Nov 5, 2015 | Education, Small Business
A recent seminar presented by Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB’s) Technical Assistance Workshop Series provided a hands-on look at apps available from the U.S. Census Bureau to give small businesses and startups the edge in exploring the demographics of potential markets. Jerry Wong, Data Dissemination Specialist for the Census Bureau’s Los Angeles Region, explained that census data allows business owners to research how to start or expand a business. “My intent is to inform individuals here on Maui, particularly entrepreneurs and company representatives, about the new tools that will assist them in the analysis of locations on Maui for business opportunities through looking at the census data for those specific areas,” said Wong. “This training applies to market research, community analysis and planning, grant proposals and general decision-making, all of which involve the use of statistical information.”
“The purpose of this seminar was to add another tool to each participant’s business toolkit,” said Frank De Rego, Jr., Director of Businesss Development Projects at MEDB. “The two new apps created by the U.S. Census Bureau, Census Business Builder and On the Map, along with Knight Ridder’s Census Reporter, now make accessing census data more user-friendly. As these tools are expanded and improved, they will be invaluable for strategic business planning,” said De Rego.
“We recently opened our first gallery here on Maui,” said Lisa Marie Corcoran of National Geographic Fine Arts Galleries in Wailea. “I very much appreciate this great opportunity to learn how to use census data to benefit our customers and community. Specifically, we are very interested in capabilities for exploring the demographics and socioeconomic characteristics of potential markets on-island,” she explained. “While we estimate 80 percent of our market to be tourist-driven, we want to better understand the community we operate in. MEDB and the Visitor Bureau also do a great job of publishing current and historical demographic data.”
Sep 9, 2015 | Education, Stemworks
“Pathways to Our Future”, the annual Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner and Auction presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), was recently held at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea. Providing the stirring opening with oli and pule were Molokai Middle School students Heona Ayau-Odom, Keaheakekehau Ross and their teacher Iolani Kuoha. All three participate in the Hawaiian Immersion Program at the school as well as in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs. “Both girls felt blessed to be part of the event and they have great STEM projects,” said Kuoha, who was named Educator of the Year for 2014 by the Hawai’i Association of Middle Schools. “This year, thanks to MEDB’s Ke Alahele Education Fund, Molokai students were among countless youth statewide empowered through STEM skills. Each semester I get to teach them how to identify problems in the community and how to solve them with answers pertaining to STEM education. In addition, I’m able to exemplify Hawaiian culture and bring it into the 21st century.”
“STEM skills are important to the success of our state,” said Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui. “We couldn’t do this without MEDB,” he explained. “Hawai’i is in the forefront because of their commitment.” Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, out of the country during the event, sent this message, “There is nothing more important than preparing our children for the future. By encouraging our students to learn more about STEM subjects we hope that one day they will bring new industries back home, diversify our economy and build a more resilient and sustainable community.”
“MEDB has worked vigorously throughout its history to enhance education and training in our community,” said MEDB President and CEO Jeanne Unemori Skog. “This past school year, the awards enabled robotics teams to compete on Maui, Oahu and the Mainland. STEM curricula also empowered students to map our island’s coral reefs, explore our solar system and much more. Thanks to generous businesses and other community stakeholders, we have touched thousands of students,” said Skog.
Sep 4, 2015 | Education, Events
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) provides leadership and vision in our community for the responsible development of a strong, diversified economy. MEDB’s Technical Assistance Series, Foundations for Business Success, was created in an effort to help small businesses establish systems, processes, tools and best practices to build a secure foundation for success.
“It is essential for any business to have a solid plan rooted in sound principles and practice to be competitive,” said Frank De Rego Jr., Director of Business Development Projects at MEDB. “The accounting seminar and the other workshops in the series can help businesses build their human capital in knowledge and skills, thus improving services and systems while giving team members more time to focus on growth strategies and customer care. Ultimately, these strategies will help businesses succeed.”
Recently, the Boosting Your Financial IQ Accounting Workshop provided invaluable advice to improve business efficiency, promote good accounting practices and help save on taxes. In addition, it offered an ideal opportunity for business owners to get instruction from accounting experts. Lisa Wells, the main presenter, is an IRS Enrolled Agent and CEO/Founder of Personal Accountant Incorporated. “I think MEDB is providing a wonderful program,” said Wells. “They offer a central resource for the business community. I hope to continue my involvement with MEDB because I believe we serve a common goal — helping the small business owner make informed decisions,” she explained. Wells’ wish for all attendees of the Accounting Workshop is that they walk out educated and ready to take their business to the next level. “I believe we can help businesses become successful”, she said.
“I opened my business six months ago,” said Cecilia Hercik from Olavine Spa, Wailea. “I came to the Boost Your IQ Accounting Workshop for financial advice and to network with other business owners. I truly appreciate this opportunity to help me create a thriving business.”
Aug 12, 2015 | Education, Events
Pathways to our Future is an annual event benefiting the MEDB Ke Alahele education fund. Featuresd are distinguished educators; Lt. Governor Shan Tsutsui and Ms. Lyndelle Tsutsui; Mayor Alan Arakawa and Ms. Ann Arakawa, plus presentation of the 2015 Daniel K. Inouye Innovation Award to a student team that demonstrates the most innovative use of STEM tools and capabilities to serve and improve our community.
It’s coming up soon: Saturday, August 29, 2015 at the Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui. Reception and silent auction start at 4:30 pm, followed by dinner and live auction at 6 pm.
Reserve your tickets now at www.medb.org or call (808) 875-2300. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
Aug 5, 2015 | Education
Lahainaluna High School arts and communications teacher Nancy Young used her Ke Alahele Education Fund grant to create a new environment in her classroom. Now, instead of the traditional classroom setting with rows of desks for students, Young’s created more of an inspirational space for creativity and innovation. Read all about it here. Young says, “It’s not just a classroom anymore. It is an environment and the kids love it and they produce really amazing work.”
