‘Can-do’ teen is honored for overcoming hardship

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MAKENA - Before she earned her high school diploma in June, 16-year-old Tina Tangatailoa served as a student body president and collected numerous awards for academic excellence and her "can-do attitude."

On Tuesday, she was honored with a different kind of award, representing how far she has come since a traffic incident landed her in the Family Court system last year.

The Kihei teenager received the Maui Police Department's first Ka Huli Ola Award recognizing a juvenile who has overcome difficulties - including contact with the juvenile justice system - and gone on to make a positive contribution to the community.

"It's been a long journey for me," said Tangatailoa, who is working full-time as a dancer at a luau show while planning to attend college in January.

With her parents looking on, Police Chief Tom Phillips presented Tangatailoa with the award at the first statewide Juvenile Conference at the Maui Prince Hotel in Makena. About 150 people working in law enforcement, schools and courts attended the three-day conference sponsored by the Maui Police Department Juvenile Section and Hawaii Community Foundation's Maui County crystal methamphetamine youth initiative grant.

Ka Huli Ola translates into "the one who changes life."

Those who know Tangatailoa said she worked hard to make dramatic changes in her life.

She was referred to the Family Court system in July 2007 with a record of reports of truancy, curfew violations and traffic offenses. In less than a year, she had completed the Hawaii National Guard Youth Challenge Academy at Kalaeloa, Oahu, and obtained her high school diploma through Waipahu Community School. She was part of the Youth Challenge Academy color guard, performed community service by reading to youngsters at Ewa Elementary School on Oahu and received a $2,000 college scholarship for academic excellence from Merrill Lynch.

"She impressed me because of her immediate success," said Celia Moniz, court officer in the intake unit of the Juvenile Client and Family Services department of the state Judiciary.

In nominating Tangatailoa for the award, Moniz said the girl had shown leadership qualities and become a role model for her younger siblings.

Tangatailoa said she realized she was "going the wrong route" last year.

"I wasn't a family-oriented person, I wasn't the person I was supposed to be," she said. "I was a party girl. I had to learn the hard way."

She said she had been drinking, smoking and making a habit of not going home when she was pulled over by police after a minor accident and cited for not having a driver's license or insurance and not wearing a seat belt.

Facing adjudication in the Family Court, Tangatailoa applied to the Hawaii National Guard Youth Challenge Academy, which runs a five-month residential program for dropouts ages 16 to 19 who are not employed and have little chance of graduating from high school.

About half of the approximately 300 youths who apply for each session are accepted, said Richard Campbell, director of the academy, who was the keynote speaker at the Juvenile Conference. He said more than 70 percent of students graduate from the rigorous program that begins with 5 a.m. daily wake-up calls for physical training. The program also includes academics; leadership, life and job skills; and community service.

Students aren't allowed to have iPods, cellular telephones, computers or televisions and have limited contact with family members. Graduates are monitored for 12 months.

Tangatailoa said she tried to leave the program in the first week but returned and eventually became one of the 96 graduates in June. Girls made up one-third of the graduates.

"We all pulled together," she said. "It's a struggle. You have to be dedicated to stick it out."

After graduating, she returned to Maui to live with her parents, Efalata Filikitonga and Daphne Filikitonga-Lukela, and her younger brother and sister. The family moved to Kihei, away from the crowd that Tangatailoa used to hang out with in Lahaina.

Old friends call at times, but Tangatailoa said she has stayed away.

"Once I left Youth Challenge, I came back as a whole different person," she said.

Campbell said he would take Tangatailoa with him to speak to community groups.

"She started out a little rocky, but once she got settled, she took off and did a great job," he said.

Filikitonga-Lukela said she saw her daughter grow up quickly. "She's so independent now," Filikitonga-Lukela said. "I'm happy for her."

Tangatailoa said she still doesn't use the computer or telephone much, instead spending time with her family and focusing on her future. She plans to enroll at Arizona State University in January. Her goal is to obtain a bachelor's degree in nursing, then become an Army nurse.

An MPD committee reviewed nominations from throughout Maui County and chose Tangatailoa to receive the award, said officer Gordon Sagun, a juvenile investigator.

"There were a lot of great people nominated, but we could only select one," said Lt. Mollie Klingman, commander of the MPD Juvenile Section. "We selected the one that we thought was the best.

"She's a natural leader. It's what's really neat about her."

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto @mauinews.com.