Maui County Council Solicits Youth Ideas to Bolster Maui’s Economy

Members of the Maui County Council released a rap themed Youtube video as they seek youth ideas to help bolster Maui’s economy.

The Imi Pono challenge is open to middle school and high school students in Maui County who have ideas for a new invention, service, technique, application or product that can help to build a sustainable and vibrant economy.

A newsletter from Council Chair Alice Lee announcing the program states: “When my office conducted a survey asking how residents view the ‘new normal’ in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a voice missing. It was the voice of our youth.”

The Council announcement said that while promising suggestions came from the survey, they are now “casting a wider net to harness ideas from the untapped minds of our youth.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic managed to cause havoc in our lives and turn our world upside down. We are faced with high unemployment, business closures and a dramatic rise in public health and safety problems,” according to the Council announcement.  “As a community, we need to find a new direction and initiatives to reshape and enrich our quality of life (imi pono).”

The application deadline for participation in the Imi Pono: The Greatest Challenge is Sept. 15, with a final presentation planned on Nov. 15, 2020.