LIHUE — How are a pickleball tournament and a “future” orientation for high school seniors and juniors connected?
Kauai Community College culinary arts department Chef Steven Nakata and his students, who increased in enrollment from the fall semester, demonstrated the connection, as well as what happened to the bananas being amassed at the Pau Hana Market on Monday.
On Friday, Kauai Community College hosted about 200 students—primarily seniors and juniors—from schools across the island for a Finding Your Future orientation on college and career opportunities, featuring the college’s culinary arts department as one of the career options.
At the same time, in another corner of the Kauai Community College campus, the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, Kauai Chapter, hosted the opening day of a three-day Charity Walk Pickleball Tournament, which featured more than 100 participants playing in the college’s new pickleball courts.
“The culinary students with Marty Amaro and Chef Steven participate in the Charity Walk by partnering with the Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort,” said Samira Siale, the HLTA Kauai executive director. “The culinary arts student also prepare food for the golf tournament. The HLTA also provides scholarships for the students. Marty gave me a tour of the facility this morning so I would better understand the program.”
Kauai Community College Chancellor Margaret Sanchez said the culinary arts students prepare food for other college events, expanding the Finding Futures event to include ensuring that vendors could sample the bread pudding with a special sauce utilizing bananas.
She said the culinary arts students will also prepare some of the food for the Kauai Chamber of Commerce Business Pau Hana event on March 13.
“We have an area in the Student Life Center for those students who haven’t decided on what they’re going to do after high school,” said John Constantino of the Kauai Community College. “We hope they see the benefits of higher education following this breakout session.”
Sanchez boasted the new Distance Learning classroom and pod in the Learning Resource Center.
“These facilities are for the exclusive use of students pursuing a higher degree at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the University of Hawaii, West Oahu campus,” she said as the high school students met at the college’s ahu near the Hawaiian Studies building.
The Charity Walk Pickle Ball tournament, coordinated by local tennis player Brant Fuchigami, serves as an additional fundraising source toward the Charity Walk goal of $700,000, which will be shared by more than 50 local nonprofits.
Other additional fundraising source events include the Walk Wednesday live auction, which debuts on March 5 and continues each Wednesday until May 7 with on-air personality Ron Wiley on FM93.5. The auction starts at 6:30 a.m., and listeners can bid for premiums like two-night hotel stays and restaurant certificates.
“We need walkers,” Siale said. “The 48th Annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk takes place on May 3 at the Vidinha Stadium soccer fields.”
To register for the fun-filled, healthy breakfast served event, visit the HLTA Kauai website at www.hltakauai.org/charity-walk/.
