- "Overall the experience was humbling. It made me realize how unaware I am of he issues that have affected those, the environments they might have come from, and the reasons that would inspire them to move so far from home and dedicate themselves to becoming Americans."
SHINE Volunteer- KCC, Fall 2002

- "I feel that I gain a lot mroe from the SHINE Program, than the actual students; like their cultural background, heritage, and what it means to really work hard."
Jason Akasaki - UHM, Spring 2003, Immigration to Hawai'i, MAAC

- "Service learning made me think a lot about the relativity of your birthplace. It taught me that we take simple things for granted, things that some people strive and hope for. I have never voted once in an election, for example, but if you were to ask any of my students what the most important right granted to a US citizen, they would swiftly answer in broken English, 'the right to vote.'"
SHINE Volunteer- KCC, Fall 2002

- "Society would think that adults are always in place to teach the younger, but being in the new millennium, all the roles have switched, and now it is our turn to teach the elders."
SHINE Volunteer - UHM, Fall 2002, Chinatown

- "It exposes the tutors to various ethnic groups, an opportunity we might not otherwise have. The experience challenges both groups to remain patient and to suppress any ethnocentrism, taking into consideration any cultural differences and also recognizing the similarities. Working together in this way encourages a certain amount of cultural transmission through simple routine social interaction and gives participants a chance to observe our cultural traits and social norms."
SHINE Volunteer - UHM, Fall 2002, Chinatown

- "I like SHINE because it brings what I learned in class to life, while letting me help people in my community." Li'ula Kotaki - UHM, Spring 2003, Immigration to Hawai'i, MAAC

- "I feel the service I performed really helped me to open my eyes and to be more aware of the people and of the things that are happening around me. I found that everyone in that community is important. A lot of times, the elderly can be forgotten and especially those who are new to our country and can’t speak English. I have a new respect for those who have taken and passed the citizenship test. I feel that they deserve a lot more credit and respect from the communities than we give them."
SHINE Volunteer- KCC, Fall 2002

- "The SHINE Program is a great way to reach out and help others in need."
Nedrick Nakama- UHM, Spring 2003, MAAC

- "There was always time to talk story, where we shared family background, places we lived, our hobbies or activities. Using pantomime or body language was always lots of fun in conveying an expression or words the student had difficulty in understanding."
SHINE Volunteer- KCC, Fall 2002

- "It was the highlight of my whole experience when he came in to tell the whole class the great news. He had passed his interview, and was now a US citizen. We feasted on candy, pastries and fruit in celebration of his success. We even took a picture together. He personally thanked me, shook my hand, and told me once again, 'You are my very good teacher.' It’s funny, this time I believed him. I knew I made a difference. Not just because he passed, but because I knew I helped him enjoy learning. He, in turn, helped me realize that I can be a value to my community. I now know that I most certainly would love to pursue a career in which I will serve humanity."
SHINE Volunteer- KCC, Fall 2002

- "By volunteering in this program, I felt that I did a great service to the community. For one, I was helping people function better in everyday society. I would imagine that people who live in Hawaii who don’t speak English experience a great disadvantage and are probably looked down upon by some. Also, most of the students were elderly people who didn’t have that many friends and family who live in Hawaii. For them, just someone to talk to makes their day that much better."
Darren Muranaka - UHM, Fall 2002, Introduction to Ethnic Studies, The Hale

- "At first, I thought it woud just be an easy way t get out of an exam, but it was probably much more work than taking the actual exam. Even so, the sense of self-satisfaction I got from serving my community surpasses getting an A on any exam. I am glad my professor offered an incentive to joining this program, but in the end I’ve come to realize that this incentive was the least of the reason I enjoyed going to Chinatown every week."
SHINE Volunteer- KCC, Fall 2002

- "Through this experience, I learned that I really enjoy helping other people. I think it has given me another perspective into the lives of the elderly and the things that they can overcome at any age. It has also shown me the patience needed to overcome the challenges they are faced with. I think my participation in SHINE has helped part of the community by helping the people achieve their own goals and have the chance to learn English and giving them the confidence to venture our of their community to learn new things."
SHINE Volunteer- KCC, Fall 2002

- "The students were all very motivated, dedicated and eager to learn. My motivation was the satisfaction of seeing a person SMILE when they learned a new word or correctly replied to a question."
SHINE Volunteer- KCC, Fall 2002