Maryknoll…Living Green! was Maryknoll’s week-long celebration of Earth Week from April 22nd – 26th. The week consisted of green curriculum, a recycling fashion show, mini open market and a trash-less lunch week. In coordination with Ma’o Organic Farms and to promote educational awareness of Community Supported Agriculture, Maryknoll also offered a limited number of organic food boxes containing a dozen products, mix of salad greens, cooking greens, roots, herbs, fruits, and several other seasonal and certified organic foods as part of Maryknoll…Living Green!

One of the more popular events on campus was “Project Greenway” (a twist on the hit television series “Project Runway”) on April 25th; it was a fashion show that involves the making and designing of clothing mostly made from recycled materials like garbage bags, duct tape, Capri Sun packets, etc.  Each year, people throw away and waste recyclable items, when it can be used for something else; therefore, in celebration of Earth Day, the fashion show contest challenged each class to create outfits out of recycled materials and prizes were awarded to the class whose design was most creative.

We would like to acknowledge Lukela Los Banos for his Judo achievements and for proudly representing Maryknoll School.  “I lost count of how many awards and competitions I’ve won,” Lukela commented when asked about his accomplishments in the sport.  In addition to his successes, Lukela travelled to Miami, Florida during spring break to participate in the National Scholastic Judo Championships.  Lukela came in 4th amongst all the other competitors and qualified for the Olympic Team at the Olympic Training Center to prepare for the tournament in Mumbai this summer.  Portraying hard work, discipline, countless hours of practice and determination, Lukela is chasing after his dreams.  Keep up the good work and good luck with all your future endeavors Lukela!

On Monday, March 25, Mr. Cramer's Beginning Spanish class had the opportunity to participate in a special viewing and tour by Columbian wood block artist, Sergio Garzón, which took place at the ARTS at Mark’s Garage Gallery.  One of the highlights from this excursion was hearing Sergio recall catching massive arapaima fish, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, from the river with the rest of his Chibchas tribe in Columbia. 

Another interesting aspect of this experience was the interdisciplinary connection amongst the students and Maryknoll’s art teacher, Mr. Koki.  The students visited Mr. Koki’s art class before the outing and he explained, in detail, the intricate process and the specific materials needed in wood block making.  This allowed the students to understand the hard work and long hours that Sergio Garzón puts into each and every one of his art pieces that were on display within the gallery.

The class learned a lot about Sergio Garzón and how he became such a distinguished and prominent artist.  He was originally born in Bogota, Columbia and currently lives and works in Honolulu, Hawaii.  His paintings and prints consist of abstract figurative narratives of his memories focusing on the people, the influence of cultures, and the politics of history.  His work is a variation of sculpture, video, photography, printmaking, painting, performance and installation; he is best at solving visual puzzles through manipulating natural bi-products of fire, earth and light, recyclables, and plant matter.  This was great for the students to learn and see with their very own eyes, the possibilities of working with materials comprised of natural elements.The students were very impressed by Sergio Garzón’s 200 square foot print of a whale, which took him over 300 hours to complete.  He used seven wooden blocks in jigsaw matrix, 30 yards of paper, and printed with 5.5 tons of weight displace per square inch!

On Monday, March 25th, Maryknoll High School became the first educational institution on Oahu to be visited by members of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission as part of the Kanaiolowalu project. Junior and Senior students of Hawaiian descent were invited to add their names to the national Native Hawaiian registry and students who are not of Hawaiian ancestry were invited to sign a pledge of support for the initiative. Learn more at http://kanaiolowalu.org/ 

The Senior Project at Maryknoll continues to offer Maryknoll students an opportunity to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of a research project of their choice.  On Friday, March 15, 2013, Grades 8-12 assembled at the Maryknoll Community Center to watch three presentations selected by Senior Project Co-Coordinators, Natalie Morey and Sara Smitherman as outstanding exemplars of “Making a Difference.”  The students selected for this honor are for the 2012-2013 school year are:

1.    Devin Rettke, Mentor Jim Cramer, Subject “Limitless Potential of a Diabetic Athlete”
2.    Ryan Nakamura, Mentor Steve Caley, Subject “Hidden Killer:  The Dangers of Concussions”
3.    Emerald Leong, Mentor Chris Coats, Subject “The Emotional Benefits of Film”

(Pictured above: Emerald Leong, Devin Rettke and Ryan Nakamura)
Each student presented their project for 20 minutes and demonstrated their understanding of “Noblesse Oblige,” as well as their particular subject matter.  Devin’s project involved joining a national organization, the Children’s Diabetes Fund.  Ryan’s involved a community service effort, and Emerald’s represented a creative endeavor.  All three students have passionate interest in their subjects, put a great deal of hard work and effort into completion of their projects, and demonstrated the value of such a graduation requirement for Maryknoll.  Both Mrs. Morey and Mrs. Smitherman believe strongly that the project offers students the opportunity to take responsibility, to think critically and to develop habits of good citizenship, in preparation for college.

The Senior Project began in 1998, as a result of the belief that seniors need to do more than sit in their classes, take the typical exams and pass them.  The Senior Project, a graduation requirement, is highly consistent with 21st century learning principles, the principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools and the Expected School Learning Results, established by each department and approved by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the Western Catholic Educators Association, and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.

By Maryknoll High School Senior, Nicole Choy

When I found out Pope Benedict XVI resigned from his position, I was surprised. I had known that being the leader of the Catholic Church was a job until death, and I was honored to have lived and watched as history was made. It was the first time a Pope has actually resigned from his position since Pope Gregory XII in 1415 and with the installation of Pope Francis, the first time a non-European ever held the position of Pope. I watched the reveal of the new Pope while in school at Maryknoll, and although I wasn’t in St. Peter’s Square, I empathized with those that were. I felt the same anxiousness as my classmates and I anticipated the reveal of our new Pope. It was interesting to learn about how the Pope is chosen and the different ceremonies he must go through before revealing himself to millions of Catholics around the world. There’s a lot of pressure for Pope Francis I, and to take on such an honor must be a somewhat stressful and trying ordeal. I have high hopes for him as the new Pope of our church and I continue to keep him in my prayers.

Japanese Exchange students from Toride Shoyo High School pose with their Maryknoll student buddies. In this photo, students pose while on a tour of the campus on the first day of their exchange.

On Tuesday, March 5th, Maryknoll High School welcomed 16 students and two teachers from Toride Shoyo High School located in Ibaraki prefecture of Japan. The Japanese Exchange Students are living with Maryknoll host families and attending Maryknoll High School for 2 weeks. During their time here, the students will practice their English skills with the help of Maryknoll student buddies. The group will also learn about Hawaiian culture by taking a circle-island tour and visiting sites such as the Arizona Memorial, Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, National Cemetery of the Pacific, Iolani Palace, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  During the evenings and weekends, Toride exchange students will enjoy spending time with their host families touring the island and participating in various cultural activities.

Beginning February 27, a lunchtime career panel will be held the last Wednesday of each month from 11:25am - 12:45pm in Room 200.  Each panel will consist of four - five diverse professionals (alumni and friends of Maryknoll) who will talk about their job, their college and career journey.  This is a great opportunity for students to explore career options, network with successful professionals, and gain insight for their own journey.  Sign up on Naviance as each presentation is limited to 25 students.  For more information, please see Mrs. Raymi Faria.  Also, click here to see the flyer and who will be coming on February 27.

Our students are learning to fly, and in this case we’re talking the real thing - planes!  From saving crash victims in aerial search and rescue missions to international flight planning, Maryknoll students will be learning how to fly in the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program (CAP).  Moreover, students will have the chance to travel internationally, earn scholarships for college, participate in humanitarian missions and beyond; the sky’s the limit!

Originally brought to Maryknoll in the late 1950s, the Civil Air Patrol Cadet (CAP) program was very strong for several decades and included a large percentage of the school’s population. This coming Fall, 2013, the cadet program will be returning to Maryknoll School after a lengthy hiatus.  The program is open to high school students.  The cadets are expected to participate in weekly meetings that last about two and one-half hours.  Additionally, cadets have the option of attending extracurricular activities that occur on weekends and in the summer, with the understanding that the more time and effort the cadets put into the program, the more they will glean from it.  Important to note, there is an educational component to CAP – aeronautics.  To that end, Maryknoll High School will be offering a course in aeronautics starting in the fall.  In this course, students will learn about the scientific concepts needed to understand aeronautics and the physics associated with flight.

For more information about CAP, email us at highschool@maryknollschool.org. Additionally, you can visit capmembers.com, and click on cadet programs on the menu on the right-hand side for details.  You may also want to watch this video.  Wheels up!
 

Robots.  For some of us, when we hear the word ‘robots,’ we think of futuristic TV shows like The Jetsons, something so far removed from our daily life that it could only be a cartoon.  For the younger generation, though, robots are very much here and a part of reality.  Just ask any member of our Robotics team, who spend countless hours developing and building robots to do some pretty amazing activities.  For their most recent competition, an international VEX competition which occurred during President’s Day weekend, the students created, constructed and programmed a robot that could pick up sacs and put them into a trough.  Competing against 124 other teams, Maryknoll’s team, led by co-captains Calvin Chang and Andrew Nilo (and team advisor Mr. Jim Cramer), made it to the finals and took home third place overall.  Congratulations, Robotics Team and good luck in your next competition!

