Aug 29, 2012 | Community
Maui High School senior Cyndi Segundo leaves home for college this fall, but sustains a strong desire to come back one day. “The Youth Alliance inspired me to return to Maui and give back to the community that has nurtured me since I was a small child,” said Segundo, a member of the Class of 2012. She spent four years participating in a wide range of activities with the Youth Alliance, administered by Maui Economic Development Board. “Youth Alliance has been beneficial to me because it helped me develop my leadership skills by designing activities that make me think, ask questions and find solutions.”
Youth Alliance members are encouraged to become leaders for change as they are guided by the Focus Maui Nui vision, values and key strategies for action. In her four years with the Youth Alliance, Segundo has interacted with the Maui County Council. She’s ridden a boat off Ma‘alaea Harbor to view whales and dolphins, taken an overnight trip to Hana and spent a day at The Maui News to see how the island’s only daily newspaper operates. “Each event is a learning experience,” she said. Youth Alliance Project Coordinator Willow Krause looks at what students are interested in and tries to coordinate community service projects and/or educational excursions that will empower them to engage in local events. This past year, students assisted with the annual Maui Food Bank food drive and they provided input at a community forum on revitalizing Wailuku town.
“Students should consider joining Youth Alliance because it’s a way to learn more about the community and what they can do to help,” Segundo said. “Each activity is directed by individuals who are successful in their own fields, which gives students the chance to work with professionals who are willing to share their experiences.” To participate, students must be attending school in grades 9 through 12; the program is also available for home schooled teenagers. For more information, contact Krause at 875-2432, or e-mail: willow@medb.org Deadline to register is Sept. 7.
Aug 22, 2012 | Community
The island’s indigent and uninsured are amongst those being encouraged to take advantage of free health screenings being offered by a group of medical professionals. “Early detection of medical issues can make the difference between life and death,” said Dr. Marcus Griffin, founder of a yearly free screening clinic on Maui. “We are concerned that many people delay visiting doctors because they worry about the cost of a check-up. Our free clinic addresses that concern. It will give people peace of mind and provide early medical intervention for patients who need help.”
The free health screening clinic is set 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Kihei-Wailea Medical Center in the Pi’ilani Village Shopping Center. The clinic will provide cardiology, pulmonary, dermatology, ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynecology, and general health screenings. Blood analysis also will be available along with X-rays, physical therapy, and massage therapy. This is the third year the Kihei-Wailea Medical Center has provided the service. More than 100 people have already taken advantage of the free screening clinics. “People without medical insurance are most at risk of delaying or even foregoing check-ups,” Griffin said. “We want to address that need. “It’s all part of wanting to help our community,” Griffin said. “Our medical center’s mission statement is: ‘Working together to care for our community.’”
The Kihei-Wailea Medical Center is located at the Pi’ilani Village Shopping Center, 221 Pi’ikea Ave., Suite A, Kihei 96753. For more information, call 874-8100. The free clinic’s participating providers include: Kihei-Wailea Medical Center, Clinical Labs of Hawaii, Maui Diagnostic Imaging, Bodies in Motion Physical Therapy, Premier Physical Therapy, Kihei Safeway, Maui Chest Medicine, Dr. Melvin Burton, Dr. Peter Muthard and staff, The Women’s Health Center of Maui, Dr. Benjamin Berry and staff, Aloha Eye Clinic, Dr. Jivin Tantisira and staff, Dermatology and Laser Center of Maui, Dr. George Martin and staff, cardiologist Dr. Howard Barbarosh and Erika Oleska, owner of Green Ti massage therapy.
Jul 18, 2012 | Community, Environment
As a young girl growing up on Maui, Laura Souza Paresa remembers her grandma reciting the rosary in Portuguese. “I asked her to teach me but she said, ‘You’re American, you speak English.’” Now as an adult, Paresa and 14 other active members of the Maui Portuguese Cultural Club learn everything they can about their language, their culture, and the history of Portugal. “The more I researched the history, the more I was amazed,” said Paresa, a four-year Portuguese Club president. “I feel honored to be a descendant of these people.”
