Dec 1, 2011 | Education, Stemworks
Eleventh-grader Cheska Liwag never dreamed of a career in engineering until she enrolled in the Maui High School robotics program. Robotics has been at the heart of many opportunities for Cheska, one of 45 students at Maui High immersed in robotics and in competitions across the county and in the state. “Robotics has helped me to grow and make new friends. I’ve learned a lot about team work and what it takes to compete,” Liwag said. The Maui High School Robotics Program is one of a dozen recipients receiving grants totaling more than $51,000 in the final quarter of 2011. Funding comes from the Maui Economic Development Board’s Ke Alahele Education Fund.
The latest distribution of funds has gone to support a variety of programs that encourage hands-on experiences and learning in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields. The money enables students to compete in state robotics tournaments, provides professional development for teachers and helps to procure needed equipment for various projects in science and technology. For Maui High, the grant money has been the means to compete at the upcoming Pan Pacific tournament on Oahu. Liwag serves as captain on a team of six students from her school. “We’re excited,” she said.
Among others receiving grants this past quarter are:
Molokai Robotics (FIRST Lego League), $4,991; to support three teams from Kaunakakai Elementary and Kualapu’u Elementary schools to compete in a Maui tournament, as well as robotics equipment and supplies.
Kalama Intermediate School PLUG-INN project (Problem- Based Learning Using Geodatabases: Innovative Native Network), $5,000; for STEM collaboration between Kalama students and schools in Alaska, including shoreline field trips, use of GIS wireless technologies, and shared collaborative data analysis.
Maui Navigators (FIRST Lego League), $3,655; for robotics equipment and supplies for Central Maui robotics club for 9-14 year olds.
Hawaii State Science Olympiad, $5,000; for participation by approximately 200 students from 10 Maui County schools in statewide hands-on, team-based science competition and program.
Iao School VEX Robotics program, $3,989; for competition by middle school team at VEX competition at the Maui Fair and regional tournament on Oahu.
Nov 24, 2011 | Small Business
As we recently celebrated Veterans Day and are mindful of the service given to our nation by members of our armed forces, disabled Iraq veteran and entrepreneur, Chelsea Ann K.E. Fernandez, is fulfilling a dream of serving the disabled community of Maui. The president and co-founder of FernanTECH Inc., Fernandez and her husband, Joey, are opening a new branch called Hawaii Assistive Technology Company. Its mission will be to provide people with disabilities a chance to live independently with the use of technology. “It was always in my heart to help the disabled,” Fernandez said.
At age 14, Fernandez, a graduate of Hilo High School, saw her two-month-old sister die in part because of complications from both physical deformities and Down syndrome. Fernandez said she vowed that she would do what she could in her adult years to support impaired youth and adults. Her vision is to find technological devices that assist the deaf, the blind and the disabled in everyday living, concentrating on education and communication. “The range is so wide,” she said, adding that products could include walking canes for the blind and iPads for autistic children. Fernandez was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Syndrome Disorder as a result of her service in the U.S. Army Reserve and a tour in Iraq. Following her year of military service in 2004, she moved to Maui in 2006 and established FernanTECH Inc. She also earned an associate degree in business from the University of Hawaii Maui College and earned certificates in entrepreneurship, management, marketing and accounting.
The current treasurer of the Maui Lions Club, Fernandez has made connections with the group that empowers volunteers to encourage the deaf and the blind. Fernandez also started the Maui Deaf Club and she’s partnered with the Hawaii Independent Living Center on Maui and a panel of service providers for the disabled to learn more about the community she wants to serve. She has invested some $10,000 in educating herself about the needs of the disabled including registering for a February 2012 international conference sponsored by the California State University. “I really want to do this,” Fernandez said.
Nov 17, 2011 | Small Business
Valley Isle Gymnastics is not just Maui’s longest-lived gymnastics training center offering wholesome and healthy activities for young athletes of all skill levels in a fun and safe atmosphere. Once again this September, the gym hosted the Special Olympics Cartwheel Festival, which has raised $26,500 for Special Olympics Maui over the last eight years. Being involved in voluntary community service has resulted in numerous awards and recognitions, and Valley Isle Gymnastics’ success as an enterprise as has brought it the Maui County Small Business of the Year Award.
Founder and co-owner of Valley Isle Gymnastics, Rusty Gage, believes his business also stands out because of the honesty and character in its members and staff. “I think our business has been successful because its foundation is based on work ethic and passion,” said Gage. “I’m thrilled to have staff members with spirit, in a world where workplace complacency is all too common.” The gym goes to great lengths to screen potential staff members and seek the most positive character traits. “Character and integrity probably best sums up our daily operations.” Gage believes business success is down to “implementing and knowing your craft, knowing how to be financially responsible with the business, and knowing how to relate to the clients who are responsible for your existence.”
