For Drew Camacho, the journey from addiction to academic success has been transformative. A former heroin user, the Hawaiʻi Island native spent more than a decade in a destructive cycle of substance abuse, felony charges and incarceration.

“Looking back, I think I’ve always kind of had issues with substance abuse. No outlets, no real support,” Camacho said. “And as a local boy, like our culture—we don’t talk about these kinds of things. We don’t tell anybody, ‘Hey, I need help.’”

HILO, Hawai‘i — Hawai‘i Community College is celebrating a successful first year of its Marine Option Program (MOP), where students gained extraordinary hands-on experience through real-world research, primarily with endangered sea turtle health and population studies on Hawai‘i Island’s shores.

HILO, HAWAI‘I – April 14, 2025 — Nearly 400 students, community members and families gathered at Hawai‘i Community College’s Manono campus this past Saturday, April 12, to celebrate the college’s Hawai‘i Community College Day — an annual event designed to spotlight academic programs, technical training, and workforce development opportunities on Hawai‘i Island.