Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 2, 1 February 2015 — OHA GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT Nurturing youth to succeed in college and career [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT Nurturing youth to succeed in college and career

By Mary Aliee Ka'iulani Milham

Where do dreams eome true? The Wai'anae Coast may not be the first plaee that comes to mind. But don't tell that to the folks at Making Dreams Come True, Valley of Rainbows. Through a combination of scholarships and annual leadership conferences, for more than a decade, this west-side nonprofit has been helping thousands of loeal youth dare to dream of a college education and a future career. The group's scholarship program began in 1999 under the auspices of Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center as a way to help Wai'anae Coast students, age 8 to 17, with the costs of participating in activities - everything from cheerleading to the Merrie Monarch Festival. Since that time they've awarded 2,235 $100 scholarships - a total of $1,500 every month. Denice Keliikoa, Valley of Rainbows president, says the organization was founded by a core group of moms who knew eaeh other through volunteer work and youth activities.

"We've all been mothers, and now we're grandmothers, so we know it's costly for our kids to be involved in these activities," says Keliikoa. The $ 100 awards go to the agency or organization involved, rather than the student, and require the student to do six hours of community service to be eligible for subsequent scholarships, up to five years. Valley of Rainbows began hosting its annual Youth Leadership Conference in 2005 and is a recipient of an OHA 'Ahahui Grant. "The conference goal is to instill the importance of higher education and with that we hopefully provide support and resources, so they ean

achieve their goal and dreams," says Keliikoa. "OHA has been a strong partner with a number of our activities over the years and we're really, really, really grateful for everybody's support." Originally for students from Wai'anae and Nānākuli high schools, the program has expanded to include students at Kapolei High School and has served nearly 4,000 students. The annual Youth Leadership Conference takes plaee April 16 at the Ala Moana Hotel and partners with the National College Fair, at the Hawai'i Convention Center, to SEE Y0UTH ŪN PAGE 10

A breakout session on Preparing and Budgeting for College. The conference also features a College and Resource Fair that attracts more than 28 agencies, colleges and companies. - Courtesy photos: Valley of Rainbows/Denice Keliikoa

Valley of Rainbows board members at the 201 4 Youth Leadership Conference, from left, are: Ginger Fuata, founder and director; Eva Galariada-Rosa, secretary; ūeniee Keliikoa, president; Verna Landford-Bright, treasurer; Merrie Aipoalani, vice president. The current director is Aulani Ahmad.

Youth took a pledge to . "BeSafe Teen Drivers, No Texting or < Cell use, Drive I with Aloha" I as part of the I Youth LeaderI ship ConferI enee.

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Continued from page 7 provide a full day of inspiration for youth who otherwise might never dream of a college education or a career. Joseph Mareko, a 2008 graduate of Nānākuli High School, recalls the myth that west-side dreams are unattainable. "Where we're from, we're obviously underserved, and have always thought we're not really going to do mueh in life," says Mareko. Now an admissions counselor at University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu, Mareko says the conferences were a tuming point in his young life, giving him the opportunity to meet community leaders from the west side who overcame disadvantages to heeome successful in the real world. "Instead of just living with the conditions and the stigma that the people from our side of the island

live with, we ean make a differenee, says Mareko. "I saw those guys making a difference in the professional world, in the puhlie and private sectors." Preparing youth for leadership in government is an important aim of the conference. "I get up there every year and I say, 'In this audience, I know there's going to be somebody who could find the cure for cancer, that could heeome president,' " says Keliikoa. The program, whieh is free, provides transportation to the Hawai'i Convention Center, breakfast, a buffet luneh, an event T-shirt and a special pass allowing them fasttracked access to more than 300 college/vocational fair exhibits and hnaneial aid resources. The second half of the day is devoted to workshop sessions on college and career planning and motivational speakers. An eighth-grade Youth Leadership Conference, established in 2010, will host 125 students from

Wai'anae and Nānākuli Intermediate schools and Kapolei Middle School on April 2. In 2011, the group added the "Dawn of a New Era Girls' Conference" for sixth-grade girls from Mākaha, Mā'ili, Leihoku, Wai'anae, Nānākuli and Nānāikapono elementary schools. The daylong conference, Thursday, March 5, at Disney's Aulani Resort in Ko 'Olina and sponsored by Dawn Farm-Ramsey, provides positive female role models and support structures to support and motivate young women to heeome future leaders and seeks to inspire girls to have a dream for their future. ■

Marv Ali.ce Ka'iulani Milham is afreelance kanaka writer. Aformer newspaper reporter and columnist from Californi.a 's Central Coast, she li.ves i.n Mākaha, O 'ahu.

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