Caption:These students from American Samoa's public and private high schools participated in the Upward Bound Career Fair, which ended this past Thursday. During the Fair, they heard presentations from numerous professionals and toured potential works sites.
(Photo: J. Kneubuhl)

 During the regular portion of the semester, the federally funded Upward Bound program provides after-school tutoring at ASCC to select high school students on Tutuila and Manu’a as fundamental support in their preparation for college entrance. Throughout the nation, Upward Bound centers serve high school students from low-income families; high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor's degree; and low-income, first-generation military veterans who are preparing to enter postsecondary education. The program strives to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.

Local Upward Bound director Elizabeth S. Leuma said that with this year’s Career Fair, she intended to familiarize the students with as many potential career choices as possible, in anticipation of them someday wishing to return home and serve their community. “You need a familiarity with the available career options as a crucial element in making the right choice,” she explained. “Of course, the students have not carved in stone their career choices at this stage, but their exposure to potential fields of employment also helps them make decisions over the course of their educational career.”

A number of public service providers and private business in the Territory share Leuma’s belief that early exposure to possible fields of work can lead to lifelong careers . Following the opening day’s remarks from ASCC Vice President Dr. Seth Galea’i and keynote address from Board of Higher Education Chairman HC Pemerika Tauiliili, the students heard talks by numerous individuals from the professional community during the morning sessions. Representatives giving presentations included. Ms. Martha Sloan, Service Manager, Bank of Hawaii; Mr. Gary Ayre, CEO, ANZ Bank; Ms. Sherry Sele, Marketing, Blue Sky Communications; Dr. Lina Galea’i-Scanlan, ASCC Teacher Education & Training Department; Mr. Mark Mageo, ASCC Student Services; Mrs. Roberta Huff-Lausen, Station Manager, South Pacific Express; Mr. Jung Lee, Station Manager, Hawaiian Air; Mrs. Tanya Fruean Yandall, Teacher, Midkiff Elementary School; Fa’aseila Fruean, Teacher, Tafuna Junior High School; Utu Abe Malae, CEO, American Samoa Development Bank; Ms. Lupe Sunia, Assistant Director, Department of Health and Human Services; Mr. Niuinitone Tamaali’i, Translator/Probation Officer, High Court of American Samoa; Mr. Tanielu Fola, ASPA; and Mr. Puletasi Mageo, Department of Commerce. Yandall, Fola, and Puletasi Mageo all participated in previous Upward Bound programs before joining the local professional world as adults, and Leuma said she made a special point of inviting them so that they could share their experiences with young men and women now following the same path they once did.  

For the first three days of the Career Fair, the students broke off into small groups in the afternoon and spent several hours assisting in various offices on the ASCC campus, which gave them insight into the complexity of work involved in keeping a school running smoothly. The fourth day of the Fair consisted of morning tours of Samoa Packing and ASPA. “Both of these organizations made the students feel welcome, and in some instances let them get some hands-on experience with the various jobs,” said Leuma. After the tours, the Fair concluded with a luncheon for the students back at the ASCC campus, which featured an address by former Upward Bound student Ms. Elsie Lesa, who now works for the College in the Procurement division.

“I enjoyed the tours on the last day the most,” reflected Tafuna High School student Tanitafaimoana Misi, 18, of Fagaalu. “The tour of ASPA showed how I could combine two of my biggest interests, computers and electronics.” Ms. Misi says she plans to attend ASCC after high school, and “maybe” pursue a degree in Computer Science.

Besides director Leuma, the local Upward Bound staff consists of Apisaloma Toleafoa, Lead Instructor; Gloria Mane-Iaulualo, Lead Counselor; Mapusaga Luaao, Administrative Assistant; Emau Tofilau, Data Clerk; and Instructors/Tutors Dr. Jose Rose, Dr. Screeni Panickar, Seira Moors, Patricia Fuiava (Manu’a) and Fa’atoia Malele (Manu’a).  For more information on the national Upward Bound program, visit the web site: www.ed.gov/programs/trioupbound/index.html. For information on the local program, call the ASCC main switchboard at 699-9155 and ask for Elizabeth S. Leuma or Apisaloma Toleafoa.    

Leuma and her staff extend their special thanks to Reverend Fa’aetete Saifoloi of CCCAS Amaluia for providing the opening prayer at the beginning of the Fair, as well as the closing prayer at the conclusion.     

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