Education Articles
EMER-GEN Attendees Learn About Kaho’olawe
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...
Education Fundraising Event to Highlight Student STEM Innovation
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...
STEMworks™ Ag Internship Program
Since 2020, Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks team and its partners have delivered a highly successful Agriculture (Ag) Business and Technology Internship program, placing 179 Maui County high school and college students with host companies in the ag...
MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner & Auction
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...
Why look up?
Brighten Tantisira, a King Kekaulike High School alumnus, recently wrote and graphically designed a book, Why Look Up? An Introduction to Our Fascinating Universe for Young Students and Novices. Tantisira is a former Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) STEMworks™...
Maui food innovation center
During a recent Maui TechOhana meeting organized by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the County of Maui, participants learned about the inspiring work being done at the Maui Food Innovation Center (MFIC) located on the University of Hawaiʻi Maui...
Healthcare exploration for students
This spring, Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks™ program organized three Healthcare Exploration Day events with Maui Health. The events, hosted by the Maui Health team at Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC) and made possible by generous funding from the...
STEMworks™ on Molokai
As part of ongoing efforts to support culturally relevant education, Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™ AFTERschool Program recently organized a trip to Molokai for eight of its Maui Island teachers. “Offering an approach to merge traditional Hawaiian...
Pledge to our Keiki
Two thoughtful and concerned students from Baldwin High School launched a campaign to promote a Pledge To Our Keiki. Through the pledge, senior Anica Ancheta, the Hawaiʻi State Student Council Representative, senior Penelope Tupou, the Baldwin Student Body...
Adaptive Capacity For Your Business
The 12th Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) Women in Business Seminar Series webinar, Adaptive Capacity and What It Means for Your Business, was presented in partnership with the Women’s Business Enterprise Council (WBEC). Supported by the SBA Community Navigator...
Genesis of Waihee Ahupuaa Mural Project
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....
Stars of Hope
For the past four weeks a group of amateur astronomers, under the direction of Dr. J.D. Armstrong, Educational Outreach Coordinator for the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy, have been setting up amateur telescopes at some of the hotels where people who...
Student Space Exploration Day 2023
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) has developed a wide-ranging slate of programs to advance K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education for the County of Maui and statewide. Together with an extensive network of partners, MEDB has...
Empower, Explore, Engage, Excel!
This summer, 20 middle-school girls had the opportunity to attend Excite Camp, a STEMworks™ program sponsored by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB). The three-day camp encourages girls to pursue education and careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering,...
The Digital Bus Program
The Digital Bus, currently managed by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), is a program of Alaka’ina, a nonprofit 501(c)3 which ensures that the young men and women of Hawaii have the skills and competencies they need to be effective leaders. MEDB and Alaka’ina...
Federal Resource Fair and FEMA Update
On Saturday, August 19th, U. S. Representative Jill Tokuda from Hawaii’s 2nd District and her staff held a Federal Resource Fair for individuals, families, and businesses who have been impacted by the Maui wildfires. Hosted by Maui Economic Development Board...
STEMworks™ Ag Business & Technology Internship Program
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) showcased their STEMworks™ Ag Business and Technology Internship Program at the 2023 Maui County Farm Bureau Maui AgFest & 4-H Livestock Fair. Through the program, students in grades 9-12 and college undergraduates have the...
Pathways to our Future
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Ke Alahele Education Fund grantee, King Kekaulike High School, applied STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) funding towards Tower Garden® growing systems for an aeroponics project, “The Power of a Plant: STEM in...
BrainTrust, Web3, and AI
The latest Maui TechOhana meeting about AI (artificial intelligence) filled the venue with a discussion on one of the most currently talked-about subjects, a theme the community found worth exploring. Organized by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported...
MATCHA X2 Entrepreneurs
Maui Matcha, the sleek, minimalist-style Kaanapali café in Whalers Village, opened one year ago by entrepreneur, professional nutrition expert and UH Manoa graduate Michelle Nayebkhil. Upon receiving her license as a nutrition educator from the Physicians Committee...
Maui Waena Soars to Excellence
Maui Waena Intermediate School, a Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) STEMworks™ (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Program participant, won big in the largest student video competition in the nation. Thirty two Maui Waena students attended the 2023...
Rights and Rules for Small Businesses
Most small businesses are not familiar with the Hawaii State Small Business Regulatory Review Board (SBRRB) and their work towards a regulatory environment that encourages and supports the vitality of small business in Hawaii. As part of Maui Economic Development...
USDA Program, Loans and Grants
The well-attended U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hybrid workshop, sponsored by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and USDA, brought together an inter-island team of specialists to advise Maui residents seeking to know more about energy efficiency programs,...
Introducing Girls to Engineering
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) STEMworks™ recently led its 21st annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED). Held in conjunction with National Engineering Week, IGED helps to build and strengthen Hawaii’s workforce by encouraging girls, women, and...
Maui TechOhana
The first in-person Maui TechOhana meeting in 2023 on ‘The Future of Work’ reflected the pent-up demand for these discussions. Maui TechOhana meetings, organized by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), Inc., and supported by the County of Maui, provide an informal...
Black History Month – Speak Out & Up
On Maui, Black History Month began with the reading and presentation of a proclamation by County Managing Director Kekuhaupio Akana on behalf of Mayor Richard Bissen, Jr., declaring January 16th Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Meeting at the Stone of Hope monument...
AG Internship Showcase
Through the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) STEMworks™ Ag Business & Technology Internship program, students in grades 9-12 and college undergraduates have the opportunity to gain experience in multiple industries within the agriculture sector of the...
Internet Safety, Digital Citizenship, and Ethics
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...
