Waipahu Excels In Academics
Kidani’s Korner…Sen. Michelle Kidani
Waipahu High School students brief legislators
It was our pleasure to welcome Waipahu High School students and administrators to the state Capitol last month.
My colleagues on education committees in the Senate and House were really impressed by the presentation about their experiences in the school’s Early College program.
Last school year, a total of 328 students (about 80 percent girls and 20 percent boys) took college courses, tuition free, through a cooperative arrangement with Leeward Community College and UH West Oahu.
The results were spectacular: More than 80 percent of the grades they earned were A’s and B’s.
Waipahu High School has been a leader in Hawaii in its involvement in the Early College program — the goal of which is to increase college and career readiness in providing low-income youth, first generation college goers, English language learners, minorities and other underrepresented students in higher education with accelerated learning opportunities at no cost.
Many students can graduate with an associate degree at the same time they graduate from high school.
Top scholar
Congratulations are in order for Maria Andrea Jurado — Waipahu High School Class of 2014 — who was singled out for recognition by the College Board for her Advanced Placement (AP) exam scores that earned her college credits while still in high school.
Maria was named an AP Scholar for having scored a 3 out of a top score of 5 on six of her AP exams.
She began her college career at Columbia University this semester.
Election Day nears
I always do what I can to encourage our residents to participate in the precious right to express themselves by voting in Hawaii’s elections every two years.
If you are registered to vote, you already have taken an important first step in the process.
The second step is to become familiar with candidates and issues on the ballot.
And, finally, step three is to get out there and vote!
Mail-in absentee ballots already should be in the hands of voters who requested them.
You still can request an absentee ballot until Oct. 28.
Early walk-in voting sites at Kapolei Hale and Honolulu Hale will open Oct. 21, and be available to voters until Nov. 1.
And Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4 — a state and county holiday.
Please vote, and remind your family members, friends, co-workers and neighbors to do so.
If you have questions about how, when and where to vote, call the Office of Elections at 453-VOTE (453-8683). Mahalo!
State Sen. Michelle Kidani represents District 18, including Mililani Town, most of Waipio Gentry, and the communities of Village Park, Royal Kunia and Waikele.
Contact her at the State Capitol, Room 228, by telephone at 586-7100, or by email at SenKidani@Capitol.Hawaii.gov.
