Wai'anae, Hawai'i
In Wai’anae High School students are able to choose the classes they are interested in and want to learn more about. For senior Briahna Rivera, the choice was always a simple one and in 9th grade she chose the path of JROTC. “I wanted to learn leadership skills and to learn things at a high level,” said Rivera.

For Briahna, her goal of learning the ropes of a leader paid off in her senior year when she became Battalion Commander for all of Waianae High School cadets.

“Based on my leadership skills and things I did, they looked at my test scores and I had high test scores and that’s how I got my position,” explained Rivera.

With a top position, comes hard work and for Briahna that’s what she went through for JROTC’s biggest event in the state. The Waianae Adventure Challenge (WAC) is hosted by Waianae High School’s very own ROTC program and is a three day challenge with over 80 teams from schools all over the island. Cadets compete in challenges such as water crossing, swimming, physical tests, rope bridging and other physical events. This year marks the 9th challenge and battalion commander Briahna, plays a big part in her school’s participation. During WAC, Rivera’s job is to make sure all cadets are in right order. Sometimes ordering around cadets is a hassle, since there are so many teams to look over.

“My struggle is just making sure that everyone ends up in the right place,” said Briahna.

From water crossing to rope bridges to various obstacle courses, certain Wai’anae High School cadets figure out the key to success and getting the job done.

“You can’t do everything by yourself, you can’t let others rely on you, you have to work together to get everything done,” said senior Alavoni Tukunaga.

At the closing ceremonies, Wai’anae high school went home with three trophies. Boys took home first for rope bridge, girls took home for tug of war and mixed took home second for tug of war. Even though one of the trophies wasn’t the Golden Eagle, which went to Kapolei who was the best overall team performance. At the end, Briahna has learned a lot about herself and what she can bring back home.

“From WAC I gained more leadership skills, you are in charge of 400 cadets,” stated Rivera. For Briahna wherever her life ends up is not something she is afraid of. Stepping into the field of presenting yourself in the outside world is what she is used to. WAC is not only a challenge of personal strength, but also mental endurance and how far you can motivate your team and yourself.

"Motivation during WAC is like a key to everyone, if you don’t have motivation you won’t get your events done,” Tukunaga states.

Briahna's next obstacle is to succeed at the obstacles that college has to offer her.

Wai'anae, Hawai'i
According to the Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaii is among the highest teen suicide attempt rates in the nation at 12%, twice the national average. Reasons include parents struggling to make ends meet, a high homelessness rate, and substance abuse. This is especially high in Waianae, a rural city on the island of Oahu, where many teenagers live with heavy weights on their shoulders, whether it’s poverty or your typical adolescent’s troubles.

Motivational speaker Nick Vujicic was born with Tetra-Amelia syndrome, a disorder where one is born without all four limbs. Waianae High School was his next destination. He travels around the world, delivering motivational speeches about life without limbs, hope, and finding value in life.

“I just want everyone to know that there’s beautiful things that can come from their work of pieces, just give their broken pieces a chance,” he said.

On March 28, 2014, two assemblies were held at Waianae High School for Nick to convey his message. He promoted an anti-bullying campaign and spoke out against it, letting students know that regardless of what others say, they have value in their lives. Many students were moved by his words, hearts being captured and tears being shed. By the end of the assembly, majority of the crowd stood up and vowed to stop bullying.

The speech did not just make the students want to change their actions, but also their perspective on life. “He made me look at all the bad I’ve done and made me wanna change it,” said sophomore Kaike Kaniaupio.

Sometimes, all it takes is a few good words, and Nick delivered just that. “Another girl couldn’t say a word, but she just cried on my shoulder for about a good 10-15 seconds,” he said.

“That’s the greatest thing, to see people being changed and transformed by the message.”

Nick’s speeches may not necessarily lower the teen suicide attempt rate, but it’s a start. Students at Waianae High School were implanted with a new sense of faith in themselves. “I think that no matter what school we go to, wherever it is in the world, everyone’s looking for hope, everyone’s going through something.”