Student-Run Credit Union Boosts High School Business Program and Builds Resume for Future Entrepreneurs

At Pearl City High School, seniors from the International Business and Design Academy (IBAD) at Leeward Community College were given the chance to take college-level business classes in pursuit of a management certificate. A total of fifteen students were part of this cohort, with the goal of earning a Career and Technical Education (CTE) honors certificate and a Certificate of Achievement in Management upon graduation this spring.

Instead of typical high school CTE courses, these students took advanced business coursework and played a role in running the HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union Student-Operated Credit Union. Through this experience, they were responsible for managing deposits and opening accounts for both staff and students at Pearl City High School.

One student, Jordyn Shibata, spoke about how valuable the program has been to her, saying that it has pushed her out of her comfort zone and given her newfound confidence and skills to tackle challenges in the future. Daphne Okunaga, lead teacher for IBAD, emphasized that the goal was not just Early College credits but also a strategic approach to achieving CTE honors and a management certificate, preparing students for pursuing business majors at UH Mānoa or UH West O’ahu.

Syreeta Washington, Early College counselor at Leeward CC, commended the students for their commitment to education and highlighted the success of the program. She attributed it to strong collaborations between organizations such as Hawai’i P–20 and the Stupski Foundation. The students’ dedication to their education along with the program’s structure has been instrumental in fostering their success and growth.