High school graduates: 9/11 changed futures, dreams

• High school graduates reflect on the effects of Sept. 11

By Mary Kaye Ritz
Advertiser Religion & Ethics Writer

After the Sept. 11 attack, there has been a spike in the number of students interested in joining the military, becoming firefighters, and joining police departments. Advertiser photo illustration

"A lot of us are staying home," said the 18-year-old.

At a luncheon last week for accomplished public schoolers, we talked to a cross section of Hawai'i seniors from four islands and discovered Corcoran was right: Many students found their priorities shifted when terrorist attacks kicked off their senior year.

The Sept. 11 fallout has touched this class in other ways as well, said Mililani High School college and career coordinator Suzanne Kaneshiro. For example, she said, more are joining the military. And Pearl City High career and college counselor Mark Oda has seen a spike in the number of students interested in becoming firefighters and joining police departments.

Just as it united the country, Sept. 11 brought senior classes together. Students said they felt a special kinship as they worked on class projects, some of which were sent to New York.

"As a class, we did a lot more community stuff, more food drives, can drives," said Chaning Jang, 17, a senior from Waiakea High in Hilo.

"We gained a new sense of maturity, new pride in ourselves and in our country," said Felix Lui, an 18-year-old McKinley High School student who plans to study psychology and biochemistry at Washington University in St. Louis next year.

In another ripple effect, Kaneshiro noted that this year parents are less likely to send their children off to four-year colleges for the Mainland experience — partly because of economic reasons, but also because of an increased emphasis on security.

"My mom didn't want me to go to a big school because of (Sept. 11)," said Waiakea senior Kori Ann Haymore, 17.

Sept. 11 spurred 18-year-old Elizabeth Burroughs' Kahuku senior class into action: Students spontaneously met around the flagpole on the National Day of Prayer, she said, in what led to a "nice feeling of unity and patriotism." But later came some hard economic choices.

Others, too, saw the events of Sept. 11 throwing them into reality. As Heather Yarbrough, a 17-year-old Kalaheo senior who plans to study film and digital media at University of California-Santa Cruz, said: "Our generation hasn't had to face the world. It's kind of a shock for us."

Of course, the daily concerns of senior year are nothing to take for granted, either. Stacy Sunada, 17, of Moanalua said procrastination and stressing about doing the college applications had the effect of a head-to-head collision on her life.

Kahuku senior Wilson Unga, 18, student-government president and bound for Georgetown University with his sights on a law degree, has his summer job lined up: He's returning to work at the Polynesian Cultural Center. But he knows classmates are scrambling to look for jobs. "The economy's so limited that it's reducing the jobs available to students," he said.

Waipahu High senior Johnlou Tanacio, 17, who plans to attend Leeward Community College and study culinary arts, is hoping to someday open his own restaurant in Hawai'i. He said "schoolwork" was the toughest thing about the year. "Senior year is the most hardest," he said.

Burroughs said making college plans and the difficulty in paying for college preoccupied many in her Kahuku classmates this year. She and her family had lots of serious discussions about paying for college. "You have a dream school, but then you look at the actual facts," said the future Brigham Young University-Utah freshman, adding she may have to stay on the Mainland after graduation (she plans to pursue a political science degree) "because the job market is not that good right now.

"I love Hawai'i, and I'd like to live here sometime in my life," Burroughs said, but that might be in the future — after grad school and years of work on the Mainland.

A sense of purpose about the future came over Christina Ludewig, 18, of Wai'anae High, this year. Ludewig, who plans to attend Leeward Community College and hopes to transfer to UCLA or USC, said, "I'm just going to have to work really, really hard to get into a college I'm interested in. I wish I made better choices when I was younger, rather than sitting back and just cruising, taking the easy way."

Sept. 11 deeply affected students this year. However, when we asked them to share their forecasts for the future, most graduating seniors said the outlook is bright.

As Yarbrough said, "I don't think (Sept. 11) should discourage us. You've got to show the world who's boss!"

Here's to you, Class of 2002.

High school graduates reflect on the effects of Sept. 11

"I still feel like a kid, but I feel like I've been through a lot more than a lot of kids my age."

"We gained a new sense of maturity, new pride in ourselves and in our country."

"Unity is big. After Sept. 11th, we (as a class) discovered that there were much bigger problems than what we would wear to the prom."

"Since the terrorist attacks, our senior class is even more determined to make an impact on society, and we're going to use our potential positively."

"(My biggest concern) is not having enough time. So many times in my life I wish I could be bored."

"It's kind of scary, going out into the real world. Right now, I plan to stay in Hawai'i, but if the economy gets really bad, I'll go to the Mainland."

"I had to get past (wanting to stay close to home) and realize I had much more opportunities on the Mainland, and Sept. 11th wouldn't hold me back."

"After Sept. 11, there was a closer bond in our class. It really united our school. I think our class is somewhat concerned about terrorism, but more concerned now about our own personal future."

"(Senior year is for) setting priorities, finding out who your real friends are. People say at the end of your senior year, you'll know who will be at your wedding. You'll stand by their side and they'll stand by yours."

"(Sept. 11) really brought us together as a nation, really made us think about our values and to live our lives valuing (life). ... I'm not worried about new jobs. They'll present themselves."

Q. What are your long-term goals?

A. "Get a wife, a dog, some kids. Maybe a picket fence. As long as you're happy, it doesn't matter. ... Senior year is all about realizing after four years of working hard, what really matters."