Christianne Michel is a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program.  The National Merit Scholarship, which is based on high academic standing as well as outstanding test scores, is designed to recognize and honor academically talented students.  Christianne is both honored and excited to have received this recognition as well as to be able to represent Maryknoll School at the national level.  Christianne hopes to attend either the University of Redlands in California or Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania.  She also wants to major in creative writing and dreams of someday being a published author of young adult fiction.  Congratulations, Christianne, on being a finalist and good luck with your future endeavors!

In honor of our founders, Maryknoll sophomores spent Thursday afternoon volunteering in various venues, truly ‘making God’s love visible.’  Some of the sophomores worked with grade school students to make valentines.  These cards will be sent on to the Mother House in New York, continuing the close, personal connection between Maryknoll School and the Maryknoll sisters.   The grade schoolers and high school partners also made rosaries that will be auctioned off at the Kekumano Scholarship Dinner.  Other students and their advisors spent the afternoon either with the children at Shriners Hospital, or the adults at Central Union Church, making valentines, playing games, and having a fun-filled afternoon.  Yet other sophomores and their advisors did some good, old-fashioned spring - cleaning by working at Makiki Library shelving books and dusting while others took the time to care for God’s Earth at the YWCA by landscaping and gardening.  Our Maryknoll sophomores and their advisors took to heart our motto, Noblesse Oblige, helping to enrich the lives of many this past Thursday.

Mark Twain is attributed with saying that “it usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.”  Our high school speech team, under the leadership of Dr. Fran Wong, would concur.  For the past six months, the speech team has been practicing and honing its speeches for the Neighbor Island Tournament (NIT) in Kona, which took place during the Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend.  This tournament is the first of three qualifying meets in which students can qualify for the state tournament.  Students who competed on the Big Island at Parker School prepared speeches in one of five categories: storytelling, impromptu, humorous interpretation, program reading and duo.  Earning superiors at NIT were Xavier Imperial, Kani Severson, John Chow and Chase Ogoshi, and Andrew Nilo.  Both Kani Severson and Andrew Nilo made it into the final round of competition, and Andrew, who took home first place in impromptu, will be competing in the state speech tournament, to be held in April.  Congratulations to all the speech team members and Dr. Wong for a great showing!  And thank you to the parents who accompanied the team and worked as judges in the tournament.  Good luck at states!

Two very close and exciting games were played on Wednesday evening.  The girls lost to Kamehameha, 66-57, but the boys were able to squeak out a victory in a very low scoring game for our Spartans; win they did, though, beating Iolani 15-13!

pictured from left to right: Nicole Choy, Kaytee Ching, Emerald Leong, Elizabeth Mueller, Kiana Lee, Christianne Michel.

A paradigm, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is 'an outstandingly clear or typical example', which is exactly what our literary magazine, The Toad, Transcending Paradigms, is.  How do we know?  Well, for the second year in a row, The Toad is the recipient of the Most Outstanding High School Literary Art Magazine Award, awarded by the American Scholastic Press Association.  This makes our magazine the best in the country, clearly a paradigm for all other high school literary publications! 
Now in its thirtieth year, The Toad has won many awards and recognition.  Mr. Mason Donald, Creative Writing and English teacher at Maryknoll High School, is the current club’s advisor for The Toad.  There are about ten students who are actively involved in the club, although any highschooler can – and should – contribute!  Because the magazine is literary art, this means that multi media submissions, such as graphic designs, drawings, paintings, photos, short stories, essays, poems, are accepted.  The Toad, according to Mr. Donald, is a great place for students to have a voice and be published, which looks great on college applications.  If interested in submitting and being published in the best literary magazine in the country, please contact Mr. Donald in Room 203.  Submissions are due in mid – February.

As  we all know, populations are increasing, buildable land is decreasing, and we’re just plain running out of space.  “Keep the country, country” is a commonly seen bumper sticker here in Hawaii.  And the rail?  Well, that's another subject that is bound to raise emotions.  But how to balance land use, development, and conservation?  More importantly, how do we teach students - our future community leaders, public officials, professionals - how to create sustainable, viable communities for all?

Mr. Lance Suzuki, award winning economics teacher at Maryknoll High School, has a great answer – participate in Urban Plan.  “Urban Plan is a realistic, engaging, academically demanding classroom-based curriculum in which students learn about the fundamental forces that affect development in the United States.” (www.uli.org/programs)  Students are placed in groups and charged with redeveloping a blighted site in “Yorktown,” a fictional city.  Each team member has a particular role to play within the group– finance director, marketing director, city liaison, neighborhood liaison, or site planner.  Together, they have three weeks to complete the project, which entails developing a financial pro-forma as well as a three-dimensional model of their city, with the ultimate goal being to win the contract from the city.  During those three weeks, land use professionals, who have participated in the UrbanPlan volunteer training, come to school at least twice to meet with the student groups to discuss their progress and make recommendations.  The final day, students present their proposals to a ‘city council’ compromised of these land use professionals.  The ‘city council’ listens to the presentations, challenges the proposals by asking questions of the students, which makes the hearing more realistic, and assesses the overall merits of the proposals.  Finally, the council decides on the best proposal and awards the contract to one team.  This year’s winning team was comprised of junior Nicolas Bly and seniors, Johnny Ngo, Marissa Uehara, Tyler Via, Cindy Wang and Kelly Yee.

Mr. Suzuki has been participating in this program since 2006.  He finds it to be a great way to integrate economic concepts that students have learned within a real world scenario.  Furthermore, in real twenty-first century learning, the students must work to resolve a problem that has no one right answer, acquiring the requisite skills to be prepared, engaged, citizens.

A nail biter up to the end but victory, sweet victory, belongs to Maryknoll!  Punahou had us working hard from the start; in fact, Punahou was winning at the end of the first quarter.  However, by half time, Maryknoll had pulled ahead and stayed that way almost to the end.  With 1:30 remaining on the clock, Punahou tied it up with some beautiful outside shots, 64-64.  Maryknoll did not falter though, going to the line and hitting those all important free throws.  We were able to pull ahead and keep it there, ending the game 70-66.  Congrats, Maryknoll!  to read more about the game, click here.

Another close one in Thursday's game but, sadly, the Lady Spartans lost to Punahou in double overtime, 46 - 44.  It was a hard fought game to the end, and the Lady Spartans should be proud of their efforts!

Come out and support the #1 ranked Spartans – small school, big heart – take on #2 ranked Punahou on Wednesday, January 9 in the Maryknoll Community Center, Clarence T. C. Ching gym.  Our Maryknoll boys’ basketball team will be playing against the defending state champs in a game that is destined for the history books, so come be a part of it!  The night will begin at 5:00 p.m with Boys’ Varsity Division II playing.  Then, at 6:30 p.m., the Boys’ Varsity Division I game begins.

Also, mark your calendars to go support the girls’ basketball team, currently ranked #6, take on Punahou at Punahou on Thursday, January 10 at 6:00 p.m.  The first time our girls’ team played Punahou in this year’s season opener, our girls won – a win that hasn’t happened since 1999.  Come be a part of history watching our girls beat Punahou again!

If you can't make it to Maryknoll for the boys' game, you can still watch it live here!

A new year has begun – a time of new beginnings, intentions, resolutions and, most importantly for some, memberships.  For thirteen Maryknoll high school students, this new beginning actually honors years of hard work and numerous achievements.  Heather Acidera, Kasey Cachola, Nicole Choy, Christie Dang, Ayanna Jose, Joe Mar Lim, Christianne Michel, Jarrett Okita, Kimberlee Speakman, Jerry Su, Andrew Wu, Arianne Yago, and Kristin Yamasaki are now the newest members of Maryknoll’s National Honor Society.  Throughout the years, these students have proven themselves to be exemplary scholars, leaders, and practitioners of service and of outstanding character.  The induction ceremony was held in the evening at Sacred Heart Church.  Mr. William Bow, a Maryknoll alum as well as member of the National Honor Society, (Class of 2003), was the guest speaker.  Mr. Bow addressed the students, recalling his own time in high school and why he became a member of the National Honor Society.  He then continued speaking about Noblesse Oblige, which happens to be the motto of NHS as well as of Maryknoll School.  Mr. Bow spoke to the students, telling them that their selection to the National Honor Society is due to the manner in which they have lived their lives - noblesse oblige in action - and that now they are doubly obligated to help others.  Congratulations to Maryknoll’s newest Honor Society members!

Model United Nations has once again returned to Maryknoll School, under the leadership of Nicole Matsumoto.  Many eleventh graders who had taken Ms. Matsumoto’s Advanced United States History course last year expressed interest in having a Model United Nations club.  The students wanted real world opportunities with international relations, practicing politics, and studying global issues; so, they approached Ms. Matsumoto to ask her to lead Maryknoll’s Model United Nations, and she, of course, willingly volunteered her time.

