Apr 29, 2015 | Education, Stemworks
Molokai Middle School students haven’t been able to stay quiet about their experiences at the 2015 Hawaii STEM Conference. “They all loved doing hands-on things and couldn’t stop talking about it,” said 7th-grade teacher Kaho’iwai Kawaa, referring to her team of students traveling from Molokai to Maui for the 6th annual Hawaii STEM Conference held April 17-19 at the Wailea Marriott. “I believe this year’s conference positively impacted each and every one of our students,” Kawaa said. Her husband, Kaeo, the 8th-grade STEM teacher at Molokai Middle, agreed. “My students are showing greater interest in STEM as we continue each new year in growing and expanding what our program offers,” Mr. Kawaa said.
Led by team Captain Evelyn Haase, the Molokai Middle School contingent created a display that outlined the activities the students have engaged in during this school year from STEM Family Nights to robotics competition to experiments in science and math. “Everything we do is related to STEM and it’s a lot of fun,” Haase said. Her classmate, 8th-grader Cameryn Kahalewai said she enjoyed interacting with other students from around the state at the conference. “I got to become friends with people who enjoy STEM like me. They’re very passionate,” Kahalewai said, adding that the activities have helped her with skills in team building and leadership.
Mrs. Kawaa said she saw her students’ eyes light up after each of the conference keynote speakers delivered their addresses. “Hands down, Titan was our favorite,” she said, referring to Titan Gilroy, a St. Anthony High School graduate who has created a successful design and fabrication company with client contracts including NASA, SpaceX, and Tesla, as well as producing a T.V. show advocating for U.S. manufacturing. His pathway to success came after early challenges that led to incarceration. “He’s an example for all young men and women who struggle with making the right choices in and out of school,” Kawaa said.
The 2015 Hawaii STEM Conference, presented by Maui Economic Development Board, drew more than 500 attendees from around the state. Both students and teachers explored the benefits of STEM learning and showcased some of their best programs and projects.
Apr 22, 2015 | Education
When he graduates from high school two years from now, Luke Jones is confident he’ll be headed to college to fuel a passion for a career in science. “I’m just torn right now between physics and computer science,” Jones said. In his first year at the Hawaii State Science & Engineering Fair, Jones was honored with multiple recognitions including 1st place in Physics and Astronomy for Senior Research, 3rd place for the Senior Research Overall Grand Award, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s 1st place public school project, and the Davis Young Scientist Award. The Kihei Charter sophomore qualified to travel in May to the Intel Science and Engineering Fair being held this year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jones’ travel expense to the Hawaii competition was covered by the Maui Economic Development Board.
Jones’ award-winning science project was an attempt to test an alternate theory of the way people understand the universe. “I think that it is important to look at and test all angles of a scientific field, and then subsequently share our analysis of those angles with the rest of the scientific community,” he said. As a homeschooled student who first made connections with Kihei Charter faculty one to three times a week, Jones said he was exposed to project based learning and encouraged to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Luke’s father, Tim, took his son to a variety of public presentations by the University of Hawaii Institute of Astronomy where Luke met James “JD” Armstrong, a Maui Technology Education and Outreach Specialist. “Science just started to become tangible. I don’t know what it was but I just really started getting ‘geeked’ about it,” Jones said. He’s also attended a variety of MEDB STEMworks™ workshops and most recently the 2015 STEM Conference in Wailea. “This just really makes science real and a lot of fun.” When he graduates, Luke will be one of the first students to have completed his studies from kindergarten through 12th grade at Kihei Charter. His hobbies include video and board games, and he says he enjoys helping other students interested in science.
Apr 1, 2015 | Education, Stemworks
Participation at a national student convention provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their ability to be critical thinkers, effective communicators and ethical users of technology, according to Maui High School teacher Clint Gima. “By exposing our students to the world outside of Maui and to other teachers and students who are passionate about digital storytelling, our students will come back even more motived to work hard and become leaders in our classes,” Gima said. He and 14 Maui High students in grades 9 to 12 are attending the Student Television Network Convention this week in San Diego, California.
Veteran attendee Giel Marie Tolentino, a Maui High junior, described the convention as an “amazing experience” that gives her and her classmates a chance to meet aspiring broadcast journalists and storytellers. They expect they’ll be applying learned skills in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM. Maui High’s appearance at the convention is due, in part, to a grant from the Maui Economic Development Board’s Ke Alahele Education Fund. “I believe that it is important for the community to support schools in STEM education because it gives students hands-on experiences around the community,” Tolentino said. “STEM education also helps students find out what career they want to pursue in the future.”
