[INTRO MUSIC] [INTRO MUSIC] >> HI, I'M CLARA STEELE, AND I GRADUATED FROM HILO HIGH CLASS OF 2025.

I REALLY LIKED DRAWING.

I REALLY LIKED ART.

SO, I WAS LIKE, "LET'S TRY DIGITAL MEDIA."

IT WAS SOMETHING I DIDN'T HAVE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND I JUST WANTED TO TRY IT OUT.

MY DIGITAL MEDIA TEACHER, HER NAME WAS TERRI SWITZER FROM HILO INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL, AND SHE ENDED UP HAVING A HIKI NO CLUB AFTER SCHOOL.

I JUST JOINED THAT BECAUSE AFTER SCHOOL, HEY, I WASN'T DOING ANYTHING ANYWAY, AND THAT'S HOW I REALLY GOT MY FOOT IN THE DOOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND OF HIKI NO AND LEARNING ABOUT BEING CREATIVE, MAKING VIDEOS, ALL THAT KIND OF COOL STUFF THAT I CAME TO LOVE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I WORKED ON ONE STORY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

IT'S NOT THE ONE I'M THE MOST PROUD OF, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE STILL GROWING, YOU'RE STILL LEARNING.

>> SOCIALIZING AND LAUGHING WITH FRIENDS CAN INCREASE THE HORMONE THAT LOWERS ANXIETY LEVELS, AND IT CAN MAKE YOU FEEL MORE CONFIDENT IN YOUR ABILITY TO COPE WITH STRESS.

>> SO THAT LED TO ME, REALLY, I WANT TO SAY, EVEN IN THE FIRST WEEK OF HIGH SCHOOL, JOINING A CLUB CALLED KVIKS MEDIA.

KVIKS IS, WE ARE THE VIKINGS AT HILO HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE K IS KIND OF LIKE A TELEVISION STATIONS LIKE KITV, SO BROADCASTING, DIGITAL MEDIA, VIDEO CREATION, EDITING.

AND WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF SCHOOL, ONE OF MY GOOD FRIENDS, KING JAMES, WHO AS A HIKI NO ALUMNI HIMSELF, WAS TELLING ME, "HEY, DO YOU WANT TO COME JOIN THIS PROJECT I'M DOING?

IT'S A HIKI NO CHALLENGE."

>> SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT LEARNING HOW TO DRIVE IS FUN.

[ROCK MUSIC] >> BUT FROM MY EXPERIENCE, IT WASN'T.

>> REALLY IT JUST LIKE, STARTED FLOWING IMMEDIATELY.

AND THERE'S LIKE, NOTHING BETTER THAN JUST LIKE, HAVING, LIKE, SUCH A STRONG, CREATIVE VISION.

THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY HAD ON THAT PROJECT.

KING JAMES AND I, WE ACTUALLY GOT FIRST PLACE FOR THAT CHALLENGE, WHICH IS SUPER COOL.

AND I THINK, HONESTLY, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE, LIKE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN HIGH SCHOOL IF THAT WASN'T SUCH A FUN AND SUCCESSFUL TIME FOR ME, BECAUSE IT SHOWED ME LIKE, WOW, LIKE, EVEN IF YOU MIGHT NOT BE THE MOST YOU KNOW EXPERIENCED PERSON, YOU CAN STILL OPERATE A CAMERA, AND YOU CAN STILL LIKE, SEE HOW YOU WOULD WANT TO EDIT THINGS.

AND IT SHOWED ME THAT, LIKE, YOU CAN REALLY, CHEESY, BUT IF YOU SET YOUR MIND TO SOMETHING, YOU CAN TOTALLY DO IT.

EVERY TIME A NEW HIKI NO CHALLENGE CAME OUT, OUR ADVISOR, LUKE LUCA CLIPS OHANA, WAS LIKE, "OKAY, GUYS, WHO WANTS TO DO THIS HIKI NO CHALLENGE?"

>> WHEN YOU GET TO EXPERIENCE A COMPETITION, YOU GET TO EXPERIENCE THE STRESS, BUT AFTERWARDS THE IMMENSE RELIEF AND EXCITEMENT, AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE REFLECTION BACK ON, "I DID THIS."

>> HE'S A GREAT ADVISOR FOR EVERYTHING FROM CREATIVE VIDEO MAKING TO BROADCASTING TO EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS A HIKI NO KID WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

>> HIKI NO, CAN DO.

>> HE'S REALLY GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL ALONG THE WAY, BECAUSE HE'S BEEN IN OUR SHOES BEFORE, AND SO HE WAS ALWAYS REALLY HELPFUL FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INTERESTED IN JOINING HIKI NO AND JUST KVIKS IN GENERAL.