Students Angelica Bustamante, Lauren Aratani, Sara Yogi, Heather Acidera, Chris Pak, Xavier Imperial, Nikka Sonido, Lorelei Zabanal, Chloe Fortuna, Jerry Su, and Alana Laanui, were placed into groups and assigned the following countries: Iran, South Korea, and France.  They researched their respective countries in depth, learning about foreign policies, relationships with other countries, and possible issues that might be discussed while at the actual Model United Nations.  The students did much of the research on their own, meeting with Ms. Matsumoto in order to review their progress and get any questions answered.  The students then wrote a policy statement on one issue, which varied depending on the country.

In December, the students headed to UH – Manoa for an intense, weekend-long event where the students consistently and constantly played the role of the delegate, accurately representing their specific nation’s politics, beliefs and views, whether in session or not.  On the final afternoon, after hours of speeches, debates, and recommendations, one of Iran’s resolutions was passed – a great achievement for Maryknoll’s Model United Nations Club.

Congrats to our Lady Spartans basketball team!  For the first time since 1999, the Lady Spartans walked away victorious against Punahou.  Please click here to read the full story in the Star Advertiser.

Maryknoll High School was filled with the Christmas spirit this week!  From door decorations, grade level Christmas songs, candy cane-grams to friends and, finally, the annual Aloha Talent Show, the students and faculty definitely spread the good cheer of Christmas.  While all the entries to the Talent Show were fabulous, winners must be chosen.  The judges based their final selection on talent, creativity, audience engagement, and showmanship.  In third place, Travis Baguio, Arianne Yago, Eduardo Zabanal, Melissa Ching sang and played live music for “This Christmas” tying with Uliasho Francisco and Edward Su, a violin and cello duet of “Spring” by Vivaldi.  Our second place winners were three lovely young ladies dancing “Pua Hio Hio o Tea.”  And finally, first place went to the Good – Looking Dance Crew with their group dance that definitely was creative and engaged the audience. 

Mele Kalikimaka!

Who doesn’t like M & Ms?  Those candy-coated chocolates that melt in your mouth, not in your hands?  Oh, wait – not that kind!  The M & Ms I’m talking about are the high school Mentors and fifth grade Mentees… students working with students!  The Maryknoll M & Ms is one of many mentoring opportunities provided by the Maryknoll Mentoring Program.

In the beginning of the school year, Lauren Aratani, Class of 2014, approached mentoring program coordinator, Mrs. Raymi Faria, with an idea to start a club where she and her peers would mentor grade school students.  Lauren wanted to create a structured opportunity for her peers to be positive role models to grade school students.  The M & Ms program has many objectives, among them are helping grade school students develop teamwork, leadership, and social skills.  The program also provides a way to prepare grade school students for their eventual transition to high school.

After several months of planning with Mrs. Faria and the grade school dean of academics, Mrs. Caren Gaud, ten 5^th graders and 20 high school students met for the first time in the beginning of December to kick-off their weekly mentoring sessions. During the first meeting, the mentors and mentees had an opportunity to get to know each other better and find similarities and differences through games and conversations, and, of course, ate some M & Ms for snack.

Each mentoring session will consist of group activities, match activities, academic time, and snack.  The M & Ms also plan to take field trips in the community and participate in service projects.  Lauren, who is the president of the M & Ms club, and six additional student leaders, work closely with Mrs. Faria to prepare and organize the activities and manage all participants for the weekly meetings.

For more information, please contact Mrs. Faria at raymi.faria@maryknollschool.org.  Learn more about the various other mentoring opportunities at www.maryknollschool.org/mentoring.

Maryknoll School and the PTG are proud to welcome author and college financial aid expert Tim Higgins to present a free workshop, exclusively for Maryknoll School’ parents.  Mr. Higgins is a certified financial planner, financial consultant and college planning specialist who wants to help you pay for college without losing all your retirement.  According to Mr. Higgins’ website, www.collegeplusretirement.com, “Good college planning involves finding the "right" schools to apply to, getting the best prices possible at those schools, and finally, making an informed decision as to which college will be the best affordable investment and "fit" for your student.”

Maryknoll School will be hosting three workshops, based upon the ages of your children, in the high school library in January.  For Kindergarten – 5^th grade, the workshop is on Tuesday, January 15(check in at 5:30 p.m.); grades 6-8, on Wednesday, January 16 (check in at 5:30 p.m.); grades 9-11, on Thursday, January 17 (check in at 5:00 p.m.).  If you have more than one child attending Maryknoll, select the workshop for the grade level of your oldest child. 

Please RSVP to camille.michel@maryknollschool.org by Monday, January 7^th.  Include the names of adults, (no students please) and date attending.  For more details, please click here.

        Maryknoll’s National Honor Society, in conjunction with the Hawaii Blood Bank, held its biannual blood drive this week.  The Honor Society has had this partnership, and been holding blood drives, for more than 20 years now.  This year, our National Junior Honor Society students brought in food and drinks for all those who gave blood.  Maryknoll students who donated blood were allowed to wear red to school.  When asked why they were donating, the students were unanimous in their responses: “It’s an easy way to save three lives.”  The Hawaii Blood Bank wanted 32 pints of blood; Maryknoll gave 34 pints!  Congratulations!  

Our next blood drive will be Tuesday, April 30 so mark your calendars to save a life!

Pictured from left to right: Maryknoll students Andrew Phomsouvanh, Katie Meyer, Anthony Ng, and Elissa Wong working with Ms. Shanah Trevennah, the creator of SEAD.

Did you know that electricity costs almost four times as much here in Oahu than on the mainland?  Did you know that Hawaii is the most oil dependent state in the nation?  Did you know that with a few, very simple changes, you could be saving hundreds of dollars each year on your energy bill and becoming more ‘green’?  Maryknoll School students learned all that and much more in a recent training by SEAD.  SEAD, which stands for Student Energy Ambassador Development program, originally started in 2007 under the auspices of Shanah Trevennah.  Ms. Trevennah and eight college students wanted to see if they could find a way to improve the energy sustainability of an old building on University of Hawaii’s Manoa campus.  After completing their audit and implementing their recommendations, the university reduced its energy output by 26%, for an annual savings of $150,000.  Ms. Trevennah hoped to bring these potential savings and green practices to others in the community; hence the creation of SEAD.  Six Maryknoll high school students, (Christie Dang, Katie Meyer, Anthony Ng, Jarrett Okita, Andrew Phomsouvanh, and Elissa Wong) and a few middle schoolers, (Kaylen Furato, Jessica Revilla, and Lauren Revilla), learned how to audit energy at a two hour training held on the High School campus recently.  Now, these students will be out and about on campus, putting their new -found skills to work looking for plug loads, phantom loads, measuring the foot candle illumination among many other things.  After completing their initial audit, the students will receive additional training and will be making recommendations to our school’s administration as to how Maryknoll can both save money on its electric bills and become ‘greener.’  These students are also part of Maryknoll’s Green Team, led by Maureen Meyer and Chris Cramer.

Mr. Larry Kekaulike and Ms. Tracy Manlansing, Maryknoll’s two college guidance counselors, work diligently with all our high school students to ensure that 100% of our students are accepted to colleges of their choice.  This process begins in the students’ freshman and sophomore years.  During advisory time, the students start the Spartan March towards college, learning about various colleges, the application process, the importance of extracurricular activities and being well-rounded person in general.  In January of the students’ junior year, Ms. Manlansing and Mr. Kekaulike start meeting with all the juniors on an individual basis.  At these meetings, the students share their thoughts and dreams about college, where they are interested in applying, and what they might want to major in.  Our guidance counselors also meet with all the parents in one-on-one sessions to review the entire college application process.  This personal time, attention, and help given to each student and the family by Ms. Manlansing and Mr. Kekaulike are a huge part of the reason why our students are ready for to find success in college.

There is a college fair on Friday, November 16 at the Blaisdell Center.  The first session is from 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.  The second session is an evening one and runs from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Also, Seniors and Senior Parents – mark your calendars for our first Transition Night.  It will be held on Monday, April 22 in the MCC.   By that date, seniors will have been accepted and will have finally decided which college they will be attending; so what happens next?  Transition Night will help answer this question by providing helpful hints and some guidance in dealing with some of the more practical, and mundane, aspects of that move to college – postal service, banks and credit unions, travel plans and much more.

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact Ms. Manlansing at tracy.manlansing@maryknollschool.org or her phone, (808) 952-7223. 

 Mr. Kekaulike can be reached at larry.kekaulike@maryknollschool.org or his phone, (808) 952 – 7222.

Emerald Leong, a senior at Maryknoll, has already begun working on her future major in college – film.  Emerald has always been interested in movies and film in general.  For family time, Emerald and her parents would watch movies together; afterwards, Emerald would spend time watching the special features content and researching commentaries about the actors, the producers, and the filming process in general.  Finally as a junior, Emerald took Mr. Christopher Coats’ film studies class.  While the class was different than what Emerald originally expected, she loved every aspect of it and created a 30-minute movie as her final project.  Due to her obvious love for film, Mr. Coats persuaded Emerald to participate in Hiko No, Hawaii’s news network produced by students.  Recently, Emerald reported to Hiko No about Maryknoll’s summer mission trip to Majuro.  Please click here to watch the show.  Also, Emerald’s senior project involves writing and creating a movie.  Her research focuses on how film can be used in an educational environment.  Emerald will be showing this movie sometime in April.  To see more of Emerald’s creations, please visit her site lastminuteproductionshawaii.  Stay tuned for information about April’s screening.  Hope to see you at the show!

