SENATE VICE PRESIDENT MICHELLE KIDANI ANNOUNCES WORKFORCE INTERNSHIP PARTNERSHIP WITH HDOT AND HIDOE - MILILANI, WAIPAHU, AND PEARL CITY HIGH SCHOOLS

HONOLULU, Hawai‘i – Senate Vice President Michelle Kidani (District 18 – Mililani Town, Waipi‘o Gentry, Crestview, Waikele, portion of Waipahu, Village Park, Royal Kunia), Chair of Senate Committee on Education, announced the successful completion of a collaborative mural project along Kamehameha Highway, made possible through a partnership between the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT), the Hawaiʻi Department of Education (HIDOE), and students from Mililani, Waipahu, and Pearl City High Schools. The project, which took place on October 25 and 26, transformed nearly three-quarters of a mile of Kamehameha Highway between Waipahu Street and Waipiʻo Uka into a vibrant visual story celebrating the Waipiʻo Ahupuaʻa.

Nearly 100 students participated through the HDOT Workforce Internship Program, gaining hands-on workforce experience while contributing to a highly visible community enhancement effort. This workforce development project employed students from Mililani, Waipahu, and Pearl City High Schools, helping to build confidence, encourage cooperation, and prepare students for real-world teamwork experiences.

Guided by local artists Blythe Yoshikane, Jesse Velasquez, and Solomon Enos, students worked together to create a mural that reflects the cultural and historical significance of the surrounding area. Designed with a mauka-to-makai lens, the artwork follows the journey of water as it flows from mountain to sea, transforming the land and sustaining life along the way. Each high school contributed to this story by painting its own wall section: Mililani High School taking the mauka-most segment, Waipahu High School completing the center segment, and Pearl City High School painting the makai-most section. Together, their work forms a unified visual narrative. The completed mural features three dynamic and vibrant segments, each depicting elements of the skies, mountains, and ocean, to honor the interconnectedness of all living things throughout the ahupua‘a.

“Bringing DOT and DOE together to collaborate with our students on this effort has been an exciting opportunity to beautify and uplift our community,” said Senator Kidani. “This project not only strengthens community pride and social well-being, but also creates valuable opportunities for our students to learn and grow. It has been wonderful to see students from Mililani, Waipahu, and Pearl City High Schools work side-by-side, building communication and teamwork skills, sharing their talents, and taking pride in a project of their own creation. Mahalo to DOT and DOE for their joint efforts to make this happen.”