groups of people who were preparing things to sell. On the right side, there was the river, where people transferred merchandise such as vegetables, animals, and rice from their boat to sell. There were some men who were quickly moving things from the boat to the ground while they were chatting and laughing with each other. Some people were hugging themselves in the corner and tried to sleep a little
bit while they were waiting for the new day to come. I lingered till sunrise; it was a beautiful and peaceful morning with clear skies and warm air. At that time, the market started to get crowded when I stood in the center of this small market. I could feel everything about the life, air, people, and even the poor of the countryside. Some people were looking at me and whispering to each other, for they knew that I wasn't a local person. A man rode a bicycle abruptly past me, so it made the mud splash on my shoes. There was an old, skinny grandma who used her wrinkled hands to slowly put a few bunches of vegetables, which she planted on her farm such as green onions, cabbages, and potato leaves, on the big tray. Close by, there were a mother and a small boy who were selling two chickens with some baby chicks. The boy kept moving around while his mom tried to sell a chicken to a customer. Next to them was a woman who wore a big hat, and she was carrying a baby on her hip with one hand. Using her other hand, she pointed to the duck. She was bargaining with the lady who was selling the duck to her. The bargain was long and wasn't successful, for I saw the woman leave without buying the duck. I heard a loud voice of a young girl about twelve or thirteen years old on the far end who was inviting people to buy small bundles of jasmine, which she made by herself. I bought two from her, and it cost me forty cents. Near the river bank, there was a
small crowd of people surrounding one man, who in front had a small bucket with some catfish and tilapia. Inside another bucket was a handful of small bouncing shrimp, and there were two black and yellow skinned eels on a tray that were coiling together. A dozen frogs were jumping inside a bamboo trap, so it made the trap roll side to side. He told people that he caught them the night before in the rice field. Sitting next to him was his wife, a portly woman with a round face and friendly smile, who was laying a bunch of banana and some sweet potatoes on a banana leaf on the ground. She was telling people who surrounded her husband that her bananas were very fresh and cheap, and invited people to buy her products. I walked across the market to go back to my motel. I could hear people bargaining for selling and buying, or laughing, chatting, and even fighting. It made a particular sound that you can hear in a market in Viet Nam. Sometimes, people go to a market not to buy or sell anything, but to go there to chat or gossip about their family or about someone. As for me, several times I went to a country market and bought nothing, but sometimes I bought a lot, yet I didn't use them all. Furthermore, I bargained with a seller even though I knew it was very cheap and felt like one of them. The morning, which I enjoyed while I walked alongside the river, was so peaceful and pleasant. Someone was hurrying to go to the farm or to go to the rice field. A new day was coming.
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
11
Living in a silent world By Jonah Carino Ka La staff writer
I was in a dingy dark classroom that looked like an old toaster. I can see it like a photo in my mind. There was an abrupt yelling: “You are a failure! You moron! You have no job! You stupid loser. Hearing impaired! Deaf idiot,” My college teacher signed aggressively in my face. I stood up quickly and flipped over the desk and then the bird to my former teacher. “Screw you! Get the hell out of my face!” I retaliated. I stormed out of the classroom. Suddenly, there was a pitch black darkness. In that darkness was a speck of light. In that light, my parents’ faces appeared worried. Neither my father nor my mother ever learned sign language. They could never communicate with me. I could read their lips and the disappointment on their faces. “We don’t have any hope for you. You will never be anything more than Deaf and disabled. What in the world happened to you, huh? Son?” Then I woke up. The time was 7:23 a.m. I could smell the mist of the rain on the ground and imagined how wonderful the sound of the water splashing on the ground must be. I am “stone” Deaf, living in a completely silent world without the slightest pitch. I sat up and dragged myself to the shower. I leaned on the wall and let the water patter on my head as I contemplated the dim prospects for life. Having quit my job, I had been barely surviving on welfare for the last three years. I didn’t really see a lot of options. “Everyone else seems so settled, and I don’t even have a plan for