On Sunday, November 4, an inter-faith and civic ceremony was held in honor of Hawaii’s newest saint, Saint Marianne Cope.  The celebration began with mass in Our Lady of Peace Cathedral, presided over by the Most Reverend Larry Silva, Bishop of Diocese of Honolulu.  It then continued with a procession of St. Marianne’s relic through downtown Honolulu to Iolani Palace.  Four Maryknoll High School students, Sean Saito, Arianna Yaho, Katie Meyer, Eduardo Zabanal and Sacred Heart parishioner, Peter Meyer, had the distinct honor of participating in the procession. They carried the koa canoe with St. Marianne’s reliquary box and handed it over to members of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I at Iolani Palace.  From there, the reliquary box was processed to the Coronation Pavilion.  After the ceremony, the reliquary box once again processed through the streets of downtown Honolulu, carried by Catholic youth and young adults.

High school religious education teacher, Mr. Jeff McGivern, and his advisee group took to the streets and ‘pawsed’ for a cause recently.  In order to promote better understanding, kindness, and compassion for animals in our community, the Hawaiian Humane Society designated October 26 Make a Difference for Animals Day, and Mr. McGivern’s students took it to heart.  The children made signs during advisory time and then raised their signs, and people’s awareness of animal treatment, by holding a road-side rally on the corner of Wilder and Punahou streets for parts of two school days.  The students received a good response from drivers, with many shaka signs and horns honked in support of more humane treatment of animals.

Ahh, the 80s – neon pants, shoulder pads, mullets, big hair, boy bands, and, of course, MTV; sort of makes you want to go back again, yeah?  Well, you can do just that by attending Maryknoll’s 2012 Spartan Cabaret, directed by Mr. Elitei Tatafu and stage-managed by Jenna Mimaki.  Back to the 80s is an original script written by Katie Almeida, Class of 2014, with some revisions and additional scenes by Mr. Tatafu.  In the performance, the Maryknoll Drama Club discovers a time machine created by the Maryknoll Robotics Club.  They inadvertently send themselves back in time to the 80s and must find their way back to the future.  The catch – it’s prom night!  So, how does the Maryknoll Drama Club survive an 80s’ prom and return to 2012?  Come see!

When: October 25 – 28

(Thursday – Saturday at 6:00 p.m., Sunday at 4:00 p.m.)

Where: Central Union Church, 1660 South Beretania St

Cost:   $5.00 admission

Maryknoll’s Spartan Cabaret is a yearly tradition that celebrates the many talented students of both our Grade School and High School.  Guest performers this year include Anissa Leehang, (hula), Jerry Su, (electric guitar), Isaac Taira, (electric bass), and the Maryknoll Dance Club.

Maryknoll Students at the Imperial Palace, Japan

Sixteen Maryknoll juniors and seniors plus two teachers are currently in Japan on a month long exchange trip.  The trip, organized and led by Japanese teacher Rie Mizumura, is designed to help the students become more proficient in Japanese as well as to foster better understanding of, and appreciation for, the Japanese people and culture.  To this end, during the first two weeks of the program, the group visits many historical and culturally important places, among them Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Kyoto, and Hiroshima.  The students then live with host families for the remaining half of the trip.  During the homestay, the students attend two local schools - Akifuchu High School and Toride Shoyo High School - and interact directly with children their age on a daily basis.  The homestay is probably the students’ favorite and most rewarding aspect of the trip; entering a country as a tourist and leaving as an adopted family member – what better way to discover and learn in Japan?

Calvin Chang, a senior at Maryknoll, was recognized as a Commended Student in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program at morning assembly on Monday, October 1.  Although Calvin will not continue in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship competition, as a Commended Student, he ranks among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2012 competition by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, (PSAT/NMSQT).  "The young men and women being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success," commented a spokesperson for NMSC.  "These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation.  We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success."  Calvin plans to major in biomedical engineering and is hoping to attend either California Polytechnic State University, (Cal Poly) or Olin College in Massachusetts.

Standing six foot and weighing in at 220 lbs., Lukela Los Banos is the epitome of a ‘big guy’.  However, that description is not the best one of Kela; it would be more accurate to describe him as a gentle giant, which might explain his life long successes in judo, the sport whose name signifies “the gentle way.”

Kela earned his first medal - a gold - at the tender age of 5, the year he officially began practicing judo.  I say officially because Kela has had the lifelong support of his family and, especially his older brother, his sensei.  According to Kela, his family has a wrestling background with “everyone always just messing around.”  So, when it came to Kela, a shy five year old watching his brother practicing, it was natural that Kela would fall in love with judo once he, himself, finally stepped out on the mat.

Fast forward a dozen years, many growth spurts, thousands of hours spent training at Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin Judo Academy and adding quite a bit of emotional maturity to this past August and the Judo Nationals.  Kela and his team, Team Hawaii, traveled to Spokane, Washington to compete in Nationals.  Kela’s attitude was very philosophical about the entire competition; he almost had to be because he was facing great odds, as the youngest in his age group and the smallest in his weight category.

In spite of these odds, Kela did extraordinarily well at Nationals, taking home two silver medals – one as an individual and one as a member of Team Hawaii.  Furthermore, because of his personal accomplishments, Kela has been invited to compete internationally, at the Pan-American Championships in Colombia and the Flanders Cup in Belgium.

The trip to Nationals has been a life changing one for Kela – mentally, physically, and spiritually.  He now keeps a daily journal of his thoughts in regards to judo and hopes to publish it someday.  He aspires to become an Olympian and declares in a very determined voice: “I am going to Brazil in 2016.”  Lastly, and most importantly, Kela is Christian and adheres to Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, then who can be against us?”  With this as his mantra, I, for one, am confident that Kela will find success.

Interested in joining a club or committee on campus? Check out the various groups on campus and activities you might like to get involved with on Thursday, September 20th & Friday, September 21st during lunch in Rogers Hall.  There are many opportunities for students to get involved.  All clubs and committees on campus also provide community service opportunities which emphasizes our school motto of "Noblesse Oblige." 

Gwendilyn Liu, a junior at Maryknoll School, will be following a traditional college prep schedule this fall with four courses and lots of homework.  However, that is about the only aspect of Gwen’s life this semester that will be typical as the rest of Gwen’s day, including her homework time, will be spent on the floor of the Senate Chamber.

Gwen joins a select group of 30 high school juniors in Washington, D.C. from September 6 – January 26 to work as a Senate Page.  Pages, sometimes known as messengers, have been serving the U.S. Congress since 1829, when Senator Daniel Webster appointed the first one.  The pages, once selected, need to fulfill various requirements.  First and foremost, in order to function well in the Senate, the pages must memorize the each senator’s name and the states that they represent.  Additionally, the pages must be able to match the Senator’s name with his/her face.  Upon arriving in Washington, the pages are then tested on their knowledge of the Senate members.  Moreover, the students must be willing to forego, for security reasons, personal emails, cell phone use and facebook access while working as a page.  The pages do, however, have an e-mail account to stay in contact with the Senate and can communicate with family members on weekends.

During this fall semester, Gwen will be working for U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka, (D - HI).  Because the opportunity to work as a Senate Page is a unique one, it meant that the application process for Gwen was both arduous and time-consuming.  Gwen initially discovered the Senate page program through research she was doing for her Advanced American history course at Maryknoll.  After some careful investigation, Gwen made several early morning phone calls to D.C. in hopes of connecting with Senator Akaka.  In order to reach the people in Washington during their lunch – time, Gwen would arrive early to school and make calls between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m.  As a result of these phone calls, Gwen finally connected with Shari Carter, the page coordinator for Sen. Akaka here in Hawaii.  Ms. Carter was extremely helpful and friendly in guiding Gwen through the application process. In addition to Ms. Carter’s assistance, Gwen received supportive recommendations from Ms. Cynthia Medeiros, Ms. Betsey Gunderson, and Mr. Elitei Tatafu, educators who know her best as both a student and worker.  Gwen’s high academic standing – she is a Ho-Ching Scholar - was also an integral part of the selection as was her ability to pass an interview.  Furthermore, Gwen’s Spartans’ Pathways mentor, State Representative Della Au Belatti, has been supportive and one of Gwen’s biggest cheerleaders throughout this process, offering Gwen advice and suggestions for life in D.C.

Gwen’s day in Washington will begin at 6:00 a.m. and end around 10 or 11 p.m.  She will wake up, get dressed in her page’s uniform and then walk downstairs for her four classes, which begin promptly at 6:15 a.m.  At 9:45 a.m, she will continue her day working in the Senate Chamber.  As a page, Gwen will assist with photocopying, carrying documents to various committees, and distributing the Congressional Record.  During the day, Gwen will have some time to complete her schoolwork but must be available for the senators until the meetings end.  Moreover, because it is an election year, Gwen will be fortunate to view both the inauguration and the State of the Union address in a reserved area in the House Chamber.

