{"id":231857,"date":"2026-04-07T20:28:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T06:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=231857"},"modified":"2026-04-07T20:28:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T06:28:10","slug":"kauai-cc-career-mad-skillz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/07\/kauai-cc-career-mad-skillz\/","title":{"rendered":"Kauaʻi CC<\/abbr> showcases career \u02bbmad skillz\u2019 to high school students"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Students look at soil, insect, and plant specimens<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Approximately 65 students from Hawaiian charter schools visited Kauaʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr> in March for the annual Nā Pua Noʻeau Kauaʻi<\/span> “Mad Skillz” event, an immersive, hands-on career exploration experience. Nā Pua Noʻeau<\/span> is a UH<\/abbr> enrichment program for Native Hawaiian children in grades PreK–12.<\/p>\n

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Instructors explain the benefits and uses of skin and edible products made with local honey.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n
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Students listen to EIMT<\/abbr> instructor Veronica Rose<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n
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Students get hands-on culinary experience<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n
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High school students work with culinary students and instructor Chef Steve Nakata<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n

During the event, high school students participated in one of four vocational pathways offered this year: culinary arts, agriculture, beekeeping or electrical installation and maintenance technology (EIMT<\/abbr>). Each session was designed to provide students with practical, real-world skills.<\/p>\n

“The primary goal is that within one hour, students walk away with a practical skill,” said Malia Chun, Nā Pua Noʻeau Kauaʻi<\/span> coordinator. “We hope it gives them insight into whether that pathway is right for them, while also allowing Kauaʻi CC<\/abbr> to showcase the incredible programs available here.”<\/p>\n

Exploring career paths<\/h2>\n

In the beekeeping session, students created sugar scrubs using honey and jabong flower oil before tasting hot honey made with chili peppers. All ingredients were sourced directly from the Kauaʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr> campus. While the activity sparked curiosity, some students noted they are still exploring different career paths.<\/p>\n

Ninth grader Kaley Rapacon shared that although she enjoyed learning about the campus apiary, she plans to pursue automotive studies and eventually join her family\u2019s business.<\/p>\n

Fellow ninth grader Kulia Numazawa-Laranio, who is currently enrolled in Hawaiian Studies early college courses through Kauaʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr>, is considering a future in EIMT<\/abbr>. Despite that interest, she chose to explore beekeeping during the event.<\/p>\n

“Beekeeping is one trade I haven\u2019t experienced yet,” Numazawa-Laranio said. “I\u2019m trying to stay open for college.”<\/p>\n

Throughout the workshops, student mentors from the Waiʻaleʻale<\/span> Project, who are actively pursuing these career pathways, joined the charter school students to talk story. Following the hands-on sessions, participants gathered to learn more about both the Waiʻaleʻale<\/span> Project and the Kīpaipai<\/span> Program for first-year students.<\/p>\n

Student participants were given tools and materials related to their chosen field, and, organizers hope, a broader perspective on their future opportunities.<\/p>\n

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Students taste hot honey made with ingredients from the Kauaʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr> farm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Students gained practical, real-world skills exploring career paths from culinary arts to beekeeping.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":231885,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[184,1653,64,71],"class_list":["post-231857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-culinary","tag-electrical-installation-and-maintenance-technology","tag-kauai-community-college","tag-uh-community-colleges","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t