Dayna Mark

Story written by father, Dean Mark
My wife Suzanne and I were living in Japan while our daughter Dayna resided on Oahu living with family. Dayna was having a hard time adjusting without my strict guidelines and other life issues since the divorce of her mother and I a few years before. This of course affected Dayna completing her education while attending Castle High School on the windward side of Oahu.

We were in the process of transitioning from our assignment in Japan to Colorado and Dayna's situation was getting worse as her involvement with the wrong crowd facilitated unwelcome behavior which became evident to us. My wife and I gave Dayna an ultimatum to either come back and live with us in Colorado or enroll into the Hawaii National Guard Youth Challenge Academy. After a long debate she opted to participate in the program, she welcomed the idea with doubts.

My wife and I researched and contacted the Hawaii Youth Challenge program and asked may questions as to their program, academics and other educational resources available. The staff members were great in answering all our questions and very helpful in providing us with applications as we began the process of enrollment while we were still in Japan. On our short visit to Oahu from Japan before being re-assigned to Colorado, we completed the process of enrollment for our daughter Dayna into the Hawaii Youth Challenge program.

Dayna seemed to excel within the program as we received weekly and monthly status of her progress in the program. The program gave her structure and the necessary tools to be a responsible person noting all her abilities within herself. Dayna's letters to us were so inviting and filled with warmth as she explained her daily challenges within the program. Some valuable tools she mentioned she received from the program were initiative to be able to challenge yourself; to take responsibility for your actions and know consequences exist for all actions or the lack of; the ability to be independent and think for yourself and know tomorrow will always come and be able to provide; and how important ethics and integrity are in society. With all these valuable tools and knowledge, Dayna also completed her high school and received her diploma through the program. I took the time to fly back to Oahu from Colorado to watch Dayna graduate from the program and receive her high school diploma.

Since graduating from the Hawaii Youth Challenge Academy, Dayna know resides in Las Vegas, Nevada and worked her way up to  Assistant Manager at Blockbuster Video. She purchased her first car and is renting her first apartment. She has accomplished all this with the support, education and structure provided from the Academy. She is filled with enthusiasm and has aspirations to challenge herself further in life. Dayna periodically thanks me for telling her how important education is as the competition is fierce in today's society. We are very proud of Dayna's accomplishments and knowing more will transpire in her life.

The Hawaii Youth Challenge Academy aides in the facilitation of the youths of Hawaii where intervention is needed. Many students just need an environment where they can learn to apply what they already know and bring out the most within themselves. The sense of accomplishment enlightens their aspirations in life and as proud parents of an alumnus of the Hawaii Youth Challenge can attest to.