Maui’s own Santa and Mrs. Claus are a common sight throughout the holiday season despite the islands being over 4,700 miles away from the North Pole. “As we get older,” Santa said, “the warmer tropical weather during the blustery cold North Pole winters is much better for our health.” The festive couple explained that although their work continues all through the year on Maui, December is of course their busiest month.
Since moving to Hawaiʻi in the late 1990s, Maui’s Santa and Mrs. Claus have found the right opportunities to continue volunteering all year round. Mrs. Claus always brings Christmas cheer by cookie baking, holiday decorating, and even volunteering as a reindeer or elf for children’s events. She has contributed to the Maui community for decades, volunteering her time through activities like assisting the Maui Food Bank with distribution drives at Maria Lanakila Church, organizing food drives, and reading to children in the Read Aloud America school programs.
Santa explained, “In collaboration with the Hansen family’s Annual Toy Drive, we made our first appearance together benefitting the Friends of Children’s Justice Center. Additionally, we make appearances in the Kahului Library, the Kihei Library, the Maui Police Department’s Annual Children’s Holiday party, Hale Makua, and other places in the community.”
Always appearing in authentic vintage Christmas outfits, the couple shared, “we donate to the Maui Food Bank, have lunch at Zippy’s, fill gas at Costco, pick up Christmas cards at Target, shop for candy canes at Walmart, and visit local coffee shops. It takes people by surprise to see us out in the general public, not hired by the store, and not asking for money. We are simply humbled to have a moment with community members.”
They concluded, “The magic we bring during Christmas ignites the spark in imagination long after the holiday is over. It’s these moments of family and togetherness, smiles and laughter, that always live deep in our hearts.”
It’s a great honor to serve the Maui community at Christmas as a symbol of love and joy throughout the holiday season.
– Santa and Mrs. Claus
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Over 50 students from across Maui County, including 3 from Molokai, joined healthcare professionals at Kaiser Permanente’s Maui Lani clinic in November for a Saturday filled with career exploration and hands-on learning. The event, organized by Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™ program and Kaiser Permanente staff, was designed to introduce students to a variety of healthcare specialties through activities run by medical providers themselves.
“With healthcare comprising over 10% of Maui County’s employment, MEDB is committed to supporting the growth of our local healthcare workforce, identified as a top priority by the Maui County Healthcare Partnership,” said Ila Ferris, MEDB’s Healthcare Program Manager. “We’re so grateful for our continuing collaboration with Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi to introduce students to the many career pathways available so they can thrive locally and contribute to the wellbeing of their community.”
The five specialties featured during the event were primary care, physical therapy, pharmacy, wound care, and phlebotomy. Students practiced skills like taking vital signs using a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff and drawing blood from a realistic silicone arm. At the physical and occupational therapy station, participants learned about human anatomy and exercises for recovering from sports injuries in Kaiser Permanente’s on-site gym. Students enjoyed a Jeopardy-style game to test their pharmacy knowledge, and the wound care station emphasized the importance of proper wound treatment using fruits to illustrate what wounds look and feel like during the healing process.
Students reflected on their own interests and possible career pathways after hearing about the experiences of the healthcare professionals involved in running the event. “I learned about being an internal medicine doctor and how there are many specialties you can branch off into,” noted Maui High School senior Jasmyn Yun.
“I really loved being able to get hands on and being able to talk with professionals in the medical field…for the short amount of time we had, I think it was really good,” commented Kody Manegdeg, a senior at King Kekaulike High School. “There’s way more to the medical field than just nurses and doctors,” he added.
Building a strong physician and clinician pipeline for Maui starts long before college or medical school; it starts with exposure, encouragement, and opportunity. These career exploration days are another step toward ensuring our Valley Isle students see a place for themselves in the healthcare workforce.
– Dr. Chris Martin, Associate Area Medical Director, Maui, Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi
This fall season, the inaugural Lights for Lahaina and Light March filled the grounds of Maria Lanakila Catholic Church with healing and aloha. From heartfelt activities to the powerful Light March that brought hundreds together, the event was a reminder of Lahaina’s strength, resilience, and spirit. The event was presented by Aloha Amplified, a non-profit, in coordination with Kumu Wilmont Kamaunu Kahaiali‘i from Mālama Maui ‘Ohana Foundation and the community.
