STEMworks™, a program of Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), is gearing up for its 16th Annual Hawaiʻi STEM Conference (HSC), a two-day learning and networking event for students, teachers, and industry professionals. This year, HSC will be held at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center in Honolulu on March 24 and 25. It is open to middle and high school students statewide as well as K-12 teachers. Industry professionals are also invited to participate as exhibitors, breakout session presenters, networking event speakers, and sponsors.
Reflecting on the value of the event for students, one 8th grader who participated in HSC in 2024 shared, “Students would really benefit from attending conferences in general to meet new people and have practice with the protocols of attending conferences to gain information for their future.” A 7th grader from Lahaina who also attended HSC in 2024 commented, “The most interesting thing I learned during the conference was to get out of my comfort zone and try new things.”
Local industry professionals from a wide variety of STEM fields lead breakout sessions for students and teachers, provide interactive activities in the exhibit hall, and offer career and post-secondary education advice during networking opportunities. Breakout session topics include AI, forensic science, healthcare, computer programming, game design, agriculture, and creative media. Through these hands-on sessions, students discover career pathways and fields of study they may never have considered before the event.
A senior interested in healthcare shared about their experience during the 2024 HSC: “I learned about how to design games and code! I never took an interest before but now I got the opportunity to learn, I love it!” After hearing about the experiences of STEM experts at the conference, a junior also observed, “you don’t have to stick to one thing. I’m just starting my own career journey, and I’m making my own decisions and pathway.”
Registration is open for students and teachers, and STEMworks is also accepting session proposals and exhibitor registration from industry professionals who would like to take part in the event. More information can be found on the HSC website, https://www.hawaiistemconference.org/.
The students having access to industry professionals in STEM fields and being able to attend this type of event is a blessing for our students from Molokai who rarely have these types of opportunities.
Gandharva Mahina Hou Ross, Hawaiian Language Immersion Teacher, Molokai High School
Something new is changing lives at Venture Physical Therapy (VPT), also known as Venture Rehab. A family run small business started in 2008 and now with three clinics on Maui and the sole physical therapy (PT) practice on Lānaʻi, VPT clinics are the only ones in the state that currently utilize exoskeleton technology from Ekso Bionics. By developing wearable robotics to assist patients who have lost mobility, Ekso is helping thousands of individuals take millions of Ekso-aided steps.
Ekso’s robotic exoskeleton, EksoSkeleton, is designed to reteach the brain and muscles to properly walk again. It allows patients who are unable to walk to experience walking safely and also helps individuals who are able to walk to regain a natural gait. FDA-approved for a wide variety of conditions that affect mobility, including brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, neuropathy, and multiple sclerosis, the EksoSkeleton allows patients to practice balancing, shifting weight, squatting, walking backwards, and stepping in place.
“The Ekso is exciting because it represents a level of technology and care not seen in the state before,” said Dr. Ted Anderson, owner of VPT and winner of the 2022 Mayor’s Small Business Award. “It provides a huge opportunity to continue to strengthen neural pathways long after muscles fatigue. Plus, the incredible thing about the Ekso is watching the overwhelming joy of patients and their families as they take their first steps.”
VPT physical therapist Talia Petersen shared, “The Ekso is a wonderful representation of how technology and physiology come together to elevate our treatment. It is specially programmed to both support and challenge the patient to improve their walking pattern.”
Lisa Selman noted about her sister Sharon’s physical therapy, “This exoskeleton was a game-changer for my sister, who was diagnosed with severe traumatic brain injury and left-side injuries from a pedestrian accident. It kick-started her recovery by reestablishing the brain-body signals and connections. To have had access to such amazing rehabilitation technology through Venture Rehab has made a huge difference in her ability to use a walker and regain greater mobility and independence.”
For more information, go to venturerehab.com or follow VPT on social media, @venturerehab.
With the help of a wearable robotic exoskeleton, mobilization can begin. There are a lot of happy tears at our Kalama Heights clinic.
Dr. Ted Anderson, Owner and Physical Therapist, Venture Physical Therapy
Junior hospital volunteers, known as Angels, are a testament to the strength and compassion of Maui Nui. Acknowledging that together we can make a difference, the Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC) Volunteer Office offers many opportunities through their Junior Volunteer Program. The program, which allows youth to explore various healthcare careers through volunteer work, started in the summer of 2023. Three students from Maui High School with aspirations to become a doctor, an anesthesiologist, and a medical technician were the first students ready to navigate the workings of a hospital first-hand, not just from a textbook. They were soon joined by nine more students representing five high schools on Maui, and that number keeps growing.