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life. They both seemed to be doing so well and I seemed so lost. Like most Deaf children who cannot communicate with their family, I was shipped off to a Deaf School. I had to live in the Deaf world and go to a Deaf School and make Deaf friends, and do Deaf activities. I had to think Deaf thoughts, form my Deaf identity and embrace my Deaf culture. Despite being immersed into the Deaf World, I often wondered about the hearing world, filled with opportunity and adventure. However, I was reminded that I was Deaf and belonged and was limited to the Deaf World. Meilia understood. “Baby, there is still time for you to find a job or Ka La photo by Mathew Ursua go back to college,” she said. I used to go college in Rochester, Jonah Cariono made a decision to come to HonCC to earn a degree. N.Y. but when I had to withdraw, Next year, he'll serve as a student government senator and as a writer I felt my dreams had come to an for the school's newspaper and web site. end. “Same mundane things, differMeilia. my career yet. I always wanted to ent day. You don’t want that! You As we drove on the freeway get a college degree. I was disapshould go back to school and finthe view around Diamond Head pointed thinking I should have ish your degree.” She was blunt, was incredible: bright sun rays had one by 28,” I grumbled to streamed boldly in all different di- “Don’t settle. You are clever. You myself. I got out of the shower rections, piercing and bouncing off are not limited to working and livand continued mumbling. I felt trapped in my Deafness and in the the clouds. During the ride, Meilia ing in a Deaf world.” “Just find what goal is deep innoticed that I had something on Deaf world. side of your mind and heart,” she my mind. “Where could I go for a college went on. “You have unfinished “Something’s wrong. What’s degree?” I thought about the lame business. I am counting on you, I bothering you?” she asked. excuses and advice my parents believe in you. You can do this.” “Uh... Nothing. Just nothing.” gave me. Both my mother and She smiled as she got out of the father lived in the Philippines and “Baby, if you are troubled share car and hurried to work. it with me,” she signed as she neither of them was in any posiI will not accept my fate. I will rubbed my back to console me. I tion to support me financially. “I don’t think you will ever find slowly began to sign the things on not stay in my comfort zone for communication sake. Right then my mind. a suitable career because you're and there, in the rain I made my I explained to her how one of deaf,” they told me. Frustrated, decision. I decided to return to my brothers just got a new house, my mumbling and grumbling school for my degree and start and the other just got a new job. turned to grinding my teeth in a new chapter of my life in the One of my brothers has dyslexia disgust. I felt like a lone wolf. hearing world, in the real world, a but he managed to make a good As I finished getting ready, I went to go pick up my girlfriend, living, have a family and enjoy his world of my own making.
First graduation, then a first for the military By Jonah Carino Ka La staff writer
“Cadet Ferdinand Bermudez reporting for duty, sir.” Fingers fly and a woman shouts. Bermudez stands at attention. “At ease,” the sergeant orders. Bermudez is Deaf. Today, Bermudez relies on a sign interpreter, but someday he and others with hearing impairments might have the chance to serve their country in uniform thanks to technology still in its infancy. While those without hearing impairments have the advantage of being able to follow verbal commands, deaf people can sense
noise and are sometimes more attuned to visual input. Small devices that output sensitive sound, strobe lights, or vibrations could help Bermudez to participate in training exercises. Bermudez, a 28-year-old student at Honolulu Community College, is studying to become an airplane mechanic. He plans to graduate in three years. The desk sergeant, Sergeant James Solano, helped Bermudez by working to improve disability access for his training class. Before that, Bermudez shared aspects of deaf culture and pieces of deaf history with Solano. A sergeant asked Bermudez
about his plans for the future. Bermudez’s eyes lit up and his hands listed his goals and dreams. “I plan on graduating in 2017, then possibly joining the military,” Bermudez said through his interpreter. “But you’re deaf,” the sergeant said. “Things are always changing in the military,” Bermudez said. “At one time, minorities couldn’t serve with whites, women were not permitted, homosexuals were barred. I want to show the military that the Deaf can serve their country. When they change their requirements, I will be ready.”
Ferdinand Bermudez
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
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April/May 2014
Ka La photo by Ana Monaghan
Students in the HonCC Cosmetology program get real-life training that goes beyond the salon.
