Michael Omatsu:  

When I was at Kalani, graduating with my peers was not guaranteed. In fact, I nearly failed my junior year (1967-1968). However, I was offered a second chance, and did in fact walk with my class on 8 JUN 1969. Our class song, "The Impossible Dream", was most approprriate for me, as I accomplished things later in life I thought not possible on that day. For one, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Zoology from the University of Hawaii. I earned a 3.8 GPA in my major, and aced classes like Calculus II and Astrophysics. In 1977 I was successful in applying for Coast Guard Officer Candidate School. I served for 22 years, retiring as a Commander (O-5). While in the Coast Guard I served on two ships, I was the Navigator on my first ship, and became proficient in celestial navigation - using celestial bodies such as the sun and stars to establish the ship's position. I was also Diving Officer on both ships, and actually conducted dives in the polar regions. We dove in both the Bering Sea up north and the Weddel Sea in Antarctica, where water temperatures averaged 28 degrees fahrenheit (yes, that's below freezing for fresh water!!). I visited many foreign countries, and made it through 47 of the 50 US states. I also earned a Master of Science degree from the Naval Postgraduate School; this included writing and presenting a thesis. I...Expand for more