By Lexus Yamashiro | Staff Writer

Word on the Street: What is motivating you to attend college?

Kelvin Magsipoc 
Age: 24
Hometown: Canada
Major: Culinary Arts

“You know, it’s kind of different when you’re older and you have kids who are coming out of high school and they’re like 18 or 19 and they don’t really know what they’re doing or they don’t really have … a real motive. For me, I’ve had time to develop that because … culinary kind of goes in line with what I’m doing already. I’ve been working in restaurants for a while [in Waikīkī], but I feel that taking culinary … it wouldn’t just look good on paper, it would open doors for me because you get to work with people that have been doing what you want to do. I always say ‘If you want to grow, then you have to go,’ and sometimes you just have to go and do something that you have to do, which [for me] is do [school] for awhile and see what happens.”

Anela Haena-Paulo 
Age: 19
Hometown: Honolulu
Major: Liberal Arts

“Well, took a year off, but I was motivated to come back to school just so that I can get a better education and learn more about what I’m interested in. So, I’m motivated by just wanting to learn more and wanting to be the first person in my family to attend college.”

Coleman Price 
Age: 22
Hometown: Honolulu
Major: Liberal Arts

“I had an experience in the working field [as a hotel utility steward in Waikīkī] and didn’t really like it. I wanted to find something that I like so I thought that school would be the best place to go when I’m not too sure what I want to do.”

Chanel Gemini 
Age: 25
Hometown: Kapahulu
Major: Nursing

“Probably my own personal goals for myself and to start a career [and to] just keep expanding my knowledge.”

Maverick Mun-Takata 
Age: 21
Hometown: Honolulu
Major: Liberal Arts

“I would say my family. I took a semester off last year and was kind of unmotivated. They just kept pushing me to come back to college. I was at HCC and wasn’t doing too well so I applied here and got in and just registered for classes last week. So, still getting through it.”