Trust the ladies in black
A regular patron explains why she keeps coming back By Ana Monaghan Ka La staff writer
Regina Henry peers at her reflection in the mirror. Gold and silver swirls flow back from her face. In an elevated leather chair she eyes each snip of progress. Motionless, as her hair is worked on, she explains why she keeps coming back to HonCC for haircuts. "A haircut at HonCC costs $7. Other beauty salons charge $50, but my hair is styled better at HonCC. Where else do beauticians spend an hour making sure every thing is just right?” "Haircuts used to be five bucks,” Henry goes on. “You wonder if hair dressing is just getting to be a selfish thing. People have to make a living, but I also think people could live on less. Fifty dollars for a hair cut is a hard thing to adjust to.” "I think it comes back to school loans," she continues. "Prices at beauty salons have been impacted by beauticians paying off enormous loan debt for their education at more expensive schools. People take advantage of young people -- it's really too bad. Kids get stuck with heavy debts so young." Henry said that for years she has gotten hair cuts from beauticians in training. "Hopefully, the community colleges aren't encouraging students
to take out loans that they can't repay," she says. That way, when they graduate, they might be able to buy a home instead of having to pay off school loans for years to come, she says. Henry has been an instructor of nutrition for decades, with many students and responsibility for their progress. She also owns and manages a hospice for the aged. She supervises teachers, caregivers and clients, and believes in upholding standards of excellence at all levels of care and training. "Teachers have an obligation to the student, so he or she doesn't flounder. Each student should benefit from being in any class, from that student-teacher relationship. Kids should benefit to the max, for their large investments of money, time and trust." Henry says the obvious responsibility of every teacher is to bring a positive outcome, rather than negatively impacting lives for decades to come. Henry comes to Hawaii every winter to stay in a condo, and always sets aside a half day to visit the HonCC Cosmetology Salon. "At a public salon, you are in and out in half an hour. At HonCC, they're much more thorough, attentive to detail, and give excellent service," she says. The good news is: Anybody can
get an appointment. The supervisors at the HonCC cosmetology salon, are veteran professionals who check the work of every beautician. Each client is checked by the professional supervising the shift. Finishing touches are added, with amazing finesse, before getting a stamped approval from the top professional. Clients can then proceed to check out, and pay their $7. Jess Aki, who heads up the Cosmetology and Esthetic services at HonCC, says students sometime have to deal with customers who aren't as pleased with the work as Henry is. An important part of the training is to help students develop thicker skin, Aki said. "If they don't develop thick skin,they're not going to survive; because the public can be brutal. New beauticians often start out taking 90 percent as personal." Aki explains, "Teens and people in their twenties can be strongly influenced by the opinions of others and peer pressure. They are not fully comfortable with who they are. That's why they imitate whoever is popular in the media, however they dress; and they purchase products,which other people endorse." Working every day with young adults, Aki gets a front seat view
on sensitivity and lack of self esteem. Some of those she sees often constantly feel unappreciated for who they are, and show that too strong an emphasis is placed on surface and veneer. "Many don't know who they are -- don't even like who they are," she says. Aki mentioned that two categories of learners attend her classes: Those who are highly critical of their work, and those who that think whatever they touch is golden. The ones who feel insecure about their skills (everything they do is wrong), are much more teachable and quicker to learn, she said. They endeavor to do better and progress. The department also does volunteer work. They help abused women from shelters to know that they are beautiful, worthwhile, and have value. Some have only the clothes on their backs. Many have had to run, with nothing, in order to escape violence or death. "We give manicures, pedicures, facials and hair cuts. It makes them feel good about themselves; and even for a little time, they forget about their situations," Aki said. "I want my students to understand that they have to give back to the community, which supports them."
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
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April/May 2014
In April, HonCC students were treated to a fashion show of a different kind in the campus cafeteria. Almost two dozen cosmetology students participated in the event, which showcased their hair-styling and makeup skills.
