Viewpoints Art Gallery in Makawao, one of the finest art galleries in the state, is also driven by a keen sense of community. Gallery Director Oliver Perez and Art Director Joelle Perez provide a space and a nurturing spirit that celebrates the rich culture of Hawaii....

Tai Baird, a special-education fourth-grade inclusion teacher at Lihikai Elementary was a speaker at the 2022 Schools of the Future conference (SOTF) in Honolulu. SOTF is the largest annual event of its nature in the State and enables teachers and administrators...

Recently, Hawaii’s Brian Kohne, an award-winning music producer and independent motion picture writer, director, and producer of the movies Kuleana and Get a Job, was the guest speaker at Maui TechOhana. Presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB)...

Hosted by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), fourteen aspiring leaders came together virtually for the Project Weekend event, to work on solutions to diversify Maui’s economy. Project Weekend is specifically designed for the Fellows of Ka Ipu Kukui, a year-long...

Maui resident Dr. T.S. Kelso was honored with an award from the Space Data Association (SDA) at the 22nd Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference, for his outstanding contributions to space flight safety. AMOS, presented by Maui...

This summer, the University of Hawaii’s Space Flight Laboratory (HSFL) was awarded one of the Governor's Emergency Education Relief grants (GEER) to find innovative ways to teach in Hawaii. Since May 2020, thanks to a NASA Artemis Student Challenge Grant, the HSFL...

Hawaii residents contributed to key space-related discussions at the 4th annual EMER-GEN Conference. This year’s program, presented by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) was the first hybrid event, with both in-person and livestream components. A joint...

Jocelyn Romero Demirbag, Ed.D., Director of Development at the University of Hawaii (UH) Maui College, works to expand the college fundraising efforts through the UH Foundation. The Foundation, a private 501(c)(3) non-profit, was established in 1955 to encourage...

Ke Kula o’ Pi'ilani School of Maui, surrounded by the beauty of ‘Īao Valley, is a rare treasure in the community. The independent, nonprofit Hawaiian language school, founded in 2016, is located on the Hawai'i Nature Center campus. Ke Kula o’ Pi'ilani is the only...

Throughout the pandemic, the Nisei Veterans Memorial Center offered a once-a-month Ta-Ke Leadership Series. They asked outstanding leaders in the community to share their insights on current issues and how we can get past today’s obstacles as we begin to resume our...

Neutron-1, a 3U CubeSat small satellite involving more than 100 University of Hawaii students, faculty, staff and volunteers, successfully launched as part of an International Space Station (ISS) resupply mission from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in...

The University of Hawai’i Maui College (UHMC) Engineering Technology Program entered two teams in the 2020 International CanSat Competition. Out of 33 teams from more than a dozen countries, Team Onipa’a placed first and Team Paka’a placed 23rd. The competition...

For over 15 years, Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™ has partnered with Charlie Fitzpatrick, Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Education Manager. Together, they provide Geographic Information System (GIS) training for students and...

John Gaebler, part-time Maui resident working towards his PhD from the University of Colorado in aerospace engineering, has been a three-time participant in the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program. In Hawaii and nationwide, this program offers...

Over the last 12 years, Aaron Kagawa has shared his expertise with over 1,000 students on Oahu. Kagawa is the co-founder of Altino Coding and Product Manager at a global technology startup, Kentik Technologies Inc. Recently, coordinating with Maui Economic Development...

Robert Schmid, Chief IoT Technologist with Deloitte Consulting, discussed the Internet of Things with over forty Maui small business owners and entrepreneurs at the recent Maui TechOhana meeting. Presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), and supported by...

Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™, in partnership with the University of Hawaii and Pacific Center for Advanced Technology Training, presented a series of week-long summer GenCyber camps for students on Maui and statewide. Funding for the camps was...

Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) will present their annual Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner & Auction, Pathways to Our Future, on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Wailea Beach Resort–Marriott, Maui. Proceeds raised will help to advance MEDB’s K-12...

Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Ke Alahele Education Fund grantee, Kihei Charter High School, used their funding for a school-year long class that combined current and ancient Hawaiian navigation and science skills. “The project enhanced awareness of viable...

Dr. Paul Schumacher, Principal Investigator in Astrodynamics for Space Situational Awareness, Air Force Research Laboratory in Maui, recently gave a talk at the Institute for Astronomy in Pukalani, about the future of the satellite catalog. In recent years, the...

Dr. Keith Knox, retired Technical Advisor for the Space Surveillance Systems Branch of Air Force Research Laboratory in Kihei, has been involved in an extraordinary project. For more than 25 years, in his spare time, Knox has worked with an international team of...

In May, Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology Project presented the 8th Annual Hawaii STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Conference at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. More than 1,000 students, educators, industry...

HNu Photonics, a multi-award-winning Maui-based technology company, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Since its founding, the company has been recognized repeatedly as one of the fastest growing companies in Hawaii. They have taken innovative ideas and...

Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Ke Alahale Education Fund is a key contributor to the innovative use of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education throughout the state. Thanks to generous businesses and other community stakeholders, MEDB...

In just one weekend, you will experience the highs, lows, fun, and pressure that make up life at a startup. Surrounded by smart, passionate people and with the best tools and strategies at your disposal, you’ll take giant leaps in learning skills to create a business,...

How safe is your business data? Are you an easy target for hackers? How can you protect yourself from cyber-crime? Data Security will be a key topic at the Hawaii Small Business Conference that will help business owners find practical IT (Information Technology)...

Facing serious health challenges, Daniel, a ten-year old boy diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, reached out to Make-A-Wish® Hawaii to help make one of his wishes come true. Daniel’s love of astronomy brought him and his family to Maui for a tour atop Haleakala. Daniel...

The Women in Technology (WIT) Project of Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is proud to announce that one of their STEMworks™ AFTERschool teachers, Jennifer Suzuki, from Maui Waena Intermediate School in Kahului, was named the Maui District Teacher of the Year....

Ethan Gulnac, a 15-year-old Kihei Charter School 10th grade student, gave an extraordinary talk and drone demonstration at Maui Economic Development Board’s 2016 Hawaii STEM Conference in May. Interested in aviation since he was a child, Gulnac has learned the...

Donors to the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) Ke Alahele Education Fund empower students and teachers throughout Maui County. In 2006, MEDB established the fund to strengthen the education-to-workforce pipeline in science, technology, engineering and...

This March, Dr. Ryan Swindle of Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Maui Detachment, received the Department of Defense STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education and Outreach Advocate Award for his dedication to STEM education in the Maui community....

Dr. James “JD” Armstrong, the enthusiastic Maui Technology Education and Outreach Specialist at the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy (IfA) in Pukalani, is much admired in the community. His work includes research on exoplanets, asteroids, comets, stellar...

The Ke Alahele Education Fund of Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) supported Baldwin High School’s Robotics Team to compete at this year’s FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics competition, an international high school...

Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Ke Alahele Education Fund stresses the importance of students having the ability to use a variety of technologies effectively to be career-ready. Recognizing the critical nature of this preparation, MEDB has worked vigorously...

Pōmaikaʻi Elementary School, located in the Maui Lani subdivision in Kahului, opened its doors in 2007 with the vision to educate the whole child by connecting academics with their Arts Integration curriculum. Based on years of research, Pōmaikaʻi believes that...

In celebration of National Geographic Awareness Week, November 17-21, the Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology (WIT) Project presented Geographic Information System (GIS) Day at Queen Kaahumanu Center in Kahului. The event featured displays and...

Molokai Middle School recently received an $88,213 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for a project titled “Promoting Cultural Based Knowledge and Practices through Environmental Stewardship and Preservation.” The grant extends from...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

In her role as a STEM coach, Jenn Whitted said she’s seen Molokai students flourish in the area of science, technology, engineering and math. “The new computers, robots, computer software really open their eyes to projects they can do and learn from,” Whitted said....

