Sophomore Paul Aguzar-Taitague is a boarder here at our Kapālama campus from Hanamāʻulu, Kauai. He first began here in the seventh grade, and since then has continued to involve himself in the KS community as much as he can. Paul, who lives in Kīnaʻu dorm, considers himself very involved in the boarder community here on campus. Although he prefers to keep to himself and his friends during the school day, at boarding events he considers himself very social and loves talking to as many people as he can. He always is looking for ways to help out and enjoys engaging in the many activities provided by the school. “I would say boarding is my favorite part of being a student here,” says Paul. He felt instantly welcomed into the community here at our school, and has made some of his favorite memories here on campus.
Paul enjoys reading graphic novels, playing on his switch, and baking treats for his friends. Baking gifts for others is something he really enjoys, along with his passions for band and writing. When asked to describe himself in three words, he said, “exhausted, creative, friendly.” Paul feels as if he is exhausted by school but is able to find a good balance between his hobbies and duties as a student. He bakes sweet treats for his friends when he can, and plans on joining the paddling team later this year! When asked what color of the rainbow he thinks he would be, Paul replied with the color green. “I feel like greenʻs like kinda mellow, having that calmness,” he said.
His life as a boarder here on campus is something Paul values very much. He appreciates the freedom he has up on the hill, although it can be restrictive in some ways. He doesnʻt really miss Kauai for the most part, although he gets homesick sometimes. He claims he is mostly idle on Kauai, and appreciates the active life he lives in the dorms. Paul is the type who will always step up to a challenge, and he has a mission to “bridge the gap between under and upperclassmen in the boarder community. He feels that they rarely interact with each other and there is a distance between them. Paul looks forward to the day when there is “more of a community sense in the boarding program. Community is important to him, as he comments, “if you struggle with something you can always rely on someone within the community to help you with that struggle or perhaps the whole community.”
