Nonprofit helped teen cross cultures, new school’s halls

For more than 50 years, the nonprofit Pacific & Asian Affairs Council has provided international, global affairs instruction to public high school students. This month we share the stories of a few students whose lives were meaningfully touched by their participation in PAAC.

Long before she dived into the deep waters of international relations and foreign policy, Kelly Park learned cross-cultural understanding and diplomacy to navigate the treacherous halls of Kaiser High School.

Park was just a freshman when she and her family arrived in Honolulu from Seoul.

Her parents saw their new home as a golden opportunity to expand the family business and to provide Park and her younger sister with experiences they might never have enjoyed in their home country. Still, the transition was daunting.

“There was a lot of culture shock in just trying to fit in and make friends,” said Park, 26. “The education system in Korea was very different, and I had to find out where my place was in everything.”

Park met the challenge directly and used her parents’ example as inspiration to make the most of her new life.

“My parents sacrificed a lot, and that put pressure on me to do well,” she said. “It helped me to mature faster. Just seeing how hard they worked and what they went through gave me increased dedication to set ambitious goals.”

Early on, Park found herself drawn to the Pacific & Asian Affairs Council and its focus on global issues. Each year, Park took PAAC classes, attended PAAC-sponsored forums and conferences, and participated in programs and events like the Academic WorldQuest Competition and the Global Leadership Program.

“What I value about PAAC is that it promotes global understanding and connectivity, which can help cultures get over past differences,” Park said.

After graduating as one of her class’s valedictorians, Park served an internship with the council during her freshman year in college. Her association with the council also paved the way for other valuable experiences, an internship with the 2011 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and a cultural exchange program in Taiwan under the Mosaic Taiwan Fellowship.

As a graduate student at University of Hawaii, Park helped found the Daniel K. Inouye Leaders in Action Club to promote civil engagement, open dialogue and volunteer service.

Park graduated last fall with a Master of Arts in economics and now works as a project manager for the Daniel K. Inouye Center for Democratic Leadership. She plans on returning to Taiwan to study Mandarin and to further explore programs in foreign affairs.

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@staradvertiser.com.