>> FOR ME, LIKE, THE WHOLE HANDS-ON LEARNING ASPECT IS SO CRUCIAL, GETTING TO SEE HOW THINGS WORK, GETTING TO SEE HOW TECHNOLOGY WORKS, OR BEING ABLE TO GET CREATIVE, LIKE ON A PARTICULAR PROJECT AND KIND OF LIKE, GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY IN THAT WAY.

I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT TEAMWORK AND COOPERATION AND HOW TO BE CREATIVE.

YOU KNOW, THAT CAN TRANSFER WITH ME ANYWHERE BECAUSE OF ALL THESE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE HAD.

>> ONE OF MY FAVORITE VIDEOS WE MADE IS DEFINITELY MY PRESERVING THE HAWAIIAN FORCE VIDEO.

>> HAWAIIAN FORCE HAS BEEN CARRYING ON HAWAIIAN TRADITIONS AND VALUES THROUGH WEARABLE ARTS.

>> OUR AIM ACTUALLY HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO DRESS THE NATION, AND DRESS THE NATION WITH 'IKE AND PONO, DRESS THE NATION WITH THE TRUTH OF AND THE JOY OF BEING PART OF HAWAI'I, THE JOY OF BEING PART OF THIS CULTURE, BECAUSE OUR BUSINESS IS FOUNDED ON THAT 'IKE.

>> EVEN THOUGH WE JUST GOT HONORABLE MENTION FOR IT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE MY BABY, LIKE, I JUST LOVED MAKING THAT VIDEO.

YOU KNOW, IT DEFINITELY WAS A LITTLE SCARY FOR ME, BECAUSE WE ENDED UP HAVING TO, WE WERE CALLING HAWAIIAN FORCE.

WE WERE LIKE, "CAN WE TALK TO AUNTIE LUANA?"

AND THEY WERE LIKE, "WHAT FOR?"

AND WE WERE LIKE, "CAN WE HAVE AN INTERVIEW TOMORROW MORNING?"

AND SHE'S LIKE, "TOMORROW MORNING?"

>> BUT OUR WORK IS RELEVANT BECAUSE IT'S TIMELESS, BECAUSE IT WORKS WITH WHO YOU ARE TODAY.

>> I REALLY LIKED THIS STORY BECAUSE IT FELT LIKE TAKING A PIECE OF HILO AND BRINGING IT, YOU KNOW, TO A LARGER AUDIENCE.

I THINK IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS, AND ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE, ARE ABLE TO KIND OF TELL STORIES ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE FROM, AND TO BE ABLE TO TAKE PRIDE IN, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY LIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITY, AND ALL THE PEOPLE AND MOVING PARTS THAT WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE THE PLACE THAT YOU LIVE IN EVERY DAY.

>> THIS IS CLARA STEELE FROM HILO HIGH SCHOOL FOR HIKI NO, ON PBS HAWAI'I.

>> WE MADE A VIDEO ON CHATGPT, AND THAT'S ANOTHER VIDEO THAT'S SUPER CLOSE TO MY HEART, REALLY, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT SERVES AS A GREAT TIME CAPSULE OF THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

>> I DON'T THINK CHATGPT IS VERY USEFUL IN THE CLASSROOM.

YOU'LL SIMPLY BE GETTING THE ANSWERS IMMEDIATELY, AND THAT GOES AGAINST THE ENTIRE REASON WHY YOU'RE IN SCHOOL IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> IT WAS AROUND THE TIME THAT OPENAI HAD RELEASED CHATGPT TO BE USED TO THE PUBLIC.

SO THAT WAS REALLY GREAT, BEING ABLE TO TELL A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE ON AN ISSUE AS IT'S GROWING, BECAUSE IT'S GROWING WITH US.

AND THEN A LITTLE OVER A YEAR LATER, PBS HAD REACHED OUT TO ME AND HAD SAID, "HEY, WE REALLY LIKED YOUR VIDEO ON AI.

WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING A KAKOU, OR A TOWN HALL."

THEY WANTED A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE TO COME ON AND SHARE WHAT STUDENTS THOUGHT ABOUT AI ALONGSIDE THESE INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS.

>> CLARA, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES, BUT THIS IS REALLY AFFECTING YOUR GENERATION, PERHAPS MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE.

>> THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION.

AND I THINK THAT MY GENERATION HAS A LOT OF HILLS TO CLIMB IN THE TERMS OF RAPID INCREASES IN TECHNOLOGY LIKE WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

SO, IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A REALLY BIG BATTLE.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.

>> SO, I FEEL LIKE HIKI NO SHOWED ME, LIKE, LOOK AT ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE POSSIBLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU GAVE SOMETHING A SHOT.

