Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream non-profit organization, with the support of the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, has brought its Always Reading program to two elementary schools in Lahaina this school year – King Kamehameha III and Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary – expanding its Maui County presence. The Always Reading program provides families of pre-K and kindergarten students with tablets, a digital children’s library, and local book coaches who teach families how to use the tablet and provide ongoing encouragement, strategies, and accountability. These efforts broaden children’s access to books, increase at-home reading time, and engage family members in their children’s learning journeys.
Olympic gold medalist, author, and philanthropist Kristi Yamaguchi founded Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream in 1996, with the Always Reading program launching in 2012. Today, in addition to the two Lahaina schools, the organization is partnered with three elementary schools on Molokaʻi, four on Hawaiʻi island, and 10 on Oʻahu. This year, Always Dream expects to serve over 2,400 children and their families across the state. “We are honored to be welcomed by Complex Area Superintendent Winkie to provide students and families of Lahaina with the tools and support to build strong reading routines at home,” Kristi commented.
Ian Haskins, the principal of King Kamehameha III Elementary, shared, “We are pleased to have the Always Dream reading program in our school for our kindergarten and preschool students and families. The program will be beneficial by providing access and relevance for the importance of reading to children at a young age.” He added that “the purpose is to build language, literacy, and social skills that promote a healthy brain development, leading to success in school.”
This year marks Always Dream’s 10th anniversary of serving keiki in Hawaiʻi. For over 30 years, Kristi has considered Hawaiʻi a second home, with people across the state offering her support during her skating career. When it came time to expand the Always Reading program outside of California, Hawaiʻi was first on the list. Kristi wanted to make an impact in the communities that have shown her so much aloha. Outside of Hawaiʻi, Always Dream partners with 17 schools in the California Bay Area, with plans to serve 10,000 individuals in California and Hawaiʻi annually by 2027. For more information, visit alwaysdream.org.
Our hope is that our Always Reading program offers a sense of stability for families during this school year as a small part of the community’s journey toward healing.
Kristi Yamaguchi,
Founder and Board Chair
Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream
After moving from Texas to Hilo at age thirteen, Jill Engledow arrived on Maui in 1968 already in love with Hawaiʻi—its land, people, and culture. As an award-winning author and journalist, for years she has written nonfiction about Maui, from news stories to books. After working as a reporter for the Maui News from 1980 to 1998, Engledow turned to freelance writing, mainly about historical Maui events and the local culture.
Engledow’s nonfiction books include Haleakalā: A History of the Maui Mountain, for which she was awarded a 2013 Independent Book Publisher Award. In addition, her book Sugarcane Days: Remembering Maui’s Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company won a Preservation Honor Award from the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation.
Another of Engledow’s books, The Story of Lahaina, has been in great demand again. “People have been sending me notes of appreciation for writing it because they want to remember the Lahaina they loved so much,” she said. “I have recently added a chapter at the end about the 2023 wildfires. It was such a tragic event and such a huge loss. My heart and prayers go out to all those affected as I, along with many, look forward to Lahaina’s restoration.”
Currently, Engledow is working on novels, using what she has learned about this “world’s best island” to tell tales about women making lives for themselves on Maui in years gone by. “I love to tell a story,” she emphasized, “and Maui is an amazing place with an incredible history. Fiction is new for me. It takes a long time to come up with a plot. However, through my knowledge and local experiences, the Women on Maui trilogy was born.”
The trilogy begins with The Island Decides, a 1971 story about single-mom Carrie Ann Emerson’s search for her lost daughter and how they end up on Maui. In the sequel, A Dollar and Love, the story continues with Carrie and her daughter, Rorie, living in rural Makawao. Finally, in Rose’s War, an Upcountry Maui woman’s friend and farm manager is unjustly suspected of being a Japanese spy during WWII. All of Engledow’s books are available on Amazon.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary on Maui, the annual AMOS Conference – renowned globally for bringing together leading experts, researchers, and practitioners from space-related fields – was presented in September in Wailea. The conference welcomed 150 middle school students, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) educators, and Maui High School robotics students for a Space Exploration Day event run by Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks team. The students were thrilled to meet former astronaut and current Deputy Administrator of NASA, Pam Melroy, who logged more than 38 days in space while working to assemble the International Space Station and is one of only two women to have commanded a space shuttle. The students also explored the conference exhibit hall and engaged in hands-on STEM activities led by space industry experts.
“It’s an honor to be here,” Melroy said. “It’s important to connect with the next generation and get them interested in space-related issues. There are great things happening right now. Artemis will launch soon, SpaceX is doing incredible things, we are going back to the Moon, to Mars, and more. Maybe someone here right now will be the first one on Mars!”