In reflecting on how young people are encouraged to tell stories in Akaku’s Youth Broadband Education and Awareness Mentoring program, Akaku Education Director Kat Tracy pointed to the Apple computer company founder and visionary Steve Jobs. Jobs “envisioned putting...

HNu Photonics is reinforcing its growing reputation as a leading high technology company in Hawaii. Recently, the Maui-based company was selected by the Biotech International Organization for its “Buzz of BIO” Award for “Technologies of Tomorrow.” HNu received 1,921...

Driven by her love for math and desire to give back to the community, 17-year-old Jasmine Doan founded the Maui Math Circle. She completed the first year of the project with the support of Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology Project; her school,...

A Ke Alahele Education Fund grant for Montessori School of Maui was intended to support its engineering and robotics programs plus help provide a practical learning environment for students to enhance their skills in science, technology, engineering and math or STEM....

Students in kindergarten through 5th grade at Pukalani Elementary School are enjoying, even getting excited about, science these days, according to Curriculum Coordinator Jasmine Domingo. So much so, that more than 100 of them have been engaging in extracurricular,...

Hana High School science and natural resources teacher Paulo Burns says he and many of his students are visual learners, meaning that seeing is believing for them. So, when Burns and his students received 10 computer tablets, a projector, a laptop and a camera with a...

Following in the footsteps of her retired drama teacher and mentor Sue Loudon, Linda Carnevale strives to build life skills and create a family atmosphere for students at the Baldwin High School Performing Arts Center. “Most of my life has really been in the drama...

When he’s not hard at work at his job as president of Maui Land & Pineapple Co., Ryan Churchill serves as Education Committee chairman for Maui Economic Development Board. The committee oversees the Ke Alahele Education Fund and approves grants for educational...

Sixteen Maui teachers brushed up on their writing, video shooting and editing skills this summer at a hands-on workshop coordinated by PBS Hawaii, the producers of HIKI NO. Now in its third year, HIKI NO is the first statewide student video news network in the nation....

Keanae mom Sommer “Kehau” Kimokeo says she and the nonprofit she founded aren’t giving up on a dream to build a charter school in their remote East Maui community. Ka Waianu o Haloa’s application to open a charter school for children living in East Maui is currently...

Maui’s newest public elementary school opens Aug. 5 in Wailuku with a staff of 28 teachers ready to work with 550 students in kindergarten through 5th grade. Principal Chad Okamoto, a 20-year veteran of the state Department of Education, has been working on building a...

Nearly 60 girls in 4-H clubs across the island danced under the stars and used GPS navigation techniques to find treasures at the annual 4-H Tech Connect* Fair held at Maui Economic Development Board. Designed to promote careers in science, technology, engineering and...

In her 30-year career as a college math teacher, Ann Arakawa found that students who overcame feeling intimidated by math became successful. “There’s a lot of fear and anxiety out there about math,” said Arakawa, the wife of Mayor Alan Arakawa. “Once they get over the...

Whether you break out in song, tap toes, snap fingers or hum that tune you can’t seem to get out of your head, music is part of our lives -- but can it teach children to add, subtract, multiply and divide? Yes, according to Marcia Daft, the founder and artistic...

Youth Alliance members solidified their support for renewable energy systems after touring the Auwahi Wind facility in Ulupalakua. “I had not realized the importance of windmills on our islands and how much they truly contribute to our lives,” 11th-grader Racieli...

Shannon Rowe, a 1996 state auto mechanic champion and national runner-up, pours his time and energy into creating a new line of skilled students. “The ones who succeed are the ones who work hard and put a lot of time into it,” Rowe said. He and his Maui High School...

A Hana School project is helping students get in touch with ancient Native Hawaiian navigational practices while cutting their teeth on cutting-edge technology. The "Never Lost" project's first phase is a blog-based curriculum in which students use the Internet to...

Students in the Focus Maui Nui Youth Alliance got a taste of government at work as they testified at budget hearings before the Maui County Council. “It was an amazing experience,” said Baldwin High School freshman Chelsea Kau. “It went pretty fast, just a few minutes...