The Maui Portuguese Cultural Club spent this year baking loaves of white bread and cinnamon bread and making pots of Portuguese bean soup as part of two separate fundraisers that garnered some $7,000. Club members invested the money in sprucing up the Portuguese model home and surroundings at Kepaniwai Park, where Maui’s multi-cultural history is showcased. In the Portuguese model home, a colorful exhibit traces the country’s history and outlines pictures of Portuguese exports such as copper, crystal and linen, and practices such as festivals honoring Catholic saints. “Most of our traditions are centered on the church,” Paresa said.
Paresa said about 10 percent of Hawaii’s population has Portuguese ancestry, yet not many are exposed to the rich history of the culture. She said the club awards college scholarships and it does what it can to educate others about the culture and history of the people. Portuguese Cultural Club members have trekked to Portugal and enjoyed hearing stories about a Portuguese family’s daily life. “They were hardworking individuals,” Paresa said. “In these stories, we’ve found they had a very rich culture and they also had a lot of faith.” The Maui Portuguese Cultural Club plans to be more visible at events in the community and accepts new members any time. “You don’t even have to be Portuguese to join the club. If you’re interested in the Portuguese culture, we welcome you,” Paresa said.
Jul 11, 2012 | Community
Maui High School graduate Marie Alexie Sijalbo visited Hana for the first time this summer. Sijalbo said she liked what she saw as she traveled for the first time to the remote part of East Maui as a member of the Youth Alliance. “I have never gone camping before and this experience has made me see what I have been missing out on,” she said. Accompanied by Maui Economic Development Board staff, Sijalbo joined other high schoolers and rode a bus to Hana as part of the Youth Alliance’s “capstone” event for school year 2011-2012. The trip’s highlights featured kumu Francis Sinenci and his presentation on hale building, swimming at beaches and hiking trails in Hana.
Adam Skelton, a soon-to-be-senior at Kumu Wai Mauloa Academy, said he found a new respect for the Hawaiian culture. “Learning the old ways and how we can apply them to our ways now is a valuable lesson,” he said. Sinenci shared his knowledge of hale building and the use of natural materials including leaves and wood. “When I learned all of these things I realized that hale building is more complicated than I thought,” Maui High 2012 graduate Cyndi Segundo said. “However it is something that the Hawaiians did in the past and it is important for us to preserve it.” Skelton agreed. “It is important for us to pass along this knowledge that we have learned and keep the culture and history alive for future generations.”
The opportunity to swim in pristine water, hike in lush surroundings and bond with other Youth Alliance members made the Hana visit even more enjoyable. A Youth Alliance member of three years, Skelton encouraged others to join. “Not only for the knowledge that you will gain, but the friends that you will make,” he said. Youth Alliance members in grades 9 through 12 gather during the school year to explore facets of the Maui community. The behind-the-scenes look is accompanied by projects and activities that give participants opportunities to see how the Maui community works. For more information about the free program, contact Willow Krause at 875-2432 or e-mail willow@medb.org
Jul 4, 2012 | Community
Principal Randy Yamanuha retired in June after 30 years of service with the State Department of Education. At age 56, he leaves his post to serve as caregiver for his aging parents, Yoshio and Sadae Yamanuha. “I’ve always told my staff, family comes first and so I need to practice that same philosophy,” he said. “It’s with a heavy heart. I’ve enjoyed working and I love the staff and the school.”
Amongst the things Yamanuha is most proud of in his 10- year term as principal is his school’s care and attention to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math or STEM education. He said Maui High has built a rigorous curriculum that includes emphasis on science and math with the intention of preparing students for high-tech, high-paying jobs. “In education, we can’t really keep up with all the technology. We need the community to help us out,” he said. That’s where organizations like Maui Economic Development Board provide technical assistance to teachers yearning to learn more about STEM curriculum, and support for students successfully competing in national competitions for robotics, science and digital media. “It brings relevance to why they’re taking the math, why they’re taking the science. Programs, like the ones MEDB supports, lets them see the connection,” Yamanuha said. He’s especially pleased to see how technology-based projects have taught students life lessons in the importance of team work.