Student Space Exploration Day
One hundred and fifty middle school students and their STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) educators were welcomed by the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference on September 30 at the Wailea Beach Resort-Marriott....
Space Careers Emerge On Maui
Hawaii residents contributed to key space-related discussions at the 5th annual EMER-GEN® Conference held at the Wailea Beach Resort-Marriott. The program, presented by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) in a joint initiative of the Advanced Maui Optical and...
2022 AMOS Conference
On September 27-30, the 23rd annual Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference, a program of the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), had its highest-ever registration of 1,212 in-person attendees at the Wailea Beach...
STEMworks Ag Business & Technology Internships
For more than two decades, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) has worked with local industry partners to provide internships. Two years ago, STEMworks™ focused on the Agriculture sector to expand its work-based learning experiences for students and since then,...
Our Planet, Our Future
Zoe Mounts, Seabury Hall freshman, was recently honored at the 2022 Blue Planet Foundation Student Energy Summit on Oahu for her work on climate awareness. Mounts dedicated a six- month solo research project to Climate Change Awareness culminating in the production of...
2022 Hawaii Energy Conference: The Push to Electrification
The 9th Annual Hawaii Energy Conference (HEC), presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, explored the theme “Electrification: Where are we now? What does the future hold?” The two-day...
Creative Industries on Maui
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)...
Juicing For Health
Maui residents Stephen Reyes and Savannah Forbeck started Tartaria Juice Company during the pandemic to stay healthy, share their knowledge of wholesome juicing, and grow their business. Once the community opened up again they were eager to get out and offer...
All Things Stem
The 13th Annual Hawaii STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Conference is almost here! After two years of hosting the Conference virtually, Maui Economic Development Board, (MEDB) is extremely excited to be returning to the Hawaii Convention...
IGED Inspires Girls’ Futures
Each February, Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™ program offers the popular Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED), also called Girl Day. Held in conjunction with National Engineering Week, this year’s STEMworks event had 155 middle-school girls...
Hawaii Women In Business Webinar
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is once again partnering with the Women Business Enterprise Council (WBEC) to present the third webinar in the Women in Business Seminar Series. In celebration of Women’s History Month, the virtual March 16 presentation will...
Ka Ipu Kukui Fellows
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 Musician and Educator
It’s never too late to make music! Just ask Maui violist, violinist and music educator Teresa Skinner who began playing professionally and teaching in her native Southern California. On Maui since 1986, Skinner has become a celebrated local violinist. In 2015, she was...
T.S. Kelso Award for Space Safety
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...
UH HSFL Educational Outreach
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...
Meet An Astronaut!
Student Space Day went virtual at the 22nd Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference (AMOS) with guest speaker NASA Astronaut United States Space Force Col. Michael Hopkins. Presented by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) STEMworks™...
Hawaii’s Space Generation
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...
Hawaii Students Reach for the HI STARS
Today in Hawaii, science-minded students, like the ancient celestial navigators, look to the sky to understand what is going on in the cosmos. For over a decade, the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy’s (IfA) Hawaii Student Teacher Astronomy Research (HI...
Maui Business Connect
Maui Coffee Roasters (MCR), a staple business on Maui since 1982, joined Maui Business Connect, one of Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) newest programs for small businesses. The program focuses on growing local businesses in Maui County through training,...
Seminar 2: Opportunities for Women in Business
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), the Small Business Association (SBA) and the Women’s Business Enterprise Council (WBEC) are collaborating to introduce local businesses to networking platforms that hold the potential for new opportunities. One platform is SBA’s...
STEM Student SOARS!
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is proud to announce that one of their STEMworks™ students, Peyton Gillespie, Maui Preparatory Academy Class of 2021, is Ivy League-bound with honors. Gillespie, a shining example of a STEM (science, technology, engineering,...
Governor Ariyoshi Ponders Hawaii’s Future
Nisei Veterans Memorial Center recently welcomed former Governor George Ariyoshi, Hawaii’s longest-serving governor, to its ‘Afternoon with the Author’ Zoom series. In Ariyoshi’s newest book, Hawaii’s Future, he talks about leadership on Maui, the importance of...
Celebrating STEMworks™ Pots that Rot Winners
In October 2020, STEMworks™ partnered with the Maui Nui Botanical Garden to bring our students a STEMworks Solutions engineering design challenge called “Pots that Rot”. This design challenge asked students to engineer an affordable, biodegradable pot with locally...
Finding Meaning: Kaona and Contemporary Hawaiian Literature
Brandy Nālani McDougall recently took part in the W.S. Merwin Maui Conservancy Green Room Series. Led by U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo and six other Pacific Islander poets, the event celebrated National Poetry Month. McDougall is now an established author who has deep...
STEM In Flight
The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Maui County Composite Squadron 057 is celebrating its 46th year of serving Maui County. The nonprofit organization is tasked by the U.S. Congress to help run programs that keep the country at the forefront of advanced air and space...
STEMworks Solutions
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™ Solutions program brings month-long industry-based challenges to 7th-12th grade STEMworks students. The participants use STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) tools and the entrepreneurial mindset to...
Women in Business Seminar Series
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) partnered with Oahu’s YWCA Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) Women of Color Business Center to present a ‘Women in Business’ seminar series. In the introductory seminar,...
The 2021 Hawaii STEM Conference
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) 12th Annual Hawaii STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Conference will be virtual this year. Employing the online Hopin conference platform, on April 28th-30th from 9am-12pm, the venue will allow students to...
