Waipahu High School celebrated the grand re-opening and the 25th year anniversary of their HawaiiUSA Student Operated Credit Union (SOCU) on November 7, 2019, with students, faculty, staff, alumni, government partners and community partners.

Out with the big old teller desk, in with new mobile teller pods.  Students from the Academy of Industrial Engineering Technology helped with the demolition, building, and installation of the renovated interior of the SOCU. In addition, the Academy of Arts and Communication’s Drawing and Painting students helped design the wall art of the new facilities.

“Tonight’s event highlighted an inter-academy, industry-based, authentic learning experience,” said Waipahu High School Principal Keith Hayashi. “It’s through the open and student-focused collaboration of committed partners like HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union and Hawaii Community College’s Building and Construction program that these learning opportunities are able to flourish.  Combining K-12 education, post-secondary education and the private sector is a definite recipe for success.”

HawaiiUSA emphasized their motto of “LifeMatters” and partnered with Waipahu High School to create the SOCU. For the past 25 years, the SOCU has opened its doors to Waipahu High School students and faculty.

“[The SOCU is] a partnership that supports, strengthens, and positively transforms promising teens into young adults,” said Makayla Dematos, a Waipahu High School student. Last year, she operated the SOCU as a teller and had the opportunity to intern for HawaiiUSA over the summer.

Students from the finance class in the Academy of Professional and Public Services operate the SOCU. In class, they learn customer service and the different jobs that the SOCU offers in preparation for operating the branch. The class is split into groups in which they designate a student branch manager, while the rest of the members are tellers or a new accounts representatives. The groups are overseen by a branch manager from a nearby HawaiiUSA branch.

Starting November 8, students and faculty members can visit the new SOCU room above E-workroom every Wednesday and Friday during lunch, where they are able to open up savings or checking accounts and deposit cash or checks.