WAIʻANAE, Hawaii (Island News) — Teens from the Nānākuli-Waiʻanae area are walking a different path this summer—one that could lead to a career.

While the west side of Oʻahu has seen a wave of headlines involving youth and crime, a new program is flipping the script by helping teens gain experience, confidence and a clearer path to the future.

15 students recently completed a paid summer internship program led by the Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi. The teens were recognized for the skills and professional growth they gained after being paired with local and international employers.

“I would always underestimate my ability to make quality work,” said Logan Lutu-Carroll, one of the student interns. “After this internship, I realized that I’m a lot more capable of things that I don’t even know that I’m capable of.”

Lutu-Carroll said she hopes programs like this help change how people view youth on the west side.

“But I think instead of seeing just that we’re violent and not the best school, they should see past it and see what we can become. That’s something that these adults don’t see,” she said.

Students were placed at a range of businesses, from automotive shops and fashion design studios to media companies and international tech firms based in Ghana and India. Organizers say the program not only builds job skills, but helps students see their own potential.

“With the dark cloud that is hovering over this community, I see that this program can bring light,” said Evangeline Casinas, Complex Academic Officer for the Nānākuli-Waiʻanae Complex. “So for our students, they can see that there is potential in themselves and what they want to do.”

Program leaders said it’s also an opportunity to shift public perception.

“You know, sometimes they get a bad rep if they’re from this Leeward Coast,” said Lord Ryan Lizardo, vice president of education at the Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi. “And so we’re changing that narrative one by one. And so my hope is that you’re seeing the potential of these students.”

The Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi said the program also helps tackle the state’s workforce shortage by giving students early access to industries that are projected to grow. They hope to expand the initiative in the coming years.

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