“Our program offers a unique opportunity for students to gain invaluable experience while helping others in need,” said Barbara Potopowitz, MMMC Auxiliary President. “Volunteering offers teenagers opportunities to positively impact their own lives by providing a sense of purpose, building connections, and developing skills. By engaging in hospital work, teens get to experience the numerous career choices available in the hospital environment and receive real-world work experience. We provide the necessary training to ensure success in their volunteer role.”
Any Maui Nui student between the ages of 14 and 18 who can commit to at least 6 hours a month of work at the hospital can join the program. Volunteering options include visiting patients with healthcare providers, distributing snacks, assisting in the gift shop, helping at the information desk, and operating a book cart for patients. Many of these options allow volunteers to observe doctors, nurses, aids, administrators, and technicians in action. Staff representing almost any healthcare occupation that students might be interested in are available for them to learn from.
Xin, a participant from Maui High School, shared, “I am learning valuable lessons in how to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. By creating positive energy, I can make a difference in people’s lives and in the community.”
Since December 2023, the program has also offered scholarships. Potopowitz noted, “The scholarships are named after Ed Quiring, a 90-year-old volunteer who still works closely with the students. The program recognizes volunteers for their hard work and dedication, making them eligible for exclusive scholarships that can support educational goals. We encourage community members to contribute to our tax-deductible scholarship fund.”
Be an Angel! Be a Junior Volunteer and join other students to become part of our MMMC ‘ohana.
Barbara Potopowitz, Auxiliary President, Maui Memorial Medical Center
A new manufacturing center in Pāʻia was the topic of discussion at a recent Maui TechOhana meeting. Presented by Maui Economic Development Board Inc. (MEDB), and supported by the County of Maui, TechOhana meetings provide an informal networking opportunity open to anyone interested in business and technology topics. The Pāʻia Village Company, established in August 2020, is committed to transforming the historic Pāʻia Sugar Mill into a state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing village. The idea to purchase the mill and restore it to a manufacturing center was the brainchild of Dan Ellis, managing partner of Pāʻia Village Company. Ellis and his business partner, Wayne Thibaudeau, presented key aspects of the project during the meeting.
“The Pāʻia Village Company is dedicated to addressing Hawaiʻi’s core needs through the development of a new manufacturing village,” said Thibaudeau. “By integrating modern industry with community values, we aim to ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for all. We hope the community will join us in revitalizing Pāʻia and setting a benchmark for responsible development.”
Ellis explained, “Our vision is to support livable wages, build affordable housing, and revive community spirit, continuing the sugar mill’s 150-year legacy of responsible industry. Some key aspects of the project include developing a cutting-edge manufacturing hub that fosters innovation and provides high-quality employment opportunities…and promoting sustainable agriculture to enhance food security and economic resilience. The Village Center will be a community hub to enrich the lives of residents.”
Jerry Isdale, founder of Maui Makers LLC and long-time TechOhana attendee, said, “This is the beginning of an exciting new era for Pāʻia. Highly skilled workers will have a wonderful place to develop their craft and talents. Ultimately the thing that binds it all together is the communal aspect, a community working together again.”
TechOhana attendee Rachel Campbell shared, “The history of the sugar mill was interesting to learn about. The new Pāʻia Village Center will bring back the culture and traditions of village life. It’s a possibility to return to a more sustainable way of life.”
An Economic Development Administration grant was recently awarded to the non-profit, Maui Advanced Manufacturing Alliance (MAMA), in partnership with MEDB to support this project. The grant will be used for non-construction activities that will pave the way for a successful manufacturing center, including training and apprenticeships, manufacturing sector organizing, and business sustainability planning.
Pāʻia was a company town with a village lifestyle that we hope to re-invent for the future of our families and our community.
Dan Ellis and Wayne Thibaudeau, Managing Partners, Pāʻia Village Company
Maui Economic Development Board wishes you and your ʻohana a healthy holiday season and Happy New Year! As we reflect on the strength of our community in 2024, we will continue to strive to build opportunities for the people of Maui Nui in 2025.
