Over 500 people took part in the Career Day Expo held at the Kanana Fou School gymnasium last Thursday, March 2 from 11 a.m. – 2p.m. This was the first Career Expo of its kind to be held on Kanana Fou School grounds.

“Depending on the collaboration and strong partnership between the school principal and administration, and the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) in the coming years, this type event is strongly encouraged to help showcase job opportunities, scholarships, and internships from federal and local government agencies, the private sector, and non-profit organizations in the community,” said Carol Maafala-Baqui, the KFHS 1st President and team lead for the school’s Internship/Scholarship/Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Committee.

Thursday’s event was co-hosted by the KFHS administration and staff, and the PTA.

All high school students, including children in grade levels 5-8 participated.

A total of 32 organizations were represented.

“The Career Expo's theme was ‘Empower Knowledge, Apply Wisdom’ (Faamalosia le poto, ma ia faautauta), and this huge, phenomenal event  inspired our students and even those in the elementary grade levels at Kanana Fou to keep striving, as there are a lot of job opportunities, internships, and scholarships to choose from,” Maafala-Baqui told Samoa News over the weekend.

“When students stay on track with their studies and continue to participate in local campus and Island-wide competitions, they will find understanding and appreciation on why the role of a scientist, technologist, engineer, mathematician, including volunteers in nonprofits is critical within our community and abroad.”

Maafala-Baqui continued, “This event has offered hope and support to students — and their parents — to start discussing and planning their career and college tracks. The network among stakeholders and students has been established, and now it's up to the students and parents to move forward with their plan while the PTA continues to support them in any way possible.”

When asked to explain in further detail how the idea came about and what the ultimate goal of the program is, Maafala-Baqui explained, “The PTA had set the Career Day Expo on its meeting agenda during the fresh start of the first semester, and it was approved and supported by the PTA. The goal of this exciting program is to provide a golden opportunity to our high school students, KFHS staff, parents, and friends to become informed about the latest job opportunities, local and off-Island scholarships and internships.

“Many times, parents, students and the high school staff, near and abroad, are not well-versed on the latest changes in scholarships and internships. The KFHS PTA supports all students from different walks of life, including those from neighboring islands in the Pacific. Students born in American Samoa and the United States are eligible to apply for Financial Aid/Pell grants unlike students from developing countries in the Pacific and west of the Dateline.

“The KFHS PTA has offered an extensive list of scholarship and internship websites for non-US citizen/ US national to afford these students an opportunity to apply to programs of their preference and subject interest. We want to make sure that our students and parents are informed in advance - so they can plan accordingly — on how to reach their private goals in life,” she said.

Maafala-Baqui and co-president Uaea Satele are readily available to provide recommendations for Kanana Fou HS students seeking a recommendation letter for college admission, including scholarships and internships.

The school’s PTA believes in the students and has made this evident through the investment of hard earned funds to finance the Expo which cost over $4,000 to host.

“The PTA is very proud of the strong collaboration and commitment afforded by all key roles of PTA leadership and KFHS Administration and Staff in making sure this Expo was a success,” Maafala-Baqui said. “The KFHS PTA is a strong champion for scholarships, internships, and supporting our students and parents, in any way possible, to keep everyone and anyone informed. Credit goes to the team-effort collaboration between the PTA and the KFHS Administration/Staff.”

The school extends its sincerest appreciation to Bluesky Communications for their sponsorship that helped make the Expo a success.

More information regarding the KFHS PTA and to ‘be in the know’ about what’s going on a the Home of the Stallions, log on to

< http:// www.pta-kananafouhighschool.org>