WAIPOULI — Six candidates of the Boys & Girls Club of Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i chapter, had an opportunity to hone their skills Saturday during the B&G Youth of the Year brunch at the Courtyard by Marriott at Coconut Beach.
“This event showcases the talents of the six candidates from Kaua‘i, who will be competing in the B&G Club Youth of the Year competition Saturday on O‘ahu,” said Christian Naea of the YOY Academy.
Jordan Balbin, Isaiah Mawae Kaikua‘ana, Grace Peralta, Luke Rita, Tosha Taylor and Paulwin Tommy represent the Kaua‘i Boys & Girls Club program and inaugurated the Saturday program by singing the opening before B&G Club Kaua‘i Branch Board members.
“These kids are so terrific and I want them to know how much we appreciate them,” said Anne Barnes, a corporate board member for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hawai‘i, in an email. “I recently accepted a position on the corporate board for the B&G Clubs of Hawai‘i, making the decision to support the organization several years ago on Kaua‘i. I have now taken my commitment one step further.”
John Sydney Yamane, president of the Kaua‘i B&G Clubs, said having a board member at the state level is very exciting.
“Walt and I have no children of our own, but understand that the next generation will be looking after us as we grow older,” Barnessaid. “I wanted to be more deeply involved with an organization committed to providing guidance for our children, often through troubling times, and one which understands each young person needs different things and each grows and learns in different ways.”
The Kaua‘i B&G Clubs were joined by visits from Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. on his way to the opening of the Waimea Town Celebration rodeo and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard who was on island for a meeting with Kaua‘i County Council Chair Jay Furfaro before heading back to O‘ahu for a day of meetings.
Tina Albao, providing administrative support for the Kaua‘i B&G Clubs, said of the six candidates, two are from Kapa‘a High School — Taylor and Rita — and four are from Kaua‘i High School — Kaikua‘ana, Tommy, Balbin and Peralta.
Taylor, 17, is a seven-year member while Rita, 16, is a six-year member.
Kaikua‘ana, 18, is a nine-year member, Tommy, 17, is a 3.5-year member, Balbin, 17, is a 2.5-year member, and Peralta, 16, is a 2.5-year member.
The Energy Dance Group from the B&G Club Lihu‘e Outreach program offered up a high-energy dance presentation as part of the entertainment.
Dezarae Fernandez, the youth development director, said the Lihu‘e outreach program has a membership of more than 200 students with a daily attendance of at least 100 kids meeting at the Elsie Wilcox Elementary School.
“Inspiring and enabling young people to participate in and to flourish through our youth guidance and development program, and to value high standards of competence and performance is what we do,” Barnes said. “But remember, we are a club — it should be fun! So, we hope to create a spirit which can balance scholarship with fun, inquisitiveness with responsibility, and provide a keener sense of possibility.”
The mission of the Kaua‘i Boys & Girls Club of Hawai‘i is to enable all young people, especially those who need us the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens, according to a flier from the Kaua‘i B&G Club.
The role of the Kaua‘i B&G Club is to create a safe place for kids to grow, provide mentoring by a professionally-trained staff and caring volunteers, nurture character development and life-enhancing skills, and provide hope and opportunity.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hawai‘i is a subsidiary of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and has been operating in Hawai‘i since 1976, and on Kaua‘i since 1993. The BGCH provides services to nearly 12,000 Hawai‘i youth each year, many from disadvantaged circumstances.
On Kaua‘i, more than 4,000 youth members and other youth were served through programs on the island in 2011. Some of those programs include character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, arts and culture, sports, fitness and recreation.
Visit www.bgch.com, or call 245-2210 for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