In addition to her involvement in the election season, Gwen has many other ambitions that go hand in hand with being a Senate Page.  She is particularly excited to be working for Sen. Akaka, whose life as a teacher, principal, member of the board of education and then politician is a reflection of what Gwen aspires to in her own career.  It is also a high honor for Gwen as she will be Sen. Akaka’s last page before he retires this year.  Furthermore, Gwen is keenly interested in raising the awareness and participation of young people in our nation’s politics and history.  After being a Senate Page, Gwen intends to share her story with others, hoping that by doing so she can encourage them to become more actively engaged and involved citizens.

The Maryknoll School and community congratulate Gwen on her outstanding efforts and accomplishments.  We look forward to hearing her accounts and stories of working in Washington, D.C. and wish her the best of luck!

The digital era has arrived with a resounding bang at Maryknoll School, thanks to Arts teacher Christopher Coats and a core group of students in the Broadcast Journalism Class.  Broadcast Journalism is fulfilling a need at Maryknoll by bringing more 21^st century art-related activities to the high school students in an asynchronous fashion.  It is a non-traditional class because, unlike other courses at Maryknoll, the students meet for the entire year, do not take a typical test or quiz nor do they have a set class period during the day to meet.  Instead, the group often times gets together during lunch, study halls or after school in order to interview people, write scripts, gather information and - probably the most time consuming part of the process - edit their video.  The students’ assessment is the weekly production of the video, Sparta Vision– a short, snappy, attention grabbing video that gives the Maryknoll Community information about all the events on campus plus some!  Check out all episodes on the Maryknoll Media channel!

Spirit Week 2012 is a time for students and faculty to celebrate their school and class spirit.  To get students excited, each day of the week there are various lunchtime activities and energizers to prepare the school for the Spirit Day Pep Rally on Friday, September 14.

Here are the theme of the spirit dress days.

Monday, 9/10/12: Maroon & Gold Day

Tuesday, 9/11/12: Twin Day (with twin contest at lunch)

Wednesday, 9/12/12: Spirit Dress Day

Thursday, 9/13/12: Athletic Wear

Friday, 9/14/12: Class T-Shirt

Other activities during this week include the Spartan Challenge competiton (which began on September 4) and photo booth pictures by the Maryknoll Photography Club.  Spirit Week also concludes with the Senior class sponsoring a Welcome Back dance on Friday night 6:30-9:00 PM.

Senior parents are invited to attend a Senior Parent College Guidance Night to be held in the library from 6:30-7:45 PM on Thursday, September 6.  The purpose of this evening is to address aspects of the college application process and procedures, specific to Naviance's Family Connection.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, do not hesitate to contact the College Guidance Department at collegeguidance@maryknollschool.org or 952-7220.

Devin Rettke, a senior at Maryknoll School, has become an Ironman as well as a record holder. When Devin crossed the finish line at Subaru Ironman Canada, he became the youngest Type 1 Diabetic to finish an Ironman competition.

This record has been a culmination of years of hard work as well as achievements including becoming the youngest half Iroman finisher with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 16. These results however have not come easily for Devin. Getting to the finishing line meant that Devin had to regulate his blood glucose levels throughout the entire 13 hours and 47 minutes of the race. Performing this task meant months of preparation including testing diabetic equipment and experimenting with different foods, drinks, etc.

When asked what this finish meant to Devin, he stated, “No matter the challenges, dreams can come true. It takes hard work and dedication, but as long as you believe in yourself and your dream the journey will happen. Just like any journey, mine had its questions, doubters and hard times…Every part of my journey good and bad, got me to where I am right now, I am an Ironman.”

What is next for Devin? “For now I want to continue training, but I do have another goal in mind, college. I think my mom will be pleased to hear me say that. But doing well in college is a stepping stone for ensuring future dreams continue to come true. I may compete in collegiate cycling and hey why not an Ultra Ironman.” Devin has a new goal, to become a physical therapist. Read more about Devin's story on his website.  

To watch Devin's KHON interview, click here.

Maryknoll High School opened its doors a little early to freshmen students on August 21, 2012 with perfect attendance!  The Class of 2016 was given the opportunity to have the campus all to themselves before the start of school so that they were comfortable with the transition from middle to high school. The students were able to make new friends and meet new teachers, led by a supportive group of upperclassmen.  Student leaders helped their freshmen brothers and sisters navigate through the campus, become familiar with the step-by-step configuration of their laptops with the last half hour of their day being spent in a Zumba class for the entire freshmen class.  Healthy minds, hearts and spirits…a great start to their freshmen year!  Welcome students! We are excited to nurture your mind and spirit as you head down your path of success. 

Welcome back to a new school year!  We look forward to seeing everyone on campus on Wednesday, August 22.  The Student Senate is excited to kick off the year with the theme of "Pūpūkahi i holomua: Unite to move forward!" Throughout the year, the Senate and each grade level will promote activites and events that focus on this theme.

Below is the special 'A' day schedule for the 1st day of classes for grades 9-12.

7:50 – 8:50 AM              Prayer, Flag Raising & Advisory (60)
8:50 – 8:55 AM              Transition to class (5)
8:55 – 9:40 AM              Period 1 (A) (45)
9:40 – 9:45 AM              Transition to class (5)
9:45 – 10:30 AM            Period 2 (B) (45)
10:30 – 10:35 AM          Transition to class (5)
10:35 – 11:20 AM          Period 3 (C) (45)
11:20 – 12:05 PM     Lunch (45)
12:05 – 12:15 PM           Advisory (10)
12:15 – 12:40 PM           Walk to MCC (25)
12:40 – 1:40 PM       Prayer Service & Senate Assembly (60)
1:40 – 2:00 PM              Walk to HS & Dismissal (20)

Students are reminded to bring their laptops & 1st trimester schedule with them.  Books should already have been purchased from our virtual bookstore with MBS Direct, and teachers will inform students of any supplies needed for the course.  If there are any questions, please call the front office at 952-7200. 

Submitted By Anthony Ng, High School Student Senate Secretary of Communications

This year, six students were able to take part in the 21^st annual Maryknoll Majuro Mission. For 21 years, Maryknoll students have been teaching incoming freshmen at Assumption High School. This three-week summer program helps the students to familiarize themselves with high school academics in addition to getting to know new people. The curriculum this year included English and Math with a strong emphasis on Climate Change. Majuro is a low-lying atoll and will be affected by the consequences of climate change if the current problems continue to worsen.

The 2012 Maryknoll Majuro Mission team included Ka’imi Amaral, Amra Evers, Danyea Hays, Emerald Leong, Jarrett Okita, and me, Anthony Ng. In order to teach the curriculum, the Maryknoll team split up into two groups where three of us would teach English and three of us would teach Math. The English group focused on journal writing, comprehension, and grammar. An example of a journal prompt would look like, “Do you think Climate Change will affect you personally?” The Math group focused on pre-algebra skills with some review in graphs: creating a bar graph and a scatter plot. The students participated in a beach clean up and recorded the different types of trash and the amount of trash that was collected. They then created a bar graph to visually show what type of trash was most prominent. They also created scatter plots of the Earth’s temperature so they could better understand that the temperature is rising. Each of the two advisories would help the students to work to gain a greater understanding of Climate Change and provide time for students to work and complete their posters presented in the final presentation, in addition to building teamwork and stronger connections with one another.

Our culminating field trip included the Assumption students and the Maryknoll Majuro Mission team camping at a neighboring island overnight. The students were given booklets with all of the trees in Majuro and the task to locate and study the various trees around the island that they saw. This also helped the owners of the island to keep track of their trees, which could later benefit them in determining which trees can sustain Climate Change. Students also measured the salinity, pH, and temperature of the ocean water and the lagoon water at different depths and recorded their findings. The information was compiled and will be used as records for future groups that will come to the island, enabling them to compare and contrast their findings to determine any changes with the climate.

"I think the Maryknoll Majuro Mission is a trip that every student should apply for. We lived with host families and became immersed in the Marshallese culture.," said Anthony Ng, "I lived with the Principal of Assumption High School and her family.  My host family made me feel as if I was at home and gave me everything I needed and more. Living in Majuro helped me gain a new perspective on life. The people there don’t have any source of fresh water other that the rain, making conservation very prominent. The people living in Majuro are very nice and extremely hospitable. They will literally give you the shirt off their back even though it may be their last one."

Student schedules for grades 9-12 can be viewed via the school webpage in NetClassroom.  Mailings for each division will be mailed home on July 25th.  In addition to student schedules, the procedure for schedule changes, course offerings and enrollment numbers, the 2012-2013 SY calendar, daily bell schedule and locker information are included in the packet.

Books can be purchased from Maryknoll School's virtual bookstore with MBS Direct. Free shipping on purchases over $99 or more ends on August 3rd. Click here to see the high school booklist for SY 2012-2013.

If there area any questions about the start of the school year, please call the front office at 952-7203 or email highschool@maryknollschool.org  We look forward to seeing freshmen on their 1st day on August 21st & all students on August 22nd!

