As the gift-giving season begins, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) encourages the community to participate in Small Business Saturday (SBS), a nationwide initiative that aims to support small local businesses. Also called the “Shop Small” movement, it was founded by American Express in 2010 to promote small businesses during the holiday season and is observed annually on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
“We know that Maui small businesses need our support more than ever as they navigate the effects of the August 2023 Lahaina and Kula wildfires,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. “SBS reminds us of the prime shopping opportunities right in our own backyards.”
Maui’s arts industry in particular has suffered significant losses due to the wildfires. Local artist and Wailuku studio owner Taryn Alessandro shared, “Once supported by Front Street’s thriving, world-wide art market, local artists are now finding ourselves having to figure out new ways to get our work out there. Many of us also lost years, even decades worth of original work – so we are simultaneously re-building our collections along with our business models.”
Many of these local creators are now relocating to Wailuku. Alessandro explained, “I am right in the heart of downtown Wailuku, where many other artists are establishing themselves, as we collectively grow into ‘Maui’s Arts District.’ It is both a humbling and exciting time.” In addition to the Wailuku Arts District, weekly markets such as the Maui Swap Meet and the Upcountry Farmers Market offer additional opportunities for shopping small. “This is the place to find the real bargains on Maui,” said Cary, one of the Swap Meet vendors.
For those who prefer to shop from home, Pop-Up Mākeke is a virtual marketplace designed to support Hawaiian small businesses. Created by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA), Pop-Up Mākeke features Hawaiʻi-based small business owners, artisans, and vendors. Kūhiō Lewis, President and CEO of CNHA, emphasized, “This mākeke helps keep that spirit of community that makes Hawaiʻi unique. In order for our community to succeed, we need to empower those businesses rooted here in Hawaiʻi.”
Even more local businesses can be found online using Shop Small Hawaiʻi’s directory of small businesses, available at shopsmallhawaii.com. Hawaiian Airlines’ Made on Maui Festival also maintains an online directory of all vendors who participated in the festival, available at https://www.madeinmauicountyfestival.com/our-vendors.
The support of the local community is crucial to us artists and small businesses. As recovery continues, we are here and we are open for business!
Taryn Alessandro, Artist and Studio Owner, Taryn Alessandro Fine Art LLC
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) recent Ke Alahele Education Benefit event successfully raised funds for local STEM education programs. During the event, the Daniel K. Inouye Innovation (DKII) Award winners were announced. The DKII Award honors students who use their STEM skills in service of their community. This year, Jennifer Goto Sabas, the late Senator Inouye’s former Chief of Staff and director of the Daniel K. Inouye Insitute, presented the award.
The winners were Maui High School students Janette White and Keani Kina, who completed a project for a child with mobility restrictions. They adapted a motorized toy car, rewiring it to replace the pedal with a button and redesigning the car seat. Their goal was to ensure that the car kept its original functionality while optimizing safety and accessibility. White commented, “the car helped a local neighbor in Maui, allowing a disabled child the freedom of directing herself in a safe and fun structure.”
Honorable mention went to Kahakaʻiwa Williams, representing Kalama Intermediate School, for his Hawaiian video game project. He combined his ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi knowledge with his interest in game design to create a game that walks users through the legend of the goddesses Pele and Nāmakaokahaʻi. “My motivation…is that there are no video games in the Hawaiian language that I am aware of,” Kaha commented. “This project is designed to inspire community members to learn more about Hawaiian culture and language through a fun activity.”
Chelsey Miguel, a King Kekaulike High School student, also received honorable mention. With her computer science skills, Miguel used AI to create a coral monitoring system, which allows users to upload photos of coral and receive a health assessment. Miguel shared, “I stumbled on a documentary about coral bleaching and its implications…I wanted to intersect my passion of programming and machine learning to help solve this problem.”
Thanks to the generosity of donors during the event, MEDB is able to present monetary prizes to the winners as well as those who received honorable mention and their teachers. Donations will also support the Ke Alahele Education Fund grant program, which helps educators and students access STEM tools, participate in extracurriculars, travel to competitions, and engage in professional development that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive.
It’s wonderful to be back after all these years. These were really happy times for the Senator. He loved this event and to see it come back as strong as it is, especially with the students, is actually very exciting.
