Eleven of the twenty-five students from American Samoa, who were attending the Hawaii National Guard Youth Challenge Academy, returned home last night.
The remainder of the students are returning home Thursday.
Sources, in Honolulu, told KHJ news that there have been discussions involving Governor Lemanu and staff, concerning the students but efforts to find out the outcome were unsuccessful.
The students who left in January and were 6 weeks in of a 5 1/2 month program at the academy, were declared ineligible for the academy because they were not US citizens.
It’s understood that the Deputy Director of the program, who led recruiting missions here last year, Tamafaiga Tuiteleleapaga, has been put on leave.
The students and their parents were only notified last Friday that they will be returned to American Samoa.
Director of the National Guard Youth Challenge Academy-Kalaeloa, Sinaitaaga Atanoa, is reported to have accompanied the 11 students to Honolulu Airport yesterday, to put them on the Hawaiian Airlines plane for the trip home.
KHJ News contacted Atanoa, on a phone number listed in her emailed letter to parents, about why their children were no longer eligible and left a message, but we have not received a response.
We also emailed the Governor’s Chief of Staff Loa Tuimavave Tauapai Laupola, who has not responded.
Parents are asking why there was no intervention from government leaders to at least seek a waiver to allow their children to continue their training, while they resolve the eligibility of US nationals.
Mrs. Carmen Matuu, who had two daughters in the program, wrote Sinataaga saying, “This program was a go from the start. The kids are loving it and are encouraged. It’s a great opportunity for our kids and a first. Our kids are US nationals by law. If a US national can join the military, what makes this different and why now?”
She also points out, “We had to pull our kids out of school for this program and was so shocked to get a call of the return of my cadets at last minute notice, which was Friday February 10. This is a disaster and disappointment—not only for the parents but for the cadets that gave up everything for this program, so they can be great and represent American Samoa and enhance the recruitment outreach of the program’s mission.”
She also raised concern that with the students being sent back, it will mean they will automatically repeat their high school grades because they have missed classes for a long period. The National Guard Academy was promoted here as an alternative path to education for “at promise” youth, who find the conventional classroom difficult.
Photo: Sinaitaaga Atanoa, Director National Guard Youth Challenge Academy-Kalaeloa.
