Reflections of a HILT Intern

Entering my senior year, I felt myself stuck trying to figure out the answer to the question, “What do I want to do in the future?”. With mounting college applications and the constant flow of homework, I felt the pressures of my final high school year from the very start. What I didn’t expect was my time as an HILT intern to be both educational and calming for me. 

In the midst of all my work that I had, spending 2-3 hours each week to work on projects that I was passionate about gave me a much needed break. From the various projects that included volunteer posts, preserve highlights, book reviews, and web page planning, I was able to go through trial and error to figure out what formats and colors worked best in capturing the viewers, but also having fun doing so.

Consequently, I’ve also noticed that my knowledge on Hawaiian culture and ʻāina has drastically grown, from learning the significance of some of our endangered native species to the history of the little gems of land spread across our islands. With the knowledge that I’d gained, I was able to share it with my friends and family but also with my peers within my clubs and for this year’s Earth Day presentation. Furthermore, spending the last year delving deeper into the role of communication and media has allowed me to finally answer the question that pestered me at the beginning of the year.

Working at HILT has sparked my interest in integrating my passion of political science with a communication/journalism track as I hope to take on the major of political communication at George Washington University. Although my time as an intern at HILT has come to an end, I am so incredibly grateful for having the opportunity to grow and get the chance to explore my interests. 
 
Aimee Okagawa,
ʻIolani Schools Class of 2024