Tony Lenchanko presents his business idea on final day of an entrepreneurship class at Kapi’olani Community College.

HONOLULU (May 30, 2012) - An effort to help Native Hawaiians earn a living from their passions is gaining appeal at Kapi'olani Community College.

The number of students taking the college's seven-week entrepreneurship class, funded by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, nearly tripled last year.

Behind the numbers are people like 57-year-old Tony Lenchanko, a career flight attendant who took the class to help develop his "jet-ski-boat" idea