Support projects that provide new opportunities for Maui County youth. Pathways to Our Future, an annual event to benefit the Ke Alahele Education Fund, will be held this year on Saturday August 29, 2015. Join us at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea. For tickets, call 875-2300.
Jul 30, 2015 | Education, Stemworks
The recent Mini HI STAR (Hawaii Student/Teacher Research) Program of the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy, IfA, was sponsored by Maui Economic Development Board and Air Force Research Laboratory. The program provided 11 high school students from Maui and Molokai with four days of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. The IFA curriculum gave these students the necessary research skills and background to conduct original research projects.
Dr. JD Armstrong, Maui Technology Education and Outreach Specialist at IFA, and teachers, led the students in morning physics and astronomy lectures. Afternoon sessions included the measurement of the positions and brightness of objects in space using image processing and photometric techniques. “We delivered the basic content in talks with PowerPoint® slides that instructed the students on selecting the celestial object they wanted to research for their group presentations,” said Dr. Armstrong. Students observed the sky as it is seen from different parts of the earth remotely via the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network. “Access to world-class research equipment offered the participants live views of outer space beamed straight to their computers,” Dr. Armstrong explained. “They were able to analyze the results of the collected image data by processing images with Astrometrica, a software tool that calculates precise positions of the celestial bodies.”
“The HI STAR program experience has helped broaden my knowledge on various astronomy topics,” said Celeste Jongeneelen, a home-schooled 10th grader. “We got to research exoplanets, asteroids and comets, young stellar objects and double stars!” Jongeneelen’s group presented a talk entitled Photometry Analysis of Two Young Open Star Clusters. Their objective was to identify candidate hydrogen disk stars. “Images of two young open star clusters were taken with red, infrared and H-alpha filters,” she explained. “We did the photometry on these images and made color-color charts. If any outliers showed excess in H-alpha in the charts, those are the potential disk stars.” “Our results showed a few candidate disk stars,” Jongeneelen added. “However, further analysis is needed to confirm these candidates.”
Jul 15, 2015 | Education, Stemworks
The fun, new STEMworks AFTERschool Program for the 2015-2016 school year, presented by the Women in Technology (WIT) project of the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), is for boys and girls, grades 6, 7 and 8. The program addresses the need to stimulate interest and skills in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education and to apply it to real world issues. It hopes to nurture student interest into their high school and post-secondary education, as well as prepare them to meet the workforce needs of their communities in viable careers. “STEMworks AFTERschool curricula are developed in close consultation with industry and education partners,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB’s vice president and director of WIT. “The flexible structure of the curriculum allows teachers to align with in-school science and math curricula and the needs of students.”
The program includes an emphasis on coordination between the academic and enrichment activities offered in the after-school program and the coursework students complete during the school day. “The enrichment lessons and activities are interactive in order to teach the curriculum in a different way. This can benefit students who struggle in a regular classroom environment,” said Wilkins. Unlike any other class in Hawai’i’s middle and high school curriculum, STEMworks is a multi-faceted, hands-on program where students get to use the most current, high-end technologies in actual learning projects. “This is more than an after-school science club!” Wilkins said, noting participants will acquire skills to adapt to the rapidly changing technology landscape.
“Having the partnership with MEDB and the 21st Century grant to form the STEMworks AFTERschool program will provide our students with state-of-the-art equipment, trained staff to run the programs and support for training,” said Jennifer Suzuki of Maui Waena Intermediate. Other schools in the STEMworks AFTERschool program are: Iao Intermediate, Lanai High and Elementary, Lahaina Intermediate and St. Anthony Junior High.
Jun 17, 2015 | Education
Maui Waena Intermediate School’s Technology Club recently traveled to Oahu to compete in the state Botball tournament held at Hanalani School in Mililani. There were 10 teams, both high school and intermediate, from Oahu. “We were the 11th team and the only one from a neighbor island,” said Jennifer Suzuki, STEM and Digital Media teacher, and advisor for the Maui Waena Intermediate School Technology Club. “We had a group of 17 students.” The goal of the competition was to build two robots that could accomplish the assigned tasks. One robot had the job of placing foam balls and blocks, called poms, into a raised basket in the middle of the field.
The second robot was programmed to run an intricate course that took it under the raised elements to move the poms around. “However, when we arrived at the competition, we realized that we misread the field map and that there were obstacles in our way that we could not get around,” Suzuki said. “Because of this, one of our main programmers, Misty Dela Cruz, had to reprogram her robot to do an entirely different function, right there at the competition.” “It was stressful,” said Dela Cruz. “I was so sad when we found out we had the field set up wrong, but then I realized that I could either cry or do something. I chose to fix the robot and I am so proud that I did.”
After the on-the-spot reprogramming, Maui Waena ended up 2nd in the seeding rounds and came in 2nd overall as well. “We also received the Judge’s Choice award for robot design,” said Suzuki. The head builder, John Fabella, commented, “Even though it was hard and things did not go as planned, we worked as a team and did not give up. That is the most important thing I learned while doing Botball.” “If not for the generosity of the Maui Economic Development Board and their Ke Alahele grant, our students would never have had this opportunity,” Suzuki noted. “MEDB offers the support our local students need to excel and compete in a larger community. They give them the chance to prove their self-worth and to challenge their minds, patience and maturity in real life situations.”
Jun 10, 2015 | Education, Events
Mark your calendar now for the annual MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund event for 2015, Saturday, August 29 at the Fairmont Kea Lani. The reception and silent auction begin at 4:30, followed by dinner and live auction at 6 pm. See the MEDB website for more information, reservations, and sponsorship opportunities.
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