AND YOU KNOW, IF I HADN'T HAD AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT, THAT, LIKE, RIGHT OUT THE GATE SHOWED ME WHAT WAS POSSIBLE THAT YOU CAN DO IN HIGH SCHOOL, I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT SAME DRIVE TO, LIKE, KEEP GOING.

SO, I FEEL LIKE THAT REALLY OPENED THE DOORS FOR ME TO DISCOVER MORE IN KVIKS, AND I BECAME INVOLVED IN MY STUDENT GOVERNMENT, COMING TO OAHU TO GO TO THE CAPITOL AND WORK WITH LEGISLATORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

ALL OF THIS CAME FROM LITERALLY BEING SHOWN THAT I CAN ACTUALLY DO THINGS I SET MY MIND TO.

>> SO, THIS FALL, I'M GOING TO UH MANOA TO PURSUE A POLITICAL SCIENCE DEGREE.

I REALLY WANT TO GO INTO A LAW CAREER OF SOME SORT.

I'VE ALWAYS REALLY BEEN INTERESTED IN HELPING OTHERS, LIKE, THAT'S REALLY TO ME, LIKE, I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE MY PASSION IS, I WANT TO MAKE THE WORLD LIKE, A LITTLE BIT BETTER, EVEN IF IT'S JUST A TINY THING FOR OTHER PEOPLE.

IT'S WHEN YOU KIND OF, LIKE, OPEN UP TO OTHER PEOPLE'S POINT OF VIEWS AND LIKE, HOLD ON TO YOURS AT THE SAME TIME THAT YOU CAN LIKE, CREATE A GREAT MIX AND CREATE A GREAT VIDEO.

I MEAN, HIKI NO TOTALLY TAUGHT ME THAT AND HOW TO COOPERATE WITH OTHERS AND HOW TO LIKE, SEE OTHER PEOPLE'S POINT OF VIEWS, WHICH TAKES YOU SO FAR BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL.

I MEAN, SO IT'S A GREAT SKILL TO LEARN.

THAT'S WHAT I PROBABLY LEARNED THE MOST FROM HIKI NO.

>> YOU'RE ON TV, AND PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW ARE WATCHING THE VIDEO YOU MADE, NOT JUST LIKE, YOUR PARENTS OR YOUR FRIENDS, AND IT'S SO COOL.

>> AND I THINK IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO TELL ALL THESE SMALL STORIES, THESE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WOULD NEVER KNOW ABOUT.

MY NAME IS GAVIN BROWN, AND I GRADUATED FROM HAWAI'I TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY.

>> I'M KELSEY LITZ.

I ALSO GRADUATED FROM HAWAI'I TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY.

I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN ANIMATION EVER SINCE I WAS LIKE 12, BUT GOING INTO HIGH SCHOOL, THERE WASN'T AN ANIMATION CLASS, BUT THERE WAS A FILM CLASS.

SO I DECIDED TO JOIN THAT, JUST TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY EXPERIENCE I COULD GAIN.

AND I FELL IN LOVE.

IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.

>> I'VE ALWAYS HAD AN INTEREST IN MEDIA AND MOVIES AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, BUT THIS PAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR I REALLY GOT INTO IT.

>> THERE WAS A FALL CHALLENGE MY FRESHMAN YEAR.

I REMEMBER BEING VERY, VERY CONFUSED BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HELD A CAMERA.

BUT I REMEMBER HAVING A LOT OF FUN AND BEING REALLY INTERESTED IN HOW EVERYTHING WORKED, BUT NOT REALLY KNOWING WHAT TO DO.

AND EVER SINCE THEN, EVERY COMPETITION AFTER THAT, I FEEL LIKE I'VE GOTTEN BETTER TO THE POINT WHERE I, LIKE, I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING NOW.

>> I WAS KIND OF NERVOUS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG PROJECT, AND WHAT WE WERE DOING WAS THE FALL CHALLENGE.

IT WAS EXCITING, BUT A LITTLE SCARY.

IT SEEMED LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH PBS, LIKE A VERY BIG NAME.

IT ENDED UP BEING AN EXCELLENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND MY WHOLE TEAM.

THE PROMPT WAS WEATHERING THE STORM, AND WE ENDED UP DECIDING TO DISCUSS THE MAUI WILDFIRES.

>> HTA STARTED SETTING UP AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN LAHAINA TO HELP ALL THE KIDS WHO HAD BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR REGULAR SCHOOLS.

>> WE WANTED TO TELL THAT STORY, AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO JUST SAY WHAT EVERYONE HAD ALREADY SAID.

WE WANTED TO FIND SOMETHING UNIQUE AND TELL SOMETHING THAT I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE SHOULD HEAR.

