The Academy Pacific Asian Affairs Council (PAAC) Club spent a day at the Aloha Tower Marketplace tackling a serious issue: homelessness.

PAAC prepares “the next generation of leaders for an increasingly interconnected world and promoting citizen diplomacy.”

PAAC hosts an annual Global Vision Summit to enrich and educate members of the high school programs about issues that plague both Hawaii and the globe.

Juniors Megan Backus, Faizah Shyanguya and Jennifer Ung and sophomore Taylor McKenzie participated in this year’s summit focused on homelessness, a growing problem in Hawaii,  on Mar. 5.

The students were tasked with finding possible solutions for homelessness using the “Design Thinking Process,” which consists of five parts: empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test.    

Students listened to guest speakers directly involved with homelessness and brainstormed possible solutions. Participants constructed a physical prototype for their solution and showcased it to the summit attendees.

At the close of the summit, students analyzed global case studies about homelessness in Brazil, the Philippines and Sweden.

A first-year member of the PAAC club at the Academy, Ung thought the experience was eye-opening.

“Before the conference, I didn’t pay much attention to the homeless,” said Ung, “but now, my perspective on the problem has changed.”

Ung encourages other students to become involved and to attend PAAC’s Global Vision Summits.

“Even if you don’t enjoy conferences, try to go to summits,” Ung said. “You can learn more about state and global issues and propose ways to solve them!”