Honokaa student attends leadership summit
Honokaa student attends leadership summit
The Stone Soup Leadership Institute’s ninth annual Youth Leadership Summit for Sustainable Development was held in June at Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. The summit inspires, educates and empowers young people to take initiative in their lives and on their island. This year’s event was dedicated to Nelson Mandela.
Six Hawaii youth, including Honokaa High School’s Sherry Pancho and Kamele Sanchez, were nominated by schools, nonprofit organizations and community leaders to serve as delegates.
Pancho and Sanchez are in the Sustainable Hawaii Youth Leadership Initiative program. They are advised by teacher Manuel Jadulang. Both students will implement sustainability projects within the community.
For more information, visit shyli.org.
Isle residents make NAU dean’s list
Three Hawaii Island residents were among more than 4,500 students who made Northern Arizona University’s spring 2013 dean’s list.
They are Olivia Azevedo of Kurtistown, Raine Kolman of Kealakekua and Katelyn Mitchell of Ocean View.
Peterson wins maze design contest
More than 100 entries were submitted in the contest to design a corn maze at Kohala Mountain Farm.
Sofia Peterson, an eighth-grader at Kanu o ka Aina Public Charter School in Waimea, was named the grand-prize winner. Peterson will receive a $1,000 gift certificate for her school’s garden program, as well as a Blue Hawaiian Helicopters ride to view the design from above.
Shinmi Morioka, a seventh-grader at Konawaena Middle School, was named runner-up. Morioka won a zip-line adventure, compliments of Hawaii Forest & Trail.
Peterson’s winning design — a large tractor, barn, corn stalks, pumpkins, sun pattern and a puu — is being cut into a 5-acre field at Kohala Mountain Farm.
The Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in October and from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays. For more information, visit kohalamountainfarm.com.
Essay contest for
high school students
The Hawaii Access to Justice Commission and the Hawaii State Bar Association are sponsoring an essay contest for high school students to express their thoughts about “Meaningful Volunteering and What It Means to Me.” The contest will recognize volunteerism and encourage students to share their volunteering experiences.
The contest is open to public and private 10th- through 12th-graders. Essays must be 500 words or less. One winner from Hawaii Island will be selected to receive a $500 award.
The winners will be recognized at a Pro Bono Celebration event slated Oct. 24 at the Hawaii Supreme Court Courtroom in Honolulu. A travel stipend will be provided for students traveling from the neighbor islands.
The deadline for submission is 4 p.m. Sept. 24. Information will be distributed to all public and private high schools statewide. Details are online at hsba.org/newsevents.aspx and at hawaiipublicschools.org/ParentsAndStudents/Contests/Pages/Home.aspx?sctitle=*&scgrade=*&scdeadline=1%2f1%2f1900&.
UH promotes
Vassilis Syrmos
The University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Vassilis Syrmos has been appointed to serve as the first vice president for research and innovation of the University of Hawaii System.
For the past seven years, Syrmos has served as the associate vice chancellor for research at UH-Manoa. He has worked on a range of projects, including the Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education.
Montessori school plans open house
Hawaii Montessori Schools will hold an open house at its Kona campus, 74-978 Manawalea St., Kailua-Kona, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Sept. 11.
Families of current and prospective students between 15 months and 6 years old are invited to attend. Families will visit classrooms, learn about the school, its programs and financial aid opportunities, and meet faculty and staff members.
Hawaii Montessori Schools has been part of the West Hawaii community since 1980. The school uses the principles and methods of Maria Montessori.
For more information, contact Executive Director Angeline Geldhof or Campus Director Maya Wheaton at 329-0700 or kona@hawaiimontessori.org. To learn more, visit hawaiimontessori.org.
New staff join HPA
Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s new faculty and staff members for the 2013-14 school year joined HPA ohana for Experience HPA, the school’s welcome back-to-school celebration, Aug. 16.
New upper campus faculty and staff members are Phillip Cheng, Chinese Mandarin; Laura Hawbaker, ESL; Paakaula Kalawaianui, bookstore; Patricia Kassis, math; John Kilkenny, social studies; Hui-Chun O’Leary, college counseling; Sarah Schorn, advancement/residential life; Bill Woitel, maintenance; and Will Zuker, ceramics.
New village campus faculty and staff members are Betsy Boland, Spanish; Stephanie David-Chapman, English; Janice Gail Naiditch, art; Sarie Imonen, educational assistant; Sarah Mares, educational assistant; Robin Scarth, social studies; Suzanne Shwedo, kindergarten educational assistant; Bonni Silver, ESL; and Dina Strittmatter, math.
By local sources