Essential Skills is a  required course for all new, incoming freshmmen that provides students the  opportunity to work on projects that introduce them to interdisciplinary  course work and block scheduling.  Through various field and classroom  experiences, students are introduced to the skills, terminology and “habits of mind”, needed to be successful in the Essential School program.

The Essential Question  for this course is "How can we use the ahuupa'a system to help make a   thriving Hawaii in the year 2060?"  In their final presentations to peers, parents, faculty and administration  that were held in the library, each group focused on a different aspect: water, energy, invasive species or food sustainability.

Maryknoll School welcomes new teachers to the high school faculty for the upcoming school year:

Ms. Cari Ann Honda was born and raised on Maui where she attended Baldwin High School.  She graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, earning a Bachelor’s of Secondary Education with an emphasis in Chemistry and a minor in Japanese.  Currently, she is working towards a Master’s degree in Curriculum Studies at UH Manoa.  Previously, Cari Ann worked for three years with Upward Bound at UH Maui.  Cari Ann is a member of the UH Manoa Traditional Japanese Tea Club and enjoys going to practices on the weekends.  She also likes to travel, read and create handicrafts. Cari Ann will be teaching Algebra III and AP Chemistry.

 Mrs. Patty Stephens joins us from Washington state.  She recently moved to Hawaii with her son and husband.  Patty is a National Board Certified teacher, holds a Master's degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in instructional technology, and has 16 years of classroom experience, teaching all levels of math from eighth grade general math through AP Calculus.  Patty participated in several technology grants aimed at using instructional technologies to increase student learning and achievement.  For the past two years, she worked for the Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction as the mathematics assessment specialist who oversees test and item development for the Washington State End-of-Course Exams in Algebra 1 and Geometry.  In her spare time, Patty enjoys weight lifting, water sports, traveling and time with her family.  She will be teaching Precalculus, Algebra II and Trigonometry.

 Mr. William Rauckhorst graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University.  For the past five years, he worked with construction firms in Hawaii on projects ranging from a HECO power plant in Kapolei to a historic building on Hickam Air Force Base.  While he feels engineering is an exciting field, his childhood dream and true calling is teaching.  Mr. Rauckhorst enjoys golfing, photography and following baseball.  He is excited to join the Maryknoll family and looking forward to the year ahead teaching Algebra I, Geometry and Statistics.

Mr. William Schriefer is a new English teacher on the high school campus.  He has lived on Oahu since the mid-1990s and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with qualifications in English and history from Concordia University in Austin, Texas.  He taught high school English and history as well as middle school English and psychology.  He earned a Master’s degree in History from the University of Hawaii with a focus on US History and Pacific Islands Studies.  He loves to coach young athletes in a variety of sports including track, swimming, tennis, hockey, football and baseball.  He also enjoys swimming, surfing, scuba diving, playing guitar and reading good books.

 Mr. Reade Whitney is the head athletic trainer in Maryknoll School’s Athletics Department.  He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from the University of Tampa and a Master’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Hawaii.  Reade provided athletic trainer services for numerous sports organizations and events including the Hawaii Professional Football League, Major League Soccer and the Hawaiian Islands Invitational.  He joins the high school physical education department as a part-time instructor and will be teaching Healthy Lifestyles.

After over 20+ years of service learning following the charism of our Maryknoll founders, six students re-pioneer a new kind of mission trip to Assumption School in the Marshall Islands. Assumption is one of only a small handful of American accredited schools in all of Micronesia and has been our sister school for some time now. Both schools recently saw the retirement of the last few Maryknoll Sisters. Both schools serve a wide range of highly talented students and both schools provide service to their own communities. 

Each year, Maryknoll plans and staffs the summer program for incoming freshmen at Assumption. In addition, previous years have seen our students provide manual service, such as painting a classroom or tilling a garden. This year, our students will be working along side Assumption students to create rigorous scientific presentations using state-of-the-art video technology to address the problem of global climate change, something that effects atolls much more than even our vulnerable islands. In addition, Maryknoll is providing ongoing professional development and mentorship for the administration and faculty of Assumption School. 

Participants of the mission include six students that will be chaperoned by three teachers, Joe Miller, Kapono Ciotti and Raymi Faria. The first day of class started on Monday July 9, 2012 at Assumption High School and the trip will culminate with a Final Exhibition on Friday, July 26, 2012. 

The Hawai‘i Council on Economic Education (HCEE) is holding the first annual Summer Economics Academy program for high school juniors and seniors, being hosted by Maryknoll School from June 11 through July 19, 2012. Led by nationally award-winning economics teacher Lance Suzuki, students will learn economics and financial literacy concepts first-hand by taking behind-the-scenes tours of local businesses and developing personal financial plans integrating college and career choices.

“The Summer Economics Academy will be one of our greatest endeavors to enhance the financial literacy of our Hawai‘i youth, promoting effective decision-making and providing tools for a successful future in a fun and engaging way,” said Toni Takeno, HCEE executive director.

Field trips will include visits to businesses from a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, food production/service, utilities, finance, tourism, and real estate. Curriculum topics include supply and demand, entrepreneurship, gross domestic product (GDP), the banking system, and investments.

“We are very excited to be partnering with HCEE to provide the tools for these students to prepare for the real world. An education in economics is critical for 21^st century success,” said Perry Martin, Maryknoll School president.

Lance Suzuki is a nationally recognized educator who was named the country’s top teacher of economics at the 2005 Nasdaq National Teaching Awards. In 2011, he coached Maryknoll’s economics team to victory in the David Ricardo division of HCEE’s 2011 Island Insurance Cos. Economics Challenge.

The Hawai‘i Council on Economic Education (HCEE) promotes the teaching of economics in local public and private K-12 schools to increase the economic and financial literacy of our state’s students and residents. Through innovative teacher training and student outreach programs that connect economic concepts with real-life applications, HCEE improves the quality of economic education statewide. For more information, visit hcee.org

Being one of 16 students participating in the second annual Summer Learning Experience at University of Portland inspired me, educated me and helped me to mature as far as discovering what it means to find a best-fit college and career. Living in the dorms with a roommate, eating in the commons, attending classes, going to mass, participating in workshops at the career services office-- I think is as close as it gets to feeling like an actual college student! We literally lived the college life on University of Portland’s campus this summer!

I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge from this trip by learning what my strengths are, learning how to craft a resume, practicing mock interviews and informational interviewing, participating in teamwork and leadership activities and much more. Taking the StrengthsQuest Clifton Strengths finder helped me identify my five most prevalent talent themes. After I completed the assessment, I found out my themes were Achiever, Belief, Responsibility, Arranger and Discipline. I believe that all of these themes are my strengths and thought this assessment was very accurate. We learned that our strengths are what will help us find a career that is a best fit for us. Also, participating in mock interviews helped me get comfortable in an interview environment and helped me discover what I need to improve on for any future interviews. 

At the end of this trip, all of us recognized that selecting a college to attend isn’t just about the name; it’s about whether or not we will fit in. Do I want it on the west coast? Do I want big classes or small classes? Do I like big schools or small schools? Do they have many academic and non-academic services to provide? Are the dorms nice? Does the food taste good? Are there many clubs and organizations? We learned that asking all of these questions and more will help us determine our best-fit college. This very affordable trip is like no other program, as we focus on finding a best-fit college and career and experiencing college life rather than just touring numerous colleges and not getting the true feeling of the college.

-By Anthony Ng, Student Senate Secretary of Communications

Congratulations to this year's valedictorian, Nathan Goo, and salutatorians, Brandi Chun and Bryce Sadarananda!  Both were announced and recognized in the Class of 2012's Class Night Ceremony that was held at the Hawaii Theatre on Thursday, May 31st.  Other top award recipients were recognized at Graduation on Friday, June 1st, which was held at the Neal Blaisdell Center's Concert Hall.

Valedictorian Nathan Goo

Co-Salutatorian Brandi Chun

Bryce Sadarananda - Co-Salutatorian & The Maryknoll Cup is awarded to the graduate who best personifies the spirit of Maryknoll School’s motto “Noblesse Oblige”.

Joseph Dela Luna - The Maryknoll Cup is awarded to the graduate who best personifies the spirit of Maryknoll School’s motto “Noblesse Oblige”.

Jayna Funakoshi - The Bishop James A. Walsh Award honors one of the co-founders of the Maryknoll Fathers and is awarded to the student who displays outstanding character, leadership ability and concern for others.

Megan August - The Mother Mary Joseph Rogers Award honors the founders’ of the Maryknoll Sisters and recognizes the senior class woman best exemplifying good will and sensitivity toward the needs of fellow students and the Maryknoll Community.  

Justin Hata  - The Christopher Award is presented to the senior who has demonstrated those qualities which mark one as a contemporary Christopher, a person who gives tangible evidence to Christian principles in everyday activities.

Katia Worley - The Father John Murray Award honors a former associate of Sacred Heart Parish and recognizes the graduating senior who has, in the tradition of Father Murray, provided unselfish assistance in serving fellow students and the Maryknoll Community.

Noelle Miller - The Chi Rho Award is given to the graduating senior who has displayed growth in personal integrity and Christian outreach.

