Have you ever wondered who is in charge of what happens in your community? Along with Governor Ige, there is a Citizens Planning Advisory Committee (CPAC)! This committee sets forth a comprehensive vision for the North Shore region and policies and implementation actions for the North Shore to the year 2040 and beyond. I am one of the three students participating in this committee and have already learned a lot. As a student, I have realized that we are the future of Hawaii and the community, and all students should have a say in what happens to it. I also believe that we should also be the ones actively involved in changing it for the better.

When I had my first CPAC meeting, I assumed that I would be joined with lots of other students from my school and students from other schools on the North Shore. But I was sorely mistaken. I logged onto the Zoom call with at least 50 other adults. It was a very educational experience, talking to and listening to people who have lived in the community for a long time and have clear and detailed ideas on what we should do next. But at the same time, I was really missing sharing my thoughts and ideas with my peers and seeing how they feel about the community. I even had friends that wanted to be as involved in the community as I am. Unfortunately, they couldn’t because there were already too many adults, plus a waiting list, on the CPAC committee. Including more students would provide a whole new perspective on what we should do to our community because we have grown up in it and will continue to live in it for many years to come. 

Students should also participate more in community activities and volunteering. Community service helps you develop many different skills and talents. You get to help others, and it’s a great way to make new friends, meet your neighbors, and a lot more. Basically, volunteering and community service can help and those around you feel really good.

After seeing how student involvement in the community was low, I wanted to find more ways to help students get involved. I talked to Principal Alexander and spoke with her about ways to have more student involvement in the community. She then helped me set up a meeting with Melissia May, a Senior Planner of the CPAC committee, and we talked about hosting a separate committee meeting with just students. I was to serve as a student representative and share everyone’s thoughts during the meeting. This meeting aimed to see what other thoughts and ideas students from our school had on the community. We also wanted this meeting to be entirely student-run but with adult spectators such as Principle Alexander and Melissa May. By doing this, we would succeed in getting a different, younger perspective, while involving more students in community affairs. To my dismay, and despite sending many, many emails inviting students to join, the calls for involvement went unanswered and the meeting was a flop. 

Even if students didn’t want to participate in the committee, there are still so many different opportunities to get involved in the community through the Waialua homepage. You can sign up for various community service opportunities. You can also print Community Service Forms all through the school’s website.

I want to stress the importance of student involvement in the community once more. Being a voice in the community in which you live is beneficial to everyone. Volunteering gives you a sense of purpose, allowing you to get out of your comfort zone, interact with different people, and make new connections. Community service also helps you make connections that positively influence your mood and can aid in coping with depression. Along with these things, it helps build your college application, strengthens your work resume, and gives you valuable experiences that help shape your future. 

Works Cited:

Williams, Anissa. “5 Reasons Why Students Should Engage in Community Service.” Big Ideas    

     Blog, 18 Feb. 2020,  

     blog.suny.edu/2020/02/5-reasons-why-students-should-engage-in-community-service/.