The Monday evening event was billed as a “hoike,” but the label did not conceal the mission of celebrating the graduation of 10 individuals from the Startup Training Resources to Inspire Veteran Entrepreneurship (STRIVE) program at the Kauai Community College.
The 10 individuals included Ralph Clark, Josh Del Conte, Philip Eliana, Marlene Eliana, Mariela Gray, Barbara Green, Makaiwa Gunn, Rontell Johnson, Arieana Ornellas, Richard Schmaeling and Mark Vargas, making up the latest cohort of budding entrepreneurs over the past five years.
In addition to the graduates, $10,000 in cash was shared among the top four individuals whose projects were pitched before a panel of judges that included a STRIVE partner, Andy Ivankovich, Office of Economic Development Director Nalani Brun, and a representative of Central Pacific Bank.
Central Pacific Bank provided the $10,000 “seed money” that was broken down to include $4,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place, $2,000 for third place, and $1,000 for fourth place.
Gray earned points for her project, “Amor Aloha,” that collaborates with The Storybook Theatre and Friday Night Art in Hanapepe to provide a cafe setting where the artistic traits of youth can blossom.
Green’s “Definitely Baba” will not only teach sewing, but allow designers to get into small manufacturing, including exotic costuming, uniform fashion for small groups like hula halau, and more.
Green, who is president of the Kauai Filipino Women’s Club, brings action to her words by the club’s hosting of the annual Terno Ball that raises funds for scholarships, designing terno gowns for contestants of the Miss Kauai Filipina Scholarship Pageant presented by the Kauai Filipino Community Council, designing hula dresses for halau participating in the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival, and more.
Schmaeling earned points for wanting to create a flight school that teaches more than teaching an individual to fly a plane.
Del Conte was not just the first graduate to present his project. The Westside boy’s “Keiki Forward” aims to provide underprivileged keiki a little bit more than just backpacks of school supplies, food and other necessities. The little bit more could result in not just citizens, but outstanding community citizens and leaders.
The STRIVE program is for veterans and and spouses of active duty military who are seeking to form their own business. The next cohort will start once program officials determine if there are sufficient number of students.
In partnership with the Syracuse University Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the National Association for Community College-Entrepreneurship, and a wide range of community sponsors, STRIVE meets for eight weeks on Monday evenings at KCC to teach cohort members what it takes to run a business.
STRIVE extended a special mahalo to the Kauai Veterans Council, Andy and Missy Ivankovich of the Singing Water Vineyards in Texas, the U.S. Businesses of Philip Morris International, and the National Association for Community College-Entrepreneurship.
Community sponsors included the Syracuse University D’Antello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Paradise Grinds, Salty Wahine Gourmet Hawaiian Salts, and Ralph Suniga of Coca Cola.
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