“We are thankful for those near and far who joined us to reflect on Lahaina’s past, celebrated its enduring spirit, and who imagine a brighter future, together,” said Aloha Amplified co-founder, Linn Nishikawa. “We created Aloha Amplified so we can step moreinto the grassroots space and stand with our neighbors during times of uncertainty, helping people find resources, strength, and hope. We are deeply honored to have Wilmont Kamaunu Kahaiali‘i serve as a member on our Aloha Amplified Board.”
“This Thanksgiving, I’m filled with gratitude for everyone who came together to honor Lahaina,” said Kahaiali‘i. “As someone who calls this place home, seeing over 850 people gather to remember, to heal, and to hold each other up meant everything. Light has the power to guide us forward, even as we heal from the darkness. That’s what I witnessed: families decorating lanterns in honor of loved ones, keiki sharing hope through art, and hundreds walking silently through our streets during the Light March, carrying that light together.”
Reverend Amy Crowe also reflected, “the Lights for Lahaina experience is part of our kuleana, our sacred responsibility, to support one another and step beyond our comfort zones to embrace each other in new ways.” Crowe is a former pastor of Holy Innocents Episcopal Church in Lahaina, which had a church building on Front Street that burned in the 2023 fires.
Looking to the future, Aloha Amplified’s new Lahaina Time Capsule project will preserve community member’s messages, photos, and reflections. The time capsule project was introduced to the community during the Lights for Lahaina event, where participants were invited to begin contributing to the capsule’s contents. Those who could not attend can still take part by submitting their entries at www.LightsforLahaina.org/timecapsule. Submissions are open until the end of 2025. In addition to written notes, community members are welcome to submit artwork and recorded video or audio messages. The capsule will be buried at Maria Lanakila Catholic Church in Lahaina in January 2026, and it will be opened on August 8, 2043, twenty years after the 2023 wildfires.
We’re already envisioning Lights for Lahaina 2026 as a two-day gathering that deepens our connection and healing. Lahaina’s spirit has never been extinguished. The fires changed our landscape, but they couldn’t break the bonds that hold us together.
Wilmont Kamaunu Kahaiali‘i, Cultural Practitioner and Board Member Aloha Amplified
The recent 2025 Sister Cities International Conference in Izumisano, Japan continued to build the already strong collaboration between Hawaiʻi and Japan. The event brought together Hawaiʻi’s state and county representatives with their counterparts from Japan. The event helps to facilitate communication with municipalities and expand Sister City relationships.
Sister Cities in different countries form long-term agreements to foster cultural, educational, business, and technical exchanges. The movement was championed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower after World War II through Sister Cities International (SCI), founded in 1956 to advance peace, mutual respect, and understanding through citizen diplomacy and people-to-people partnerships.
“For me, it was a quick trip to Japan, but a wonderful one,” said Deidre Tegarden, Executive Director of the Nisei Veterans Memorial Center on Maui and recipient of the Nihon Bunka Award in 2023 for her work in promoting Japanese culture and heritage. “I was honored to represent Nisei Veterans as a speaker. The conference presented a Sister City exhibit with numerous attractions and, most importantly, new friends.”
Other speakers included Miku Narisawa of Odyssey Japan, who was instrumental in the Kibou (Hope) for Maui Project. Kibou for Maui brought students from Lahainaluna High School to Japan to learn about resilience, rebuilding, and hope from peers and leaders who suffered during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. Now the support has come full-circle.
“At the end of my presentation, I was able to share how many of the returning Nisei veterans created and supported Sister Cities on Maui and across the State,” Tegarden said. “Their motto, ‘For Continuing Service,’ established an ongoing legacy of peace, hope, and human connections. There were many highlights to the conference, including an evening of taiko drumming and Fukushima Ondo kicked-off by Maui Taiko’s co-founder, Kay Fukumoto, who led the whole audience in a powerful and heartfelt performance. In addition, the Mayor of Izumisano shared his intent to come to Maui next year with his city’s taiko group.”
Our panel, ‘Helping Through Heartbreak,’ was about how Sister Cities come to each other’s aid after disasters. Of course, I spoke about the wave of support we received from Japan after the 2023 wildfires.
