Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 4, 1 April 2012 — Guiding our youth into health careers [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Guiding our youth into health careers

By David Sing, Ph.D. Over the years Nā Pua No'eau has been successful in guiding our youth toward STEMrelated educational goals and careers. That success is reflected in 2011 data from the University of Hawai'i Office of Institu-

tional Research showing 92 former Nā Pua No'eau students majoring in disciplines related to STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

- at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo. Only six years ago, you could count on one hand the amount of Hawaiian students majoring in STEM disciplines at UH-Hilo. Nā Pua No'eau is using the same success it has had with students going into environmental sciences, marine science, engineering, etc. to its new health-careers pathway. According to Nā Pua No'eau Assistant Director Kinohi Gomes, our success with students is our ability to help them make connections in learning. "They need to see how learning is applied in everyday life and to understand how anything they do impacts their family and their community," Gomes said. Toni Mallow, East Hawai'i site coordinator for Nā Pua No'eau, added, "It is about the students understanding the kuleana they have in serving their family and their eommunity." As Nā Pua No'eau builds greater capacity for students in grades K to 12 to attend and be successful in college and in careers, we recognize the need

to develop youth as leaders who are empowered to address the needs of their family and community through education and career choices. In partnership with the UH-Hilo College of Pharmacy and Nursing Department and the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine and UH Hawai'i P-20, Nā Pua No'eau will again conduct its Learning

Opportunities in Medicine Institute for high-school students statewide through a two-week residential program at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, July 1-14. For information or to download an application, visit bit.ly/yzKoxJ. Applications must be received by Nā Pua No'eau's Hilo office by April 15.1 David Sing, Ph.D., is director of Nā Pua No 'eau centerfor gifted and taīented Hawaiian children, whieh is funded by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

"They need to see how learning is applied in everyday life and to understand how anything they do impacts their femily and their community." — Kinohi Gomes, Assistant Director Nā Pua No'eau

EDUCATION

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Sing

Mana'o lkeda and Keani Chang participated in last year's summer residential program for students interested in health careers. - Courtesy: NāPua No'eau