Jun 29, 2011 | Education
Maui students compete in the First Lego League VEX competition
Our children today are more sophisticated at younger ages. They are using advanced technology in their classrooms and are setting directions for themselves even before they enter middle school. To keep up with this trend, building skills in STEM needs to begin at an earlier age.
A recent study by an MIT Aerospace Engineering assistant professor, Dr. Annlisa Weigel, reinforces that point. Weigel’s report, “Survey of Aerospace Student Attitudes,” analyzes causes of a shortage of aerospace engineers.
One element stands out: two-thirds of the engineering students reported they became interested in their career choice before they were teenagers. Weigel found 35 % of the students developed an interest in aerospace engineering when they were 5 to 9 years old; 27% at 10 to 13.
Her study focused on aerospace engineers. But her findings on recruiting students validate the significance of programs that introduce students to STEM at an early age, such as the FIRST LEGO League Robotics programs for students beginning in kindergarten through 3rd grade. Half of the 10 Ke Alahele grants awarded to Maui Robotics programs in 2010-11 were to elementary and intermediate school LEGO League teams.
The MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund is just one of multiple MEDB programs that work to nurture STEM skills in our students. Whether that foundation inspires a student to create the next IPad app for telemedicine, to become the best EV mechanic on Maui, to improve water resources or to grow our own food cost effectively, a STEM education broadens the life-long options for our children.
Fund The Journey
Help to empower Maui County’s youth by joining us for “A Pathway to Our Future” benefit dinner and auction which supports the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund.
Held at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa on Saturday, August 27th, the event will headline Distinguished Educators U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye, his wife Ms. Irene Hirano and Mayor Alan Arakawa and his wife Ann. The Reception will begin at 4:30 pm with hand-on activities for guests and a silent auction; followed by dinner and a live auction at 6:30 pm.
Sponsorships are available and event tickets are $150 per person. For reservations or for more information, contact Maui Economic Development Board, Inc. at 808-875-2300 or visit www.medb.org.
Grantees Progress Report
Fund recipients have been working hard on various STEM-related programs. Here’s a look at their progress.
4-H Dirt Devils
The 4-H Dirt Devils scored big during the 60th annual National Land and Range Judging Contest in Oklahoma City. Members tested their individual and team skills against teams from 38 states evaluating land characteristics (topsoil, subsoil slope and plant life). Team member Tyler Yamada was named National Champion in the Homesite Evaluation, Individual category. In Land Judging 4-H competition, the 4-H Dirt Devils team of Ashley Malek, Devin Vinoray, Jared Shimada and Taylor Hori placed fourth. Ashley Malek placed 8th in the individual category.
4th grade class at Kula Elementary
This past semester, students in Mrs. Gordon’s 4th grade class at Kula Elementary learned how to properly care for their new microscopes, and also worked on identifying and comparing animal cells and plant cells, and identifying protozoa: ameba, paramecium, and euglena.
During the 2nd Annual Maui District Arts and Communication Performance Based Assessment on April 28-29 at UH Maui College, 12 Teams from Baldwin High, Hana High, King Kekaulike High, Maui High, Maui Waena Intermediate and Molokai High competed to create an advertising campaign for a program at UHMC. A five student team from Maui High took first place honors. The winning team included Ryan Bartolome, Kaizzer Fernandez, Eli-Ana Dickson, Aaron Lopez and Regina Prudenciano.
Jun 29, 2011 | Community
Armed with a sense of adventure, students from the Focus Maui Nui Youth Alliance mixed fun and education on Lāna‘i as part of their 2010-2011 capstone event. Alberta de Jetley of the Coalition for a Drug Free Lāna‘i “played” tour guide, using her nonprofit’s van to give the 10 participating teenagers a taste of her home island. They explored the Lāna‘i Culture and Heritage Center, visited with Lāna‘i business owners, planted kombucha and watermelon at Bennie’s Farm, and volunteered at The Cat’s Meow, a thrift shop that raises money to benefit the feral cat sanctuary, which de Jetley helped to establish.
“Any kind of program in which we can show the youth their future possibilities, I’m glad to help,” de Jetley said. “We might possibly be the catalyst or spark plug that leads them to their future endeavors.” The students also enjoyed swimming, hiking and a barbecue at a Lāna‘i campground where the island’s aloha spirit came alive when several residents stopped by to offer the youth some treats. “It was so much fun,” said Willow Krause, who just completed her first year as coordinator of the Youth Alliance. “It really did feel like a culminating activity in which there was a lot of learning and bonding with the kids.”
A 1998 Baldwin High School graduate, Krause said she was impressed with this school year’s Youth Alliance students. “They’re just so much more focused than I was at their age. They have plans for college, ideas on what’s next in their future and even what professions they want to learn about.” Krause said the students show a lot of openness toward new things, even on Lāna‘i where for some of them it was a first-time visit. “They’re just ready to jump in and learn new things.” All together, nearly 40 students in grades 9 to 12, including one home-schooled youth, participated in this year’s Youth Alliance activities. Recruiting for next school year begins in August. For more information, contact Krause at willow[at]medb[dot]org.
