Career Day at Koko Head Elementary School, Hawaii Kai, Oahu

The distant sounds of children at play lift the spirit of Hawaii Kai on Oahu, Hawaii. Koko Head Elementary School has been embedded into the weavings of my family, located as a cornerstone of Hawaii Kai’s map, our kids would play soccer games there, my daughter went to school there (K and 1st grade), my husband and I have volunteered our time and hands there, the only answer when asked to present for the keiki for Career Day was — of course!

Watching all the keiki’s faces light up when entering into a new space was truly encouraging – to know they were so excited to engage with practical learning had us all excited to share! Hawaii Life’s Mariliz Reilly, Ashley Lane, and myself presented “A Day in the Life of a Real Estate Agent” and shared the importance of being an active member in your community, volunteering, along with the importance of how we do our best to work and live by The Golden Rule.  The children were very excited to get involved and had many questions regarding our work life as real estate agents.

My husband Jay Soares, General Contractor, had them explore the ways of carpentry and home building. The oohs and aahs filled the room as he pulled out new tools to explain its function. He reminded them that math is a universal language — important to be studied to use in everyday life, relaying your hard work and sweat is essential to community building and that the act of safety is the most important tool of them all.

Jake Soares, my son (husband of Christie Soares, 5th grade teacher at Koko Head and sister of Ashley Lane) brought out all of his wicked firefighter gear to do a fun demonstration in the cafeteria. All the kids were so excited to see Jake, of course, because firefighters are well: the coolest! He shared tips on fire safety, demonstrations of tactics used while at the scene of an active fire, and how to balance saving lives while maintaining his and his crews safety while battling the elements.

Lastly, my sweet daughter Alyssa, who is a photographer, happened to be in town to witness it all. She unfortunately did not have time to prepare a presentation on photography/being creative in the industry, but there’s always next year! She got to reminisce tearfully with her first grade teacher Ms. Davis, snap some quick photos for this blog and help with set-up and break-down.

All in all, it was a beautiful morning hearing the genuine laughter and inquisitive comments of our Hawaii Kai youth, their wonder was inspiring and reminded us all of the importance of remaining childlike and curious – to be brave and ask questions, to always find time to take a break for play, and to remain respectful to friends, family, and our community.