Ka La photos by Chris Ahn
COSMETOLOGY STYLE, 2014
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
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April/May 2014
With their annual fashion show just around the corner, students in the Fashion Technology program were racing in late April to test out and perfect their latest designs. Part of the preparation included several day-long fashion photographers from media outlets throughout Honolulu, who always seem eager to showcase the work of the HonCC students. Ka La photos by Dareal Barcelona
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
15 April/May 2013
To all students on the Fall 2014 Dean’s List Clayton Ababa Edward Abalos Tyler Abasial Angelica Abordonado Shanelle Acain Patrick Acierto Brayton Acoba Jason Adkins Devin Adkins Kevon Adonis Karmann Afaga Brandon Afong Jacob Aga Rodney Agbayani Anthony Agustin Shailanne Ah Loo Lance Akagi Jastine Akaka Alan Akina Mark Andrew Alamon Kiana Alatasi Verdugo Joliber Albano Vincent Alexander Justiny Alimoot David Alvarado Sean Amorozo Erika Ancheta Renny Andam Daniel Anderson Aaron Andrade Amy Anguay Marcus Anguay Christian Aona Joshua Apo Kyla Aquino Joyce Aquino Lawrence Aragon Bryce Arakawa Benjamin Aranio John Araujo Anthony Arcano Nicole Argel Chaz Asato Maryam Asghari Jonathan Aspree Diana Asuasu Terence Aveiro Kelsey Awa Eric Awaya Mana olana Aweau Justin Ayat Jonathan Ayson Rachel Azama Pablo Badua Fredrene Balanay Melody Bangi Greg Barayuga Dareal Barcelona Liane Barrett Dylan Bartolome Jacob Basques Keiko Batara Zachary Batara Ryan Batt Scott Batula Kristine Bautista Jerryl Bayang Barbara Becraft Sky Bello Jason Beltran Cherrie Lyn Beltran Cody Benanua Eric Bernal Aaron Betancourt Karen Billaber Joshua Bishaw Charles Blanton Sierra Blotter Samantha Bocchieri Jaypee Bonilla Kogen Boyer Jacob Bradley Adelaide Brenner Delvin Brioso Erika Brooksby Kristin Brown Rebecca Brown Sean Brown-Hussey Jacob Brub Marvin Arnold Buenafe Todd Buhl Brett Bulseco Ven Anthony Bumanglag Kyra Burke Mike Burns Christopher Butin Adonis Buttel Mitchico Cabanlit Robert Cabanting Maura Cabatu Jonah Cadiz Clayton Cadorna Maria Carolyn Cagat Kristen Calacal Al Jim Calapit Lester Calaro Adam Caldwell Bryan Caluya Craig Campbell Chaylen Campbell Judhea Mae Campollo Ryan Candilasa Danielle Canfield
Micah Caplener Christopher Cardinal Jonah Carino Amber Carlson Gretchen Carnate Cynthia Cartwright Kimi Carty Crystal Carvalho Darrid Carvalho Joey Casabay Frederick Castillo Glenn Castillo Shyia Castillo Mercedez Castro Ralph Cenence Lancemark Cera Alexander Chan Lynnette Chang Joel Chang Joshua Chapa Evangeline Chapman Geena Chau Kristina Chau Liang Chen Fuhua Chen Morgan Ching Justin Ching Imaikalani Chock Chae Won Choe Michael Chong Dorothy Chong Mark Chong Loke-Teurikan Chong Gum Lawrence Chun Jennifer Ciesiolka Ian Clark John Clarke Margarita Clayton Kyle Colunga Kendrick Constantino James Cornwell Lee Corotan Mark Corpuz Deanna Corpuz Daniel Cottrell Clarence Cottrell Drew Cowan Irene Cramer Rudy Crisostomo Kekoa Crowell Jasleen Cruz Noel Dave Cruz William Cruz Jhonalyn Cuestas Arcoiris Cuetara-Higa Reid Cummings Jason Custino Michael D`Alessio Durwin Dacquel Daniela Daher Stefano Tom Dao Rin Dao Kaipuaolamaikal