Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stunned students at Dole middle school yesterday with a surprise visit. Students sat in stunned silence as many of them were not able to grasp what was going on at first.
After the initial shock passed, explosive cheers and applause erupted as the actor known for “The Terminator” and dozens of other action movies shook some hands. Why was he there?
With Gov. Neil Abercrombie looking on, Schwarzenegger, who is the founder of After-School All-Stars, presented an award to Dawn Dunbar, executive director of the program’s Hawaii chapter, and students from Dole who are part of the after-school program. More than 100 students attended the event, along with some parents.
“In life, you can only be successful if you’re smart,” Schwarzenegger told the students as he stood in front of a lectern. “You have to do your job, do your homework. Say no to drugs, gangs and violence.”
Needless to say, the visit was an amazing surprise and experience for all involved, as this bigger than life figure made time to actually visit something that he has a true passion for, while at the same time recognizing all those who have made his program a success in Hawaii.
Tia Carrere was also there, as she is originally from Hawaii and wanted to be there to honor the students and teachers as well. Schwarzenegger and Carrere are familiar with each other, as they both worked on the 1994 mega hit True Lies.
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