Ho’oulu Maui Nui Business Directory
Ho’oulu Maui Nui is an online resource directory that helps Maui County’s small businesses find local services and products during COVID-19. Ho’oulu means ‘to grow’ and the directory, launched as part of the 2020 Adaptability Fund, was created to help Maui County...
University of Hawaii Foundation
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...
We Love This School!
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...
UH Future Visions
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...
University of Hawaii Launches!
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...
Young Space Professionals Emerge
Presented by Maui Economic Development Board, (MEDB), the 3rd annual EMER-GEN® program, which preceded the 2020 Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference (AMOS), is a joint initiative of AMOS and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)....
UHMC Students Win 2020 International CanSat Competition
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...
STEMworks™ Summer Intern @ BizzyB
Due to COVID-19, Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™ Summer Internship team strived to personalize work-based learning experiences for students in the new virtual dimensions. They collaborated with internship host companies and community partners to...
Hawai’i Space Flight Summer Internship
College freshman Ethan Covello completed his Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) STEMworks™ Summer Internship at the Hawai’i Space Flight Laboratory (HSFL). The mission of HSFL is to promote space engineering and scientific research. They develop, launch, and...
MEDB 2020 STEM Drive
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) has announced the kick-off of their first-ever online STEM Drive, a benefit for the 2020 Ke Alahele Education Fund. The fundraiser began on July 17 and runs through August 15. Contributions are 100 percent tax deductible....
STEMworks™ Summer Internships: Paving Paths in a STEM World
Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks™ Internship Program inspires the next STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) generation. Under the internship program, students in grades nine through college have a unique opportunity to explore technical and...
STEM is the Face of the Future
Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks™ Hawaii program presented the first-ever 2020 Virtual STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Conference. The agenda focused on developing 21st-century skills for future careers. Teachers and over 200 students...
Congratulations to Maui County graduates 2020
As we enter graduation season, MEDB congratulates and commends all our Maui County graduates for your hard work and achievement. We wish you a bright and prosperous future!
The First-Ever Virtual Hawaii STEM Conference!
Every year, teachers, industry professionals, and hundreds of students from across the state converge at the Hawaii Convention Center to participate in an elaborate celebration of all things STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). The conference is...
Learning GIS
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...
Maui Business on the ISS
HNu Photonics LLC, an award-winning Maui science and technology company based in Kahului, brings another honor to Maui County for developing the Scorpio-V Mobile SpaceLab to study human biology on the International Space Station (ISS). “Maui Economic Development Board...
AFRL Scholars Program
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...
The Future of Coding
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...
The Internet of Things – IoT – Impacts Everyone
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...
Building Computer Science Capacity in Maui County’s Schools
This week – December 9th through the 15th – is the national Computer Science Education Week, marked by planned events in schools throughout the state of Hawaii. A highlight of these activities is the Hour of Code, an annual initiative developed by Code.org to spark...
Is Your Business Cyber Secure and Resilient?
CyberHawaii, in partnership with the Maui Economic Development Board, brought a Cyber Readiness Workshop to Maui for businesses and nonprofits. Cyber security is the practice of protecting systems, networks, programs, and people against digital attack. Pulling...
Molokai Girls Excited About Space Exploration Student Day!
Molokai STEMworks™ teacher, Kumu ‘Iolani Kuoha, and her students, ‘Ohi’aku Ritte-Camara-Tangonan, 8th grade, Ka’ulalani Puaa, 7th grade, and Ciera-lee Ka’apuwaihiwalani Davis, 7th grade, from ‘O Hina I ka Malama Hawaiian Language Immersion Program at Molokai Middle...
Maui Students Attend PBS NewsHour’s Student Reporting Lab
This past summer, three Maui High School students, Jazmyne Viloria, Cailyn Omuro, and Faith Soliven were chosen from over 100 applicants to attend a week-long immersive, real-world journalism experience with the PBS NewsHour in Washington DC. They were among youth...
Students, Space Sustainability and International Cooperation @ AMOS
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference (AMOS) brought together a record-breaking 919 participants from 18 countries, the largest in its history. The premier technical conference in the nation devoted...
Funding STEM for Our Future
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) held their annual Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner & Auction, Pathways to Our Future, on Labor Day at the Wailea Beach Resort–Marriott, Maui. “MEDB nurtures Maui County students’ passion for STEM (science,...
EMER-GEN™ Launches Careers in Space
The annual EMER-GEN™ Program, introduced in 2018 as a joint initiative of the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference (AMOS) and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), was designed especially for those age 18 to 35 who are...
Learning Cybersecurity
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...
STEMworks™ Internships Shape Future Careers
STEMworks™, the flagship program of Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), announced their 2019 Summer Internship Cohort during a STEMworks™ Orientation Kick-Off event. Over the course of six weeks, 33 qualifying STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)...
Ke Alahele Education Fund Grantee
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...
Pukalani Students Aspire to be Leaders
Pukalani Elementary School, a Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) Women in Technology STEMworks™ AFTERschool participant, celebrated this year’s Leadership Day with a moving and inspirational message. During a morning presentation, educators and students showed...
Ke Alahele Education Fund Pathways to our Future
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...
Tips, Tricks and Tools for Small Businesses
On May 8-9, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), with the support of the Maui County Office of Economic Development, will present their 3nd Annual Hawaii Small Business Conference (HSBC) at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Attendees will learn key strategies...
Successful Strategies for Small Business
On May 8-9, 2019, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), with the support of the Maui County Office of Economic Development, will present their 3nd Annual Hawaii Small Business Conference at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. The event, coinciding with National...
STEMworks™ “Live”
Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks™ Program and the Maui County Healthcare Partnership recently presented a STEMworks™ Live Webcast. Approximately 330 Maui County students logged into the virtual program to hear five local and national STEM (science,...