As principal of Maui High, Yamanuha has taken charge of a large campus — 1,850 students in grades 9 to 12 — and a staff of 120. “Our philosophy has been to create opportunity for all students,” he said, explaining why as many as a dozen Advanced Placement courses are offered to all students and do not require a teacher recommendation. “We challenge our students and if they’re willing to do the work, we’re going to hold them to that commitment.”
MEDB is holding its annual Ke Alahele Education Fund event on August 18 in part to continue its support of STEM education at Maui High and other schools across the county. For more information, go to www.medb.org.
Jun 27, 2012 | Community
Following his late grandpa’s footsteps, Otto “Uncle Joe” Thompson will serve as the 2012 Makawao Rodeo Grand Marshal. “I’m not nervous. Nothing can faze me at this stage,” the 75-year-old said. “I’m just going to have fun.” As an Upcountry youngster, Thompson remembers the Fourth of July Makawao Parade when the late Charley Thompson served as the rodeo grand marshal. “He was smiling and everybody was happy. We were all happy.”
The 57th annual Makawao Rodeo kicks up from July 5-8, highlighting Maui and the state’s finest paniolo for a weekend of bull riding, steer chasing, roping and other events for both adults and youngsters. “The Makawao Rodeo is a time to meet up with all your friends,” Thompson said. The rodeo itself takes place at the Oskie Rice Arena on Olinda Road in Makawao, while the annual Makawao Parade begins at 9 a.m. on July 7 from Baldwin Avenue to Eddie Tam Memorial Center on Makawao Avenue. For more information, call 283-2741. Thompson said even those who don’t find rodeo entertaining can find enjoyment. “No sense stay home. This is for everybody. If anything, you can come and eat hot dogs and hamburgers and just have fun.”
This year’s rodeo grand marshal currently resides parttime on the Big Island, retiring after 37 years of service as a semi-trailer driver for Maui Land & Pineapple Company. He is a father of three children, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Uncle Joe was born in Paia and raised in Kokomo around horses. He could be found either at the Kahului fair grounds exercising race horses, at the polo field grooming the polo ponies or at the Thompson Ranch taking out trail rides. His hobbies today are raising parakeets and chasing Palominos. He says he’s been to almost every one of the Makawao 4th of July parades. “I like it,” he said. “They’re a lot of fun.”
Jun 20, 2012 | Community
Members of the Focus Maui Nui Youth Alliance planted native species and uprooted invasive ones in an effort to contribute to the reforestation of Honokowai Valley. The project, completed in May and prior to the summer break, was an opportunity to learn about and support the work of the nonprofit Maui Cultural Lands. “It was a great way to end the year within the theme of Community Enrichment Through Volunteerism,” said Youth Alliance Coordinator Willow Krause. Youth Alliance members attend monthly events during the school year to explore and gain a greater understanding of key components in the Maui community. Their gatherings are coordinated by the Maui Economic Development Board, which is marking its 30th year here on island.
Youth Alliance member Alisha Summers said she was impressed by Maui Cultural Lands, a Maui-based grass roots land trust organization whose mission is to stabilize, protect and restore Hawaiian cultural resources. The goal in Honokowai Valley and Kaanapali is to reforest the areas with native and endemic Hawaiian plant species. “It is wonderful to know there are people who have dedicated themselves to uncover what the ancient Hawaiians left behind,” said Summers, who will be entering her senior year at Baldwin High School this fall. She’s completed her third year with the Youth Alliance and is considering a career in medicine or environmental science after college.
Summers said her first trip to Honokowai Valley included lessons on how Native Hawaiians lived sustainable lifestyles in the area and why it is important to protect and restore the cultural resources of the land. Students toured parts of a restored Hawaiian village and were invited to taste kukui sap, which Summers described as an ingredient used for medicinal uses and as a mouth cleanser. She said the highlight of the daylong trip was to plant native species. They picked up river rocks and placed them around the trunk of each new plant. “Surveying the work that I did gave me a sense of satisfaction that I was contributing to the preservation of our historic sites,” Summers said. “By educating our youth, Hawaii’s next generation will become aware that without sustainable practices, many outdoor activities may be significantly compromised.”
