More than 200 high school students from a dozen public schools on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island, and Maui gathered at in November, for the third annual “Dive Into Education” event, designed to nurture students’ interest in becoming Hawaiʻi’蝉 next generation of teachers.
From the moment students arrived, the energy was palpable. Many quickly found themselves surrounded by a sense of community and shared purpose.
“My favorite part was being able to connect with people from other schools who are like-minded about education,” said Camille Nino, Pearl City High School student. “It’蝉 comforting when other students are so welcoming and eager to keep a conversation going.”
Future changemakers
Hosted in Leeward CC’蝉 ʻImi ‘ʻIke (Education Building) and sponsored by the Hawaiʻi Education Association (HEA), the event featured a college and career fair, guided tours of Leeward CC’蝉 Children’蝉 Center for students interested in early childhood education, and a Tech Slam showcasing high-impact digital tools for teaching. It also offered breakout sessions on topics from teacher salaries to career opportunities within the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education.
Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke delivered a keynote speech emphasizing the life-changing influence of teachers, recalling her own elementary teachers who stayed after school to help her learn English. HEA President Joan Kamila Lewis also encouraged students to see themselves as future changemakers.
Real experiences
Pearl City High School student Jessa Castillo said, “I was inspired by the guest speakers because they shared real experiences, not just general information you might read about online.”
Jeffrey Judd, teacher education professor, added, “It is heartening to see the next generation so deeply interested in what it means to be an effective educator and how they can positively impact their future students’ lives.”