STEMworks™ Student Heads for State Science Final
Maui High School 9th grader Faith Christy Soliven won First Place Senior Division Physics and Astronomy at the 60th Maui County Regional Science & Engineering Fair. Her project was “The Intriguing Short-Term Weather Variability of Jupiter”. One of the 18 merit...
Protecting the Space Environment
Maui resident Dr. T.S. Kelso has been tracking satellites for over 35 years. Kelso serves as a Senior Research Astrodynamicist and Space Data Center Operations Manager for the Center for Space Standards & Innovation at Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI). Throughout...
STEMworks™ Interns Shine
The STEMworks™ Summer Internship, the flagship program of the Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology Project (WIT), provides work-based learning opportunities that help build critical and creative thinking. The internship program prepares...
MEDB STEMworks™ Student @ Pacific Disaster Center
Growing up in Hawaii, Robert Kalei Miller, a geospatial information analyst at the Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) in Kihei, was always interested in learning about geography and technology. His goal was to obtain a college degree in geospatial technologies with the...
STEMworks™ Intern Searches for Exoplanets
Sean McCormick, King Kekaulike High School, was among the 31 high school students participating in Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology Project (WIT) STEMworks™ Summer Internship Program. For six weeks, the STEMworks™ interns aligned their...
Maui County ♥ STEM
For the nearly 500 guests who attended this year’s annual Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner, the love of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) was in the air. Held at the Grand Wailea Resort, the...
STEMworks™ Summer Intern Sisters “qubedup”
Sophia and Christine Davis, Kihei Charter School, were among 31 of the most promising STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) high school and college students presenting their innovative projects at the 2018 STEMworks™ Summer Internship Showcase. Created...
Molokai Students Create Websites
Molokai High School’s (MHS) Mākaʻikaʻi iā grant from Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Ke Alahele Education Fund provided support for the school’s O Hina I Ka Malama Hawaiian Immersion Program. “The main outcome of the grant produced a series of virtual field...
Maui’s NASA Solar System Ambassador
Maui resident Steve McCaughey recently joined a growing number of private-citizen space enthusiasts from all walks of life who serve as NASA Solar System Ambassadors (SSA). The nation-wide SSA program brings the excitement of NASA’s space exploration to children,...
Surferbots ♥ STEM
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Ke Alahele Education Fund grantee, the Lihikai Elementary School Surferbots in Kahului, applied their grant towards the VEX IQ Robotics challenge events, purchasing parts and registration fees. “This program allows students the...
Pukalani Students and Teachers ♥ STEM
Pukalani Elementary School was most fortunate to have received two Ke Alahele Education Fund grants from Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), one for the students and one for the teachers. The first funding gave the Pukalani School Imagineers Robotics team the...
Astrophysics and Music of the Spheres
A recent talk at the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy focused on Listening to Planetary Orbits. Dan Tepfer, master pianist and astrophysicist, said to a captivated audience, “With most things, I’ve found, what’s very interesting is not the thing in...
I ♥ STEM
On Saturday, August 25, 2018, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) will hold their annual Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner & Auction, I ♥ STEM, at the Grand Wailea Resort to celebrate the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) achievements...
Maui Girls Reach for the Stars
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology Program (WIT) recently presented their 2nd Introduce a Girl to Astronomy Day (IGAD) for Maui girls, grades 7-8. For the past decade, MEDB and WIT have been at the forefront of providing cutting-edge STEM...
Keeping Track: The Future Satellite Catalog
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...
Ka Ipu Kukui Fellows Project the Future
Founded on the values and priorities for Maui County’s future as articulated by Maui County’s residents through the Decisions Maui and Focus Maui Nui visioning processes, Ka Ipu Kukui Fellows is a year-long program dedicated to preparing community-nominated young...
Growing Hawai’i’s Future Astronomers
The Maunakea Scholars program, launched in 2015, created an official partnership between the Hawai’i State Department of Education (DOE), the University of Hawai’i, and Maunakea Observatories. Designed to bring Hawai’i’s high school students into one of the world’s...
Maui’s Future Solar Scientist
Camry Gach, Seabury Hall 8th grader, is the winner of this year’s 59th Annual Maui County Regional Science & Engineering Fair’s First Place Grand Award – Junior Division; the 2018 Ricoh Sustainable Development Award; the 2018 Broadcom MASTERS; The Best in Energy –...
Plan, Build & Grow Your Business
Small businesses will learn pathways to success at the 2nd Annual Hawaii Small Business Conference (HSBC) on May 2-3, 2018 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului. The theme of this year’s event, “Plan, Build, Grow: Mapping A Pathway to Success”, provides...
Pathways to Success for Small Businesses
The 2nd Annual Hawaii Small Business Conference (HSBC) at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on May 2 & 3, 2018, will provide business owners, entrepreneurs, and employees with an opportunity to expand their expertise in numerous industry-related subjects. Hosted...
Makai Glass and Marty Dread Advancing STEM
Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology (WIT) STEMworks™ AFTERschool program is pleased to announce the 2018 Hawaii STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Conference on April 10-11, 2018 at the Hawaii Convention Center on Oahu. This two-day...
Energy + Business = Opportunity
The 2018 Maui Energy Conference returned to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center to celebrate its 5th Anniversary on March 14-15. The event, presented by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, explored...
Plan, Build, Grow
Don’t miss the second annual Hawaii Small Business Conference at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on May 2 & 3, 2018, presented by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and Maui Economic Development Board. The theme of this year’s conference...
