Circle of Trust

Over this past weekend, in the backdrop of the cover story on the front page of the Honolulu Star Advertiser of the Army leadership and partnership, Hawaii YIP Girls had their closing ceremony at the University of Hawaii. This emotional exhilarating event was the culmination of 10 days of trust leadership, effective impact, and life-changing engagement unifying with the community between the University of Hawaii, its female student-athletes, facilities, and staff alongside the United States Army Pacific, the 94th AAMDC with its soldiers and Honolulu public school teachers. Uniting and enabling Institutions to launch and support the dreams and aspirations of our young girls from Hawaii that participated in this unique powerful program to make positive change. We put forward a circle of trust.

This emotional event was the culmination of 10 days of trust, leadership, effective guidance, and life-changing engagement. The closing ceremony was attended by the parents and families of the students, Hawaii Women’s basketball players and staff, Military, donors, teachers, special guests, and others. They shared appreciation and love of the program for what it has done for their children was a super special experience. The introduction and acknowledgment of every donor and supporter was met with applause and special gratitude. The inspiring words and powerful narrative describing the actions of the soldiers and girls by the charismatic Major General Brian Gibson ignited the crowd. This was followed by an incredible speech by the Mayor of Honolulu, a true leader of the community, and product of the University of Hawaii. Mayor Rick Blangiardi captivated the energy and brought home the point that we are here for the future. We are helping them and guiding them to dream big and give them real actions of guidance to follow.

Our Circle of Trust provided an opportunity for young girls to get out of their comfort zones and trust others empowering common purpose and big dreams. The synergy created through the efforts of all enabled us to launch and support the dreams, aspirations, and performance mindset of our middle school girls.

The personalized and individually created dream cards of each participant were shared with their parents and all. This symbolized an illumination of a fresh-lit fire of trust and dream-making that will now be passed to them to support their children’s aspirations. They will be carrying the flame that will never be put out, continuing the guidance, bringing awareness, understanding, and commitment to their girl’s dreams into reality.

The entire ceremony was inspiring and captivating, and an experience in a time that we will all remember. The atmosphere was filled with incredible positive energy, bridges of trust, an abundance of leadership, guidance, and understanding. YIP was here, for one common purpose, to make a positive effective lasting impact on the next generation so that they can be the best that they can be and have the courage daily to make the best decisions under pressure for the right reasons at the right times to lead and win.

As the final announcements were given, and the gratitude was shared, we all took a moment to reflect on how far we have come as the University of Hawaii and its women’s basketball team, the United States military and its 94th AAMDC, teachers, and the community, coming together for the purpose of guiding and instilling winning performance principles to do the best that they can be, and the best choices that can be made every day of their lives.

Dream big, be big, and make it happen- congratulations and thank you to all. Thank you First Hawaiian Bank, Roberts, Lynn, Joyce, Roy, Sharon, and all of our Honolulu restaurants that were part of YIP.

We were unified behind each and every young girl that participated in the 2023 Hawaii Girls YIP program. Girls – Dreaming Big – to make their Dreams come true!

Hawaii Girls YIP 2023 –

Mahalo