My name is Soohee Yang and I am a sophomore at Moanalua High School. I am the sophomore class president but my true passion is art. I don’t have much free time, but when I do I am usually either out with friends or working on my sketchbook. I don’t consider myself an artist, but I do consider myself an art student. I am excited to see the different styles that other countries bring to the table.

Coming of Age to me means going out of your comfort zones. As we mature, we are tested beyond our limits. Excelling in our comfort zones is not what makes us excellent, but excelling beyond our comfort zones makes us excellent. In art, and in life, striving toward excellence is key.

My name is Kristen Kohashi. I’m 16 years old, and I am in the 11th grade. I am Japanese and Chinese. I like to draw and read. I like anime and manga. My favorite food is sushi. I lived in Japan before I came to Hawaii.

Coming of Age means learning to take care of yourself. You become an adult when you are able to live without your parents and make your own choices.

My name is Mikilyn Lau. I’m a junior at Moanalua High School. I’ve always been interested in art. As a kid my favorite canvas was my parent’s walls. I love to play guitar, sing, draw and hang out with my friends. I also love to shop. I believe coming of age is being independent. Independent defined as being able to take care of yourself, support yourself and have your own home and transportation. Coming of Age also entails being able to look at the world with a different outlook.

My name is Amanda Selvey. I am 15 years old. I am currently a sophomore at Moanalua High School. I live in Honolulu, Hawaii. I was born and raised in Hawaii on the island of Oahu. I live with my mother, father, grandmother, and two brothers. My ethnicities are Filipino and Caucasian. I love going to the beach with family and friends. I also like to fish and do anything that requires going in the water. My favorite sports are volleyball and basketball. I am on the girls Junior Varsity team for both sports. My favorite types of music are Hawaiian and Reggae but I like all kinds of music such as alternative, hip hop, and R&B (Rhythm & Blues).

Coming of Age to me means being able to grow up and start my own family. Getting older, more mature, being more responsible, and being able to take care of my own family and let them grow up in a good environment.

Hello, I’m Ryan Asato. I am a junior at Moanalua High School. My interests are video games, drawing, internet, Star Trek, foxes, and wolves. My musical preference is classical and jazz…no rap! My ethnicity is Japanese and Okinawan.

My idea of Coming of Age is…growing a stash! Yes growing a mustache…beautiful, silky facial hair. If you look back in times lots of famous people have mustaches. Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, Mizaki, Hitler. Growing a stash is a sign of greatness.

Hi! My name is Max Kajiwara and I’m a seventeen year-old junior at Moanalua High School. I enjoy playing video games, surfing the internet, drawing, reading, and writing. To me, Coming of Age means arriving at that point in life where your mind reaches a state of maturation and there’s no turning back. That, and also when you develop facial hair and finish puberty.

My name is Dawn Dela Cruz. I am 16 years-old and currently a junior at Moanalua High School. I enjoy watching movies, playing sports, listening to music and going to the beach. Coming of Age means to me having children of my own and being a responsible parent.

My name is Deena Dela Cruz. I am 15 years old and I am a sophomore at Moanalua High School. My ethnicities are Hawaiian, Filipino, Chinese, Caucasian, and Spanish. I like to listen to Hawaiian and Reggae music. I love to play sports. My main ones are volleyball, basketball and softball. Also I like to do beach stuff such as surfing, boogie boarding, sand sliding, fishing, swimming, and canoe paddling.

To me Coming of Age means becoming older or how old you are. To me it just means age and getting older in general. Also the stage of age from an infant to a child/kid then to a pre-teen then a teen and then an adult. Just like a stage for boys. From baby to boy to a guy to a gentlemen and then a man. And the same for girls but it is a baby to girl to young lady to lady to a woman.

I am Nick Lee, a senior at Moanalua High School.

Coming of Age is when a person fully understands that he himself if responsible for his entire life. He can no longer be relying on others for support and must fly off into their own horizons without the comfort of free shelter/nurture from others.

Hi! I’m Brittney Kanetake and currently a senior at Moanalua High School. I am senior class vice president and actively participate in school service and class activities. In my spare time which I hardly have I love to shop, hang out with friends and family and eat. My hobbies include dancing, creating scrapbooks and birthday cards.

