KIDS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Talk about kids these days: High-schoolers Emily Gelber, Hunter Hunt and Chiara Essig organize a concert to benefit the homeless in Hawaii

Wednesday - April 02, 2008

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Black Wolf Howl is (from left) Chris Lau, Kasey Shun, Teresa Shun and Michael Judge
Black Wolf Howl is (from left) Chris Lau, Kasey Shun, Teresa Shun and Michael Judge

of people there,” says Brad Lawson, a senior from Iolani High School also bound for Stanford, as well as the lead singer for Summasounds. “And because it’s a charity concert, it’s nice to help the cause.” This will be the largest event his band has performed in.

Lawson also agrees with the choice of IHS as the recipient of the proceeds. “With the rising number of homeless people, I guess it’s a good place to put (the funds).”


Asilent auction will be held after the concert, featuring several items up for bid including a round trip ticket to a Neighbor Island (with hotel stay included) donated by Aloha Airlines, and a surf-board used in competition by Carissa Moore, the students’ classmate and national surfing champion.

Though he’s not sure if he’ll make it to the concert, Jeff Arce, a partner at the MacNaughton Group, says the silent auction interested him.

Marcus Gonzalez picks his ukulele
Marcus Gonzalez picks his ukulele

“Neighbor Islands trips, hotel trips are always fun because it ends up being something that you want to do,” he says, ” and you’re supporting a good cause at the same time.”

Auctions and concerts aside, Arce still believes in the cause these students are striding for. “I think it shows a whole lot of initiative, creativity and persistence,” he says. “We at the MacNaughton Group applaud them, and it’s just inspirational to see kids like that stepping up and doing something to support the community.” The MacNaughton Group donated $500 to the concert.

Elise Levin belts out a tune
Elise Levin belts out a tune

Despite the impressive collection of items and trips being auctioned off, the diversity of the schools being represented in the concert and the event in its entirety, when stripped down to the bare bones, you see these three young adults - not immature teens trying to squeeze money out of their folks for clothes and video games, but young adults already giving back to the community when most of us at that age were more concerned about dances, sports and grades.


For these reasons, this group of Punahou students and their volunteers from other local schools should change their motto of “Kids can make a difference,” to “We’re making a difference, how about you?”

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