It was a sweltering afternoon in downtown Wailuku. Kamehameha students were unloading from big yellow buses. Among the throngs of tired children, eager to ride home in their air-conditioned cars, was Hiʻilei Roman, a shy freshman.
Four years ago, Roman’s mother was a little later than usual, so Hiʻilei ventured across the street and entered the Central Maui Boys and Girls Club. Beyond those doors, she found an oasis, a community.
Hiʻilei Roman is currently a graduating senior at Kamehameha Schools. She, along with many members of the senior class, will be honored for her and their accomplishments this evening at the senior awards night. For Roman, one of her honors was being named the Maui Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year for the second time in two years, January 29, at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului.
In 2021, she was just looking for somewhere to hang out after school, and The Boys and Girls Club was an accessible place due to its proximity to the bus stop and overall convenience. But, the club became a place where Roman could come out of her shell, embrace her voice, and bond with her peers.
“The Boys and Girls Club has had many impacts, but something I personally connect with is that it allowed me to speak up more and be more confident in my connections with others,” she said.
An organization dedicated to enrichment and development, the Boys and Girls club offers diverse opportunities.
“All of these programs contribute to outside community service and in-club service,” Roman said.
The senior was involved in work-based learning, such as Power Hour, a program offering homework help, including tutoring and high-yield learning activities. Hiʻilei was also part of Keystone Club, a program that provides leadership opportunities.
“The qualifications [for Youth of the Year] are academic because you need to have a certain GPA to be a candidate and also [be] seen as a role model for the younger generation. You also needed to have been going to Boys and Girls for more than 2 years,” Roman said.
Her outstanding GPA, impact on the younger generations, and experience at the club shaped her to be a perfect contender for the award.
When the day of the award ceremony arrived January 29, Hiʻilei felt a sense of accomplishment as she stood upon the stage at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in front of her peers and shared about her involvement at the club.
“I felt honored because it allowed me to notice that I can make a difference with my voice,” said the two-time award winner.
Scanning the youth before her, she hoped they saw that potential in themselves, that they could be awarded Youth of the Year and positively contribute to the community as well.
“To be honest, when I first started going, I was going because my grandma told me to go. But now, I see that there are people who love and support me through everything in life. Having that support allowed me to see that,” she said.
“Going to the [Boys and Girls] club helped show me that everyone is different and comes from different schools, but we shouldn’t judge them on how they look or what they do.”
What used to just be a place to wait after school, the Maui Boys and Girls Club became a home away from home for Hiʻilei, and played a foundational role in her becoming an industrious woman.
“Itʻs a safe environment,” she said, “and it allows you to make connections with other people on the island.”
