From acting to nursing, alumna Juvy Lucina (’99) shares how Hanalani Schools shaped her life


One of Juvy Lucina’s (’99) favorite memories from high school is performing in the play “Hillbilly Weddin’” in 1996. She was sitting on a rocking chair in one scene, and the chair accidentally broke in front of everyone. “It was embarrassing, but it taught me to never ‘drop character’ on stage!” she recalled, laughing. “How I loved Hanalani Schools’ theater program – it helped develop confidence in a teenager who sorely needed it.”
 
It was Hanalani Schools’ teacher Mrs. Hopper who randomly asked Juvy to fill a part in the play “Hillbilly Weddin’.” “If she hadn’t asked me, I’m not sure I’d be involved with acting at all,” she said. Juvy soon discovered she loved acting, and continued to pursue her passion beyond high school by attending Bob Jones University, where she majored in History and minored in Theatre Arts.
 
While her original plan was to teach theater to high school students, she discovered God had a different purpose for her. “I liked acting, but I wanted to be able to give back to the community and find a way to help others,” she said. Inspired by her mother and her sister, both of whom are nurses, Juvy was led to nursing school. She became a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in the summer of 2015, and decided to take nursing prerequisite courses at Leeward Community College that fall. Today, she’s almost finished with the rest of her prerequisites, and plans to apply for nursing school in the fall.
 
Looking back, Juvy said Hanalani Schools shaped and guided her to become the person she is today. She’s thankful for teachers like Mrs. Kabasawa for sharing godly principles and being a positive influence, Mrs. Hopper for exposing her to theater life, and her brother Mr. Lucina for his practical and fair advice. She also said Select Choir (directed by Mr. Lucina) was a wonderful musical experience, and singing with her fellow Hanalani students is a memory she still cherishes dearly today.
 
Juvy’s still a fan of the arts. She attended Hanalani Schools’ play production of “Peter Pan” last spring. “It was incredible to see how much the school has grown! I was so happy and proud of the show those students put on,” she said. “Twenty years prior to ‘Peter Pan’ was ‘Hillbilly Weddin’,’ so it was a surreal, full-circle moment. I’m hoping to come and watch the spring concert, and I am glad the arts are still an integral part of school life.”