APCC Junior Ambassadors Join the Oʻahu Charity Walk
Milo, Wesley, Eleanor, and Lilian, this year’s APCC Junior Ambassadors, Kala,this years Peace Ambassador, and Wendy, the 2025 APCC Chaperone — are getting ready to travel to Fukuoka, where they’ll meet kids from across the Asia-Pacific region to exchange cultures, ideas, and friendship. But before they start learning about the world, they kick things off by learning a little more about their own community at the Oʻahu Visitor Industry Charity Walk. For these Junior Ambassadors, it wasn’t just a walk—it was the first step in their journey of learning, connecting, and representing Hawaiʻi.
In May, thousands of people on Oʻahu gather in Waikīkī for the Charity Walk to raise money for local nonprofits. It's not a race—it’s a chill, family-friendly walk filled with music, food, and good vibes. Along the route, there are stations with snacks, live entertainment, and plenty of friendly faces. The Junior Ambassadors joined the walk as part of their pre-departure experience, and it quickly became a bonding moment.
Even though the walk was fun, it also taught the JAs a few big lessons—about giving back, supporting others, and what it means to represent Hawaiʻi. The walk helps raise money for all kinds of causes, like youth programs, food banks, and shelters. For the JAs, it was eye-opening to see just how many people and organizations are working to make the community better. As the JAs prepare to head to Japan, the Charity Walk gave them a confidence boost. It helped them get more comfortable with each other, learn to represent their program in public, and experience how small actions can make a big difference. Plus, it was just a really fun day.
Programs like APCC aren’t just about travel—they’re about growth. And events like the Charity Walk help set the tone. They remind students that leadership starts in your own backyard, and that learning comes in all forms: in conversations, in shared laughter, and in taking part in the community. For the Junior Ambassadors, the walk wasn’t just a warm-up for Fukuoka. It was a meaningful (and tasty!) start to their adventure.