Maui Scientist Helps Recover Ancient Texts
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...
STEMworks™ Celebrated at Queen Ka’ahumanu Center
Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology (WIT) Project recently showcased the STEMworks™ AFTERschool program at Queen Ka’ahumanu Center. Students from participating Maui County schools, Pukalani Elementary, Maui Waena Intermediate, Lahaina Intermediate,...
STEM Works After School!
The fun STEMworks™ AFTERschool Program for 2017-2018, 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 build...
The Joy of STEM Education
Graham DeVey recently retired from Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) where he worked as a program manager for their Women in Technology (WIT) Island Energy Inquiry™ (IEI) project since 2012. IEI is a professional development program for Hawaii STEM (science,...
STEMworks™ Empowers Students
This summer, The Maui Farm staff participated as mentors in Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology (WIT) STEMworks™ Summer Internship Program. Maui Farm, a nonprofit organization, has been offering an array of farm-based educational programs to...
Five Decades of Discovery
This past June the University of Hawaii’s (UH) Institute for Astronomy (IfA) celebrated its 50th anniversary with a three-day scientific conference on Oahu and a July open house event at its Maui facility in Pukalani. Although astronomy is one of the oldest sciences,...
STEMworks™ Summer Internships: A Path to the Future
The STEMworks™ Summer Internships, created by Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology Project (WIT), provided high school and college students with a dynamic six-week program at host organizations throughout the state. Interns and companies both...
The Maui Book Giver
Jonathan Kamehanaokala Merchant, a 9th grader at Seabury Hall, has loved to read for as long as he can remember. For his 11th birthday party, he decided he didn’t really need any presents. “My parents and I talked about how my bookshelf was overflowing,” said...
MEDB Opens Doors of Opportunity
On Saturday, August 26, 2017, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) will hold their annual fundraiser dinner and auction Pathways to Our Future at the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea. Guests will celebrate MEDB’s 35th Anniversary and the achievements of students in...
Download Knowledge, Upload Service
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...
STEM Works!
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), celebrating their 35th Anniversary, will hold the Annual Benefit Dinner and Auction, Pathways to Our Future, on Saturday August 26 at the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui. Thanks to donors of MEDB’s Ke Alahele Education Fund, STEM...
HNu Photonics Celebrates 10th Anniversary
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...
STEMworks™ Student at AFRL
MacKelan Mitchell, a King Kekaulike High School senior, wants to be an aerospace engineer. Luckily, he also happens to be a student in Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology (WIT) STEMworks™ Laboratory. “WIT’s program helps students gain real...
Best Friends Win High Science Honors
Maui students and best friends, Erica Sawczynec, Kihei Charter School 12th grade, and Celeste Jongeneelen, home-school 11th grade, have received high honors and recognition in astronomy and physics. The girls attended the 2017 Pacific Symposium for Science and...
Ke Alahele Education Fund: Endless Possibilities
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...
Learn, Network, Startup in 54 Hours!
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,...
The Power of Service in Small Business
What keeps you up at night? Employee engagement? Service quality? The quality of your customer service can determine your success – or failure! Petra Marquart, President of Petra Marquart and Associates, will present a comprehensive approach to customer service at the...
Discover Business Marketing and Risk Management Strategies
Are you confused about the dizzying array of marketing options for your business? Are you struggling with how to market your business on a tight budget? You are not alone. At the upcoming Hawaii Small Business Conference, Albert Samuelian, Managing Director, OMD West...
Data Security – For Your Protection
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)...
Learn Successful Business Strategies
On May 3–4, 2017, Maui Economic Development Board, in collaboration with Maui County’s Office of Economic Development, will present the first-ever Hawaii Small Business Conference. The theme, Design, Protect, Engage: Small Business Strategies for Success, aims to...
STEMworks™ Student Still Winning Awards
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) 2017 Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit & Auction, to be held on August 26 at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, raises money to support STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) projects in Maui County and...
Making a Wish Come True
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...
Maui Students Qualify for the State Robotics Competition
The Maui League VEX IQ Robotics finals took place on Saturday January 28th at Lokelani Intermediate School in Kihei. The Teamwork Champion Award went to Pukalani Elementary School team 10704B and Maui Preparatory Academy team 10528B. Both teams, along with Pomaikai...
Mahalo from STEMworks™ Intern
Jonathan Olsten, once a student in Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™ Summer Internship Program, speaks of the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education in his life. “I interned with MEDB while I was in college,”...
Maui District Teacher of the Year
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....
STEMworks™ Student Goes to the White House
Maui High School freshman, Christine Alonzo was invited by President Obama to attend the first-ever White House South by South Lawn (SXSL) event. The Women in Technology (WIT) Project of the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) sponsored the Washington D.C. trip for...
Innovate with THINKit!
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology (WIT) Project presented a two-day STEMworks™ Professional Development (PD) Workshop. STEMworks™ is a multi-faceted, hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) program. In this approach...
Pitch Bootcamp and Business Workshop on Lāna‘i
Two workshops coming up this month will be invaluable to anyone thinking of starting a business on Lāna‘i: An evening "pitch bootcamp" next week, and a weekend workshop October 21-23. Both are free and include meals. Details and registration info below. Maka Hou...
Lanai Workshop for Small Businesses
Lanai residents interested in learning about how to run their businesses more profitably attended a free workshop and dinner, Pinching Your Pennies: Finance for Small Businesses at the Lanai Senior Center. Presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) as part of...
STEM Innovators Honored
“Pathways to Our Future,” the annual dinner and auction to benefit the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) Ke Alahele Education Fund, was held at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea on August 20th. The 2016 event, celebrating the Fund’s 10th year, provided a...
