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“I pushed them harder and farther to their limits, but I found none.” -Mark Cassidy
Story by Monique Paogofie Layout by Crystal Cebedo Photo by Brandee Souza
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he room is dead silent except for the frantic scribbling of pencil on
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paper. A classroom full of eighth graders at Wai’anae Intermediate School (WIS) are busy answering multi-step equations, parabola sketches, and functions. It is this test that pushes these specific middle schoolers to their limit: the Scholastic Assesment Test. The SAT is a test used for college admissions and is usually taken by high school students. Education is often considered a top priority in the lives of students and their parents, but getting the best education money can buy is not always an option. Of the 70 eighth graders who applied for admittance into Kamehameha Schools, a private institution known for its outstanding academic performance, only eight were accepted. For some, this low rate was an unacceptable fact of life. “It was then I realized that the idea of Kamehameha being the ticket to success was fundamentally wrong,” WIS algebra teacher Mark Cassidy said. He wanted his students to achieve, without having to leave their home community of Wai’anae. This led him to form the Wai’anae Coast Scholarship Fund. The program provides selected students with mentors who will help guide them throughout their high school years on how to best prepare for and pursue college. At the end of high school, they are awarded money based on their academic achievements. This money is a scholarship that goes towards their college education and provides a starting point for future college finances. To be a part of the program students apply during their eighth grade year and submit a written essay explaining why they deserve the opportunity. Once selected, students must do community service, get involved in extracurricular activities, and maintain a 3.5 GPA. “I tried pushing the kids harder and farther to their limits, but I found none,” Cassidy said. He did this by giving his eighth grade algebra class the actual SAT test that is usually taken by tenth graders in high school. As the year progressed, and the students took more tests, scores were increasing by the hundreds. “...our once crazy goal was becoming a reality within reach,” Cassidy said. As the school year came to an end, so did the time for taking the last exam. The outcome was an average of 478, slightly higher than the average of Hawaii’s tenth graders. It doesn’t stop at the test; the Wai’anae Coast Scholarship is still closely mentoring the students in their achievements, and keeping close track of their contribution to their community. Thought the students are no longer in his class, and Mr. Cassidy’s job requires him to travel, it will be as though he never left.
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Within
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A man from Chicago opens up a scholarship fund specially for Wai’anae students.
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estiny Kuhns is just like
many other 15 year old girls. She likes to have fun with friends, laugh with her classmates, and play games with family. ! Kuhns is an only child and lives with both her parents, Joseph and Jennifer Sellers. Destiny also has friends in school, but always confides in her mother, Jennifer, at home because her father, Joseph Sellers, is always at work to provide for the family. In January of this year Kuhns was faced with some life changing news. She found out she had Hodgkins Lymphoma. A type of blood cancer that affects nearly 15% of teens under 16 years old. Having cancer didn’t really worry Kuhns as much as her parents. Both parents felt as if they would have died if anything had happened to Destiny. “When I heard the news my heart just dropped,” said Joseph. ! Without Destiny, both Joseph and Jennifer would be nothing. ! “She is my world without her I’m nothing,” said Jennifer. Destiny and Jennifer had switched roles for at least three to four months. They had been consoling each other, trying to get through the hard times of Destiny’s cancer. ! “It was really hard the main thing she tried to console me because I was always crying, she
used to tell me ‘stop mom, I’m fine’” said Jennifer. Having the cancer made Jennifer worried about Destiny getting cancer again or maybe even something worse than that. From holding a bucket for Destiny to throw up in to shaving her head in support of Destiny’s hair loss, Jennifer had found out about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. It’s a foundation where people without cancer raise money for children with cancer. Her dad, Joseph, on the other hand had to support the family and pay for the rent. He had to stay at work most of the time. “Destiny was concerned about losing her hair, I was concerned about losing her,” said Joseph. Starting as a straight A student, despite the loss of strength Kuhns felt. She was determined to keep her grades up. At the end of the school year, Destiny had managed to finish her work and get on the Principals’ List. The tutor she had, had helped her get to where she’s at and what she has accomplished in the past few months in and out of school. Going back to school was an exciting thing for Kuhns because that meant seeing her friends, teachers, and others who she looked forward to seeing during the year. ”I felt pretty excited and kind of scared,” said Destiny On the other hand, Jennifer wasn’t ready to let go of her daughter. “ I really am scared to let her go to school just in case something happens and nobody
Monkeying Around. Destiny Kuhns and her doctor, Darryl Glaser, goof off. “I thought this would be a great time to do a photo op,” said Glaser. Photo Cour tesy of: Destiny Kuhns
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knows what to do. I’m there to help her through it,” said Jennifer. “As a parent, I love my daughter and wish she’ll never leave my side,” said Jennifer. Even with everything that Destiny’s been through she still lives her life as a regular teen. “I just keep an open mind and just keep smiling. I never really was scared,” said Destiny.
