Changing Hawaii

By Diane Yukihiro Chang

Monday, June 1, 1998

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Looking for the ever-
present silver lining

IT'S Friday, the busiest day of the week for me, yet here I am motoring out to Laie to judge a scholarship contest, for goodness sake. I've got no time for this. There's stuff piled high atop my desk. Somebody's on vacation in my department so we're short-staffed. I've got work to do!

Hmm, the drive along tree-lined Likelike Highway is actually quite serene. And the view on coming out of the tunnel is still as stunning as a postcard. Those lucky Windward residents...

You know, this cruise along the beaches of Kamehameha Highway -- with the radio blasting golden oldies -- is not bad at all. It doesn't seem like an hour on the road, really.

And look, there's a choice parking spot right in front of the Multi-Purpose Building on the Brigham Young University-Hawaii campus, where we'll be judging this year's Sterling Scholar award competition.

Is this my lucky day or what?

Oh, my goodness. Check out these super-impressive resumes for the five finalists in the General Scholarship category:

Incredibly poised and scholastically well-rounded Nancy J. Chang of Kaiser High, headed for Harvard and a career in medicine.

The pride of Molokai, Janelle Ishida of Molokai High, who wants to study environmental science at Stanford.

Aaron L. Johanson of Moanalua High, who is going to be an effectively persuasive U.S. diplomat after graduating from Yale.

Ciara M.L.L. Lacy of Kamehameha Schools, also Yale-bound, who wants to accomplish a number of goals ranging from joining the Peace Corps to doing heart transplants to giving out her own scholarships one day.

Steven Y. Okamoto of Hilo High, the drum major who got a perfect 1600 on his SATs, determined to be a software engineer after attending the University of Southern California.

Who said Hawaii's education system is failing? Look at all these prime examples of winners in the schools. Hallelujah, this state is going to be in good hands after all.

I head for "town" feeling relaxed and upbeat, and realize that it's true -- there is always a silver lining, somewhere, when it comes to seemingly troubling events and issues in the news.

Therefore, on the way back to Honolulu, I try to find the positive side to:

Campus shootings on the mainland. More attention being focused on important issues like schools, teens, parenting, violence and availability of firearms.

Pakistan and India conducting nuclear tests despite threat of sanctions by United States. U.S. learns meaning of humility.

Eight Western Athletic Conference teams defect to start own league and leave University of Hawaii behind. UH learns meaning of humility.

Merger of First Hawaiian Inc. and San Francisco-based Bancwest Corp. A bigger and stronger First Hawaiian, resulting in more heated competition with giant Bank of Hawaii, which will be good for the consumer.

Hawaiian Electric Co.'s plan to run power line over Waahila Ridge. Will finally learn which is more vital to Oahu residents -- scenic beauty or electricity.

Early polls that large number of respondents are willing to return legislative incumbents to office, despite general dissatisfaction with their performance. Umm, let's see. Voter consistency?

Reports that Hawaii residents pay way more for their gasoline than motorists on the mainland. Well, there goes my theory. There's no silver lining in that one.

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Diane Yukihiro Chang's column runs Monday and Friday.
She can be reached by phone at 525-8607, via e-mail at
DianeChang@aol.com, or by fax at 523-7863.