Maui student soars like an eagle!
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...
Pathways to Our Future 2016
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...
Hidden Gems: State Programs to Save Your Business Money
MEDB offers a powerful workshop to help you save money. Discover TWO State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) programs that can benefit your business: Enterprise Zones (EZ) Partnership Program If your new or existing business is located...
Empower our children for the world of STEM!
You are invited to attend Pathways to our Future, a benefit for the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund. Bid on hundreds of items during the “Apples for Education” Live & Silent Auctions Play Family Feud, The STEM Edition Mingle with Distinguished Educators: U.S....
AFRL physicist introduces students to the stars
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....
The power of STEM
In 1999, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) created the Women in Technology Project (WIT) whose mission is to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) throughout the state with hands-on and project-based service learning. WIT works in...
Dr. JD Armstrong: Maui’s HI STAR
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...
Hawaii STEM students pursue high tech
Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology (WIT) Project, in partnership with the County of Maui, presented the 7th Annual Hawaii STEM Conference at the Wailea Marriott Resort on May 6-7. This year, over 880 students, teachers, and industry professionals,...
AFRL and MEDB STEM Outreach Programs Inspire Teachers & Students
Dr. Stacie Williams, a leading scientist and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) outreach educator in the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Directed Energy group on Maui, has accepted a position with the Air Force Office of Scientific Research...
Baldwin High School Robotics takes the crown!
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...
2016 Hawaii STEM Conference: “Downloading knowledge, uploading service”
In recognition of the 7th Annual Hawaii STEM Conference, the Maui County Council has declared the week of May 2 as Hawaii STEM Education Week. The Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women in Technology (WIT) Project is sponsoring the conference on May 6 and 7 in...
Google educational apps improve student achievement
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...
Maui’s renewable energy future
The 2016 Maui Energy Conference, presented by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), focused on the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative’s 100% Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), its implications for Hawaii’s energy...
Pukalani Elementary School STEM Imagineer teams head to robotics world championship
Students from Pukalani Elementary School’s robotics teams competed in the invitational Hawaii State VEX IQ Robotics Championship held last month at the Hawaii Convention Center on Oahu. The Imagineer teams placed highly in Driver and Programming Skills and won 1st...
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day
Maui girls in grades 7-8, accompanied by teachers, discovered the exciting and lucrative field of engineering during Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED) on Thursday, February 25th, at Maui Research and Technology Park. In observance of National Engineers Week,...
Learning is an integrated journey
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...
Educating for energy prosperity
Since 2009, the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) Women In Technology program (WIT) has trained 459 educators through the energy science curriculum of its Island Energy Inquiry (IEI) initiative. In that time it has expanded from Maui across the state, reaching at...
Kamaliʻi School is coding!
In celebration of Computer Science Education Week in December, Hour of Code, a nationwide campaign featuring free tutorials designed to get students interested in computer science, was held at Kamaliʻi Elementary School in Kihei. Maui Economic Development Board’s...
Geography in action
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...
Pamela Norris wins the 2016 InnovateHER business challenge
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) was the local host for the 2016 InnovateHER “Innovating for Business Challenge.” The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) launched the nationwide InnovateHER Challenge in August 2015, with the goal of finding products and...
Molokai Middle School receives NOAA grant
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...
Using US Census demographic data to build a business plan
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...
MEDB advances STEM education
“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...
MEDB’s Boost Your Financial IQ Accounting Workshop
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...
Reserve your tickets now for Pathways to our Future!
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...
It’s not just a classroom anymore
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...
Students reach for the HI STARs
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...
“This Is More Than An Afterschool Science Club!”
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...
Maui Waena Intermediate students learn teamwork
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...
Save the date!
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,...
STEMworks™ lab serves as key learning resource
King Kekaulike High School students credited a STEMworks™ lab as a key component in their third consecutive Program Impact Assessment award at the 2015 STEM Conference. “There are so many students in STEMworks™ lab across the state doing amazing work, so it is truly...
Maui High team applies STEM toward bike safety
With the 2015 STEM Conference experience behind him, sophomore Brendan Geffe says he’s more determined to pursue a career in engineering. “I saw how I could take what I learn and apply it to everyday life,” the Maui High School sophomore said. He and classmates...
Sisters use science, technology to study Molokai reef
Sarah and Lily Jenkins have more in common than being sisters, fellow students at Molokai High School and winners at the 2015 Maui Schools Science & Engineering Fair 5 for their project, “March of the Mangroves.” The sisters also share a love of science,...
STEM Conference empowers Molokai students
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...
Kihei Charter student finds science fun, tangible
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...
STEM students travel for ‘amazing’ experience
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...
4-H Club finds fun, skills in coral reef monitoring
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...
New Supply and Service Expo seeks vendors
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...
Kalama School librarian gets hooked on robotics
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...
Iao School commits to Hour of Code, wins $10,000
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...
MEDB STEM camp ignites interest on Lanai
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...
Artist uses technology to tap student creativity
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...
Ke Alahele grant leverages more technology equipment
Kihei Charter High School technology and engineering teacher Evelyn Zayas intended to use a Ke Alahele Education Fund grant to expose her students to electronics, but they received much more as she was able to leverage her grant to get more than $1,000 in store credit...
Space classroom workshop shows fun in STEM teaching
Pukalani Elementary School second-grade teacher Betty Brask found a great deal of inspiration and a renewed drive to teach science, technology, engineering and math while attending “Space in the Classroom” at the annual Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance...
