High school graduations are special experiences anywhere, but especially in Hawaiʻi.
This year, HPR worked with Kapolei High School seniors on a project as they were preparing for graduation.
It's the brainchild of DW Gibson, a former producer on HPR's The Conversation, who's now executive producer of podcasts and multimedia at HPR.
He joined The Conversation in studio on Wednesday to share some of the extraordinary thoughts and sounds of students leading up to graduation day.
As part of the special project, 10 seniors at Kapolei High School were asked to maintain an audio journal documenting their thoughts during the weeks before and after graduation.
“We wanted to have a good measure of time that wasn't too much expanse, but really sort of taking a close look at that crescendo, right? Those critical days where all the classes are wrapping up, all the preparations are being made, everything is hitting that fever pitch, and to capture as much of that as possible,” Gibson said.
Students shared special moments such as seeing their teachers one last time, receiving recognition or awards, opening up their yearbooks, and taking part in the tradition of senior portraits and posters displayed on the fence.
Their entries highlighted a range of emotions and the hard work that led to graduation.
This story aired on The Conversation on June 3, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