Gage moved to Maui from Texas, where he ran a similar business. In pursuing his dream of living in the tropics, Gage now has nine employees and the center currently serves nearly 500 young athletes from infants to 18, offering developmental, recreational and competitive gymnastics. “We do not seek to convert every young person into becoming a gymnast,” Gage said. “Rather, we seek to motivate and encourage Maui’s youth to explore the fun things their bodies can do, and to challenge themselves while ensuring that they know the option to become more of a focused gymnast is always available.”
Nov 10, 2011 | Community
Members of the Focus Maui Nui Youth Alliance kicked off the 2011 program year by carrying out a key strategy in protecting the island’s natural environment. With the help of adult environmental experts and volunteers, the high school students combed Kamaole III Beach Park in Kihei while engaging in lessons about the importance of sea birds to Maui’s natural habitat and assisting in catching and banding shearwater chicks in burrows by the beach. The event held on October 22 also covered activities on the scientific significance of beach dunes and what kind of community action is being taken to protect and preserve the island’s sandy shores.
“The kids were great,” coastal geologist Tara Miller Owens said. “I think they learned a lot. Hopefully they’re going home and teaching their families.” Jay Penniman, manager of the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project, said he felt hopeful after receiving help from the students with catching and banding the young sea birds. “We need to be teaching our young people about the ʻāina (land) and how to take care of all the species that live here.” Also on hand were community activists Bob and Lis Richardson who spoke about creating the volunteer organization The Dune Restoration Project.
For Owens, it was key that the youth participating in the event understand the beach processes and the importance of healthy dunes. She said discussions about dunes brought awareness to those who can do something about it in the future. “When you’ve grown up on this island, sometimes you think things are obvious but that’s not necessarily so. I’m glad we were able to raise awareness so they can take action,” she said. Penniman shared the same sentiments, saying he hopes the students will contemplate studying the importance of preserving natural resources, perhaps even undertaking a college degree program to learn more. “The more we understand how our environment works, the better we can be about protecting and preserving,” he said.
Nov 3, 2011 | Community
Continuing our series on newly appointed County Department Directors, reflecting the role of government in responding to community values and needs.
Maui County Finance Director Danny Agsalog left his native home of the Philippines in 1979 to establish a new life on the Valley Isle. His work experience started with two jobs, one as a full-time supermarket stock boy and a part-time restaurant dishwasher in Wailuku. That led to enlistment in the United States Air Force and then the Air National Guard, followed by enrollment and completion of studies at the University of Hawaii at West Oahu in 1995. These experiences eventually led to two years of service as County Budget Director during Mayor Alan Arakawa’s first term in the early 2000s. Now, Agsalog has been tapped to work as the Finance Director, overseeing approximately 156 employees including those in the Division of Motor Vehicle and Real Property Taxes.
Agsalog calls his career and education journey “nontraditional” but one that involved a lot of determination and desire to serve the Maui community. “I’ve always loved Maui. Maui is no ka oi,” he says. In regard to direct service with the public, Agsalog explains he has invested money and time into customer service training and management workshops for DMV employees. He says public perceptions and feedback have improved since the work force training was offered. “It’s really about how you deal with people and just talking to the staff about the importance of customer service has helped.”
In the Real Property Taxes Division, Agsalog gives credit to staffers for their due diligence that has reduced appeals from as many as 2,000 last year to less than 800 this year. “I will not take the credit for this. We have a lot of professional people making great effort to getting things right the first time.” The purchasing section of the Finance Department has also made strides. Agsalog says employees there deal with Maui County contractors, monitoring work orders and ensuring that any changes are justifiable and necessary. “I want to be accountable to the people of Maui,” Agsalog said. “It’s important we evaluate what we’re spending and hold ourselves accountable because it’s the people’s money.”
Eleventh-grader Cheska Liwag never dreamed of a career in engineering until she enrolled in the Maui High School robotics program. Robotics has been at the heart of many opportunities for Cheska, one of 45 students at Maui High immersed in robotics and in competitions across the county and in the state. “Robotics has helped me to grow and make new friends. I’ve learned a lot about team work and what it takes to compete,” Liwag said. The Maui High School Robotics Program is one of a dozen recipients receiving grants totaling more than $51,000 in the final quarter of 2011. Funding comes from the Maui Economic Development Board’s Ke Alahele Education Fund.