>> AND THEN IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THE ONE THING I COULD ACTUALLY GIVE IN THAT MOMENT WAS MY EXPERIENCE AS AN EDUCATOR.

I KNEW TWO THINGS: I KNEW HOW TO TEACH AND I KNEW HOW TO LOVE KIDS, AND I KNEW THAT THAT WAS NEEDED.

>> WE ACTUALLY FLEW OUT TO MAUI.

I WAS RECORDING AUDIO ON SITE AS WE WERE FILMING, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PASSION OF MINE.

IT WAS CHAOTIC, OF COURSE, BUT IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

AND GOING IN THE FIELD THAT WAS SOMETHING NEW FOR ME, AND I THINK I LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT.

>> I FOCUSED ON THE MUSIC TEACHER.

HE WAS A REGULAR MUSIC TEACHER WHO OWNED A HOME AND A BUSINESS IN LAHAINA, AND THEN EVERYTHING BURNED DOWN, ALL OF IT.

AND INSTEAD OF LIKE, BEING SCARED OR BEING SAD, HE FOUND HTA, AND HE STARTED DOING FREE CLASSES THERE SO ALL THE KIDS COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

>> MUSIC OPENS UP A NEW DOOR FOR THEM, YOU KNOW?

IT GETS THEM AWAY FROM EVERYTHING ELSE, WHERE THEY CAN JUST CONTINUE TO LEARN, SING THE SONG THAT THEY LIKE TO SING.

IT'S GIVING THEM HOPE.

>> IT WAS SO INSPIRING.

HE WAS SUCH A GREAT TEACHER.

ALL THE KIDS ABSOLUTELY ADORED HIM.

ALL OF THE STORY, THE EDITING, THAT CAME FROM ME, WITH HELP FROM HIKI NO.

LIKE, I WOULD EDIT IT ALL TOGETHER AND THEN SEND IT OVER, AND THEY'D SEND IT BACK AND GIVE ME NOTES.

I THINK I WENT THROUGH LIKE 10 OR 11 ITERATIONS.

IT GOT VERY FRUSTRATING NEAR THE END, BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE A REALLY GOOD STORY, AND I'M REALLY GLAD FOR THE HELP.

>> I WAS SO EXCITED FOR THE AIR DATE.

WE WATCHED IT LIVE.

IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE THAT ON AIR AND HEAR MY VOICE ON AIR.

MY FRIEND ACTUALLY DID THE HOSTING FOR THAT SHOW.

>> THIS PROFILE STORY WAS PRODUCED BY MY CLASSMATES AT HAWAI'I TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY ON O'AHU.

>> AFTER SEEING MY FRIEND HOST, IT WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO DO AND SOMETHING I WANTED TO TRY OUT, BECAUSE I LOVE BEING IN THE SPOTLIGHT AND BEING ON CAMERA.

>> ON HIKI NO, COMING UP NEXT ON PBS HAWAI'I.

>> IT WAS SO COOL BEING UP THERE AND LIKE, HAVING PEOPLE RUN UP AND PAT MY NOSE AND SEEING THE TELEPROMPTER.

>> WE DOING IT AGAIN OR NO?

OKAY.

>> I FELT LIKE A CELEBRITY FOR LIKE TWO MINUTES.

>> WHETHER IT'S BEHIND THE CAMERA OR IN THE EDITING ROOM, IT'S ALL INTERESTING TO ME, BUT I REALLY LIKE FOLEY ARTISTS.

THEY'RE VERY COOL, MAKING THE SOUNDS, RECORDING THEM.

IT SEEMS LIKE AN EXCELLENT EXPERIENCE, BUT THIS YEAR, I'M TAKING A GAP YEAR, AND THE PLAN IS TO, NEXT YEAR, GO TO SAVANNAH SCHOOL (COLLEGE) OF ART DESIGN, WHERE I'LL CONTINUE LEARNING ABOUT AUDIO AND FILM, AND HOPEFULLY, I MEAN, DO SOMETHING COOL.

>> ANIMATION IS STILL MY PASSION.

IT'S STILL WHAT I WANT TO GO INTO, BUT I DO LOVE, NOW HAVE A NEW LOVE FOR FILM AND ALL THE STUFF THAT COMES WITH THAT.

I'M GOING TO START SCHOOL IN THE SPRING, AND FOR THIS FALL, I'M JUST TAKING SOME TIME TO BUILD UP AN ARTISTIC PORTFOLIO, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL I'M GOING TO IS ITHACA COLLEGE IN NEW YORK, AND ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THEY OFFER IS INTERNSHIPS.

I WANT TO GET AN INTERNSHIP AS SOON AS I GET IN THERE, SO NOW I'M JUST TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THAT, AND THEN I'M GONNA BE STUDYING FILM WITH A MINOR IN ANIMATION.

