KAHULUI—A federal stimulus program that will pay Hawaii students to work summer or part-time jobs
at local government and nonprofit agencies is staging its launch on Maui.

The Hawaii National Guard received $3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for
the summer jobs program, which is designed not only as a potential source of extra income for local
families but also to give local high school and college students an educational opportunity and a
chance to explore different careers.

Organizers held a meeting Tuesday at Lihikai School to recruit potential employers.
Program organizer Lloyd Sodetani, a Reserve colonel in the Army, told about 50 representatives of
both employer and youth groups, "I want to list 6,000 jobs for 3,000 individuals, so they can pick
what they want.

"The general does not think that is realistic," he added, "but if you look statewide, I think it is."
The general is Gary Ishikawa, the deputy adjutant general of the Hawaii National Guard, who attended
the kickoff session.

"I'm very excited," Ishikawa said. "I still remember my first summer job at the Libby cannery. That
was real good."

Under the rules for the Department of Defense Summer Jobs Program, young people from families
with incomes up to six times the federal poverty level, or $152,000 for a family of four, are eligible.
However, only governmental agencies or nonprofit organizations are eligible to be employers.
Pay will range from $8 to as much as $20 an hour, based on the participant's educational level, from
high school to college students to recent college graduates up to 23 years old.

The money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has just become available, and all of it
needs to be spent by Sept. 30. So organizers are rushing to enroll participants.

At least one employer is already signing up for the program, Sodetani said. Maui Memorial Medical
Center is planning to enroll upaid interns in this paying program. University of Hawaii Maui College's
nursing program and several other programs are also gearing up to take advantage of the program.
Although there is no rule preventing students from applying on their own, due to the short time frame,
it may be easier to sign up through organizations that are already set up to provide youth
opportunities. Those include UHMC, the Boy Scouts, Big Brothers Big Sisters and other youth
organizations.

A team of four work force development professionals from consultant the Paxen Group has been
brought in from South Carolina to help set up the Hawaii program. Sodetani says he wants to hold an
orientation session with employer representatives the week of July 6, with students being put to work
as early as July 12.

Students can work up to 40 hours a week under the program, but no more, and when school resumes,
they can work part time.

There are both in-school and out-of-school programs, and students working toward a General
Education Diploma are eligible.

Sheila Suggs, the Paxen team leader, said that in South Carolina, one goal of the program has been to
help people get the skills they need to get off welfare.

Ishikawa said the next target areas in Hawaii will be the southern Big Island and the Leeward Coast of
Oahu, the state's hot spots for youth unemployment and dropouts. Maui County is the launch point,
though, because of Sodetani's enthusiasm for the program.

Since this is a Defense Department program, separate from other youth worker programs, residents in
Title I impact designated areas will have priority. In Maui County, that means Lanai and Molokai.
In addition to nurse trainees, a list of potential jobs includes child care aides, recreation aides,
custodians, office workers, record clerks, maintenance workers, home health care aides and computer
workers. The program will pay for necessary tools and uniforms.

Employers will provide workers compensation coverage.