What Coming of Age means to me is completing the four years of your high school career, overcoming obstacles and challenges through academics and personal achievements, breaking out of your comfort zone to do your personal best in everything you do.

Hello! I will be talking about what coming of age means to me but first, let me introduce myself. My name is Nicole Lee, and I am attending Moanalua High School. I am a sophomore, 10th grade, and I am 15 years old. My hobbies are singing, playing kendo, and absolutely drawing. Also, my futuristic goal is to have exceptional skill in the context of art.

Now, getting back to the theme, Coming of Age means more responsibilities and making choices that will affect a person’s life. It means the freedom to travel around the world and explore wonderful wildlife, monuments, etc., without restraint from parents. Responsibilities like housework and money management may arise as a problem as you progress further in life. Coming of Age is a step of independence and of maturity.

Hello, my name is Ah Reum Park. I am 17 years old and currently in the 11th grade. I am Korean. I like to draw and listen to music. I also like to watch anime and read manga. To me Coming of Age means that you’re going out of the protection created by your family and living in new experience.

Hello, my name is Min Joo Kim. I’m currently attending Moanalua High School and I’m in 10th grade (1st year of high school in Japan). I’m 100% Korean and immigrated to Hawaii about 6 years ago. In my spare time, I like to draw, go on internet and window shop. I love Korean group called Shinhwa. I would like to be a designer/freelancer.

What Coming of Age means to me: Coming of Age is when humans develop their skills and advance into high level world. As we gain, we’ll lose at the same time. The world has changed a lot throughout the centuries. As technology develop, more our world suffers. Winters in Summer and Summer in Winters. The world is becoming a disorder with more and more advanced threat such as nuclear, and terrors. Coming of Age depends on how we wisely control the future.

My name if Jennifer Estores and I’m 16 years old. I’m a junior at Moanalua High School. I enjoy listening to music, especially acoustic, Hawaiian, and Reggae. I like going to the beach and playing softball. I love to shop and spend time with my friends and family.

To me, Coming of Age is maturing and becoming a responsible adult. It’s being able to support yourself and be independent. Coming of Age, to me, is growing up and being able to stand on your own two feet and live on your own. Coming of Age is discovering yourself and figuring out what you want to do in life and making it happen.

Sarah Valadez My name is Sarah Valadez. I am 15 years old and currently a sophomore at Moanalua High School. I like all things creative and artistic, and love trying new things. I love orange soda and skittles, and hate super-sweets and green veggies.

Coming of Age means to me new interest and new ideas. The world is changing with every second, and each sunrise brings new things. People crave different things like a new look or a new sound. New relatives are born and old ones leave. The mind changes and has new ideas. With time brings change, and it is but moments away.

My name is Gordon Li and I am 15 years old. I was born in Hawaii and lived here my whole life. I am full Chinese (Cantonese) and I have a younger brother named Jackie. I am a sophomore at Moanalua High School. On my free time I like to draw, cook, read, and breakdance. I have been breaking for 10 months now. My electives in school are Drawing & Painting 2 and French 2. Also on my free time I like to play Dance Dance Revolution.

Coming of Age to me means to have a job and a car. Also to have a house or an apartment. Being mature is also one of the important things about Coming of Age. Also being responsible for your actions.

My name is Shirley Liang and I’m 16 years old. I’m a junior attending Moanalua High. I was born and raised in Hawaii. I live with my mother and younger sister. I plan to go to college.

Coming of Age? Sounds like a new era. Not really. Maybe when a child hits adulthood, you go to college, get a job, have a family, and raise your kids.

My name is Kawehionapua Chan. Most call me by Kawehi. I am a mixture of all different ethnicities, ranging from Hawaiian to Punjabi, Irish to Japanese. A proud daughter of Kenney and Shari Chan. And sister to two brothers, two sisters and a twin. On my free time I enjoy playing softball for both my high school and recreationally. Born and raised on Oahu where I currently reside and attend Moanalua High School as a senior.

To me, Coming of Age could be anything or happen anytime. Yet, to be mentally of age is when one can make major decisions changing his or her own life. For example, choosing to go to college or not to go. Buying a house or renting an apartment. Coming of Age is whether or not you’re ready to face consequences for your own decisions.