Davidson Oranna Davis Derek De Guzman Jacob De Vera Jaime DeGuzman Nathan DeVera Norman Deguzman Charvin Dela Cruz Danica Dela Pena Louie Delacruz Simone Derow-Ostapowicz Amanda Devoe Zachary Dial Erika Diaz Dane Dimaya Kelly Dizon Ian Dona Tammara Dorn Devin Douglass Megan Duarte-Awa Jonathan Duldulao Mark Anthony Duldulao Benjamin Dumaran Marcus Dumaran Khresmar Dumayas Johanna Dunkelberger Cheshney Duran Gilbert Duropan Nikki Dutro Leia Dvenas PatriciaMae Early Ian Eguchi Kerry Ejima Christopher Elgarico Dylan Ellis Corey Enomoto Maili Enos-Branigan Theron Matthew Ernesto Richard Espina-Bain Peter Faualo Jomar Felicitas Angela Feng Daniel Ferguson Brandon Fernandez Clayton Fernandez Jessica-Ashley Fernando Charles Ferrer Jared Fetters
Shanice Finch Edison Firme Joshua Fisher Joshua Flores Erin Foley Daniel Fong Andrew Fox Christophe Frat Nicole Fu Julio Fuentes Kevin Fujita Nicholas Fujita Corey Fukaya Liko Fukumoto Kelly Fukunaga Keola Fukunaga Kimberly Fuller Robert Gacusan Tyler Gadison Zachary Gaea Brian Gagne Joanna Galingana JayDean Ganitano Oliver Ganoy Jessicah Gardner Edward Garma Justin Garo Gerry Geronimo Samjhana Ghimire Acharya William Gillespie Nicole Ginoza Stefani Gionson Benjamin Gochenouer Nainoa Gonsalves Mark Gonzales Jumar Ray Gonzales Nicole Gonzalez Jose Gonzalez Keoni Goo Michelle Goto Mark Goya Sela Gray Tony Griffenberg David Grupen Xue Yu Guan Benigno Guerrero Jordan Guillermo Cirilo Guisadio Jiangli Guo Xiaofang Guo Paul Guzzo Mark Hagiwara Heather Hakikawa Jordan Hall Kyle Hamada Courtney Hamada Nicolas Hamamoto Heather Hamilton-Oppennee Song Hye Han Michael Handy Samuel Hantz Melvis Harbin Braxton Hardy Nathanael Harter Alana Harvey Jason Hattori Kaleo Hauata Kaylen Hayashi Jayson-Micah Hayworth Guan Hui He Hailing He Joseph Henderson Scott Higa Austin Cole Higa Norrick Higa Matthew Hinck Robert Hinokuma Vince Hiongson Danielle Hipol Chaz Hirata Jessica Ho Courtney Honda Patrick Hong Sean Hood Daylen Horn Chanelle Hosea Jason Howard Kenneth Hsu Nicole Hubbard Milton Hunter Angela Hurd Victor Hurley Marry Huynh Landon Ibara Wivina Marie Ibay John Ichiyama Lauren Ikeda Chantel Ikehara Royce-Rodney Ilar Linda Inamasu Kristy Inouye Kevin Inthirath Kuilani Isagawa Waily Isamo Jasper Ishigami Nicholas Ishii Glen Ishii Lisa Ishikawa Jon-David Itokazu James Iwasaki Jeth Jacalne
StaciaLee Jaeger Joshua Javier Jenifer Jenkins Justin Jenkins Matthew Jenkins Jondee Jenss Matthew Johiro Kassandre Jones Michael Jones David Jong Mijeong Joo Jean Derrick Joven Raul Juarez Samuel Jung Colby Kagawa Jezreel-Miah Kahoalii Keoni Kahoano Leighton Kahooilihala Leland Kahooilihala Ryan Kakitani Ashley Kalaiwaa Jason Kama Jonathan Kamada Amelyn Kamahele Kalawaia Kamai Mary Kamau Jessie Kamikawa Kurt Kaminaka Max Kanahele Jordan Kanemitsu Michelle Kapule Kekoa Katahira-Ho Warren Katz Everson Kaui Leianne Kauweloa Dean Kawamoto Alexander Kawamoto Kevin Kawamura Nathan Kawanishi Julie Kawasaki Stefanie Kawatomari Kamaile Keaunui Chantal Keliihoomalu Star Kemfort Leif Kennedy Tamaia Keolanui Martin Kerschbaumer Samara Keuma Tiffany Khamphaphanh Dallas Kia David Kihara Jessica Kihara Jayson Killion Christopher Kim Tae Hong Kim Robert King Ashton Kipi Jamal Kirk Calen Kojima Burt Kondo Chris Konno Geoffrey