Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™ Program announced that Grammy award-winning Maui High and STEMworks alumnus Jason Baum will be one of the keynote speakers for the 15th Annual Hawaii STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Conference. Taking place on April 4-5 at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu, the conference is presented each year by MEDB to inspire Hawaii’s middle and high school students to study and pursue careers in STEM fields by giving them opportunities to learn directly from industry professionals.
“MEDB is proud to present the 15th Annual Hawaii STEM Conference,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President & CEO. “We are also honored to have Jason Baum speak to attendees about his career in creative media. We expect over 500 student participants this year from both public and independent schools statewide. Virtually every field in every sector of the economy, whether a small business or major industry, needs STEM professionals. Preparing our youth to be resilient, well-educated, and self-directed learners is at the heart of all MEDB’s STEMworks programs. That is what this conference is all about.”
In addition to the keynote talks, the conference will offer students and teachers professional development sessions on over 20 different STEM topics. Led by industry experts, the session topics will include aerospace engineering and aviation, ChatGPT, AI (artificial intelligence), coding, cybersecurity, and more. Students will also have access to the latest technologies to showcase their skills.
“Pre-conference competitions are currently underway and are open to all K-12 students in Hawaii,” said Katie Taladay, STEMworks Program Manager. “Plus, student conference attendees will be able to participate in on-site competitions and activities, such as video game design, anti-vaping health, renewable energy innovation, ecosystem conservation, short film production, and others.”
In addition, students and teachers will have the chance to talk story with industry professionals. During a more structured 5×5 networking session, students and professionals will be able to chat about STEM career pathways. Taladay added, “Registration for the 15th Annual Hawaii STEM Conference is currently open for students and teachers. STEM industry professionals are also invited to register to participate as speakers or exhibitors.” More information can be found online at https://www.hawaiistemconference.org/.
Seeing Jason Baum and other STEMworks alumni, who are in their own careers now, coming back to our events to give other students the opportunities they were given, is priceless!
Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President & CEO
Observing Women’s History Month during March, Maui Economic Development Board celebrates revered poet and activist Dana Naone Hall, who was recently named the Hawaii Land Trust 2023 Champion of the Land.
A $3.2 million gift from the Laurence H. Dorcy Hawaiian Foundation established a new Hawaiian studies chair at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Hawai’inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge. In 2020, the Dana Naone Hall Endowed Chair in Hawaiian Studies, Literature and the Environment was named in her honor.
Hawai’inuiākea Dean Jonathan Osorio said, “Through this endowment, we teach new generations of Hawaiians about their ancestors who honed social, environmental and cultural management skills over a thousand years. Powerful, fearless community leaders like Dana Naone Hall have been key to the perpetuation of Hawaiian knowledge over the last 50 years, as they worked tirelessly to protect our oceans, streams and forests from urbanization and tourist-driven development.
A graduate of Kamehameha Schools and UH Manoa, Naone Hall writes about the inexhaustible relationship of the Hawaiian people to their native land. Among her many contributions is Life of the Land: Articulations of a Native Writer, covering more than three decades of her political and cultural engagement in public, federal, state and county processes.
In her book, Naone Hall defines activism as, “99 percent trench work.” She encourages engagement to benefit the life of the land by protecting and restoring cultural sites across the islands. She says, “This ensures that the life of the land will continue to be perpetuated for future generations.” Naone Hall seeks to leaven polemical language with poetic expressions of aloha ‘aina and conveys as much pertinent information as possible to aid those in decision-making positions. In her poem Keone’o’io Fishpond, she writes, “If you do not see / how those here raised / the soft-nosed needlefish, / Look again.”
University of Hawaii President David Lassner said, “We are humbled and honored to have this new endowed chair honoring such an influential and inspirational educator and advocate as Naone Hall. She will have an impact stretching across generations that will infuse new energy into the application of Hawaiian knowledge, enriching not only our Hawaiian communities, but our world.”
Naone Hall’s political activism culminated in the protection of numerous sacred places. She challenges us all to reflect on our values, to live them, and to act.
Jonathan Osorio, Dean, UH Manoa Hawai’inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge
Black History Month honors the achievements, triumphs, and contributions of African- Americans to U.S. history and culture. As we recognize and reflect on influential voices, past and present, and also enter Women in History month in March, Maui Economic Development Board celebrates Maui resident Judge Bevanne J. Bowers. Appointed Per Diem Judge in the District and Family Courts of Hawaii’s Second Judicial District on December 20, 2021, Bowers became the first African-American female appointed judge in Maui County. She is also a member of the Maui County Bar Association, the African American Law Association of Hawaii, Maui County Nonprofit Association, and much more.
Additionally, Bowers was appointed Executive Director of Maui Mediation Services in May 2015. Formed in 1982, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization provides alternative dispute resolution, facilitation, and training to residents of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. The nonprofit was selected as Maui United Way’s Partner Agency of the Year for 2019-20. Upon moving to Maui from Tennessee in 2011 to start her own law practice, Bowers took the basic mediation training and became a volunteer to help serve the community. “It’s the best decision I ever made,” she explained. “Mediation is a voluntary process that offers an effective and inexpensive way to resolve a dispute quickly and provides an alternative to court proceedings.”