STEMworks™ interns update, enhance Da Kitchen
Da Kitchen part-owner Mariah Brown said her restaurant continues to thrive after partnering this summer on a STEMworks™ internship. “At first I just wasn’t sure about it,” Brown said. But since then, interns Renezel Lagran and Justin Jackson have proven to be...
Innovative design empowers artful independence
AJ Ramelb’s tenacity and technological innovation gave disabled students an independence they don’t often experience. “I really wanted my students to be able to paint their own pictures, and AJ made that possible,” said Hillary Watt, a special education teacher at...
Ke Alahele event distinguishes STEM Education
Programs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math take center stage this week as Maui Economic Development Board rolls out its annual Ke Alahele Education Fund Dinner & Auction. Hundreds of supporters are expected to raise money Saturday at the Grand Wailea...
Molokai keiki create their future with Ke Alahele help
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....
Excite Camp mentor leads young girls to STEM
Excite Camp Mentor Racieli Andrada has learned a lot about herself while serving as a mentor during the Maui Economic Development Board Women in Technology Project Excite Camp. “I learned that I have the ability to lead a group and have the patience to teach others,”...
STEMworks™ interns hone skills in technology, patience
As summer draws to an end, college-bound freshman Phyllis Raquinio said she’s learned to be more patient and grateful for the experience to work as a professional. “The STEMworks™ internship helped me learn about being professional around the people I work with and...
Ke Alahele grant bridges technology with storytelling
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: “Houston: We have a solution”
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...
Math enthusiast shares her passion with youngsters
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,...
Ke Alahele Education Fund grant fits into hands-on learning
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....
Ke Alahele grant leads to teaching insight on Molokai
Kualapu’u School teacher Susan Forbes began her Ke Alahele Education Fund grant project with a goal – field a competitive robotics team. It was a building year at the Molokai K-6 charter school and this year the students were not ready to compete. The hope is that...
Students show how 3D computer aided design impacts community
King Kekaulike High School students used their developing skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to help special needs students overcome a lack of fine-motor skills to create works of art. The project was one of the highlights at the Hawaii STEM...
Computer gamer takes off with STEMworks™
A STEMworks™ internship turned out to be a launching pad for Andres “AJ” Ramelb and his pursuit of a career in computers. Putting it in the words of the King Kekaulike High School senior, Ramelb said: “When I had all this technology through my STEMworks™ program at my...
Teachers offered hands-on lessons at STEM conference
Sadie Mossman holds a perfect attendance record at the Hawaii Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Conference presented by Maui Economic Development Board. “MEDB always brings in great resources at the conference and I come away every year learning...
Baldwin senior: Robotics, STEM education paid off
Baldwin High School robotics team captain Joey Albright has been accepted into six colleges with plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. He says his experience with robot building and the task of writing grants to fund the robotics team helped him to...
Youth Alliance sees judicial system in practice
For 16-year-old twins Jessie and Jordan Haylor, participating in a recent Maui Youth Alliance visit to 2nd Circuit Court in Wailuku was eye-opening. “It was such an incredible experience being able to converse with Judge Peter Cahill,” Jessie said. “I was unaware of...
Pukalani Elementary pupils learn to enjoy science
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,...
Ke Alahele grant helps Hana students link past and future
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...
Ke Alahele grant facilitates teaching without walls
With no regular classroom to call her own, Ellen Federoff said her 12 new computer tablets have helped tremendously in ensuring she can teach in any location on the Kihei Charter School grounds. Federoff purchased the tablets through a grant she received from Maui...
Teacher embraces technology to motivate students
Maui Waena Intermediate School media teacher Jennifer Suzuki shows how hard work and support from the Maui Economic Development Board can make a difference in the education of the island’s young people. After graduating in 1988 from Baldwin High School, Suzuki was...
Focus Maui Nui showcases community values
The new year is an opportune time to embrace the potential for shining a light on our community, a business, a nonprofit or individuals who showcase the values of Focus Maui Nui. Our Maui community is a model of innovation, always striving for sustainable island...
Molokai group restores fishponds, nurtures youth
Ka Honua Momona means “abundant Earth,” and a Molokai nonprofit of that name is reawakening the fertile Friendly Isle through the restoration of ancient Hawaiian fishponds on the island’s south shore. “Molokai was once known as the breadbasket of the islands due to...
Robotics competition makes science cool, fun
A team of Molokai middle schoolers had different takes on what they most enjoyed about competing at the 2013 Maui Nui FIRST Lego League tournament. “It’s just really cool,” said Marianna Campos of the Molokai Wizard of Bots team. Teammate Kaitlin DeRouin said she...
Performing arts coordinator teaches life skills
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...
Telescopes to inspire, help students see moon, stars
Teachers seek new, innovative ways to stir curiosity in their students’ young minds. Soon, 5th-grade teacher Wendy Wells and 4th-grade teacher Carolyn Bush will have webcam/video access to a telescope on the Maui Research and Technology property via the Aloha...
Ke Alahele: Making a difference for students
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...
Experience gained in STEMworks™ internships
With her eyes set on a future in engineering, 17-year-old Jasmine Feliciano worked on advancing her computer aided design (CAD) skills during a six-week summer internship. Her twin sister, Janelle, completed a separate internship at a radio station where she edited...
PBS Hawaii educates teachers about TV news
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....
Group dreams of a charter school in Keanae
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...
Pu`u Kukui Elementary: A School With Heart
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...
4-H girls get connected with science, math
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...
Ann Arakawa: Youth need to see the fun in math
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...
Teachers testing musical math equations
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 tours Auwahi Wind in Ulupalakua
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...
