Jonathan Castro

“I tell everyone how excited I am to come to campus and be in a room with other people who love working with kids as much as I do.”

Hometown

‘Aiea, HI

Department

Dean's Office

Related Degrees

• Minor in Education

How did you become interested in the Minor in Education Program?
Adding on the minor in Education was a no-brainer for me. I became interested because I love people and learning how they grow, think, and connect. My experiences in youth ministry and recreation helped me realize how much I value helping others feel understood and supported. I love being able to apply what I learn in class to my work with students, families, and in my community.

Do you work or participate in any clubs or organizations in or outside of school?
Outside of school, I work at ʻAiea District Park. During the year, I teach different classes for the community, and in the summers, I work with our Summer Fun program. From teaching our tiny tots to spending time with our kūpuna, I am grateful for the chance to work with people of all ages — this is really where my love for working with people started. I also volunteer at my church. My faith and sharing it is very important to me. I teach 3rd-grade catechism and help lead our middle school ministry at St. Elizabeth Church.

How is the COE program impacting or benefitting your career path?
Ever since becoming an education minor, my life has changed. Joining the College of Education about a year and a half ago has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The classes I’ve taken—especially STE 403E—have been some of the most impactful and inspiring. I love the sense of community within the COE, and everything I’ve learned has been truly beneficial. I’m able to apply what I learn when leading ministry, working at the park, and essentially anywhere I go. The COE has helped me grow in confidence and has shown me how much I enjoy supporting students, families, and the communities I’m part of.

Is there anyone in particular who inspired you to pursue a career in education?
There are so many people who were influential in my journey. From a young age, I loved working with people, and it brings me so much joy to watch my Summer Fun kids or the teens I mentored in middle school grow up into amazing young men and women. I feel blessed to be even a small part of their journey and to continue being their “cheerleader.”

Mrs. Jennifer Ly and Miss Tina Jamias were also very impactful in my life, especially in my educational journey. Both helped me grow from being that shy young boy in high school. These amazing women always believed in me and pushed me to find my voice. I also owe so much praise and gratitude to Waynele Yu who teaches my STE 403E course for my Education minor. I was skeptical at first, but she is one of the nicest and best professors I have ever had. Her class doesn’t even feel like a class — I tell everyone how excited I am to come to campus and be in a room with other people who love working with kids as much as I do.

Beyond that, I am grateful for all the family, friends, teachers, coworkers, and coaches who encouraged me and inspired me to further my education.

What are your future plans with your degree?
I aspire to become a school counselor, and I want to be someone that other COE students — the teens and youth I work with now and the students I’ll serve in the future — can look to and know that wherever their journey starts, they can make it through. I want to remind them never to give up and always to trust in the journey.

Why did you choose to apply to the SMAP program?
I chose to apply to the SMAP program because I love the College of Ed and am grateful for all the opportunities it has given me. I currently run a few social media pages — whether it’s for our EDGE ministry or other programs I’m involved in — so applying for this felt very natural. It was funny because I was in search of an opportunity that aligned with what I already do, which is create faith-based content on my own. And on the day of the deadline, I came across the SMAP opportunity, so I quickly put together my video and application submission.

I am truly grateful to be among the other awesome ambassadors, and seeing all the different content we produce together, with the freedom we’re given to bring our various backgrounds and perspectives, has been so great. Social media is so important, and I didn’t want to miss the chance to “brag” about the COE and highlight all the amazing things happening here. I want to bring people along throughout my time in the program and showcase how I apply what I learn to different areas of my life, who I work with, and the communities I get to serve.