Bower’s dedication to helping others was honored in 2020 with a distinguished O’o Award as Maui County’s Outstanding Nonprofit Executive Director. “Our mediators are all professionally trained volunteers who have undergone extensive training, “she said. “We provide creative ways of resolving all types of disputes, from family matters and landlord/tenant conflicts to consumer/merchant and employment issues. We help people find their own best solutions, and also teach conflict resolution skills in our Youth Program for ages 8-18.”
Bowers added, “Everyone should take this training! Even if you don’t want to become a mediator, these important skills can be used in any context, anytime, in all types of situations. It’s an opportunity to make a difference. My judgeship is a privilege I don’t take lightly. My joy has always come from helping others. There’s no greater gift you can give than to be of service.”
Never give up! You can accomplish what you set out to do if only you believe in yourself.
Judge Bevanne Bowers, Per Diem Judge, District and Family Courts of Hawaii’s Second Judicial District
The Maui Quilt Shop on Central Avenue in Wailuku is packed full of fabrics, quilt patterns, and quilt kits with a contemporary Hawaiian style, besides patterns and kits for basic quilting. In this distinctive Maui store, a haven for any quilter and fabric lover,a remarkable humanitarian gesture occurred. Owner Marilyn Sameshima shared, “I am astounded by the generous and beautiful quilt donations that came to the Maui Quilt Shop’s Aloha Quilt Donation Drive for those affected by the Lahaina and Upcountry fires. The Maui Quilt Shop received approximately 5,650 quilts from Hawaii and around the world! To date we have distributed over 5,000. The fire recipients are very appreciative and touched by the quilts. They will always hold this expression of caring dear to their hearts. My incredible staff and volunteers assisted in the effort and their continued support and endless hours of work contributed to the success of the mission.”
In addition to the quilts, people donated blankets, pillowcases, and other items made by quilters and guilds from across the country, Canada and worldwide, to distribute to survivors in Lahaina and Kula. “Survivors continue to visit us to pick up these treasures given to them by generous people in their time of need,” Sameshima noted. “We send our thanks to those who kept Maui in mind. We hope the entire community will continue to remember our survivors and donate to other recognized groups such as the Maui Food Bank, Maui Strong Fund, and Maui United Way.”
Sameshima knows how much time, effort, expense and tender loving care goes into making quilts. She continues to be awed by the worldwide response of donations. “These handmade quilts were made with loving hands,” she added. “The donated quilts have been, and continue to be, appreciated by the survivors of this horrible fire. They have also been received by first responders, firefighters, and their families. Many of them also lost their homes and loved ones. Using a grass-roots network to get the word out that quilts are available, we were able to make sure they found caring homes.”
Mahalo to all who contributed to our Aloha Quilts Donation Drive. Thank you for caring about Maui!
Marilyn Sameshima, Owner, Maui Quilt Shop
The Spirit Horse Ranch (TSHR) Inc., a 501(c)(3) Maui nonprofit, helps adolescent and other survivors of abuse and trauma through the healing energy of equine-assisted learning, organic gardening, creative expression, and the healing energy of the Haleakala setting. Operated by the Deponte family, TSHR began in 2021 on Triple L Ranch. It is one of the few remaining Paniolo cattle ranches on Maui with 132 acres of lush land on the mountain slopes. The program is fueled by a certified and dedicated team, with facilities and curriculum to ensure a safe environment. It also serves as a sanctuary for the retired Triple L Ranch horses to love and be loved.
“A growing body of evidence suggests that the unique human-horse connection improves the physical and mental health of both species,” said Paige Deponte, TSHR Founder and Executive Director. “As the horse and person bond, a healthy connection via self-awareness grows, resulting in emotional healing. Our programs are centered on the concept that by building a working relationship with a horse, any participant can develop important skills that can translate to all aspects of their daily lives.”
The TSHR team and Trauma Informed Care Facility are available to survivors of abuse, grief and trauma in the Maui community. The work fosters healing, resilience and emotional well-being to all those who have endured painful experiences, including the hardship from the Maui wildfires. The ranch has extended the scope of their program to encompass all age groups, free of charge, with a special day dedicated to first responders and those caring for the welfare of others. Through their different initiatives, TSHR addresses distress in a holistic manner, integrating both emotional and physiological aspects of healing.
“To date, we have provided 533 sessions to the community since the wildfires, and will continue to be here for anyone who needs help,” Deponte added. “We have seen the unique reciprocal bond between the two species continue to thrive, grow and surprise. To help rebuild our community’s resilience, we invite our Maui ‘ohana to come and learn effective coping tools here at our ranch.”For more info email: info@thespirithorseranch.org or call 808-280-7070.
TSHR Equine Therapy Program for children 11-17 is open to all agencies and schools, beginning January 2024.
Paige DePonte
Founder & Executive Director
The Spirit Horse Ranch
