Posted on: Friday, August 3, 2001

Editorial
Going high-tech, two kids at a time

It's not only a very gracious gesture. It's smart.

Rear Adm. Paul S. Schultz has invited two summer interns, recent graduates of Kaua'i High School, to accompany him to Japan to help install a computerized military command station.

Erin Tsuda and Nicole Nishimura of Lihu'e are two of 30 high school and college-age summer interns with technology firms and government agencies on Kaua'i.

Schultz, based in Okinawa, said the systems — "leading-edge technology that's not available yet to the rest of the Department of Defense" — would bring 3-D images from radar, satellites and other systems to central command centers.

"This is a perfect way for an existing Navy project to invigorate bright, young, promising engineering students from Hawai'i, where the system is being built," said Schultz.

We couldn't agree more. Our only question: What can be done, using federal and private money and initiative, to make this kind of thing happen a lot more often?