Kop Eric Kotake Joseph Kumpan III Miye Kuwata Robert Ladds James Labajo Zachary Lagrimas Rayton Lamay Michael Lamug Justin Lane Aldrich Lanuevo Joan Lanzaderas Jarett Lapitan Irwin Larrison Christina Laseter Leia Latronic Elizabeth Lau Eldan Lee Rachel Lee Evelyn Lee Kaliko Lee Joe Lee Matthew Lee Kevin Lee James Lee Rebekah Lee Daniel Lee Dean Lee Bethany Lehmann Samuel Leleiw Candace Leung Jason Li Adelardo Lim Marichelle Limjoco Huanmei Lin Robbi-Anne Liu Yuhang Liu Mary Rose Ann Llanto Ronald Loo Paige Lopez Maleko Lorenzo Tina Loucks Bradley Luko Darin Lum Priscilla Lum Sheena Lum Aaron Lum Brant Lum Jason Lum Yuri Miyabara-Treschuk Cathleen Macatangay Steven John Maddela
Matthew Maetani Daniel Magdaloyo Brandon Magsayo Tylor Mai Isaac Makahanaloa Rodhel Manarpiis Rodney Maneja Sophany Mao-Suderman Blake Marks Nygel Martin Felicia Martinez James Marzan Bryce Masaki Robert Mastriano Kip Masuda Arnold Christian Mata Jeanette Matsuda Brandon Matsumoto Genesis Matsumoto Kawena Matsumoto Taylor Matsumoto Ryan Mattos William Mauthe Jasmine McClain Jose McDermott James McGowan Katherine McGraw Joseph McIlhenney Chalei McKee Timothy Mccauley Micah Medeiros Nicholas Megargel Jason Merseburgh Jessica Meskel Jerome Israel Mikel Lawrence Miljkovic Arri Milner Nguyen Brigette Miyahira Jason Miyasaki Shane Miyasato Travis Miyashiro Lalana Moe Kaitlyn Moeller Ryan Mojica Justin Ryan Molina Matthew Molnar Melvin Monces Lori Monden James Montalbo Alexandra Montgomery-Hartley Brittany Montilliano Kaimana Morita Lenna Morita Randi Morita-Sunada Makeda Morris Lewis-Michael Motta Tone Jr Munevongsa Eric Murat Garrett Murata Ryan Murphy Justin Nagai Jon Nagamine Jason Nagamine Chris Nagasako Amy Nakama Tammy Nakamatsu David Nakamoto Erin Nakamura Bryan Nakamura Kaioh Nakanishi John Paul Nartatez Patrick Ng Karen Nguyen Tuan Nguyen Brian Nguyen John Thanh Nguyen Tom Nguyen Peter Nguyen Minh Nguyen Khue Nguyen Jason Nguyen Jessica Nguyen Justin Nishida Byron Nishihira Bronson Nishikida David Nishimura Aaron Norris Kurt Nunokawa Kara Nyuha Matthew Oamilda Ryan Oato Roy Ogasawara Steven Okubo Donovan Olmos James Omori Trenton Omuro Alexander Ortega Rivas Aaron Joshua Osalvo Ethan Oshiro Roger Osserman Lane Otani Garrett Oudraad Kent Joe Pacanuayan Jaier Jan Pacer Merrinette Pacheco Jerry Pagaduan Bronson Paishon Matthew Palakiko Sandra Panco Pamela Pang Zachary Pang Ryan Pang
Ronsen Panui-Hatori Latasha Papaia-Hoopii Ray Mark Paragas Kellie Parcels Anthony Park Melissa Pascua Cindy Pascual Jacob Pearson Richard Pekala Derly Pena Toni Peralto Shari Perreira Doan Pham Jackylyn Plan Kylie Popa Brian Powell Sydney Price Alexander Propios Brock Pulliam Joshua Puno Edimar Purganan Peter Quach Noel Quebral Jorden Quinn Higashihara Aaron Quiroz Dennis Rabanal Brett Radcliffe Savanna Rains-Cole Kristin Ramassini Chelsey Ramirez Rich Ramos Shai lynn Ranchez Langit Clemencio Rarogal Jeremy Rey Rasay Devin Rasco Nicholas Rascon Zachary Redel Allan James Reganit Samuel Resurreccion Ronald Revamonte Melvin Reyes Alphonse Matthew Rigor Ethan Rista Kayla Rivera Bryce Rivera Guadalupe Jr Rocha Jamie Rodrigues Renett-Shaina Roque Brett Rose Lianne Rozzelle Jessica-Marie Ruiz Randy Ruiz Jeffrey Russell Bryce Ryan Jonathan Sadoyama Christian