Congratulations to all these top award recipients, and best wishes to all our graduates as they begin a new journey!

Our High School band program is finally here!  For three years, we have been working out the details on how to implement band and choir at the High School.  A major barrier was the arrangement of a daily schedule that would allow for the consistency that playing an instrument demands and the collaboration of the Grade School schedule.  For the past 3 months, we have been quietly planning a 21st century band/performance space at the High School to support the continuance of our spectacular Grade School band/choir program. Our new High School band room has been designed with many 21st century features and characteristics. Sound experts helped to design the acoustics, spaces for instrument storage were included, and lighting and performance areas were key aspects of the design.  Brand new furniture, along with contemporary block seating (easily customizable for performances), will allow every band/choir student to reach their full potential. 

The 2012-13 school year will mark the beginning of a commitment to music excellence.  To launch the High School band program, we will offer band as a “sunrise” class, meeting all school year from 6:45 am to 7:30 am on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  The following school year (2013-14), band will be offered during the regular school day!  Graduation credit and grades will be given for this class. Grade School band teacher, David Yamasaki will be leading the new program. Having been with Maryknoll for 11 years, Mr. Yamasaki is an enthusiastic and recognized musician who has performed in music videos and film. Please take a minute to read his biography.

We encourage students to stop by the High School front office to receive additional information and let us know what instruments they are interested in playing. Space in the class is limited, so come by today!

Graduation is at the Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall on Friday, June 1, 2012. Commencement begins at 5:30 p.m.  Admission by ticket only.  Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Class Night is at the Hawaii Theatre Center on Thursday, May 31, 2012.  Program begins at 5:00 p.m. Admission by ticket only.  Doors open at 4:00 p.m.

Baccalaureate Mass is at the St. Pius X Church in Manoa, on Thursday, May 31, 2012. Service begins at 9:00 a.m. The church will open to guests at 8:15 a.m.

This year's Underclassmen Awards Assembly will be held in the Maryknoll Community Center's Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium from 9:15 - 10:30 AM on Friday, June 1.  Parents are invited to watch a live broadcast of our Awards Assembly by logging on to the webpage and clicking here on this link.

On this day, the elected student officers for the next school year will also take their oath of office.  During this annual awards assembly, students are recognized for academic excellence in all subject areas as well as other areas of the co-curricular program.  In addition, special recognition is made in each grade level for Spirit, Leadership & Service.  This year, excellence in athletics will also be incorporated into our awards assembly. 

Congratulations to all the students who will be recognized on this day for their accomplishments!

As this year comes to a close, the Class of 2015 will participate in a service activity on Thursday, May 31, 2012. Freshmen will be transported to Aloha Aina O Kamilo Nui where they will be working to help beautify the area and learn more about their mission of restoring "the Kamilo Nui Valley watershed as a sustainable, culturally and community-based model for agriculture land use and management, inspired in part by the Hawaiian traditional values of ahupua‘a for the benefit of future generations."  In doing so, one of the many benefits is that the students have this time to bond as a class and continue building relationships with each other.

Students will return to campus at about 10:45 AM where they assist with folding graduation announcements, playing basketball, relaxing,showing their appreciation for each other and celebrating all that they've achieved in their freshmen year.  There are no classes on this day but it is a special activity day for each division.

For more detailed information on this service day and for the waiver form for Aloha Aina O Kamilo Nui, the handout can be downloaded from the High School Documents page.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact your child's advisory teacher or Freshmen Division Coordinator, Mrs. Heidi McGivern, at 952-7266 or via email, heidi.mcgivern@maryknollschool.org

Amra Evers, Kellen Ho and Emerald Leong represented Maryknoll School in Season Three of PBS Hawaii's Hiki Nō, the nation’s first statewide student news network.  Under the direction of teacher, Christopher Coats, the students acted, wrote, produced and directed a segment on safety in the science laboratory for episode four. Visit PBS Hawaii Hiki Nō to view episode four.

Junior and Kekumano Scholar, Emerald Leong ‘s short film, “It’s Just Business,” was featured on Hawaii Student Digital Showcase, a Hawaii State Department of Education program promoting student produced videos from public and private schools. “It’s Just Business” tells the story of two co-workers competing for a promotion. Emerald produced, directed, edited and co-wrote the 30-minute film which also screened at Maryknoll School’s first film fest in early May. Visit Hawaii Student Digital Showcase for program dates and times.

This year's summer reading fiction book is Gary Paulsen's Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod, and the non-fiction book is  Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea.  The seminar discussions will take place when students return from summer vacation and are scheduled for Friday, August 31st  & Friday, September 7th in advisory. 

Check out the detailed information that is posted on our Summer Reading page, www.maryknollschool.org/summerreading. Books can be purchased from our online bookstore, MBS Direct, or by clicking on this link here.  Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call the front office at 952-7200.

Congratulations to the newly elected Division student officers for SY 2012-2013!  Election day was held on Thursday, April 26, 2012.  These students along with the elected Senate officers will take their oath of office on Friday, June 1, 2012 during our Underclassmen Awards Assemly.

Senior Officers – Class of 2013

• President: Joe Mar Lim
• Vice-President: Daryane Domen
• Treasurer: Brandon Lim
• Secretary of Communication: Manny Pascual
• Secretary of Spirit: Kimberlee Speakman

 Junior Officers – Class of 2014

• President: Christopher Pak
• Vice-President: Lauren Aratani
• Treasurer: Xavier Imperial
• Secretary of Communication:  Maya Noguchi
• Secretary of Spirit: Alex Mitchell

 Sophomore Officers – Class of 2015

• President: Travis Baguio
• Vice-President: Sean Choi
• Treasurer: Jacob Shelton
• Secretary of Communication: Erika Wong
• Secretary of Spirit: Ray Pascual

Each day this week, students, faculty and staff viewed some of the most wonderfully diverse and eclectic student short films during Maryknoll’s first Film Fest.  Films were written, directed and featured the theatrical talents of students.  Genres ranged from drama to comedy and horror and cinèma vèritè.  Juniors Emerald Leong, 2012 Kekumano Scholarship recipient, and Christianne Michael, who was recently accepted into the Writers Workshop at Susquehanna University, organized the film fest.  With so much emerging talent at Maryknoll, we look forward to next year’s fest.

Banners, Edible Arrangements, flowers, apples, kettle corn and a gourmet catered lunch with re-usable glass water bottles from Starbucks courtesy of the PTG were some of the ways teachers were recognized for their hard work and numerous contributions during National Teacher Appreciation Week.  Students and their families also generously donated to Annual Investment in Maryknoll (AIM) campaign in honor of teachers who received special thank-you cards notifying them of the donation.  Families may continue to recognize teachers through donations to AIM until the end of June.  Click here if you would like to make a contribution.

“Ma ka hana ka ‘ike” (by observing one learns), is what the Advanced Hawaiian language students learned. They traveled to Kaua’i from April 23 to April 25 for a class service trip. On Kaua’i, they went to multiple places including Maka’uwahi cave, Waipa, and Anahola. On the first day, the students went to Maka’uwahi cave, which is in Maha’ulepu, Koloa, Kaua’i. They helped restore ancient grounds by taking out invasive species and they also constructed a Hawaiian rock wall. All of this was done with the help of the native Ni’ihau people. It was interesting for the Hawaiian language students to hear the native Hawaiian dialect, which the Ni’ihau people spoke. The amazing aspect of this was that the students conversed with the people. This gave the students an opportunity to practice what they learned in the classroom with the native speakers.

Another Hawaiian proverb that stood out from this trip was “He ali’i ka ‘aina he kaua ke kanaka” (The land is a chief, the people are the workers). Students visited Waipa to work in the lo’i kalo, plant native plants, harvest kalo, see the source of Waipaʻs water, and pounded the kalo into pa’i’ai. This place was special because instead of reading from a book, the class experienced, first hand on how an ahupua’a system worked in ancient times. The question that stood out in their minds was: “How do use what we learned in our modern society?” The students can now answer this question. It began with kalo as its eldest brother; this kalo fed the entire Hawaiian society. Knowing this, the students realized the importance of the land. If you take care of the land, the land will take care of you. It starts off with aloha, if you give aloha, aloha will come back in return…

Students who participated in this trip are:    

Kauilaha’aikekaioniuli’i Chock
Palani DePonte
Cody Maika’i-St. Louis
John Mayer
Christina Rezentes
Alyx Vasconcellos
Kahakuokapunawainoa Wellbrock
Scott Witter

Maryknoll High School student, Christianne Michel ’13, has been accepted into the Advanced Writers Workshop at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. The Writers Workshop at Susquehanna University provides some of the nation's most talented high school writers with the opportunity to work in intensive, small-group workshops headed by nationally recognized authors. The Writers Workshop features workshops in fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry. Class sizes are limited to 15 students to ensure personal attention and individual conferencing.

At Maryknoll High School, students are challenged by our Essential School philosophy, which emphasizes personalization of teaching and learning in the classroom. Students are able to discover their strengths and nurture their passions—and for Christianne, creative writing is at the top of her list.

“I love telling stories! I love being able to use my imagination. And I love words – I’ve been reading since the age of three and writing since the age of eight,” said Christianne. “To me, there’s nothing quite like writing because when you’re a writer, you have the freedom to create your own world.”