– Deidre Tegarden, Executive Director, Nisei Veterans Memorial Center
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks program has announced that its 17th Annual Hawaiʻi STEM Conference will be taking place at the Sheraton Waikīkī on April 15-16, 2026. The education and professional development event serves hundreds of middle and high school students and K-12 teachers each year from all across the state, providing participants with a fun and immersive STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning environment and opportunities to connect with Hawaiʻi-based STEM experts and industry leaders.
Like paddlers in a waʻa (canoe) navigating uncertain waters, this year’s conference theme, “Navigating Change,” encourages students to look inward to discover their unique strengths and passions to contribute meaningfully to their communities. In times of change, each student’s talents become essential pieces for a larger collective journey, requiring both self-reflection and collaborative action. STEMworks seeks to help students understand their own role and work in unison with others so that they can steer toward a brighter future for Hawaiʻi. Through hands-on sessions led by professionals in fields including healthcare, engineering, computer science, entrepreneurship, and agriculture, the conference is STEMworks’ largest career awareness and professional development event of the year.
Middle and high school students interested in growing their STEM skills and learning more about STEM career pathways are encouraged to collaborate with a teacher from their school to register and attend as part of a student group or to register individually. K-12 teachers are also invited to register; it is not required that teachers attend with students, and a variety of teachers-only breakout sessions will be offered throughout the event.
STEMworks is also seeking STEM industry professionals and academics to lead one-hour breakout sessions for small groups of students during the conference. Designed to provide students with hands-on experience and skill-building, breakout sessions are a space for industry experts to share their enthusiasm and knowledge about their chosen education and career pathways. These sessions also give industry guest speakers a chance to recruit more advanced students for employment and educational opportunities, like internships and academic programs.
This year’s Hawaiʻi STEM Conference was so fun…I got to meet and talk to new people. I hope I can go to the conference next year and meet more new people and go to sessions I haven’t been to yet to learn more about other people and what their job is or what they did in college.
Molokai Middle School Student, 2025 Hawaiʻi STEM Conference Participant
Kula Country Farms, a family-run upcountry business on Kula Highway, is a favorite stop for both locals and tourists alike. Chauncey Monden, a graduate from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and a fourth-generation farmer, took over the family farm in 1998 when his father retired. His wife Teena runs their open-air farm stand that is stocked with their home-grown strawberries, onions, assorted vegetables, pumpkins, fresh-baked good, and more. Most recently, their daughter Tess opened a smoothie, tea, and coffee truck next to the farm stand.
“We started the stand because we wanted to promote local agriculture and to sell directly to customers,” Chauncey said. “Our specialty crops like year-round strawberries give us that opportunity. One of the benefits of being a farmer is the gratification you feel when you produce a consistent product that people keep coming back for.”
Teena’s creativity keeps the stand continually growing, which helps keep the farm going. “Twice a year, usually April and October, the farm allows visitors to pick their own fresh strawberries,” Teena noted. “During the fall, the farm opens its now-famous pumpkin patch to literally thousands of residents looking for fresh gourds or pumpkins for Halloween. All ages love it!”
The stand’s product line is always increasing, and the Mondens are exploring new ways to hold events at the farm. “Everything is fresh from our fields, and some homegrown items are from our neighbors,” Teena added. “On the third Saturday of each month, Kula Country Farms hosts a popular craft fair with locally made items. In addition, we can host weddings and special events.”
Naturally, there are always challenges. The Mondens shared that the market has changed, finding employees has become more challenging, and supplies needed for farming are more expensive than ever. Even the weather has altered over time. “Still, we have a deep commitment to continue our farming legacy and to support agriculture on Maui.”
Chauncey and Teena have hosted students as part of the STEMworks Agriculture Business and Technology Internship Program to help foster the next generation of farmers. “We believe that the internship experience provides valuable work-based learning for students who not only gain technical skills but also have the chance to explore career pathways in different ag fields,” they said. “The students learn about hard work, patience, and most importantly, gratefulness.”
Our intent is to grow fresh, flavorful produce in Maui soil, and set the stage for economic sustainability.