The annual Ke Alahele Education Fund Dinner has been set for August 29 at the Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui Resort in Wailea. “If the community is concerned about having students who are not ready for college or careers, we need to continue to advance STEM programs because in addition to the traditional prescribed learning, students need opportunities to think for themselves, interact with professionals, develop their own learning, and work on real world problems,” Gima said. “In the high school setting, especially in the STEM classroom, students learn to work together, attack real-world problems, and work on projects where there is no one correct answer.” The Student Television Network Convention features a variety of on-site contests for students and networking for STEM teachers.
Jan 28, 2015 | Education, Environment, Sustainability
A coral reef monitoring project sounded like it could be fun for the Wailuku Roselani Na Hokulani 4-H Club. Member Kaitlyn Yamada says it was fun, but more importantly she and her fellow 4-Hers were able to master their skills in Google Earth applications as well the Global Positioning and Geographic Information Systems. They also learned the importance of a healthy coral reef. “This project allowed us to become aware of the balance between development and possible jobs and sustainable and green living in Maui County,” Yamada said. “When we began this project, we thought it was a fun idea, but later learned of the significance of gathering and understanding this data.”
A Ke Alahele Education Fund Grant administered by Maui Economic Development Board provided the 4-H Club camera and computer equipment they needed to create coral reef maps at Olowalu and Maalaea. Their task was to establish the baseline reef conditions by teaming up on paddle boards and video taping conditions with GoPro cameras. On shore, the eight club members in grades 8 to 10 tracked their findings on a computer funded by Ke Alahele. Coral reefs worldwide are declining due to various stressors including ocean acidification, sedimentation, over-fishing and near-shore development, according to the club’s grant application. “We were inspired to think of all of the factors that could affect the health of our coral reef. We learned the importance of coral reefs to the health of our island concerns,” Yamada said.
The club’s 4-H leader, Joyce Yamada, said she saw the girls apply skills in science, technology, engineering and math. “STEM skills are integrated in every job and industry. Our members need to be prepared for, and aware of, these opportunities as they become productive members of our community,” Joyce Yamada said. “The confidence that they build as they master these skills will allow our girls to believe in their abilities and become our next generation of inventors, scientists, engineers and members of a community that cares for their environment.”
Jan 14, 2015 | Education
The Maui Food Technology Center is moving forward this year with sponsoring its second trade show for manufacturers and entrepreneurs in the food industry. The inaugural Supply and Service Expo drew nearly 500 attendees and 50 exhibitors when first held in February 2014. This time around the event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. February 18 at the Hannibal Tavares Center in Pukalani.
“This Expo was a perfect forum for Maui’s food production industry’s various shareholders to come together under one roof to share ideas and concerns,” said Tai Kahn, Lab Director of FQLabs who attended the 2014 event. “It gave everyone an opportunity to meet the regulators, growers, processors, technical experts and various vendors that provide services and supplies to the food industry.” The 2015 event is looking for exhibitors who are manufacturers and distributors of food, ingredients, equipment and packing supplies; dealers, brokers and traders; and business services and educational groups that work with the food and hospitality industries. Vendors can pay a $100 exhibitor fee prior to January 18, $150 for late registration. The fee may be waived for qualified non-profits. For more information, visit www.MauiFoodTechnology.org, or call 888-948-6382.
Individuals attending the 2015 Expo can expect to meet and learn from experts in the field. There are also opportunities for new and existing businesses to network and seek ideas for expanding and/or rebranding. Those expected to attend include representatives from delis and bakeries, specialty stores, gourmet product distribution and agricultural businesses. The Maui Food Technology Center is an organization dedicated to growing Hawaii’s food industry and connecting students, food producers and farmers through the practice of food science. The Maui Economic Development Board is a founding member of the Maui Food Technology Center, and MEDB President and CEO Jeanne Skog serves on its board of directors.
Dec 17, 2014 | Education, Innovation
Kalama Intermediate School librarian Jody Brown said she underestimated the challenge of starting a robotics club yet still reaped rewards beyond her expectations. Thanks to a Ke Alahele Education Fund grant from the Maui Economic Development Board, Brown said she had “an amazingly positive experience. … I’m hooked. I’m ready for the next season.”
She said she found coding and building Web sites enjoyable and “naively thought this would translate well into starting a robotics club.” Brown quickly learned that there’s a lot more involved. “Luckily, my students had a variety of backgrounds and experiences and we all spent time teaching each other what we know so far.” Brown said she chose a platform based on training she received in August. “I got some free VEX IQ equipment at the training and bought a lot more with my Ke Alahele grant,” she said. She created two teams at Kalama Intermediate, one with four students and another with five. Both teams were eventually able to design and build a robot. For programming, the club used Modkit for VEX IQ, a free online program that offers a visual programming platform using color-coded and shape-coded boxes. The Kalama teams competed in the December 5-6 VEX IQ competition at Iao Intermediate School.