Jennifer Goto Sabas,
Director of the Daniel K. Inouye Institute
Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream non-profit organization, with the support of the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, has brought its Always Reading program to two elementary schools in Lahaina this school year – King Kamehameha III and Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary – expanding its Maui County presence. The Always Reading program provides families of pre-K and kindergarten students with tablets, a digital children’s library, and local book coaches who teach families how to use the tablet and provide ongoing encouragement, strategies, and accountability. These efforts broaden children’s access to books, increase at-home reading time, and engage family members in their children’s learning journeys.
Olympic gold medalist, author, and philanthropist Kristi Yamaguchi founded Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream in 1996, with the Always Reading program launching in 2012. Today, in addition to the two Lahaina schools, the organization is partnered with three elementary schools on Molokaʻi, four on Hawaiʻi island, and 10 on Oʻahu. This year, Always Dream expects to serve over 2,400 children and their families across the state. “We are honored to be welcomed by Complex Area Superintendent Winkie to provide students and families of Lahaina with the tools and support to build strong reading routines at home,” Kristi commented.
Ian Haskins, the principal of King Kamehameha III Elementary, shared, “We are pleased to have the Always Dream reading program in our school for our kindergarten and preschool students and families. The program will be beneficial by providing access and relevance for the importance of reading to children at a young age.” He added that “the purpose is to build language, literacy, and social skills that promote a healthy brain development, leading to success in school.”
This year marks Always Dream’s 10th anniversary of serving keiki in Hawaiʻi. For over 30 years, Kristi has considered Hawaiʻi a second home, with people across the state offering her support during her skating career. When it came time to expand the Always Reading program outside of California, Hawaiʻi was first on the list. Kristi wanted to make an impact in the communities that have shown her so much aloha. Outside of Hawaiʻi, Always Dream partners with 17 schools in the California Bay Area, with plans to serve 10,000 individuals in California and Hawaiʻi annually by 2027. For more information, visit alwaysdream.org.
Our hope is that our Always Reading program offers a sense of stability for families during this school year as a small part of the community’s journey toward healing.
Kristi Yamaguchi,
Founder and Board Chair
Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream
Celebrating its 25th anniversary on Maui, the annual AMOS Conference – renowned globally for bringing together leading experts, researchers, and practitioners from space-related fields – was presented in September in Wailea. The conference welcomed 150 middle school students, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) educators, and Maui High School robotics students for a Space Exploration Day event run by Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks team. The students were thrilled to meet former astronaut and current Deputy Administrator of NASA, Pam Melroy, who logged more than 38 days in space while working to assemble the International Space Station and is one of only two women to have commanded a space shuttle. The students also explored the conference exhibit hall and engaged in hands-on STEM activities led by space industry experts.
“It’s an honor to be here,” Melroy said. “It’s important to connect with the next generation and get them interested in space-related issues. There are great things happening right now. Artemis will launch soon, SpaceX is doing incredible things, we are going back to the Moon, to Mars, and more. Maybe someone here right now will be the first one on Mars!”
Melroy added, “Being in space brings on feelings of stewardship, sustainability, and respect for our planet. From space you can see the edge of the horizon. There is a thin blue line around it—the atmosphere—everything that keeps us alive is there. We need to care for all of it.”
Lori Koyama, Lahaina Intermediate School teacher, said, “It’s amazing to bring students to this event and expose them to career pathways that exist for their future in Hawai’i. They experienced new opportunities they didn’t even know existed.”
Lilyanne, Maui Waena Intermediate student, shared, “I learned that space exploration has led to many technologies that are used in everyday life including internet, banking, health benefits, and much more. This whole experience, meeting Pam Melroy and doing STEM activities is incredible!”
Liam, a Maui High robotics student, said, “Pam Melroy’s description of what she’s done in her life and the skills and traits she’s developed showed the effort and time you have to put in to do something like this. She showed us the work in school we need to do to accomplish such tasks, and that there is a job for each of us. We are all inspired today!”
It will be students in this age group that I am talking to today who will explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all.
Pam Melroy,
Astronaut and Deputy Administrator,
NASA
Thirty-eight delegates, including fourteen Hawaiʻi-based, participated in the 7th EMER-GEN® Program, presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) in September. A joint initiative of the AMOS Conference and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), the program is designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship especially for young professionals and students who are enthusiastic about careers in space.
“The program encourages participants to think creatively, collaborate in teams, and develop innovative solutions at both a technological level and a policy level,” said Annette Lynch, MEDB Director of Communications. “The diverse range of activities and speakers helps participants enhance both their technical expertise and leadership capabilities.”
