Youth Advisory Council look to represent their communities

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Story by Dennis Fujimoto of The Garden Island

LIHUE — Student representatives from different areas of the island that make up the Kauai Youth Advisory Council were introduced Thursday. The council is presented by the Kauai Resilience Project, overseen by the Kauai Planning and Action Alliance.

Riana Kanahele and Nina Shintani of the KANAKA Charter School; Elias Muli and Welina Brede-Carvalho of Kapaa High School; Mehana Osakoda, Kirie Davis-Rivera and Keani Garcia of Kapaa Middle School; and Dana Hesly and Cathrinda Pedro of Kauai High School have the distinction of making up the first Kauai Youth Advisory Council.

The members were introduced to the public during a dinner for the council members, parents and leaders of the Kauai Resilience Project and Kauai Planning and Action Alliance.

Dr. Heather Lebrunof Kauai Resilience Project is the leader of the Kauai Youth Advisory Council that was formed in the fall with a grant from the Hawaii State Department of Health.

“The council members meet with each other and myself once a month, or every other month, on campus,” Lebrun said. “During these meetings, the members share their mana‘o on programs, services, resources and campaigns for the youth in their respective communities.”

The members from all the participating schools meet together as a council, once a semester.

Lebrun said the council members are also collaborating to host special events on Kauai to let their peers know of services and opportunities that are available to them to have a healthy and resilient future.

The Kauai Youth Advisory Council also gets community support, from Kapaa High School counselor Mela Kapali, Kapaa Middle School counselor Kelson Sumida, Kauai High School counselor Dawn Taba, KANAKA School instructor Kumu Kalei Shintani, Kapaa Middle School Principal Tara Punzal, Kapaa High School Principal Tommy Cox, Kauai High School Principal Marlene Leary, KANAKA School co-director Kaleo Stevens, Jeff Thomas of the Marshallese Association, and the students’ parents and guardians.

The Kauai Resilience Project is an initiative of Kauai Planning and Action Alliance. Its mission is to address the social determinants of health impacting the next generation of Kauai in order to eliminate youth and adult suicide.