“The competition itself was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” she said. “The hosts and other teams welcomed us ‘newbies’ with open arms and helped us overcome a mountain of problems, including troubleshooting our robot brain. It turns out they were able to determine that one of the brains we bought was completely non-functioning.” The Kalama students did not take the overall award in their first competition, but they did reach the final rounds of play and were selected for the Inspire Award for innovative robot design. “Both of those accomplishments were more than I could have ever asked for or imagined,” Brown said. “It has been a delightfully rewarding activity!”
Dec 10, 2014 | Education
A commitment to invest 60 minutes of time and energy into computer science has landed Iao Intermediate School a $10,000 prize and a chance to participate in an international campaign. The program is called Hour of Code and describes itself as a one-hour introduction designed to demystify computer science and show that anybody can learn the basics.
“It teaches the processes of thinking through problems and persevering to solve them,” said Steve Qunell, the Iao math and technology teacher who took the lead to apply for Hour of Code. Iao School participates in Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology Project program STEMworks™, which has been encouraging local schools to participate in Hour of Code. Iao School is the only campus in Hawaii chosen for the 2014 Computer Science Education Week program. “I was floored. I couldn’t believe it,” Qunell said in reaction to Hour of Code’s approval. “This is a fun event. I think everyone should be trying it.”
As this year’s data coordinator at Iao School, Qunell organized a plan that will allow for all 900 6th, 7th and 8th graders to participate in Hour of Code during their math classes. Students enrolled in technology courses will spend an additional 45 minutes in Hour of Code. Special education teachers have volunteered to continue an Hour of Code in their study skills classes, and faculty will use professional development time to engage in the program. Qunell has also reserved two computer labs for parent and community Code nights. “For our students, what we’re trying to do is make them college and career minded,” Qunell said. “All of us will have a chance to participate in Hour of Code and just improve our overall skills.” Qunell said he’s working with the Iao Math Department to identify needs that might be covered by the $10,000 prize. Some of the money may also be used for a Maker Lab and a Robotics Program.
Nov 26, 2014 | Education, Stemworks
Lanai middle and high school students appear to have a fast-growing interest in science and technology following a STEM camp held on their home island. “I would say the STEM Camp and experience has opened our students’ eyes to something they haven’t seen or experienced before,” said Counselor Beth Conroy Humphrey of Lanai High and Elementary School. “It’s definitely got them interested.”
Approximately 20 elementary and middle school students attended a two-day event spotlighting science, technology, engineering and math. Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology Project organized the event earlier this fall in partnership with Lanai School. “It was great and it gave our students a new interest and skills in something they didn’t even know they had,” Humphrey said. Students engaged in breakout sessions that included lessons on drones, coding and programming, Website development and recycling sustainability. A STEM Family Night was incorporated into the event with parents and students participating in hands-on, learning-based activities such as Ice Cream Engineering, iPad ScratchJr Coding and Mobile Proscope. Airport firefighter George Purdy helped facilitate the session on drones while his wife, Stacey, participated in STEM Family Night and supported their two children at the camp.
Purdy said the opportunity to participate in a STEM Camp like the one in October was a rare occurrence for Lanai families. “There’s just not that many activities readily available for Lanai children,” Purdy said. The camp provided students a chance to apply their classroom lessons in science and math to the STEM activities provided at the camp. “It just took our students’ learning to a whole new level.” Humphrey said the STEM camp has been influential on teachers who are incorporating more STEM-related activities in their classrooms. The interest is so great that Humphrey is planning a STEM Day for middle school students and families in December. “The parents and the students are both wanting to be more involved and get more STEM opportunities. It’s quite exciting,” she said.
Nov 14, 2014 | Education, Innovation
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. “The center of the room has a conversation area with upholstered benches, a table for art and design books and a set of drawers for cameras and iPads. I wanted my students to experience a taste of an inviting, stimulating room and to know what a career in the arts can offer. This is not just a classroom anymore. It is an environment and the kids love it and they produce really amazing work.”
Young said her second-year students are doing college-level work. They do commercial graphics projects, including banners for other schools. They’ve won awards for PBS HIKI NO television segments, and last year her students received special recognition on their diplomas plus placed second in the state in graphics. Young and her students have come a long way, with the help of Ke Alahele grants. When she began teaching full-time more than six years ago, she had only six large tables and 25 old 12-inch iBooks in a cart. But, by her third year, she had accumulated approximately 20 21.5-inch iMacs, a number of digital SLR cameras and a Canon 5100 17-inch printer that accepts roll paper or canvas. Still, there’s more to do, Young said. “What is missing is a pipeline to future education,” Young said. “I plan on visiting California design schools in the spring to see what I can do to connect us with advanced programs.” MEDB established the Ke Alahele Education Fund to power up STEM Education in Maui County.