Chauncey and Teena Monden, Kula Country Farms
Whether people are just getting started in business or looking to scale up, the recent Entrepreneur Bootcamp was designed to equip them with the tools, strategies, and connections needed to succeed. Presented by the UH Maui College Maui Food Innovation Center and the YWCA Maui Women’s Business Center in partnership with agencies, organizations, and sponsors from across Hawaiʻi, the all-day event included Maui residents of all ages and levels of business experience, including a 13-year-old entrepreneur. The event was free for participants, including breakfast, lunch, and a pau hana mixer. Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) sponsored the travel of Maui County’s islands in the spirit of collaboration.
“It’s a valuable and important collaboration between the non-profits of Maui,” said Annette Lynch, Director of Communications for MEDB who attended the bootcamp and consulted with attendees. “It’s fantastic to come together in one place so that small business owners and entrepreneurs know that there are resources and support to help them thrive on Maui. They don’t have to do it alone.”
“This year’s theme, Kūlia I Ka Nuʻu (Rising to the Summit), calls us to pursue excellence with determination and resilience,” said Angela Gannon, the event coordinator for the bootcamp. “It reminds us that the entrepreneurial path, like the climb to a mountain peak, requires vision, effort, and perseverance.”
Stacey Moniz, Director of the Maui Women’s Business Center, YWCA, noted, “The goals of this bootcamp are simple yet powerful: to meet the real needs of our local entrepreneurs, to deliver training and mentorship that build lasting business success, and to expand access across Maui Nui.”
Andra Tejero-Gaspar, business advisor from the Veterans Business Outreach Center, one of the bootcamp resource partners, shared, “We give assistance to those who are transitioning out of the military and to veterans who want to further their education, join the workforce, and become entrepreneurs. We do one-on-one consultations, provide resources, and connect veterans with business owners. All those in the military community are welcome.”
Bootcamp participant Monika Jost added, “This is a fabulous event! I found so many connections, ideas, and people willing to help me grow my business. I gained insights on business formation, planning, funding, marketing, accounting, and ecommerce, plus priceless networking.”
The keynote speakers, workshop presenters, and success story panelists provided a day of collaboration and growth while celebrating the spirit of entrepreneurship together.
McKenna Lickle, Program Manager, Maui Food Innovation Center, UHMC
During the recent AMOS (Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance) Conference, presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) in Wailea, over 1,000 local and visiting industry professionals were joined by 150 Maui County middle school students and their teachers for a special Space Exploration Day student event. The students met Scott “Scooter” Altman, who shared about his long career as a pilot and astronaut, and they visited exhibit booths for hands-on aerospace activities led by STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) experts.
One of the exhibitors, longtime Maui resident Dr. Shadi Naderi of KBR, led the students through an interactive engineering session featuring the popular “Space Lander Challenge,” a creative activity that introduces students to the engineering design process while connecting them to real-world space exploration. Naderi explained, “In this challenge, students took on the role of NASA engineers tasked with designing a lander to keep their ‘astronauts’ (represented by ping-pong balls) safe during a landing on Mars. Participants used a 9-ounce cup and cardstock to build a landing system that protects the ping-pong ball from bouncing out when dropped from three feet. For an added level of difficulty, teams were challenged to protect two ping-pong balls at once. The great thing about the engineering design process is that it encourages students to brainstorm, test, and refine their ideas.”
Judah, a 5th grader from Kaunakakai School on Molokai, shared, “I enjoyed this challenge, hearing stories from the astronaut, and learning how to build strong satellites using marshmallows!” Kawika Gonzales, an educator from Kaunakakai, also commented, “My students are really interested in space, and I believe if we give them an opportunity, they are going to exceed our expectations. I am so grateful to MEDB’s STEMworks program for giving Molokai students the opportunity to experience STEM activities, such as robotics and computer science, which they would not otherwise have.”
Paul, an 8th grader from Maui Waena Intermediate School, added, “My favorite activity was at the COMSPOC Corporation booth. We learned there is so much man-made debris floating around that can cause problems for astronauts, satellites, and other important pieces of equipment circling Earth, and how this company tracks it. Thank you, MEDB, for inviting us!”
Leslie Wilkins, MEDB’s president and CEO, noted, “Each year we see students’ creativity blossom during Space Exploration Day. They learn about the very wide variety of careers and technologies in the space field.”
I enjoyed learning about telescopes and how they track satellites, as well as the importance of getting rid of space debris. Plus, meeting an astronaut made me really think about being one!
Tyzen, 5th Grader, Kaunakakai Elementary School