Maui resident Matthew Lugo, a Privateer Space engineer, EMER-GEN alumnus, and member of the EMER-GEN planning committee, emphasized, “EMER-GEN is also known for its focus on Hawaiian cultural subjects. I feel it’s important for those in the space industry to be stewards of the Earth environment as well. Space technologies should benefit the sustainability of the planet.”
Lugo continued, “This year, along with two international SGAC representatives, we invited Michael Nāhoʻopiʻi, Executive Director of Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) to share an update about the island. The island of Kahoʻolawe is just seven miles off the coast of Maui. It is managed by the KIRC team, who are working towards a restoration of the island.”
Nāhoʻopiʻi explained, “The history and culture of Kahoʻolawe is indeed rich. It is believed to have been inhabited since about 400 A.D., and the abundance of historical and archeological sites paints a picture of the island as a navigational center for voyaging and a center for agriculture. Modern times have been less kind. The island has been home to a penal colony, a sheep and cattle ranch, and a U.S. Navy bombing range. Those land uses were detrimental to the island’s delicate ecosystem and led to severe habitat degradation. The KIRC team has taken on the challenge to restore these habitats with on-the-ground hard work coordinated by expert assistance. In addition to physically restoring the island of Kahoʻolawe, we are undertaking the cultural restoration of the island.”
Space exploration provides us with more information about protecting our planet, our environment, and improving our day-to-day lives. Everything is connected!
Michael Nāhoʻopiʻi
Executive Director
Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission
As part of preparations and festivities for the upcoming Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner and Auction, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is now accepting applications for the Daniel K. Inouye Innovation Award. This award honors student projects that demonstrate the most innovative uses of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in service of the community.
To support award recipients as they continue to learn and grow as STEM innovators, the winning individual or team will receive $5,000. Maui County public school students in grades 6-12 (as well as 2024 high school graduates) are eligible to apply. Interested students should submit their projects online prior to 11:59 pm on October 13 to be considered for the award. The submission form and more details are available here: https://shorturl.at/tdVOy.
MEDB also continues to accept seat reservations, auction donations, and sponsors for the Ke Alahele event. This annual fundraiser provides an unforgettable evening and also raises critical funds for STEM education programs and educators throughout Maui County. These programs, serving students from kindergarten to career, help build stronger career pathways for Maui Nui residents. By attending the dinner, community members are helping to shape a brighter future for Maui Nui’s youth.
Guests attending the fundraiser can also enjoy an exclusive room rate (starting at $349 for a garden view room) at the Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, available for stays from Friday, October 25, to Sunday, October 27. This offer ends on October 7. For room reservations, contact Mary Osorno at Mary.Osorno@waileabeachresort.com or call 808-874-7879.
For more information and to book seats at the Ke Alahele fundraising dinner on October 26, visit www.medbpathways.org.
Part of MEDB’s mission is to empower the next generation of innovators. The Ke Alahele Education Fund Dinner and Auction celebrates that mission, bringing our community together to support vital STEM programs that change lives.
Leslie Wilkins
President and CEO
Maui Economic Development Board
St. John’s 39th Annual Kula Festival is the place to be on Saturday, September 21st. An upcountry tradition, the festival is returning after last year’s cancellation due to the August 2023 wildfires. The festival began in October 1982 as a fundraising event to support both St. John’s Church and various partner charity organizations. At its peak prior to the pandemic, the event saw 2,500 attendees each year.
“All the much-loved local artists and crafters, wide variety of food for sale, produce, plants, baked goods, keiki zone, silent auction, quilt show, and the gift shop will return,” said Maui artist and festival co-chair Deb Lynch. “For the first time, several fine art paintings will be exhibited, and there will be pony rides for the kids as well. The all-day live music and entertainment, hosted by Manaʻo Radio, includes Isle of Maui Pipe Band, Cheryl Rae, Jamie Lawrence, Kawika Ortiz, Steve Grimes, Benny Uyetake, Halau Hula, and Wehena o ke Ao.”
Festival co-chair Joseph Cascio added, “This year our St. John’s leadership team decided a portion of our net proceeds will be shared with the Kula Community Watershed Alliance (KCWA). This critical watershed has been seriously destabilized and is now at risk in the aftermath of the wildfire. Neighbors immediately joined together to commit to the recovery and long-term stewardship of this special place.” To further support recovery and land stewardship efforts, the festival will be a zero-waste event.