An aquaponics project at Maui Preparatory Academy is challenging students to learn on several levels and grow in some unexpected ways. Funded with a $2,000 grant from Maui Economic Development Board Ke Alahele Education Fund, the project is not just about growing...

After 20-plus years in the business, geotechnical engineer Theresa Nunan has fulfilled a lifelong goal to become independent and establish her own company. Now she’s sharing her passion for engineering with young people, hoping they’ll get past the stereotype that...

The “Women of Power Stand Down” event is being held for women who have served in the U.S. military. “Stand Down” is a military term to describe a safe position off of the combat zone where weary soldiers can retreat to rest, re-boot and re-energize. Likewise, Women of...

Two filmmakers with Maui ties will have their work showcased this month at the 2012 Hawai‘i International Film Festival on Oahu. The event, featuring more than 150 films from 40 different countries, is set for Oct. 11-21 at Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 Theatres &...

Voters have an opportunity on Nov. 6 to elect a woman to replace retiring Hawaii U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka. The race for the U.S. Senate seat features Democratic Congresswoman Mazie Hirono and former Republican Gov. Linda Lingle. Hirono is giving up her seat as the...

Tom Norton inspires students intrigued by robots and colored plastic toy bricks to get them interested in the field of technology and creative learning. “You get ‘em hooked somehow,” said Norton, Lahaina Intermediate School’s technology coordinator. Norton exchanged...

Boeing Company‘s Senior Software Engineer Bob Brem has given as many as 200 hours of expertise this year as a mentor for the award-winning Baldwin High School robotics team. “I get a lot of satisfaction from it,” he said. “I think that we function as role models for...

Retired teacher Ed Ginoza left the classroom 12 years ago, but continues to learn as a volunteer mentor and coach for high school students competing in math and science competitions. Ginoza served for nearly 30 years as a teacher, mostly at Maui High School where he...

Retired educators Pat and Richard Endsley of Lahaina have built an after-school tutoring project that serves more than 300 children a year in West Maui. They say they could not have achieved success without the generosity of some 100 adult tutors and 70 high school...

Award-winning science teacher Margaret “Maggie” Prevenas shares her passion for learning by escorting her students outside the classroom. “As a teacher, I need to bring my students outside and into their environment so they can really see how it works,” she said. Over...

With 30 years of teaching experience, Karolyn Mossman knows what works in the classroom. Yet the Kalama Intermediate School teacher says that what happens outside of the classroom -- at home -- can really make a difference in the academic success of students. Parents...

Our children today are more sophisticated at younger ages. They are using advanced technology in their classrooms and are setting directions for themselves even before they enter middle school. To keep up with this trend, building skills in STEM needs to begin at an...

For the third consecutive year, the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, will be a Tutor Sponsor for the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund benefit dinner and auction. “Any investment in our keiki will pay dividends for generations to come,” said Matt Bailey, Grand...

Ten things you can do to contribute to Education: Read to your child daily. Tutor one hour a month at your favorite school. Check that homework gets done every day. Provide feedback to the Board of Education. Start a book sharing program to “recycle” gently used...

Improving education is a key community value identified through Focus Maui Nui, and Joe Apolo, President of Maui Pop Warner, takes pride that Pop Warner football is the only national sports organization in America that requires its participants to meet academic...

We need your help with securing a major grant from the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Island Innovation Fund. The process is now in the "Collaboration" phase and we need feedback to strengthen our proposal before the final submission. Please review our proposal at the...

There’ s good news for anyone that missed the live October 6 broadcast of the “Focus 2010: Gubernatorial Conversation” on Akaku Maui Community Television between Lt. Gov. James “ Duke” Aiona and former U.S. Congressman Neil Abercrombie. The forum, held at the Maui...

With education identified by the Focus Maui Nui process as a community priority, the Maui Economic Development Board’s recent Education and Graduation Rate conference proved to be both timely and enlightening. The event, with the theme “E Ulu – Growing Together”, was...

This week, the 11th AMOS (Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance) technical conference, presented annually by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), is being held in Wailea. The conference is the premier event in the field of space situational awareness,...