Kealakehe wins Runner-Up Prize at 2023 Academic WorldQuest Competition
The Pacific &Asian Affairs Council hosted the 20th annual Hawaii Regional Academic WorldQuest Competition on Feb. 11.
The event was hosted at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Campus Center Ballroom. Over 100 students from 13 public, private, and charter schools from Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Island competed.
Taarini Godbole, Abigail Jensen, Claire Kildahl, and Beatrice Kim-Lee from Waiakea High School won the grand prize, which includes paid airfare and hotel accommodations to represent Hawaii at the national competition in Washington, D.C. in April. Godbole, Jensen, and Kim-Lee were all members of the winning team from last year’s competition.
The Runner-Up Prize was awarded to Anna Payesko, Malina Chiddo, Andries Ferreira, and Sophie McIvor from Kealakehe High School. County prizes were also awarded to students from Punahou School, Konawaena High School, and Maui High School.
Students were tested this year on their knowledge in six categories: Battle of the Century: Autocracy vs. Democracy; The Future of Supply Chains; Combating Global Food Insecurity; Economic Sanctions – A Double-Edged Sword; Atrocity Prevention and Accountability; and Securing the Future of the World’s Wildlife.
The Academic WorldQuest Competition is a nationwide international trivia competition organized by the World Affairs Council of America (WACA) across the country. In Hawaii, the event is hosted by the Pacific &Asian Affairs Council (www.paachawaii.org) and sponsored by the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation.
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Libunao named executive chef at CanoeHouse
Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection announces the appointment of Mark Libunao as the new Executive Chef of its premier oceanfront restaurant, CanoeHouse. Libunao is already an integral part of the Mauna Lani team having worked on CanoeHouse’s reopening as Sous Chef from March 2021 to June 2022, after which he assumed the role of Chef de Cuisine at Mauna Lani.
Originally from Hilo, Libunao is an instrumental component of the Mauna Lani team, bolstering CanoeHouse as a well-loved culinary destination and gathering place for generations of guests. Prior to his appointment to executive chef, chef mark worked as sous chef at Mandarin Oriental and Waldorf Astoria in Las Vegas, before joining Mauna Lani where he reinvented the menu at HaLani, the resort’s alfresco eatery that showcases breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes rooted in the spirit of local sourcing.
“I am grateful and honored to return and lead the culinary team at CanoeHouse in my new role as Executive Chef,” said Libunao. “Creating memorable experiences is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career, and I look forward to continuing CanoeHouse’s legacy as the most loved restaurant on the Big Island and in the state of Hawaii.”
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