>> THE SKILLS I'VE LEARNED THROUGH MY MEDIA CLASS, AND ESPECIALLY HIKI NO, ARE DEFINITELY GONNA HELP ME.

>> I LEARNED SO MUCH I CAN'T EVEN NAME HOW IT'S GONNA HELP, ALL THE PRACTICE, ALL THE EFFORT, ALL THE LIKE, LITTLE TIDBITS OF ADVICE AND KNOWLEDGE THAT MY TEACHERS AND MY MENTORS GAVE ME.

IT'S LIKE, YOU CAN'T REALLY POINT TO A LAKE AND TELL YOU WHICH DROP FILLED IT UP, BUT IT'S ALL THERE.

IT'S ALL THE KNOWLEDGE IN MY BRAIN CELLS.

>> I TOOK DIGITAL MEDIA IN MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, AND I DIDN'T REALLY LIKE IT, IF I'M BEING HONEST.

BUT MY SENIOR YEAR, I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY, AND I'D BECOME A LITTLE MORE CONFIDENT AND FELT BETTER BEING ON CAMERA.

AND I ENDED UP DOING HIKI NO, AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT.

>> I DID A FILM AND PRODUCTION CLASS AS WELL AS NEWS WRITING.

BEFORE I EVEN STARTED NEWS WRITING, I WENT UP TO MY TEACHER AND TOLD HER THAT I REALLY WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN HIKI NO.

>> MY NAME IS EDWARD WIRTZ, AND I JUST GRADUATED FROM KA'U HIGH SCHOOL.

>> MY NAME IS JAZELLE AMPS, AND I ALSO JUST GRADUATED FROM KA'U HIGH SCHOOL.

>> SO INITIALLY, FOR MY SENIOR PROJECT AT SCHOOL, I WANTED TO START A SURF CLUB, BUT IT WAS UNREALISTIC, GIVEN RESTRICTIONS AT OUR SCHOOL.

SO, I JOINED THE DIGITAL MEDIA TEAM, AND MY TEACHER ACTUALLY CAME TO ME WITH THE PAPER FOR HIKI NO AND I THOUGHT, "MAYBE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY STORY."

I'VE BEEN BODYBOARDING SINCE I WAS FOUR, LEARNING IN SMALL SURF, AVOIDING WAVES THAT WERE TOO BIG OR SCARY, UNTIL MY 13TH BIRTHDAY WHEN MY PARENTS BOUGHT ME A BRAND NEW BODYBOARD, FINS, AND A LEASH.

SO OF COURSE, I HAD TO PUT THEM TO THE TEST.

I DECIDED TO FILM A PERSONAL NARRATIVE BASED ON MY EXPERIENCES SURFING AND BODYBOARDING AND WHAT IT REALLY MEANT TO ME.

I WAS ABLE TO LEARN HOW TO TAKE SHOTS, HOW TO STRING SHOTS TOGETHER, HOW TO REALLY MAKE A STORY.

IT FELT GOOD TO SHARE MY STORY AND HOW I REALLY CAME TO LOVE BODYBOARDING AND THE CHALLENGES I FACED IN STARTING MY JOURNEY AS A BODYBOARDER.

SO, I REALLY APPRECIATED BEING ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH A WIDER AUDIENCE.

TO ME, BODY BOARDING IS A WAY TO ESCAPE, A WAY TO FORGET ALL MY TROUBLES AND TAKE A MOMENT TO RELAX.

>> I KNEW I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING FOCUSED ON MENTAL HEALTH, AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT FOR A YEAR, BUT I WAS KIND OF SCARED TO COMMIT.

SO, WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY CAME, I IMMEDIATELY WAS LIKE, "OKAY, I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING.

I'M GOING TO PUT MY BIG BOY PANTS ON AND FINALLY MAKE A VIDEO FOR MYSELF."

>> HI, I'M JAZELLE AMPS, A STUDENT AT KA'U HIGH SCHOOL ON HAWAI'I ISLAND, AND POETRY IS MY PASSION.

AND SINCE POETRY WAS SOMETHING THAT I ALWAYS USED TO HELP ME NAVIGATE MY MENTAL HEALTH AND MY FEELINGS, I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS IN THERE.

POETRY LETS ME EXPRESS MY FEELINGS IN A WAY THAT IS MEANINGFUL TO ME, A WAY THAT BRINGS ME JOY AND LETS MY CREATIVITY TURN A WHIM INTO ART.

