The Spirit of A.L.O.H.A
Written By Daisy Willis
Thuy-Vi Le is featured in the middle, directing her peers during a community health screening. Photo provided by Thuy-Vi Le.
Although volunteer work is primarily to give your time to those in need, it also has many benefits on a personal level. For students, volunteer work can help their academic career by supplementing class work with real-world skill application. Thuy-Vi Le, a student at the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, has been working for the community through the ALOHA (A Life of Healing & Awareness) Project for the last three years and is the current president of the organization, and the benefits for her have been priceless.
The ALOHA Project, is a student run volunteer program that provides health screenings to the community. They work to promote healthy lifestyles and also offer hands-on training for Pharmacy students. The students that are a part of the program go through extensive training, provided by professionals and the president of the project, in order to be fully prepared to offer comprehensive and proper consultations and screenings to their patients.
Video interview filmed by reporter, Daisy Willis and Edited by Isabella Willis and editor, Amber Manini. All photos in the film were provided by Thuy-Vi Le.
Although a health screening may seem like a simple process, it actually requires a large knowledge base, both about medical and pharmaceutical techniques and about how to properly deal with people on a very personal level. The ALOHA Project does not only provide screenings, but they also follow up with their patients to make sure that their impact is noticeable. The students in this project have their work cut out for them, and the woman at the head is an exceptional leader.
A UH Hilo Pharmacy Student under the direction of the ALOHA Project helps a community member at a local grocery store. Photo provided by Thuy-Vi Le.
Thuy-Vi spoke about her role as President of the ALOHA Project saying, “Before I became president, I had never taken on a huge leadership role. A few years ago, the thought of even stepping into this position would have been entirely daunting. As a member of this organization I became increasingly more confident in my own skills and abilities as a pharmacy student and what I had to offer the community. I built confidence in myself [ and learned ] that stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to great things. As president you assume an innate responsibility to help other people and make sure that they are well-equipped with everything they need to be great. Not only have I been able to fine tune the skills that I’ve learned by being part of ALOHA, I have been able to help others do the same!”
Thuy-Vi’s contribution to the project is immeasurable and the payback is exponential. When asked if she would recommend volunteer work to fellow students, she said “I would recommend it because it is invaluable experience that helps shape who you are as a person. I’ve volunteered in different hospitals and organizations for more than half my life and it has truly made me the student and person I am today. You don’t get to say that you’ve changed someone’s life when you’re sitting in a classroom. It’s the work that you do outside of it that motivates, challenges and inspires you to do great things.”
Thuy-Vi Le, Student Pharmacist and President of the ALOHA Project. Photo taken by Historian, Melissa Giachetti.
Volunteer work has many benefits for everyone involved, and students are encouraged to better themselves and their community by participating. If you are a pharmacy student and are interested in volunteering, visit the ALOHA Project’s website at thealohaprojecthawaii.wordpress.com
