Last week Thursday 9/23, 5 students from the high school attended a youth summit at the state building. This youth summit was for teenagers to learn about the seriousness and the effects of drug abuse and suicide. This was an all-day program, 7:30 to 3:00, and included breakfast and lunch.
Kimo Alameda, a graduate of St. Joseph High School, opened the program. Mr. Alameda has a Ph.D in psychology and lives in Hilo. He explained the importance of loving yourself, and believing that you can amount to anything you set your mind to. Following Dr. Alameda was a women (I didn't get her name) who talked about abusive relationships, bullying, and suicide. The last speaker was a surprise: Mayor Billy Kenoi. He explained to us the importance of following our dreams and putting our trust in God.
When the day ended, the last activity was to present an idea to the rest of the schools on how our school will make a difference, and we hope, decrease the possibilities of suicide in schools and in our community.
Overall, this program was very enjoyable and I hope to go back next year!
:)
