Shyla Victor Visits Section 36!

Section 36 had another visitor! Shyla Victor is passionate about sustainable tourism, a talented dancer, and the current Miss Kona Coffee. I was so excited that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. 

So, let's see what happens when Shyla Victor visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Kona Coffee crown? 

After the competition, I was showered with more love by my friends and family at home. But my number one request was to eat! We had a huge dinner and I slept like a baby.

What part of the Miss Hawaii competition were you most nervous about? 

I was most nervous about the level of competition. After competing in my local competition, I was able to get the nerves out but I knew there would be more experienced women at that caliber. 

What has been the biggest surprise about your time as Miss Kona Coffee? 

I did not expect the amount of love and support I would receive from my family, friends, and community. Competing in a pageant was not my normal and new to us all. When I announced my running, there was no doubt from anyone. Everyone supported me and continues to support me in all my endeavors as Miss Kona Coffee 2023. 

How did you select your CSI “Educating Regenerative Tourism”? 

In the beginning, I knew I wanted to do something about Hawaiʻi to draw more attention here but couldn't pick a topic. I was choosing between perpetuating the Hawaiian language, Hawaiian culture, then landed on eco/sustainable tourism. After speaking with a few individuals in the industry, they introduced the new term of Regenerative Tourism and I absolutely fell in love with it. 

What is your favorite part about performing your talent on stage? 

My talent is dancing hula and it means so much to me. I was born into a hula family so it was only natural that I danced hula as well. I have been dancing hula for as long as I can remember and it truly allows me to connect to my Hawaiian culture. Dancing hula tells a story about our ancestors that dancers are able to bring back to life.

If you could be a Disney character for a week, who would you choose? Why? 

I would love to be Ariel for a week. Being an Island kid, you are always surrounded by water so it becomes your safe place. I could swim across seas to travel the world and walk on land with the humans. 

How would you complete the sentence “I get great satisfaction when ___”? 

...when I complete a task I set my mind to. Whether it's competing for a scholarship competition, creating service projects, or even as simple as folding my laundry and putting the clothes a way. A win is a win no matter how big or small. 

Is there a feature or activity at a baseball game that you’d especially like to experience? 

I would love to watch a live MLB World Series game. I played softball from middle school and really enjoyed the game. By the end of my softball career in high school, I was the starting pitcher and 2^nd baseman.

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A World Series game is definitely an incredible experience.

As always, I want to thank Shyla for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to go with the interview.

I'm sure you'd like to follow along with Shyla during the short time left in her her journey. You should be sure to check out her title's Instagram account. It's a great way to keep track of everything she has going on, and you'll be sure not to miss anything. 

Thanks again Shyla, and good luck in the future!

Kyndra Nakamoto Visits Section 36!

Section 36 had another visitor! Kyndra Nakamoto is passionate about living aloha, a talented dancer, and the current Miss Kona Coffee. I was so excited that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more.

So, let's see what happens when Kyndra Nakamoto visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Kona Coffee crown?

I celebrated winning the title of Miss Kona Coffee by buying a small pizza from Dominoes and then going to sleep. I knew I had some busy days ahead of me so my biggest celebration was the sleep I got that night.

What did you learn about yourself at the Miss Kona Coffee competition that will help you when you compete for Miss Hawaii?

One thing I learned about myself through Miss Kona Coffee that will help me compete for Miss Hawaiʻi is I can do anything I set my mind to, even if it is outside my comfort zone. I never thought I would compete in an organization like this, let alone become a title holder, so itʻs all very new and exciting for me.

Is there a specific goal you’d like to accomplish during your time as Miss Kona Coffee?

The main goal I would like to accomplish during my time as Miss Kona Coffee is to talk to as many students, and groups of kids that I can, spreading my message of aloha and helping todayʻs youth understand the meaning behind this lifestyle. Aloha is a big part of my life and I want to share that with the younger generation.

How did you select your social impact initiative?

I knew that I wanted my social impact to revolve around aloha, since it is something I live by everyday, and something I want to share with others in my community. I then created my social impact initiative Make Aloha Easy because the name itself promotes people to try and live aloha, and is also an acronym for my middle name “Mae”. My middle name is very special to me, and I felt that having a platform title that held importance to me would be a creative and intimate way to connect with my community.

As a talented dancer, what do you enjoy most performing on stage?

I enjoy everything about dancing on stage, but I would say that part I love the most is connecting with people in the audience. As a dancer itʻs easy to look at a wall and pretend like no one is watching you, but a performance becomes so much more special when you look at the people in the crowd, and connect with them through facial expressions and body movement. This helps me to further relay the stories I tell through hula.

How would you finish the sentence, “I get great satisfaction when ___”?

I get great satisfaction when I finish a hula without messing up. I am someone who really pushes myself when it comes to hula, and I want to do my best in every aspect. If I finish a dance with 0 mistakes, I feel very satisfied.

If you could be a Disney Character for a week, who would you choose? Why?

If I could be a Disney character for a week I would choose to be Lilo because she gets to fly in little rocket ships, and hang out with aliens which would be such a fun experience. She is also a hula dancer, so I can be her while still practicing my passion.

If you had an extra ticket to a LA Dodgers baseball game, who would you take with you? Why?

If I had an extra ticket to an LA Dodgers game, I would take my cousin AJ, because he is the person who introduced baseball to me, and I grew up watching all of his games. I know that I would have fun with him because we both understand baseball and enjoy watching the game.

Is there a feature or activity at a baseball game that you’d especially like to experience?

I canʻt remember the last time I went to a professional baseball game, but one feature I would like to experience is being on a jumbotron. I am a lively and energetic so I know I would dance around and live up the moment.

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That would be so much fun!

As usual, I want to thank Kyndra for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to go with the interview.

As Kyndra continues her time as Miss Kona Coffee, I encourage you to check out her title's Instagram account, as well as her personal one! They're great ways to keep track of everything she has going on! 

I also want to wish Kyndra luck when she competes for Miss Hawaii! It would be fantastic to have the first Section 36 Forever wear that crown.

Thanks again Kyndra, and good luck!