KHON2: Mentor program helps students find lifetime guidance

January 12, 2024 | By Lucy Lopez |

HONOLULU (KHON2) — A mentoring program is helping the students of Hawaii achieve mentors for a lifetime.

The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii Young Professionals 2023 Hawaii School Mentoring Program brought mentors to 76 high school students from James Campbell High School, Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School, Kapolei High School, Pearl City High School and Waipahu High School.

The mentors vary in age, professions and industries, but all have the same goal of assisting their student by fostering meaningful connections and sharing industry expertise.

“We are committed to inspiring and nurturing the future leaders of tomorrow and look forward to the next cohort,” said Jennifer Diesman, senior vice president, Government Policy and Advocacy of Hawaii Medical Service Association — the sponsors of the program.

The goal of the program is not only to help the student learn and grow, but to also set them up with a mentor for a lifetime, according to YP.

At the end of the semester, students competed in the American Savings Bank KeikiCo Competition as their Academic Project.

Five students won awards in three different categories in the competetion.

1. 1^st Place Overall: Astro Gibbs and Makayla Monzon (Mentored by Kevin Kahuena, Group Sales Manager at Kyo-Ya Hotels and Resorts)
2. ASB Special Mention: Rysha Muraoka (Mentored by Mariah Renteria, Pricing & Underwriting Analyst at Hawaii Dental Service)
3. ASB Special Mention: Chase Lakey and Wyatt Lakey (Mentored by Lord Ryan Lizardo, Associate Vice President of Education at the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii)

“For our Young Professionals in the program, they get the opportunity to usher in the next generation of leaders here in Hawaii. We recently learned that one of our early mentor pairings continued to meet after the program ended and recently the mentor hired his mentee to work for his company,” said Lord Ryan Lizardo, Chair of the YP HI School Mentoring Program.

“This goes to show the program is working and helps to support our local youth to find new career opportunities with the support of their mentor,” Lizardo continued.

The program concluded with a networking event known as YP HI School Mentor Connect in which both mentors and mentees participated in.