By Nolan Quinn, Kūlanihākoʻi High School

I came to this school as a sophomore and I am proud to represent the first graduating class of Kūlanihākoʻi High School.

If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I don’t like change. I prefer things to be planned out and predictable. Since the sixth grade, I’ve walked into Famous Footwear and bought the same exact pair of tennis shoes, just in ascending sizes, all because I didn’t want to try something new. 

So as you can imagine, when I walked onto this campus for the first time in sophomore year, I wasn’t exactly stoked. I think I can say that Kūlanihākoʻi wasn’t a “normal” high school experience. This senior class were guinea pigs, the test batch for what this school will become. Any time an event or milestone was crossed, we were the first. This school gave me the rare opportunity to grow with the campus, and it challenged my mindset on change. 

While it had its ups and downs, I can confidently say that these last three years were the most fun I’ve had in school. And I think a large reason for that is because I took a chance and embraced my new surroundings.

When I first got here, I recognized some faces from elementary and middle school, people who in the past I’d never thought I would be friends with, and decided to reach out. I had never been close with school friends—surface level conversations and occasionally texting outside of school is what I had gotten used to. But this time was different. This group was full of people who genuinely want to support and spend time with each other. 

Kūlanihākoʻi has been full of new experiences for me, the things I’ve learned and the people I’ve met here have changed me for the better. 

As much as I may have dreaded it, change is inevitable. And as this school year comes to a close, we will all be facing huge changes to our lives. Some of us will be going off to college, others entering the workforce, moving to the mainland or shipping off to the military. And at least for me, I’m terrified. But I also know that with the right mindset, these next steps in our lives will open doors for us that we never thought possible. So no matter what you are pursuing after high school, I believe that all of us can and will be successful. Being a part of the first graduating class was really special, and I am so grateful to have shared it with you all. Thank you.