I HAD A COUPLE FRIENDS WHO HELPED WITH THE FILMING, BUT BEING YOUR OWN DIRECTOR WAS A REALLY INTERESTING EXPERIENCE AND SOMETHING THAT I DID HAVE FUN WITH, AND IT KIND OF GOT ME INTO THIS MORE LEADERSHIP ROLE THAT I FEEL LIKE I CAN FIT, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T THINK OF MYSELF AS ONE OFTEN.

POETRY WILL ALWAYS ACT AS A BEST FRIEND OF MINE.

THOUGH SHE'S NOT THERE ALL OF THE TIME, SHE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR ME WHEN I NEED HER MOST.

WHEN THE VIDEO FIRST CAME OUT, I HAD A FEW PEOPLE COMING UP TO ME, BEING LIKE, "OH JAZALLE, YOUR VIDEO WAS REALLY GOOD."

IT WAS IT WAS A LITTLE EMBARRASSING AT FIRST, AND IT WAS KIND OF SCARY SHARING MY PERSONAL FEELINGS AND MY POETRY WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

>> THE MAHALO AWARDS IS A YEARLY EVENT FROM MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA OF HAWAI'I, AND IT'S A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> WINNING THE MENTAL HEALTH AWARD WAS SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT I'D DO, SINCE I DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT THAT KIND OF STUFF OFTEN, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE SHOULD SHARE AND GET TO BE MORE EDUCATED ON.

SO, GETTING AN AWARD FOR THAT REALLY DID MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I ACTUALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE SOMEHOW.

WHEN I WAS THERE, THERE WAS A WOMAN WHO CAME UP TO ME AND WAS LIKE, "OH, I SAW YOUR VIDEO.

IT WAS REALLY TOUCHING, AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT," AND I WAS REALLY MOVED BY THAT, BECAUSE IT REALLY DID, LIKE, PUT INTO THE PERSPECTIVE THAT, OH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE SEEING.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP OTHER PEOPLE.

AND IT WAS A VERY POWERFUL MOMENT FOR ME.

>> SO, THE HIKI NO STAFF CONTACTED ME, AND THEY OFFERED ME TO COME OUT AND HOST MY OWN EPISODE OF HIKI NO.

>> ALOHA.

WELCOME TO HIKI NO ON PBS HAWAI'I.

I WAS A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE AT FIRST, BUT I THOUGHT, WHAT A GOOD OPPORTUNITY, GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK ON TV AND SHOW MY FACE.

SO, I MIGHT AS WELL DO IT.

AND IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY AN EXPERIENCE.

I GOT TO, YOU KNOW, READ OFF THE TELEPROMPTER, AND I GOT TO HOST MY OWN EPISODE OF HIKI NO, WHICH FELT REALLY SPECIAL.

>> TUNE IN NEXT WEEK FOR MORE PROOF THAT HAWAI'I STUDENTS HIKI NO, CAN DO.

>> THAT'S A WRAP.

>> THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR, I APPLIED AND WAS ACCEPTED TO COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY.

I REALLY WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE AND BECOME AN ENGINEER OF SOME KIND, BUT I DECIDED TO TAKE A GAP YEAR BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL RIGHT AWAY.

SO, IT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST THING OF MY LIFE FOR 12 YEARS, SO I FELT LIKE I SHOULD TAKE A BREAK.

>> I'M GOING TO ATTEND UH HILO, AND THEN, AFTER MY FIRST TWO YEARS, I AM THINKING ABOUT APPLYING TO CAL ARTS, WHICH IS A VERY WELL-KNOWN ART SCHOOL IN CALIFORNIA, BECAUSE I WANT TO GET A JOB IN STORYBOARD ART.

>> HIKI NO DEFINITELY MADE ME MORE COMFORTABLE, YOU KNOW, MEETING PEOPLE, TALKING TO PEOPLE, AND IT'S MADE ME MORE PERSONABLE.

SO, I KNOW THAT WILL DEFINITELY HELP ME AND CARRY ME THROUGH MY COLLEGE EDUCATION.

>> REALLY, IN THE FUTURE, I WANT TO SHARE MY OWN COMICS AND STUFF.

I HAVE BEEN LIKE, WORKING ON MY OWN STORIES SINCE I WAS MAYBE LIKE, SIXTH GRADE.

SO, STORYTELLING WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT WHILE FILMING HIKI NO, AND IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP WITH THAT IN THE FUTURE.

>> THE BIGGEST THING I'VE LEARNED IS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE STORIES, EVEN IF THEY'RE LIKE HIDDEN, EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE PERSON VERY WELL.

EVERYONE HAS A STORY.

>> I THINK THAT THE PROCESS IS JUST A REALLY GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE, DEFINITELY.

MY NAME IS KYLIE CARDENAS, AND I JUST GRADUATED FROM H.P.

BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL.

>> MY NAME IS EMMA JANE ROY, AND I ALSO JUST GRADUATED FROM H.P.

BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL.

MY MOM IS THE MEDIA TEACHER AT BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL.

FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, SHE WAS TRYING TO GET ME TO, LIKE, DELVE INTO, LIKE, MEDIA AND VIDEOS AND TO DO A HIKI NO, BUT I WASN'T SUPER INTERESTED IN IT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT DURING COVID, I KIND OF GOT INTO MEDIA A LOT MORE, AND I STARTED DOING MY FIRST FEW LIKE HIKI NO VIDEOS.

>> MY LIFE AT HOME IS VERY, VERY FASCINATING.

FOR ONE THING, MY PARENTS ARE HOMESCHOOLING ME.

IN MY OPINION, HOMESCHOOLING HAS BOTH POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES.

A POSITIVE IS THAT I CAN EAT A GOOD LUNCH AND WEAR WHATEVER I WANT.

>> THAT KIND OF GAVE ME AN INTRODUCTION LIKE, TO LIKE, HOW TO OPERATE A CAMERA, HOW TO EDIT.

>> DURING MIDDLE SCHOOL, I WAS DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN MEDIA.

I WAS A PART OF THE MORNING BROADCAST.

THAT KIND OF GOT CUT SHORT DUE TO COVID.

SO, DURING FRESHMAN YEAR, I WAS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO EXPRESS MY CREATIVITY.

SO, FRESHMAN YEAR, I WAS ENROLLED IN MRS.

ROY'S ARTS AND COMMUNICATION CLASS, AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH THAT MS.

ROY BUMPED ME UP TO HER UPPER LEVEL CLASS FOR SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR YEAR.

IT WAS VERY SCARY AT FIRST, JUST LIKE THE AMOUNT OF LIKE, WORK AND LIKE, THE DEDICATION YOU HAVE TO PUT INTO THIS CLASS.

I WOULD SAY IT'S ONE OF MY MORE RIGOROUS COURSES.

AND JUST, IT'S ALSO VERY REWARDING.

>> I'VE DONE A LOT OF CHALLENGES FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL, LIKE HOW TO TAKE CARE OF AN ABANDONED BABY BIRD AND THE SLIPPER LIBRARY ONE.

>> HEROES COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.

>> BUT I THINK MY FAVORITE ONE OUT OF ALL THEM WAS MY FRESHMAN YEAR.

I THINK THE PROMPT WAS HIDDEN GEMSTONES IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT WE DID OUR STORY ON ONE OF THE NEWER CAFES IN WAILUKU CALLED THE MAUI COFFEE ATTIC.

>> THERE'S GREAT COMMUNICATION HERE.

THERE'S GREAT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING HERE.

>> IT DOES MEAN A LOT TO ME TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THESE STORIES.

THERE'S A LOT OF HIDDEN STORIES IN EVERYONE, AND I DON'T THINK I FULLY REALIZED THAT UNTIL I STARTED DOING HIKI NO STORIES.

>> SO, MRS.

ROY GAVE THE WINTER CHALLENGE AS AN ASSIGNMENT, LIKE A GROUP ASSIGNMENT.

I REMEMBER THE PROMPT BEING SMALL ACTIONS, BIG IMPACT.

AND FROM THEN, WE HAD TO BRAINSTORM A LOT TO TRY TO FIND A GOOD TOPIC.

>> THE WAY WE SERVE THOSE AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS REALLY, WE'RE IN THE BACK END.

WE'RE BEHIND THE SCENES.

>> I PERSONALLY LIKE DOING GROUP PROJECTS FOR LIKE, HIKI NO CHALLENGES.

DESPITE ALL THE STRESS AND CHALLENGES THAT COME UP AND THE CRAZY DEADLINES LIKE, I THINK THERE'S A BEAUTY IN JUST ME GOING THROUGH THAT WITH MY PEERS AROUND ME.

[PHONE ALARM CHIMES] >> KYLIE AND I BOTH WON A STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AWARD THIS PAST YEAR, AND THEY WERE BOTH ON OUR PERSONAL NARRATIVES THAT WE MADE IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL CLASS.

>> MY PERSONAL NARRATIVE WAS CALLED PRIVILEGE.

>> DURING SCHOOL, I PROTEST AGAINST THE 70-MINUTE-LONG PERIODS, THE SCHOOL WORKLOAD THAT IS GETTING TOO MUCH TO HANDLE, AND THE FAST APPROACHING UPCOMING DEADLINES CREEPING UP ON ME.

BUT WAIT, LET'S START MY DAY OVER AGAIN.

THROUGHOUT THE VIDEO, I KIND OF SWITCHED THE PERSPECTIVE AND KIND OF FORCED MYSELF TO FIND THE BEAUTY IN THESE LITTLE THINGS.