Melroy added, “Being in space brings on feelings of stewardship, sustainability, and respect for our planet. From space you can see the edge of the horizon. There is a thin blue line around it—the atmosphere—everything that keeps us alive is there. We need to care for all of it.”
Lori Koyama, Lahaina Intermediate School teacher, said, “It’s amazing to bring students to this event and expose them to career pathways that exist for their future in Hawai’i. They experienced new opportunities they didn’t even know existed.”
Lilyanne, Maui Waena Intermediate student, shared, “I learned that space exploration has led to many technologies that are used in everyday life including internet, banking, health benefits, and much more. This whole experience, meeting Pam Melroy and doing STEM activities is incredible!”
Liam, a Maui High robotics student, said, “Pam Melroy’s description of what she’s done in her life and the skills and traits she’s developed showed the effort and time you have to put in to do something like this. She showed us the work in school we need to do to accomplish such tasks, and that there is a job for each of us. We are all inspired today!”
It will be students in this age group that I am talking to today who will explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all.
Pam Melroy,
Astronaut and Deputy Administrator,
NASA
Thirty-eight delegates, including fourteen Hawaiʻi-based, participated in the 7th EMER-GEN® Program, presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) in September. A joint initiative of the AMOS Conference and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), the program is designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship especially for young professionals and students who are enthusiastic about careers in space.
“The program encourages participants to think creatively, collaborate in teams, and develop innovative solutions at both a technological level and a policy level,” said Annette Lynch, MEDB Director of Communications. “The diverse range of activities and speakers helps participants enhance both their technical expertise and leadership capabilities.”
Maui resident Matthew Lugo, a Privateer Space engineer, EMER-GEN alumnus, and member of the EMER-GEN planning committee, emphasized, “EMER-GEN is also known for its focus on Hawaiian cultural subjects. I feel it’s important for those in the space industry to be stewards of the Earth environment as well. Space technologies should benefit the sustainability of the planet.”
Lugo continued, “This year, along with two international SGAC representatives, we invited Michael Nāhoʻopiʻi, Executive Director of Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) to share an update about the island. The island of Kahoʻolawe is just seven miles off the coast of Maui. It is managed by the KIRC team, who are working towards a restoration of the island.”
Nāhoʻopiʻi explained, “The history and culture of Kahoʻolawe is indeed rich. It is believed to have been inhabited since about 400 A.D., and the abundance of historical and archeological sites paints a picture of the island as a navigational center for voyaging and a center for agriculture. Modern times have been less kind. The island has been home to a penal colony, a sheep and cattle ranch, and a U.S. Navy bombing range. Those land uses were detrimental to the island’s delicate ecosystem and led to severe habitat degradation. The KIRC team has taken on the challenge to restore these habitats with on-the-ground hard work coordinated by expert assistance. In addition to physically restoring the island of Kahoʻolawe, we are undertaking the cultural restoration of the island.”
Space exploration provides us with more information about protecting our planet, our environment, and improving our day-to-day lives. Everything is connected!
Michael Nāhoʻopiʻi
Executive Director
Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission
As part of preparations and festivities for the upcoming Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner and Auction, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is now accepting applications for the Daniel K. Inouye Innovation Award. This award honors student projects that demonstrate the most innovative uses of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in service of the community.
To support award recipients as they continue to learn and grow as STEM innovators, the winning individual or team will receive $5,000. Maui County public school students in grades 6-12 (as well as 2024 high school graduates) are eligible to apply. Interested students should submit their projects online prior to 11:59 pm on October 13 to be considered for the award. The submission form and more details are available here: https://shorturl.at/tdVOy.
MEDB also continues to accept seat reservations, auction donations, and sponsors for the Ke Alahele event. This annual fundraiser provides an unforgettable evening and also raises critical funds for STEM education programs and educators throughout Maui County. These programs, serving students from kindergarten to career, help build stronger career pathways for Maui Nui residents. By attending the dinner, community members are helping to shape a brighter future for Maui Nui’s youth.
Guests attending the fundraiser can also enjoy an exclusive room rate (starting at $349 for a garden view room) at the Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, available for stays from Friday, October 25, to Sunday, October 27. This offer ends on October 7. For room reservations, contact Mary Osorno at Mary.Osorno@waileabeachresort.com or call 808-874-7879.
For more information and to book seats at the Ke Alahele fundraising dinner on October 26, visit www.medbpathways.org.
Part of MEDB’s mission is to empower the next generation of innovators. The Ke Alahele Education Fund Dinner and Auction celebrates that mission, bringing our community together to support vital STEM programs that change lives.
Leslie Wilkins
President and CEO
Maui Economic Development Board
