Chaminade University hosted its 3rd annual Early College Summit at the Clarence T.C. Ching Conference Center on Dec. 11, 2025. Chaminade welcomed around 80 students that were enrolled in the Early College Program from Kapa‘a High School, Sacred Hearts Academy, and Saint Louis School. The program is designed to prepare students for the academic expectations and independence required at the college level.
“I feel like it helped me grow as a person and helped prepare me for college,” said Isaiah Noguchi, a senior from Kapa‘a High School on Kaua‘i. “When I first got in I hadn’t really experienced due dates like this and I used to procrastinate a lot, but this program helped me lock in. I really had to lock in.”
The Early College program allows high school students to earn college credits while still meeting their graduation requirements. This year’s summit brought together students, teachers, and administrators to bring all the early college students together to build relationships and learn more about college, the academics, and other opportunities they could have and can be apart of.
During the summit, Early College Program students got to tour parts of the campus. The seniors of the program were able to see the crime scene house along with the dorms. Meanwhile, the junior students from Sacred Hearts Academy and Saint Louis School were doing a scavenger hunt.
The Clarence T.C. Ching Conference Center filled up with conversation as students from different schools filled the room. As they entered the room the tables were lined around the room showcasing different Chaminade academic programs, and campus resources available to them. Faculty and student volunteers greeted the early college students, offering guidance and encouraging them to explore the stations.
“All positive stuff from this program,” said Tommy Cox, principal of Kapa‘a High School. “Since we started this program years ago, it has only gotten better every year.”
Chaminade’s Early College program at Kapa’a began in 2021 and has since expanded to create partnerships with Saint Louis School and Sacred Hearts Academy. The Saint Louis School students take courses on the Chaminade campus alongside undergraduate students, while the Sacred Hearts Academy students earn 60 credits and an associates degree in two years.
Cox said that Kapa’a teachers and former students recommend the Early College program because it helps students develop time management skills, confidence, and being familiar with the pace of college work. The program is open to all juniors who are ready for the college work challenge and want to begin earning college credits early.
“We have had students with disabilities both academic and physically, participate in the program and get so much out of it,” said Kahele Keawe, Kapa’a’s Early College director “In the last couple years we’ve had a handful of students end up at Chaminade, and they continue to do well. It’s just overall a really great college prep experience.”
A number of student-athletes are also involved in the Early College Program and attended the summit. The dual-enrolled athletes we able to gather for a session where they were able to speak directly with Chaminade athletes about balancing sports and academics. Athletes from softball, women’s basketball, and men’s basketball sat with them to share their experiences and answer any questions they had.
One of the most common questions early college students asked was how to best manage time as a student-athlete.
“You have to learn to better your time management skills and have set times for when you need to get certain tasks done,” said Bailey Benson, a senior softball player at Chaminade. “There are going to be times where you have to miss out on something you really want to do, and you’re going to have to be okay with that.”
The summit wrapped up with a closing session that brought all the students back together to reflect on what they learned throughout the day. Staff members encouraged the students to stay connected, ask questions, and continue seeking opportunities that challenge them academically.
“The Chaminade program has really benefitted by giving me a solid foundation of what college is like, and they give us a lot of support while still treat us as college students not high schoolers,” said Stella Maddock, a senior from Kapa‘a High School.