Sakaida Sonny Saldua Mark Jansen Sales Joe Mark Saludo Leonel Salvador Jerome Samante Maire Aislinn Sana Chaison Santiago Keani Santos Brittany Saribay Jhomar Sarmiento Chase Sasaki Kalamau Kerry Sato Ian-Jacob Sato Thomas Saylor Louis Bruce Scheer Ronald Schmidt Nathaniel Seronio Julius Peregrine Serrano Lili Shan Brandon Shelton Ryan Shigetani Andrew Shimabuku Mika Shimabukuro Kirk Shimabukuro Rance Shimizu Travis Shimizu Aran Shintani Derek Shiroma David Shizuma Joshua Siaris Gil Bryan Sibulao Heinson Sigrah Julian Silveria Richard Silvernail Danicca Jhanzen Simon Tanya Sing Chow Jonathan Smith Ngewakl Soaladaob Shannon Soares Jordan Solidum Tirso Soliven Faisha Solomon Christina Soo Hoo Chester Soriano Ryan Souza Troy Souza Micah Souza Dominic Souza-Larimore James Spear Shane Spencer Leigh Springer Patrick Stachel Stephanie Stoner Taylor Stoner Jaimee Suan Roshan Suehiro Racyne Sugai
Jaime Sumitomo Coralyn Sunico Derek Suzuki Kailen Swensen Dinah Swords Genine Marie Tacadena Rudy Tagalicud Stefanie Tai See David Takahashi David Takahashi Nobuyuki Takahashi James Taketa-Daniel Joy Tamangided Leila Tamayori Christine Tamayose Leonard Tampon Rachel Tan Jian Jun Tan Michelle Tang Marcus Tani Christine Tanimoto Brandon Tanoue Jonathan Taoka Dayne Tasaka-Shoda Jasmine Tavares Liuana Teleaai Bronson Tesoro Jaydinel Tesoro-Montero Desmond Thain Shannon Thomas Susan Thompson Kainoa Thoren Jason Timm Kuuipo Todd Matagi Toilolo Zachary Tokumoto Anne Tokunaga Wilfred Tomas Bryan Tomooka Lane Toribio Robert Toyomura My Tran Vladimir Trecker Victor Trombley Christopher Tubbali Shannon Tugade Kevin Tumbaga Deashia Lei Tungpalan Yadao James Tutewohl Richard Tyau Kekoa Uemura Melody Ulep Ryan Uno Gregg Uyetake Eddie Valdez Cherie Valdez Romnick Jude Valmoja Lin Van Thomas Van Der Hout Jessie Van Epps Darci Vasconcellos Pedro Velasco Shannon Vierra Chloe Vierra Adrian Villoria Gabriel Viloria Mario Visitacion Courtney Volk Margaret Watson Christopher Wee Kurt Wong Lory Wong Ryan Wong Justin Wong Amber Wong Summer Wong-Leong Monty Wood Kyle Woolsey Tracii Wraith Stacy Wright Raymond Wu Jaymie Wu Nicholas Yamaguchi Sheena Yamamoto Grant Yamaoka Kayoko Yamaoka Jason Yanagihara John Yap Albert Yi Suhan Yi Daniel Yoo Kyle Yoshida Lee Yoshikawa Jordan Yoshimoto Ivan Yoshioka Jesse Young Alexander Yount Micah Yuen Cory Yuh Ulrike Zuckermann
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April/May 2014
Ready to take on the world
Grad lives by a motto: Be the change you wish to see By Mathew Ursua Ka La editor
He was disowned by his parents in the 90s, became a professional hairdresser in the 2000s, and found peace, love, and direction in the 2010s. Kaleo Gagne’s life has been full of ups and downs, but now he says he’s poised to change the world in big ways. The summer leading up to Gagne’s ascent to the presidency, he presided over the painting of a Gandhi quote on one of the walls in the student government office. It reads: Be the change you wish to see in the world. Two years later, with his graduation approaching, the sign has become commonplace. It’s just a part of the landscape. Gagne passes it on his way to his office in the student government room. But ask those close to Gagne, and they’ll tell you he lives by