The Dept. of Youth and Women’s Affairs (DYWA) is in the midst of finalizing their calendar of activities for this year. DYWA Deputy Director Tapumanaia Galu Satele Jr. told Samoa News yesterday that the next season of Le Leo o Amerika Samoa is set to kick off in March, with auditions and registration scheduled for next month.

 “Right now, we are in the middle of coordinating with some of our partners and sponsors… finalizing some of the things we have planned for this year,” Tapumanaia said.

Also in March, in addition to Le Leo, the DYWA also anticipates hosting informative sessions for college bound students, and career preparation courses for those looking to jump straight into the workforce.

Representatives from different colleges on island will be invited to share information on the various programs they offer.

This year, for the first time, Tapumanaia said the DYWA is looking to add more programs to their calendar, including a digital short film competition, a debate contest amongst the local schools, and a talk show entitled: “What’s on Your Mind?”

“We plan to host the talk show once a week and have it aired on the local television station so youth can tune in and listen to what their peers think on certain issues that affect our island,” Tapumanaia explained.

Other activities to follow later in the year include the Troy Polamalu Camp and Youth Day.

In the meantime, the former Korea House in Pago Pago, which will be the future centralized location for DYWA operations, is still under construction, with a target completion date of April 10.

The new building will include basketball and volleyball courts on the ground floor, while the second floor will house office spaces, classroom facilities for DYWA training programs, and a conference room.