The KCWA’s executive director, Sara Tekula, explained, “In August 2023, approximately 230 acres of the Waiakoa watershed in Upper Kula, including over 23 homes and dozens of structures and trees, were burned in the fire. With the guidance of ecological and cultural advisors, the KCWA strives to restore the ecological identity of this area through careful sourcing of seeds within our ahupuaʻa, nearby habitat preserves, and saplings that have origins nearby. Remembering the Hawaiian proverb, ʻaʻohe hana nui ke alu ʻia (no task is too big when done together by all), we are grateful that St. John’s recognized us and the work that we are doing. This is a great honor for us.”
The festival will take place on Saturday, September 21st, from 9am to 4pm at St. John’s Church (8992 Kula Highway across from Keokea Park). Admission is $2. For more information, visit stjohnsmaui.org/kulafestival and kulacommunitywatershed.org.
All are welcome to enjoy a fun day at the festival and help us support the Kula Community Watershed Alliance!
Deb Lynch and Joseph Cascio
Kula Festival Co-Chairs
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is excited to host its annual Ke Alahele STEM Education Fund Benefit Dinner & Auction on October 26 at the Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui. This year’s event, themed “Pathways to Our Future,” will bring the community together to celebrate and support Maui County’s youth as they explore educational and career pathways in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
The evening will begin at 4:30 pm with a reception, during which attendees can participate in the much-anticipated Apples for Education Silent Auction. Adding an element of fun and excitement, the evening will also feature MEDB’s signature STEM trivia game.
Throughout the evening, guests will be inspired by stories from local students who have been guided by MEDB’s comprehensive and free STEMworks educational programming, which includes afterschool activities, field trips, summer camps, and paid internships. These young innovators represent the future of Maui, showcasing the profound impact that community-supported education can have on their lives. Their achievements are a testament to the power of investments in STEM to create pathways that lead to success.
Proceeds from the event will directly support STEM programs, which provide Maui Nui students with opportunities from kindergarten to college and beyond. For more information on sponsorship opportunities and to make reservations, visit www.medbpathways.org.
Investing in STEM education is investing in our future. By equipping our youth with the skills and knowledge they need to face a wide range of challenges, we’re strengthening our community and ensuring a vibrant and sustainable future for our islands.
The Japanese proverb, Ichi-go Ichi-e (literally, “one time, one meeting”), invites us totreasure the unrepeatable nature of a moment. That was the recent experience of Deidre Tegarden, Executive Director of Nisei Veterans Memorial Center (NVMC), who shared tea with the 101-year-old, fifteenth-generation Grand Master of Tea, Dr. Genshitsu Sen. He performed a special tea ceremony at the Wailuku Hongwanji to honor all who were lost during the August 2023 wildfires. It was both solemn and reflective as Dr. Sen presented tea to the altar. After the ceremony, attendees were invited to take tea and sweets in the community hall, hosted by Chado Urasenke Tenkokai Maui Association.
“Prior to the ceremony, Dr. Sen greeted members of the audience, shaking hands and sharing conversation,” said Tegarden. “We had planned to gift Dr. Sen a box of 3-D architectural hand-drawn blueprints of Urasenke Tea rooms from across Japan. These drawings had been gifted to the NVMC by the estate of the late artist Emi Fukuzawa, and we thought perhaps they belonged back in Japan with the Grand Master, Dr. Sen.”
When Dr. Sen saw the drawings, he became quite enthusiastic, pointing out names of his ancestors including one who helped to bring the tea ceremony to the greater community and make it accessible to those besides the nobility. The drawings date back 400 years and are considered National Treasures.
“Dr. Sen insisted that the NVMC keep these historical documents in our archive for posterity,” Tegarden noted. “It is our privilege to be the caretakers of these precious items.”
Chado, or “the way of tea,” is more than an artistic ceremony; it is a way of life with ethical and religious significance. The ideals underlying the way of tea are wa (harmony), kei (respect), sei (purity), and jaku (tranquility).
“The spirit of the way of tea has been imparted to people worldwide,” Tegarden added. “The expression, ‘peacefulness through a bowl of tea’ is the phrase that is used to express this goal. It is hoped that this knowledge will reach far and wide around the globe.”
How wonderful if the ideals of the way of tea might further contribute to the attainment of genuine world peace and happiness, the mutual goal of all humanity.
Deidre Tegarden,
Executive Director, Nisei Veterans Memorial Center
