Syd Kawahakui Jr. Receives 2018 Kupu Alumnus of the Year Award

More than 100 Hawai‘i Youth Conservation Corps Summer program participants, partners and sponsors attended
the 2018 Kupu Environmental Fair at Aloha Tower Marketplace June 7. Now in its ninth year, the event honored past Kupu Summer program participants and partners, including the 2018 Kupu Alumnus of the Year Syd “Syd Boy” Kawahakui Jr.

“Syd Boy has been part of our Kupu ‘ohana for nearly 15 years ,” said Kupu CEO John Leong. “He has made a huge impact on environmental efforts on O‘ahu and Kaho‘olawe, and has continued to be such an inspiration to us and our program participants.”

Syd Kawahakui has been a member of Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana for the past 18 years, serving as a kua
(guide) coordinating volunteer trips to help build an Alaloa, nearshore trail system circling the island. He joined Kupu in 2004 as a Summer program team leader, and went on to work for the Division of Forestry and Wildlife as a site manager for their Makiki baseyard for the past 10 years. Kawahakui is currently training to become a firefighter, but he remains involved with conservation and volunteer efforts, inspiring, mentoring and supporting the next generation of leaders in Hawaii’s green jobs workforce.

“I made it a point that no matter what I did here with the state, that I would always do my best to get them involved in our programs, and by doing that, I can leave a lasting impression,” said Kawahakui. “I was supposed to be helping this change, this huli, this introduction of all these things that I practice – aloha ‘aina, malama ‘aina, ho‘oulu ‘aina – I’m supposed to continue this practice and pass that on to the next generations of people that come.” Kawahakui was presented a la‘au kui‘ai (wooden poi pounder) award prior to the event, since he was unable to attend.

“Kupu strives to empower youth to become environmental stewards and community leaders. Our honorees not
only serve as role models for our program participants, but their legacy also inspires and influences the next generation of environmental leaders,” added Leong.