And I do apologize again for my stagnant blog; I’m very (perhaps overly) selective when it comes to topics that are of blog-worthy material. But after seven weeks, and interesting and amusing things have happened since then, I can now share this incident that surely takes the cake.

This was in the second week of school.

I was alone in my dorm room, going through my nowhere-near-palpable load of homework (it was back in the beginning), when all of a sudden, I heard it.

A conch shell call.

And it was legit. It was the type that you’re supposed to hear two miles out from the source given the right conditions of wind and blower-expertise.

Then it sounded like there was a (I dare not say tribal) gathering–of students, one can hope–near the source of the call. Then it went off again.

In the common lexicon, “We stay local, brah.”

But it was not over. Little did I know that I would be woken up at 2:00am (TWO! in the MORNING!) by another call of the wild, accompanied by an especially exuberant female cry.

Oh dear. Conch shells. It’s gotta be an UH classic.

Seventy-one years later, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s voice remains locked into our memories as he forever immortalized December 7, 1941 as the “date which will live in infamy.” For as long as I live, I will also not forget Senator Daniel Akaka’s voice through my cell phone’s speaker as he told me I was selected as a delegate to the United States Senate Youth Program on December 7, 2012.

Washington Week 2012 not only gave me seven of the best days of my life, but also the most inspiring days of my life. From day one, I was immediately swept into the rush of the delegates who were just as excited (and some just as tired) as me. The diversity, inspiring stories, and great motivation and passion of the delegates both highlighted and underscored the entire experience. In mere days, and for some mere minutes, we struck on chords that I know will reverberate as friendships greatly cherished by all despite the time and distance that lie between us.

As someone who lived in Hawaii for most of her life, I would like to speak to the amazing architecture I saw during my time in Washington, D.C. The elaborate furnishings and imposing décor of the national buildings and the Mayflower Hotel all stand testament to the rich history worthy of the city known for being the stronghold of democracy and our nation. I could not help but revel in the gravity of the moments when I stepped foot in the Capitol Rotunda, or walked through the doors of the Supreme Court as the marble outside shone brilliantly in the sun, or dined under the Seal of the United States and in the same room as the Declaration of Independence, or sat in the chair in the East Wing

staring at the red carpet that leads to a White House study, barely breathing because the President of the United States of America would walk in at any given second.

The speakers we had the honor of listening to were incredible, not only in accomplishments, but also as people. Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. shed invaluable light into the great price and demands one must account for in fulfilling the responsibility of serving our nation in the Supreme Court. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta’s fiery determination was contagious and inspiring, especially in his observation that while there may be countless problems, “ambition isn’t one of them;” rather, it is often the catalyst that drives the resolution for many of them and the progress of our country forward. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden enchanted us all with his impeccable humor and moving messages of the value of life, humility, and optimism. President Obama’s speech to the delegates evoked in me a greater calling to, in the words of Harry Reid (paraphrased by Brian Kamoie of the National Security Staff), “give my life to public service.”

A resonating theme throughout our palette of speakers, including USSYP alumni Senator Susan Collins and Congressman Cory Gardner, was the crucial factor of bipartisanship. This program owes its very existence to a rare bipartisan effort—precious proof that collaboration across party lines is essential to unlock stalemate that is so hindering.

Perhaps the most significant lesson I have learned from Washington Week 2012 is that there are many possible ways to serve our country. I left for our nation’s capitol, and I came back a week later more driven and acutely aware of a desire to find my way to serve. Our phenomenal military mentors are living testament to that. They provided such valuable insights across the spectrum on service in the military, politics, history, as well as words of wisdom that ring true throughout lifetimes. I am so profoundly grateful to all the military mentors for their time, dedication, and heart.

March 2012 might have come and gone, but the legacy of the United States Senate Youth Program continues, burning ever brighter every year. I will cherish the friendships I have created, the beautiful moments spent in the historic sites, the inspiring words from our speakers distinguished both on
paper and within, and the lessons I have procured from all those around me. Washington Week may be for most of us the shining pinnacle of our high school careers, but I have no doubt that for even more of us, it has inspired the direction the careers of our lives will take.