"We have bathroom passes right now, but they're kind of old," Nakahara said. "Some teachers don't have them."

Nakahara, 17, heard complaints that the 5-by-8-inch engraved wooden passes have become unsanitary — or lost — after years of being carried in and out of bathrooms.

Some teachers have created their own passes, such as a toilet seat that luckily was never used for its true purpose before being converted to a pass.

Nakahara spearheaded a committee to address the issue, and Margaret "Mike" Ishihara, student activities director, said the adults at the school hadn't thought about how dirty the passes were until Nakahara brought it up to the staff steering committee.

"The only thing the adults had to say was, 'Can you please hurry up with this?' " Ishihara said.

The student council gets involved with many of the school-wide events, such as Winter Ball, May Fair and Song Fest. The council also has helped paint the school's stadium and plant grass, and is thinking about a recycling program.

This year, Nakahara hopes for a more spirited, more involved student body, so the council extended its reach beyond campus by organizing a Lokahi Tree project, where students could drop off gifts in the school yard. "It helps the community besides our own school," she explained.

Outside of her council activities, Nakahara also belongs to the Leo Club, the youth version of the Lions Club. Through the service organization, she has served as a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army, provided baby-sitting during elementary school meetings, helped solicit gifts for the needy and helped with wheelchair bowling events.

After graduation Nakahara plans to attend college on the Mainland, where she is considering majoring in education and teaching high school science or math.

Who helped you: "Mrs. Margaret Ishihara. If you have a project that you want to do, she tells you how to go through the steps of getting the project done."

What advice would you give to other students who want to follow your example? "Start by joining a committee — spirit committee or winter ball committee — whatever you're interested in."