Chaminade Students Honored For Service Leadership

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Chaminade Students Honored For Service Leadership
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For Immediate Release
Contact: Kapono Ryan
(808) 735-4797 or cell 429-2972

CHAMINADE STUDENTS HONORED FOR SERVICE LEADERSHIP

HONOLULU--March 23, 2007-- Chaminade University students Chelcy Reyes and Crystal Weseman were recognized by the Hawaii Pacific Islands Campus Compact (HIPICC) for their inspiration in service to the community at the Fifth Annual Statewide Service-Learning Conference on March 10. HIPICC presented each student with its Community Impact Student Award. In its inaugural year, the award begins a tradition of recognizing students in HIPICC member institutions who exhibit outstanding leadership and innovative approaches in their community service or service-learning endeavors both on their campus and within their community.

Reyes was also chosen to go to Philadelphia, PA for the 2007 Education Leadership Colloquium. She and Leanne Nakamura from the University of Hawaii-Manoa will serve as members of the Hawaii Leadership Team. Reyes will compete with other winners from across the nation for Campus Compact's Howard R. Swearer Student Humanitarian Award.

Born and raised on Guam, Chelcy Reyes is currently a junior majoring in sociology at Chaminade University. She has participated in service-learning at Chaminade for three semesters with Project SHINE (Students Helping in the Naturalization of Elders), a citizenship tutorial program for elder immigrants and refugees. According to Reyes, Project SHINE has helped her to realize not only the difficulty in learning a new language and gaining citizenship in the United States, but also the need for such social service programs in ethnically diverse communities. Candice Sakuda, Chaminade University Director of Service-Learning, said Reyes had progressed naturally from tutor to coordinator. "As a coordinator, Chelcy has demonstrated effective leadership and organizational skills," said Sakuda. Helping to train and mentor her peers, Reyes also manages the placement of the elder learners according to their English language ability levels and decides on individual tutoring sessions for those whose citizenship test is near.

Crystal Weseman began her service-learning work at Palolo Elementary School as part of a class in education. Originally from Oregon, Weseman is currently a Chaminade sophomore and a second year outfielder for Chaminade's softball team. According to Sakuda, Weseman wanted to try something new and fun for the kids, so she decided to put on a softball camp for the Palolo Valley girls' team. As last spring's season ended she had discussions with her coach, who wanted to help. The young woman organized the First Annual Chaminade Softball Camp, which was a huge success with 28 girls from Palolo Valley in attendance. She is already planning the second annual Chaminade Softball Camp. "I believe that Crystal embodies the goal of service-learning," Sakuda said. "She gives our community her time and talents in ways that apply and also enrich academic learning,"

The Hawaii Pacific Islands Campus Compact (HIPICC), administered by the University of Hawaii-Manoa Service-Learning Program, was awarded a three-year education grant totaling $1.2 million by the Corporation for National and Community Service's Learn and Serve America program. HIPICC will use the funds to promote civic engagement in higher education, including health promotion and disease prevention education; protection and restoration of wildlife, water, land, coastal zones and vegetation; and senior care and citizen education. HIPICC is comprised of college and university presidents. Current membership includes all six universities and 10 community colleges in Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and Northern Marianas.

Celebrating more than 50 years of educating students for life, service and successful careers, Chaminade University offers programs of study grounded in the liberal arts with day, evening, online and accelerated courses. The main campus is located in Kaimuki at 3140 Waialae Ave., Honolulu, HI 96816, with 10 satellite locations around Oahu military bases and Catholic parishes and schools. For more information, visit the Chaminade Web site at www.chaminade.edu or call (808) 735-4711.
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[PICTURE BY CHAMINADE PROFESSOR RICHARD KIDO INCLUDES PEOPLE LEFT TO RIGHT: Atina Pascua, service-learning director for University of Hawaii at Manoa and Chelcy Reyes of Chaminade University holding her state award for service.]

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