Senior graduates encourage work, play, discovery
Now that they’ve graduated, high school seniors Jared Sam Agtunong and Alisha Summers agreed to offer advice to the Class of 2014. Summers encouraged seniors to enjoy their final year by working hard yet not overloading their schedules. “This is the year that you want...
Molokai student learning enhanced
“As an educator, it makes my job easier when I have the right tools to expand our students' learning.” Molokai teacher Kawika Gonzales appreciates the support his students have received through the Maui Economic Development Board Ke Alahele Education Fund. Online...
Robotics team competes at national level
Baldwin High School Robotics Club members achieved their best season in six years, through hard work and community support, according to adviser Gary Suter. “We have a lot to improve on, but we learned that we can hold our own at the national level,” Suter said. As...
Award-winning mechanic mentors students
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...
Stars align for Hana students in navigation project
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...
Youth Alliance testifies at county budget hearings
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...
Students pushing limits at STEM Conference
The Hawai'i STEM Conference will be held on April 19-20, 2013 at the Wailea Marriott. Over 300 STEM/Service Learning students, teachers, parents, community and business leaders will gather to celebrate their work over the past year, share stories and meet other...
Aquaponics project grows young minds
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...
Lessons in robotics extend beyond the classroom
Four years of robotics lessons have turned Maui High School senior Cheska Liwag into a wanna-be engineer armed with lifelong skills. “It was a good experience,” Liwag said after returning from the FIRST Robotics regional contest in Long Beach, California. FIRST stands...
Video Spotlights Maui's Vantage Point to Space
Maui and its dormant volcano, Haleakala, is providing a unique vantage point for scientists and astronomers to study and monitor all kinds of situations in space. That work is explained in a newly-released, short film called “Maui in Space.” Produced by Maui Economic...
Engineer finds excitement in her field
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...
Maui Event Helps Military Women Reboot, Get Jobs
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...
Filmmakers Tell Stories at Upcoming Festival
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 Can View Hirono and Lingle in TV debates
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...
Maui Center-Stage for Scientists and Space Leaders
Hundreds of scientists, astronomers, engineers and a new generation of space leaders are gathering on Maui this week for the 13th Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference. Mike Maberry is among six representatives from the University of...
MECO Supports STEM Education Initiatives
Three months into the job and already Maui Electric Co. (MECO) President Sharon Suzuki has thrown her and her company’s support behind Science, Technology, Engineering and Math or STEM education projects. “Empowering our future leaders with strong skill sets in...
Teacher Mentors Students In Technology
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...
GED Graduate Overcomes Obstacles
Quintin Galiza has endured homelessness, the death of both parents and undue influence from troublesome friends to get to where he is today. He graduates with a high school equivalency diploma at this year’s Maui Community School for Adults commencement exercises. The...
Engineer Shares Expertise and Encouragement
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...
Conference Spotlights STEM Education
The third annual Hawaii STEM Conference drew 200-plus teachers and students to Maui and kicked off the state’s first Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Week. King Kekaulike High School teacher Emily Haines Swatek was grateful for the opportunity, bringing 10...
Retired Educator Learns Through Teaching
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...
Growing the STEM Pipeline in Maui County
Eleventh-grader Cheska Liwag never dreamed of a career in engineering until she enrolled in the Maui High School robotics program. Robotics has been at the heart of many opportunities for Cheska, one of 45 students at Maui High immersed in robotics and in competitions...
Volunteering to Improve Education in West Maui
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...
Engaging Science Students in Project-Based Learning
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...
MEDB’s Ke Alahele Education Fund Sets A Pathway To the Future
The Ke Alahele Education Fund has freed Iao School robotics advisor Jayne Hori from worries about fundraising and allowed her and her students to focus on learning. “It fits perfectly with STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) standards and learning...
Successful Strategies for the New School Year
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...
MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund: A Head Start on the Future
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...
MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund: Grantees Progress Report
Fund recipients have been working hard on various STEM-related programs. Here’s a look at their progress. On March 7-13, Maui Waena Media Club members competed in a national competition in Florida where they created a news show based on the word “obsession.” It was...
Grand Wailea Maintains Their Commitment to the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund
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...
Get the Hawaii Clean Energy Hawaii STEM iPad App Now!
In Celebration of EARTH DAY and in honor of teachers, students and parents worldwide, download the Clean Energy Hawaii STEM iPad App from iTunes on April 22nd! Download the app on iTunes -> Read the Press Release ->
Call To Action – Share Your Thoughts On Education
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...
Sports as a Catalyst for Education
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...
Community Involvement—A Key to Educational Success
If you have ever wondered what might happen if you mix together bright young minds, committed teachers and parents, and energetic community volunteers, then look no further than Molokai. Over the last few years, a transformation has been taking place on the island as...
Civic Engagement System™ – We Need Your Feedback!
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...
Teaching That Works Beyond the Classroom
Iokepa Nae`ole proudly traces his family’s ancestry back to the time of King Kamehameha’s infancy, on the Big Island. Teaching comes naturally to Nae`ole and the vocation has always run in his family. Many know Nae`ole as a canoe paddling coach; he has been an...
Student Interns Making a Difference
When a state-of-the-art photovoltaic (PV) system was installed on the roof of the Ke Alahele building in the Maui Research and Technology Park, a unique opportunity presented itself for two Maui students to show what they could contribute. The PV system is linked to a...
Gubernatorial Forum on Maui Goes National
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...
Maui Education Summit Defines the Issues
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...
Putting Stars in the Eyes of Maui’s Students
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,...
Successful Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner
This past Saturday, our Maui County community scored an A+ during the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner held at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa. Perhaps, numbers speak louder than words… over 560 people attended this awesome event, including...