Jun 13, 2012 | Community
On any given Tuesday night, Flatbread Pizza in Paia is packed with hungry, appreciative diners while funds are being raised for charitable causes. “The benefit nights are hugely profitable for the recipients,” explains Josh Stone, a former professional windsurfer and one of the owners of the popular restaurant. “We’re happy to help and support our community,” said Stone, who also chairs the Maui Charter Commission.
Charity nights at Flatbread date back to 1998 when Jay Gould opened his first restaurant in Amesbury, Mass. According to Josh Stone, as many as 200 residents responded to Gould’s call to build a wood fire pizza oven for the restaurant. “So it became the town’s oven,” Stone said. From there, benefit nights began with school groups and non-profits sharing in the event’s proceeds. Charity nights have become a mainstay at all of Flatbread’s locations on the East Coast from Boston to Maine, on Maui and in Whistler, British Columbia. “We’re happy to connect with and support our community,” Stone said. Starting at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Flatbread donates $3 to the beneficiary for any and every pizza sold on the night. Beneficiaries include local schools, athletic clubs and organizations such as Na Mele O Maui, Women Helping Women, Surfrider Foundation Maui Chapter, Hawaii State Dressage Society and Somos Ohana Nicaragua.
The Paia location employs 52 people, overseeing 145 seats in a 3,400 sq. ft. restaurant. Stone said Flatbread practices the philosophy of founders Jay Gould and John Meehan. “I call them J and J. One of the J and J mottos is there is no VIP,” Stone said, explaining that the business’ goal is to provide tasty pizza and good service to everyone. Stone said as many as 80 percent of new restaurants fail in their first three years, but Flatbread Pizza has thrived from the beginning in November 2006. “You have to be consistent. We tirelessly monitor the quality of service and the food,” Stone said. “We know our food is good, but we’re always checking and we’re always making sure everyone feels welcome here.”
Jun 6, 2012 | Community
Maui High School teacher Clint Gima has built a digital media lab, exposing students to the field of video journalism through the high-tech world. With the support of the Maui Economic Development Board Ke Alahele Education Fund, Gima and his students have traveled to the mainland in recent years for Student Television Network conventions. They’ve returned with national awards and gained a better appreciation for the media field and new friendships with others who share their passion.
Graduated senior Roselyn Domingo enrolled in Gima’s classes in three of her four years at Maui High. She’s eyeing college studies in dental hygiene. She said the digital media lab experience has been worthwhile and a means to learn about cameras and the value of camaraderie. “I didn’t really know how to use a camera when I first started,” she recalled. By the end of her senior year, Domingo earned two national awards and partnered with classmate Allysa Ferrer, who co-produced award-winning videos with her. “We’d go to each other’s house and we’d stay up all night to work. … I’m going to really miss it.”
Gima said the media lab aligns with the State Department of Education’s goals to offer rigorous and relevant curriculum. “The kids do authentic work. In digital media they have a lot of ground to cover and they’re producing original work,” Gima said. Students have produced videos covering topics like Domingo’s winning piece on fire knife dancing. Another video featured the declining population of honeybees and why that’s important in Hawaii. “When they engage in projects, they have to work with others and they learn job skills they’re going to need in the future,” Gima said. Having already seen the value and benefits of attending the Student Television Network conventions, Gima said he plans to apply a third time for Ke Alahele Education Fund support. Domingo said off-island trips are one of the most memorable experiences of the media lab. “I can’t pay for it myself so I’m really happy for the chance to see things outside of Maui,” she said.
Maui High School senior Cyndi Segundo leaves home for college this fall, but sustains a strong desire to come back one day. “The Youth Alliance inspired me to return to Maui and give back to the community that has nurtured me since I was a small child,” said Segundo, a member of the Class of 2012. She spent four years participating in a wide range of activities with the Youth Alliance, administered by Maui Economic Development Board. “Youth Alliance has been beneficial to me because it helped me develop my leadership skills by designing activities that make me think, ask questions and find solutions.”