Jun 22, 2011 | Environment, Sustainability
Derrick Sonoda of Hawaii Energy
Qualifying nonprofits and small businesses can help save the environment, and save money too, by acting fast to accept a free offer by enrolling in a new energy initiative. The first shipment of energy-saving LED lamps gets distributed this week to participants in the Lighting the Future program. The program, coordinated by Hawaii Energy, aims to raise awareness for the need to reduce dependence on imported oil, keeping money in our economy and conserving our resources. Lighting is the second-largest energy expense for most Hawaii small businesses—the largest is air conditioning, according to Hawaii Energy Director of Operations Derrick Sonoda.
For lighting, Hawaii Energy and its partner, Toshiba, are offering LED lamps at no cost to qualified small businesses and nonprofit organizations. Participants agree to install the new lighting technology prior to June 30. More than 200 entities across the state have taken up the offer. “It’s tremendous,” Sonoda says of the response so far. Qualified businesses and nonprofits should go to www.hawaiienergy.com for more information.
Each LED lamp provides an estimated 30,000 hours of light compared to 2,000 hours for a conventional incandescent light bulb. A LED lamp lasts between six and seven years before it needs to be replaced. Qualified businesses and nonprofits can ask for as many LED lamps as they need to install. “If you can screw in a light bulb, you can get energy savings,” Sonoda said. He said energy costs affect prices of all kinds of goods, including one of Hawaii’s favorite indulgences. “Everything is so dependent in the state on oil, even the price of Spam musubi is affected.”
Also supporting this energy-saving initiative are Hawaii Energy’s distribution partners, who have agreed to provide assistance in getting the LED lamps to the participating businesses and nonprofits. The Maui Economic Development Board is one of many that have agreed to serve as a distribution center for the LED lamps. Sonoda said community support is crucial to Lighting the Future’s success. “If we don’t tackle this as a community, it will kill us… we really need to be less tied to oil.”
Jun 16, 2011 | Community, Events
This week, as the Maui Film Festival begins, movies will pay tribute to people who take effective action for a better world. It’s what the Film Festival Founder and Co- Director Barry Rivers said has been always been the focus of the annual event that entertains and enlightens Maui audiences. “The intent is to address issues that include the environment and the interpersonal relations of the people in the islands,” he said. “At the end of the day, we want to share a window on the world that they may not have seen yet.”
The Festival runs June 15-19, with movies playing at the Celestial Cinema in Wailea and at the Castle Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. More information is available at www.mauifilmfestival.com. Children 12 and younger are admitted free on opening night and the closing day of film showings. There are also special events featuring award presentations for outstanding artists, actors and moviemakers, a Taste of Chocolate experience and a panel discussion by filmmakers. This year’s movie lineup includes six films with a Hawaii connection. All the movies attempt to entertain while seeking truth and shedding light on stories and issues, which is the core of the mission of the Maui Film Festival. “It is this belief in the power of creativity that gives the Maui Film Festival its character, its energy and its soul.”
Rivers and his wife, Stella, who live in Haiku, have received accolades for their event, now making its 12th run on Maui. The Celestial Cinema setting in Wailea is a deliberate part of the festival’s vision of showcasing movies in the natural beauty of the island. “Visitors and residents alike tell me that this is the most unbelievable movie-going experience,” Rivers explains, adding that many plan their vacation schedule or entertainment budget around the festival. Rivers credits sheer willpower and the passion and energy of some 300 people, many of whom are volunteers, for the success of the festival.
Jun 9, 2011 | Community
Continuing our series on newly appointed County Department Directors, reflecting the role of government in responding to community values and needs.
“As an avid photographer, I truly appreciate the breathtaking landscapes of Maui. Protecting them, preserving view planes, and making common sense decisions to limit human impacts on our environment are close to my heart,” says Will Spence, the new County Director of Planning. Among Spence’s priorities are streamlining the permitting process and reviewing procedures to simplify the application and approval process. “Regulation needs to serve a purpose,” observes Spence. “Without appreciable environmental protections or community benefits, putting our residents through a costly, lengthy, or complicated process for its own sake makes little sense.”
Spence’s philosophy is to provide opportunities and incentives for encouraging “smart” development—for example, in existing urban areas and locations identified in the Maui County Plan. Spence points out that the basis of Maui County’s zoning code was established in the 1960s, when most development was focused on large projects – resorts, hotels, and condominiums, and major infrastructure. The permitting process has always reflected this history so that it has not been as nimble or as customized as citizens would like, and it has left out the little guy, says Spence. “The planning process needs to be user-friendly and adaptable, and reflect community priorities like supporting a diverse and sustainable economy, preserving the environment, recognizing cultural sensitivities, and simply reflecting human needs. It should also reflect the era of the internet and modern technology.”
With a planning degree, Spence has worked on Maui in the field for almost 20 years, both as a planner for the County and in the private sector as a consultant. “One of the things I particularly appreciate about my role now is that the County Department Directors work very collaboratively – we talk to each other all the time, and that really helps get things done.”