“I just keep an open mind and jus keep smiling. I never really was scared.” -Destiny Kuhn
Survivor
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n st
I’m A
Destiny Kuhns is a Teen who faced cancer and high school
Story By:Krystian-Gianne Pi Layout By: Mahealani Nieto-Lopes
ns
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Cadets V
JROTC Volunteer
given their lives
T
!
he bittersweet taste o
many feeling hopeless. To he
School’s (Junior Reserve Offi
volunteered to serve the com
served their country. The Sea
Wounded Warriors Music Fe
Aloha Stadium parking lot on
While at the fundra
supervised the bounce house
moment the cadets arrived, t the cause.
“Even if it’s in the hot sun, we
battalion commander TaShaw
The revenue from t
Wounded Warriors of Paradi
give funding to family membe
someone in active military du
sweat that poured from the c
gaining money for those in n
JROTC Volunteer giving out work orders.
Photo by: Gary Domingo-Oka
Volunteer for Hope
rs honor the soldiers of the U.S. who have
s, in the first ever fallen soldiers event.
Story by: Diamond Tuisano Layout by: Shayla Bradley
“I want the others to understand that, we volunteer from our
of a life lost from war, can leave
heart and we are here to support and show that there are
elp ease this load, Wai’anae High
people out there that care.” Wright said.
ficer Training Corp) cadets
mmunity in honor of those who
arider Cadets volunteered at the
estival. This event took place in the
n Saturday August 25th.
aiser, JROTC set up tents,
es and served food. From the
they made sure to give their all for
e’re always willing to do work,”
wna Wright said.
this event will be donated to the
ise Hawaii. This organization will
ers, in Hawaii, who have had
uty pass away. Each bead of
cadet’s faces were in hopes of
need.
“
We do this thing from our
heart and we are here to support and show that there are people out there that
care,
”
Battalion Commander, Tashawna Wright
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Group Discussion, Wai’anae Girl’s Soccer team reflect on their practice and plan on the things they can improve for next time. Photo By Kerstye Kau
Playing
for
Exte
Time
Varsity girls feel pressure on and off the Field Story By Dev’n Vierra Layout By Autumn Pereira
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he Waiʻanae High School varsity girl’s soccer team was the team to beat in 2009. With a record of seven wins two losses and two consecutive division championships, the team made the jump from the O’ahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) White Division, to the more competitive red division. Now, just three years later, they are struggling just to remain competitive and are being threatened with being demoted back to white division. “I don’t want to move down to the white division because we just got to the red division and it’s good to have a challenge in the game,” junior sweeper Kayla Kauwe said. Last season the Searider women only won 5 of their 11 games, but were still invited to the playoffs, where they lost in the first round. The Seariders are not used to losing, “We don’t like losing, losing is not an exception losing is like we just wasted our time on the field” said sophomore forward Sarah Inafuku. This year the soccer team is feeling the pressure to perform on the field because there may be consequences if they do not. As a team, they try different things to motivate each other to do their best. For example, they make sure everyone does their part and they push them to do keep going. These girls make sure that everyone is on point and they never leave one player behind. They refer to each other as sisters. “What motivates
ended
me is being able to play with my soccer girls. We never seem to let each other down. We may not win every game, but we’re like a family and even in our worst times, we ready,” said junior right midfielder Yvonne Estencion. These girls don’t have to do it alone. They have coaches and fans that support them like assistant coach Gerrald Mccoy. He comes out every day after school and holds practices at Ma’ili Beach. “I try to back them up in every aspect of soccer and school. I make sure that they have good grades and they are always prepared for games coming up,” said Mccoy. Motivating each other on the field also requires motivating each other in school as well. Motivation is key in order to open a new door to success. Wai’anae High school girls soccer team is always looking forward with the red division in mind and putting the white division in their past. Throughout all that has been done during last year's soccer season they got together as a team and pushed through. But that was then and this is now. The varsity girls are prepared for a better season this year and Gerrald Mccoy is here to make sure of that. “Well first thing is we gotta take it one game at a time, and put our heart into it. If we do that, I think they’ll do very well and they’ll do well in the playoffs” said Mccoy.
“ We never seem to let each other down. We may not win every game, But we’re like a family and even in our worst times, we ready,” said midfielder Yvonne Estencion.
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