Projects & Experiences

Davis Democracy Initiative

Presidential Election Watch Party ('24)

Youth engagement in politics and current events has always been a challenge; however, leading up to the 2024 Presidential Election, there was a growing interest from students about the importance of the election and how its outcome would impact the United States. Although the Davis Democracy Initiative had held a Midterm Election Watch Party in 2022, there was a goal of having this year's event be even bigger.

I am one of those news junkies who's always checking their phones throughout the day to see what the next big story is. Throughout the year, I was constantly keeping up with the latest electoral controversies and polls. As such, I volunteered to be the lead organizer of the all-day event. I prepared presentations, reached out to faculty and staff to give presentations to students, and gave announcements in assemblies to spread the word.

In the end, the event had 500+ attendees from middle schoolers to seniors. Holding discussions with kids of different ages exposed me to how diverse the student body is, and allowed me to reflect on the events of the past few months leading up to the election. I was proud that I could gather many students who may never come to a similar event previously. I hope to organize more events like this in the future. The food may have run out in minutes, but it was clear that students not only enjoyed the event but were actively engaged in the presentations on updates.

Governor Josh Green, Dr. Mike Latham, Sophie Chan '25, and Andrew Pomai Chang '25 at the DDI Dialogue.

Flyer used to promote Punahou's 2024 Presidential Election Watch Party. Designed by Andrew Pomai Chang '25.

Students, faculty, and staff attentively listening to the DDI Dialogue.

Governor Josh Green, Dr. Mike Latham, Sophie Chan '25, and Andrew Pomai Chang '25 at the DDI Dialogue.

Governor Josh Green: DDI Dialogue ('25)

As a Davis Democracy Fellow, I have attended dialogues with elected officials and advocates. They've presented on diverse issues, such as the advances in technology and AI, the growing partisanship in our political system, and the fight to protect free speech. However, being able to meet with and hear from Governor Green as he answered questions provided by students allowed me to gain a better grasp of the plethora of issues facing Hawaii from the perspective of someone who has the power to address these issues.

Hearing about how devoted Governor Green is to helping others despite the numerous hurdles in his way was comforting and reassuring. It also gave me a new perspective on the dedication it takes to be a leader. Sometimes, there isn't a clear, correct choice, but it doesn't change that fact that something must be done. As Governor Green spoke about his plans to address the rising insurance prices, climate change, and immigration fears, it was inspiring for how I should approach difficult situations in the future. Even when dealing with many issues at once, Governor Green remained composed and true to his morals when making his decisions. It isn't always about making the perfect choice but choosing the least bad one.

State Representative Lauren Matsumoto, Moxie Gatbonton '25, and Andrew Pomai Chang '25 at the 2025 Legislative Session Opening.

Legislative Session Opening ('25)

Having the opportunity to attend the 2025 Legislative Session Opening was not only a great honor but also a fantastic learning experience to meet with State Senators and Representatives. Aside from hearing about the top priorities of notable legislators, I also had the opportunity to meet with a few legislators. Notably, I meet with State Representative Andrew Garrett, State Representative Lauren Matsumoto, and State Senator Mike Gabbard. As someone who cares deeply about education, meeting State Representative Andrew Garrett—the House Committee on Higher Education Chair—was a notable highlight and deeply rewarding, as forming crucial connections with legislators is crucial to passing any meaningful legislation. This is also true, even if you may disagree with some of their positions. For example, despite my political views not completely aligning with State Representative Lauren Matsumoto in particular, recognizing her perspectives on key issues as a voice for her constituents is necessary and crucial in any functioning democracy.

Punahou Carnival Noodles Booth Chairs Lillie Hubbard '25, Makenna Arakawa '25, and Andrew Pomai Chang '25 pictured in front of their booth.

Explore the Shore '24: A Costal Carnival ('24)

Every year, Punahou School holds a two-day carnival every year to raise financial aid for students. I was one of the primary leaders of the Noodles Booth and was responsible for training student volunteers, organizing student coverage during shifts, and coordinating with parent booth chairs. Four hours after the carnival started on the first day, severe wind lifted the entire booth tent off the ground and blew off the entire top of the tent. I had to act quickly to help save our booth and direct our student volunteers to keep themselves safe. Unfortunately, the booth was closed due to safety concerns. The resulting chaos inspired me to collaborate with my fellow student and parent booth leaders to formulate a plan to reopen operations. We first found another unused tent we could use to restart our operations but couldn't move the stoves used to cook the noodles. Nevertheless, I worked with the Carnival Food Service Director to have the noodles freshly made at the cafeteria and subsequently transported to our new location. The student booth leaders then created signs and made announcements to the entire carnival, telling them where our new location was. Our efforts allowed us to reopen after only one hour, and we would continue operations for the rest of the two-day carnival. This experience taught me about the importance of adaptability.

Policy Research Intern for Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam ('24)

Over this past summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the Office of Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam. I researched a plethora of topics, including voter registration, transportation infrastructure improvements, and sewer maintenance initiatives. However, my most notable experience was handing out informational flyers during the 2024 Chinatown Blackouts. The flyers were primarily handed out to business owners and contained information about how to file claims to be reimbursed for lost tips and wages; however, many individuals didn't speak English as their first language. As such, I worked to have flyers the informational flyers that were in English, Chinese, and Vietnamese so that as many residents could get the help the needed. This event helped me understand the importance of effective communication and caring for those in your community. During chaotic and turbulent times, communication often breaks down. Learning to persevere through difficult challenges, formulate an effective strategy, and implement your solutions is key to addressing any situation.

Andrew Pomai Chang '25 passing out informational flyer to Honolulu Chinatown buisness owner.

Attendees to the re-opening of the newly renovated Kekaulike Mall in Honolulu.

Wastewater Warriors & Motion for the Ocean

Quest Projet Exhibition Poster.

Quest Project Exhibition ('23)

During my Sophomore year, I took part in the interdisciplinary course Global Sustainability by Design: Asian Studies. As part of the course, students had to choose from one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals they were interested in, identify an issue related to their chosen goal, and then implement a solution to address the issue. Some of my classmates and I decided to pursue goal #6, Clean Water and Sanitation, by focusing on cesspools that negatively impact clean water access through co-founding Wastewater Warriors. Through our work, which I go more in-depth on in a later section, we helped spread awareness of this rarely talked about issue. The Quest Project Exhibition allowed us to showcase our accomplishments and further spread awareness about this issue to a larger group of informed parents, faculty, staff, and students. Conversing with individuals helped me to gain a diverse range of perspectives concerning cesspools, allowing my fellow youth and I to understand better solutions that more effectively addressed the problem at hand.

Youth volunteers at beach clean-up.

Beach Cleanups ('22)

In my role as the Co-founder and President of Motion for the Ocean— a youth-led organization with the mission of addressing ocean plastic pollution—I organized 5 beach clean-ups at beaches across O'ahu. At beaches such as Ala Moana and Magic Island, 50 or so student volunteers collected plastic debris and sifted through the sand to ensure that they were as clean as possible. Especially since these beaches are some of the most trafficked beaches on the island, it is important to do our part in keeping them as plastic-free as possible.

Screenshot of Motion for the Ocean's Instagram account.

Social Media Campaign ('22)

Concurrently organizing beach clean-ups, Motion for the Ocean also initiated an extensive social media campaign to maximize our outreach to the youth. On Instagram, @motion.for.the.ocean has 119 followers and 21 posts. Some of the posts focused on spreading awareness of the dangers of plastic in our oceans, while others focused on highlighting beach clean-ups. Many of the posts were made in Canva and were designed to maximize youth engagement through a professional style that still appealed to youth.

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