Gandhi's command. Ieva Bytautaite was Gagne’s communications director in his first year as president. “Kaleo truly cares about people,” Bytautaite said, “you don’t have to be his friend for him to open his heart and arms to you.” Gagne was the college’s first openly gay student president. Gagne testified before the state legislature when they assembled for a special session to legalize gay marriage. Ryan Yamada was a senator in Gagne’s first year as president. “I believe we’re at a point where having a voice that advocates for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transexuals rights’
only helps. Kaleo is that voice,” Yamada said. But Gagne is quick to say he’s about more than one issue. He said he wants to be a strong voice for education too. “Our children should have a public school system they’re proud of,” Gagne said. Gagne isn’t hiding his history. He came out of the closet on his 21st birthday after a turbulent youth in which he was disowned by his parents. He hasn’t seen them since. He was a drag show queen. He doesn’t wear dresses anymore, but he says he’s not
Skye Maynard, Cosmetology
Daniel Kelai Autobody
Ron Gnouilaphi Sheet metal
Lori Monden Fashion Technlogy
She used to be a,“rebel student,” in high school but founder her niche at HCC she found her niche, at cosmetology where she says teachers get to know students well and want them to work hard. “I really enjoyed it here. If you enjoy something, it shouldn't have to be work.”
Kelai discovered his interest in autobody restoration form watching a show called "Overhaulingt." student,” He has been involved in the program for two years and hopes to find a job in the field after graduation.
He came to HCC "looking for some kind of trade to get into" and heas learned to build 3D objects from sheet metal. He hopes to apprentice in a union after graduation.
“My Mommy used to take me to afternoon tea all the time, but everything was so in the pastels and I wanted to darken it up,” Monden said of her inspiration for her fashion line, called Midnight Tea Party. She plans to teach sewing after graduation.
Ka La photo by JACQUELINE MISZUK
Kaleo Gagne has see a lots of ups and downs in his life, but said he's ready to take on new challenges as he moves forward. ashamed of his past. Nowadays, Gagne has a more serious demeanor. Gagne was born in the days leading up to Christmas in 1973. Gagne said he wishes he could share his life with birth parents. But Gagne said that he loves them unconditionally. “They gave me life,” Gagne said. Gagne’s capacity to forgive carries over into his political life. He said he treats everyone with dignity and kindness, even those legislators who were on the opposite side of the gay marriage debate.
Early this semester Gagne came under fire for sending club organizers an email that said he would cut funding if they continued to skip out on senate meetings and assemblies. Some accused him of overstepping his bounds and said that he was being belligerent. Gagne defended his stance, saying the email was meant with “aloha.” Gagne set a precedent for student clubs. He asked all of them to show proof that they were benefitting students. He also told club organizers and members to participate in community service events.