I WAS SO GRATEFUL TO GET THE 2025 STUDENT VOICE AWARD.

I DIDN'T REALLY EXPECT IT, BUT IF MY VIDEO HELPED AT LEAST JUST ONE OTHER PERSON FEEL LIKE, SEEN OR MORE HEARD IN THEIR SITUATION, I THINK IT WAS WORTHWHILE.

>> MINE WAS ABOUT MY FEELINGS ABOUT HOW I STRUGGLE WITH JUST COMPARING THE PAST TO THE PRESENT.

IT'S ALMOST AS IF LIFE WAS PASSING ME BY AND I WAS JUST LETTING IT.

IT IS KIND OF SCARY FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO SEE THESE LIKE, PERSONAL STORIES AND MY OWN ALMOST HIDDEN FEELINGS, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ALMOST REFRESHING ABOUT IT TOO, BECAUSE I'M ABLE TO SHARE A PART OF MYSELF THAT I NORMALLY WOULDN'T SHOW ON THE OUTSIDE.

A GIRL ABOUT MY AGE CAME UP TO ME AFTER THE MENTAL HEALTH AWARD CEREMONY WAS DONE, AND LIKE, TOLD ME, LIKE, "YEAH, I RELATE TO IT SO MUCH.

LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW OTHER PEOPLE WERE FEELING HOW I WAS FEELING," AND IT WAS JUST REALLY LIKE NICE TO SEE WE'RE ALL MORE ALIKE THAN WE THINK.

>> PBS HAWAI'I, THEY INVITED ME TO HOST ONE OF THEIR SHOWS.

>> ALOHA AND WELCOME TO THIS EPISODE OF HIKI NO ON PBS HAWAI'I.

>> IT WAS DEFINITELY NERVE-WRACKING AT FIRST.

I THINK YOU COULD PROBABLY TELL FROM LIKE, THE FIRST FEW SHOTS, BUT ONCE I GOT COMFORTABLE AND READING THE TELEPROMPTER, IT WAS SO MUCH FUN, I FELT LIKE I WAS HOSTING MY OWN SHOW.

AND JUST LIKE, LIVING OUT MY YOUTUBER DREAMS.

>> I WANT TO WORK ON, LIKE, MOVIE SETS WHEN I'M OLDER.

AND THIS IS LIKE, THE FIRST, LIKE, BIG, LIKE, ROOM, LIKE, SET KIND OF PLACE I'VE BEEN INTO.

AND IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE, LIKE, HOW EVERYTHING HAS BEEN FILMED.

LIKE, I'VE BEEN WATCHING HIKI NO FOR SO LONG, AND IT WAS JUST REALLY COOL TO SEE THE ROOM WHERE EVERYTHING'S BEEN, LIKE, HOSTED, WHERE EVERYTHING'S BEEN, LIKE, FILMED AND DONE.

AND, YEAH, IT WAS SUCH A COOL EXPERIENCE.

>> TUNE IN NEXT WEEK FOR MORE PROOF THAT HAWAI'I STUDENTS HIKI NO, CAN DO.

>> THIS FALL, I'M GOING TO BE ATTENDING CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY, AND I'M GOING TO BE MAJORING IN FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION WITH AN EMPHASIS IN EDITING.

>> MY PATHWAY IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT I'M GOING TO SEATTLE UNIVERSITY IN THE FALL, AND I'M GOING TO MAJOR IN DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND.

AND EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT GOING TO BE HEAVILY FOCUSED ON FILM DURING COLLEGE, I HOPE TO STILL KEEP IT AS, LIKE, A LITTLE SIDE HOBBY WHENEVER I HAVE FREE TIME.

>> THROUGH LIKE, THE HIKI NO STORIES AND THE AND THE PERSONAL NARRATIVES, IT REALLY BROADENED MY PERSPECTIVE ON OTHER PEOPLE'S STORIES, MY OWN STORIES, AND IT KIND OF, IT MAKES YOU MORE EMPATHETIC AND AWARE OF WHAT OTHER PEOPLE AND WHAT OTHER LIKE STORIES ARE OUT THERE.

>> I'VE LEARNED INTERPERSONAL SKILLS, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AND JUST, I'VE MET SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE, AND JUST THE FRIENDSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS I'VE LIKE, FOSTERED THROUGHOUT THE WAY HAVE BEEN LIKE, SO VALUABLE TO ME, AND I WOULDN'T TRADE THAT FOR THE WORLD.

SO, IF IT WASN'T FOR MS.

ROY AND MY FRESHMAN YEAR SELF STICKING IT THROUGH THESE FOUR YEARS, LIKE, I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I AM TODAY, SO YEAH.

[OUTRO MUSIC]