Around The Islands
Mini Profile
Christopher Solusod: Summer Buddie
Christopher Solusod is 16. He goes to Kalani High School on Kalanianaole Highway. He used to be an introvert and somewhat of a bookworm, and maybe a tad on the self-centered side. That was two years ago, before he became a Summer Buddie. The changes that came over him! They could happen to you!
Hoe Did You Join The Summer Buddies?
Christopher was at the beach one day, swimming with his Mom, when they saw the Summer Buddies in action. So, they decided to check it out. It was as simple as that. After two years volunteering for the Summer Buddies program, he says, "I think I've learned to be less selfish and more giving. When I first started, I heard that I'd get community service hours at school, so I was thinking more in terms of 'school assignment.' But now, I don't care about that — I've discovered that I'm pretty tolerant and like to work with children. I don't even remember how many hours I volunteered! I was happy so long as I did something useful during the summer. I figured I might as well do something useful with my time that I wasn't using."
What Exactly is The Summer Buddies Program?
Summer Buddies is a Red Cross program open to teens aged 13 to 19. The program helps teens develop aquatic safety and leadership skills. At 16, qualified teens can become Water Safety Instructors (WSI) and actually get a job. Beginning in June and ending in August, Summer Buddies sessions are offered on Saturday mornings, which include warm-up exercises, swim programs, and beach classrooms, covering subjects such as reef exploration, water survival, rescue techniques, and more.
Funniest Episode?
Christopher's most memorable moment in his years as a Summer Buddie was being the "guy in charge" of keeping the little kids busy in the water while the instructors taught them how to swim. Christopher recalls, "Trying to keep 20 kids' attention on you for an extended period of time is very hard! My funniest episode was probably during reef education, where the Summer Buddies would snorkel over to the reef. We were all very afraid of the moray eels that supposedly would bite you and never let go. Whenever one of us would see one, or swim next to one, they would scream their heads off."
Why Did You Like It So Much?
Christopher has already spent the last three summers helping out with the Summer Buddies program. He likes hanging out with the other Buddies. "We do lots of things together, like going to the aquarium and to the Aloha Tower. Because of our community service, we got to play free games and got free rides." For him, bonding with the other Buddies has been as much fun as helping the children with swimming and beach lessons.
One of the responsibilities that comes with being a Summer Buddie volunteer is getting their First Aid/CPR Certification. The all-day class, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., will train you in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) for children and adults, as well as in First Aid.
What Else Are You Passionate About?
Besides swimming and volunteering, Christopher is on the school wrestling team. He took 3rd place during his sophomore year in the East Championships (135 lbs.). His toughest challenge was getting over the fact that his little brother was just as good as he was in wrestling. But he says, "I got over it, by thinking how hard I'll work to surpass him again." And at school, he's taking a lot of hard math and science classes to prepare for his future. At the moment, he can imagine himself challenging a wide range of future careers: a martial arts fighter in Japan; or a chef on the Mainland; or working in the medical field as a doctor, pharmacist, or a surgeon; or as a businessman, attorney, a consultant, or an architect. Whichever path he chooses to pursue, his hard math and science classes combined with his physical training, are bound to help him achieve his dreams and goals.
