As part of an ongoing process of citizen decision making, ninth graders in the emerging new City of Kapolei in Hawaii had an opportunity to share their visions for the future of their community in an essay contest. The master-planned City of Kapolei broke ground in the late 1980s and boasts a population of more than 60,000 residents. Located on the leeward coast of the Island of Oahu, the city is Oahu’s secondary urban center, built on land once used to grow sugar.
The contest was created by the Vision Team for the five neighborhoods that make up the Kapolei area. The Vision Team is one of 19 citizen-led, island-wide Vision Teams that Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris initiated through his 21st Century Visioning process. Each Vision Team receives $2 million in capital improvement program funds to allocate to neighborhood projects identified as community priorities.
In partnership with Chevron Hawaii and the Center for Better Communities, the Vision Team for the City of Kapolei awarded a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond to a Grand Prize winner and $500 U.S. Savings Bonds to three runners-up.
The following is the essay by Grand Prize Winner Deena Hoffman, a student at Kapolei High School. It reflects how citizenship can start with a dream transformed into reality.
My Vision of Kapolei: 2020
by Deena Hoffman
The great leader Mahatma Gandhi once said, "Be the change that you want to see in the world." I see many changes in store for us and those changes start right here in our beautiful City of Kapolei.
Kapolei has the capability to become Hawaii’s, most unique and prosperous city, a city with caring people and bonded community. A city others will want to model themselves after.
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step" is a famous Chinese proverb. I’m sure it wasn’t referring to Kapolei, but to me it does. We have already taken that step, upon building Kapolei High School, and there is more to come. Sure, it’s a long way from greatness, but we’ve only just begun. Kapolei has a bright future; it’s what we decide to make of it. What it becomes tomorrow starts with the dreams of today.
I had a dream, that by 2020 Kapolei was a major city. It had everything. Quality schools with up-to-date technology and unique lesson plans. An extensive public library that is always bustling with people, bringing better education to everyone, as well as countless resources made available for children to better their studies. Many new businesses made homes here in Kapolei, which did wonders for our economy, and brought more employment opportunities to the people of the state. I saw a beautiful university campus, with countless courses available for people who want to get a higher education. There were beautiful parks, homes, and other recreational facilities where only a few years ago, were just dirt and weeds. Kapolei was a major gathering place, for people from all over, to come together to work, play, and grow. The city of Kapolei I envisioned, throughout the years expanded to fit the steadily growing community.
But most of all, in this dream I had, I saw myself there. I had a home, with my own family growing up in the city. I felt so lucky to be part of such a beautiful, clean, and safe community. It was a special feeling. The city I saw in my dream was amazing. It was just the place I always wanted to live.
That’s when I became aware of just how special this dream was. I recalled a quote from Walt Disney: "All our dreams can come true ---if we have the courage to pursue them." I realized then that I wasn’t the only one to have such a dream. We can work together to make the dream a reality; all we need to do is keep reaching towards our goal. I figured out that there was so much I myself can do right now that will help shape the city of tomorrow. I can do my part to keep the community’s environment clean and possibly to try to start special youth programs, like art classes, dance, and sports. People of the community can work together to keep the city crime-free and safe for the children to go out to play.
I truly and wholeheartedly believe that this can be a reality if we work together. Our city of Kapolei may become the change in the world that inspires everyone else to strive to make their communities a better place. We can do this! And so I close with this final quote from Robert H. Goddard, "It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow."
A note on Using Student Essay Contests
Essay contests are useful tools to focus student attention on themes and issues that can promote awareness and, perhaps, motivate participation in civic and community life as active, informed citizens. Some examples of publications to galvanize youth in action in their community:
Putting Idealism to Work: An Idealist’s Handbook, City Year, 62 pages. (City Year, 1997). 180 tips to get things done. An inspirational and practical handbook. See: http://www.cityyear.org
Youth Governance: 14 Points to Successfully Involving Young People in Organizational Decision Making, Jenny Sazama and Karen Young, 53 pages. (Youth on Board, 1998).
Checklists, exercises and step-by-step guidance for more effective governance through youth involvement. See: http://www.youthonboard.org
Active Citizenship Today Field Guide, 188 pages. (Close Up Foundation, 1995). A guide to learn citizenship laid out in five steps: looking at your community, focusing on an issue, searching for solutions, exploring options, and taking action. See: http://www.closeup.org
