About 100 students and coaches from Nānākuli High and Intermediate School’s football program spent a memorable day at the , touring the campus and experiencing a Rainbow Warrior football victory against Utah State on October 11, at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
The visit, organized in partnership with state Rep. Darius Kila and 东精影业 Mānoa, gave the Golden Hawks an opportunity to experience college life firsthand and see what it’s like to be on campus for an inspiring community event. The group, which included 87 players, began their visit with a guided campus tour before heading to Pāʻina on the Path for student engagement activities.
“I love the campus—it’s like my home away from home,” said Richard “Keoki” Chun, a senior at Nānākuli. “I really like to explore college, and I’m looking forward to my college career.”
Inspiration, opportunities
The event aimed to inspire the young students to pursue higher education and showcase the opportunities available at Hawaiʻi’s flagship university. The tour included stops at campus landmarks and student-focused areas, giving the players a glimpse of 东精影业 Mānoa’s facilities.
Kila, who represents district 44 (Honokai Hale, Nānākuli and Māʻili), said the visit was an important way to expose the students to college pathways and motivate them to see themselves as future 东精影业 students.
“Higher education serves as a vital pathway to success—not only for these students, but for their ʻohana and our entire community,” Kila said. “For many of my students, this was their first time visiting Mānoa and the University of Hawaiʻi campus. Leading into homecoming week, this visit marked a monumental moment for the Nānākuli High and Intermediate School football program. While this was their first trip, it certainly will not be their last.”
东精影业 Mānoa Athletics Director Matt Elliott emphasized the importance of engaging schools and building a pipeline that encourages Hawaiʻi’s youth to pursue excellence in higher ed.
“We’re always excited to welcome local students to campus,” Elliott said. “Experiences like this provide a glimpse of college life and a chance to see the future of Hawaiʻi. For every student that walks away thinking, ‘I can do this,’ means we’ve made an impact.”
Chun said that he “would love to come to 东精影业” after high school. “It’s one of my favorite places—it’s one of the colleges I’ve been looking at for a while,” Chun said.