The intensive workshop will be held in June at Susquehanna University, where Christianne will have the opportunity to learn from professional writers in a close-knit, personalized environment.

“I’m really looking forward to working with the creative writing professors at Susquehanna University. They are experienced, published writers, and there’s so much I can learn from them,” Christianne said.

Upon graduating from Maryknoll, Christianne intends to pursue a degree in creative writing. When asked about her ultimate dream job, Christianne’s passion and her spirit of Noblesse Oblige shine through:

“I would love to be an author. The books I’ve read have done so much for me. They’ve been more than just a pastime; they’ve taught me life lessons and opened doors that I never knew were there. I want to provide the same experience for the next generation. I know that whether I’m successful or not will depend on many elements, some that I can control and some that I can’t, but I’m determined to do the best I can to make my dream happen. Whatever life I end up living, I know that writing will be a part of it.”

This year's Sophomore Banquet is being held at the Pacific Beach Hotel from 6:00 - 10:30 PM on Friday, May 4, 2012. Masquerade is the theme, and it is titled "Unmask Your Heart".  Sophomore officers began selling bids on April 16, and the last day to purchase bids were on April 27. The cost is $40 per ticket.

Photo packages can be ordered from Ohana Photo Studios, and the deadline to place orders was April 30.  Any questions regarding pictures can be answered by Ohana Photo Studios via email, info@ohanaphotostudios or calling 748-9917.  For any other questions, email Sophomore Division Coordinator, Mrs. Charlene Martin at charlene.martin@maryknollschool.org or call the front office at 952-7200.

We look forward to welcoming parents and guests to May Day in the Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium!

 High School May Day
“He Lei Poina’ole: An Unforgettable Lei”
Friday, April 27
Parking: Grade School blacktop only

 One show only at 10:50 am
Parking opens at 10:20 am
Please clear the parking area by 12:45 pm

 *******

 Grade School May Day
“Mele Ailana: Song of the Islands”
Friday, May 4
Entry to gym for ticket holders only
Parking: Grade School blacktop or MCC garage

 Show #1 at 9:00 am
Parking opens at 8:30 am
Please clear the parking area by 10:45 am

 Show #2 at 11:30 am
Parking opens at 11:00 am
Please clear the parking area by 12:45 pm

    To park on the blacktop, please enter the driveway from Alexander Street, makai-bound lane only. There is no left turn into the driveway from the mauka-bound lane on Alexander. There will be no entry to the blacktop parking areas directly from Dole Street or via Halekula Way.

    Please obey instructions from parking attendants and/or sheriffs. Cars will be asked to move if blocking traffic on Alexander before parking opens for each show.
    If the lot is full, please find legal street parking. Please do not block or use parking belonging to homes or condos in the area.
    We highly encourage you to get dropped off on May Day! Passengers can be dropped off in the driveway next to the MCC; drivers can exit onto Dole Street at the fire lane.

    For more information about May Day parking, please call:

    High School        952-7213
    Grade School      952-7112

Congratulations to Bryce Sadarananda (pictured above with speech team coach Dr. Fran Wong) for placing 3^rd in state for his performance during the state speech tournament.  He and the following students from the speech team competed against 18 private and public schools:

 Brandi Chun and Nathan Goo (Duo)

Justin Higa (Storytelling)

Wesley Kamikawa (Impromptu)

Jordan Yamashita  (Impromptu)

Bryce Sadarananda (Program Reading)

 The Maryknoll team was also one of only four schools to receive the perfect attendance award for the year. 

Congratulations to Maryknoll's Math Team for placing 8th in their final math meet and for an overall 8th place ranking for the school year. Senior Rikuro Fukusato was recognized as one of the top ten individual performers island-wide, receiving the Senior Merit Award, the Oahu Mathematics League highest honor.  A special thank you to team co-captains Rikuro Fukusato, Flora Wang and Joyce Zhang and the Maryknoll Math Department for their outstanding leadership. Best of luck to team members preparing for the State Mathematics Championships on May 5.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is the focus of senior Brian Kojima's presentation to Maryknoll families, faculty, staff and students on Tuesday, April 17th.  As part of his project, he researched this topic and presented during Senior Project Week in early March.  Brian will discuss the details about this disorder and how it affects children inside and outside of the classroom as well as share his own personal experiences. 

This presenation titled "Helping Children with ADHD" will be very informative and valuable to attend.  It will start at 6 PM and is scheduled on the high school campus in the library which is located on the 2nd floor.  For more information and questions you may email him at kojimab12@maryknollschool.org. 

In cooperation with Pam Foster, Founder and Director of AED Institute of America and Hawaii Heart Foundation, Maryknoll students created a new Maryknoll event, the Inaugural CPR/AED Awareness Assembly! Junior class students were CPR/AED certified through the AED Institute of America on March 24.  While other schools do have CPR/AED training programs in place, Maryknoll School is the first school to institute a 100% student-led CPR/AED program. 

All Sophomores participated in a CPR/AED Awareness Assembly and Training led by a group of Maryknoll Juniors with support from the Hawaii Heart Foundation and AED Institute of America, Inc.  Students learned how to perform life-saving skills using mannequins and training AEDs, while interacting with Firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians, and Nurses.  Following this assembly, students heard from a panel of Health & Human Services Professionals who are alumni, parents, and friends of Maryknoll.  This experience gave our students life-saving skills and gave them exposure to diverse, accomplished individuals who shed light on their varied college and career paths.

Maryknoll School's spring play, “The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” is a MUST SEE and is H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S.  Hilarious.  This musical, directed by Arts teacher Elitei Tatafu, does a fantastic job of showcasing our student talent. Onstage, these students transform themselves into characters that you will absolutely love.

Guest musical director Jenny Kimura has also worked magic with our already-talented students to create amazing solo and ensemble musical numbers. Students have rehearsed five days a week, every week (except spring break) since the beginning of January, and it shows.  There are three performances this weekend at Central Union Church: 

• Friday, April 13: 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, April 14: 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, April 15: 4:00 p.m.

Adding to the excitement, there’s improvisation with audience volunteers, which the students pull off skillfully. Also, several of the students play a different character on different nights. So there will be unique elements in each performance and you’ll see a slightly different – but equally fabulous – show if you go more than once!

Tickets are just $5 each for general admission and $2 for students and teachers.  It is the best bargain in town to see a tremendously entertaining show. 

On Thursday, April 12, students will participate in Maryknoll School’s Annual College and Career Day where they will explore college and career options through a variety of activities such as the NACAC Honolulu National College Fair, on-campus career workshops, panel presentation or community service opportunities.  Read more about the activities planned for each division.

• 9^th grade: Freshmen will engage in a day of self-discovery through small group discussions on their career interests, personal strengths and goals.  They will also learn about the importance of “Personal Branding” and receive an introduction to the job application and interview process. Freshmen are also required to bring their laptops with them on this day.
• 10^th grade: Sophomores will participate in a CPR/AED Awareness Assembly & Training led by a group of Maryknoll juniors with support from the Hawaii Heart Foundation and AED Institute of America, Inc.  Students will receive hands-on, life-saving training using mannequins and training AEDs and engage in a panel discussion with Health and Human Services Professionals.  
• 11^th grade: Juniors are travelling off-campus to attend the NACAC Honolulu National College Fair at the Hawaii Convention Center.  Afterwards, they will depart in three groups to visit one of the following campuses:  Chaminade University, Hawaii Pacific University (Downtown Campus), or the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 
• 12^th grade: Seniors will donate their time and talents performing community service at various locations around the island as part of their Senior Service Day.  In doing so, students are living Noblesse Oblige and helping to Make God’s Love Visible.  They are also exposed to various cultures, causes, and communities thereby strengthening their cultural competence and global awareness.   These service projects will further promote the development of important life and career skills. 

This is a very busy and exciting day for our students, and we hope that families use this as an opportunity to discuss lessons learned from this day.

• Business, Finance & Entrepreneur Panel on Wednesday, April 11
• Healthcare Panel on Wednesday, April 18
• Government & Law Panel on Wednesday, April 18
• Engineering & Architecture Panel on Wednesday, April 25

1. Click on the “colleges” tab
2. Under “Upcoming college visits” click on “view all upcoming college visits”
3. Locate the Career Panel you are interested in signing up for then click on “Sign up”
4. Carefully read the information about the Career Panel, then click on “Sign me up”

On Wednesday, April 4th, the Maryknoll Sisters were officially honored by the House of Representatives with House Resolution 198. The Sisters sat in the House Gallery as they were recognized for their 100 years of serving our community. Maryknoll School and Catholic Charities Hawaii, both upstanding institutions established by the Maryknoll Sisters, were at the state capital to support the Sisters and honor them in their centennial year. The floor presentation was followed by a reception at the state capital, where the Sisters, students, Maryknoll teachers and administrators, and Catholic Charities Hawaii employees mingled with State Representatives. Mahalo to Rep. Della Au Belati's office for organizing the day.

Congratulations to the 44 Economics students in Mr. Lance Suzuki's classes who represented Maryknoll extremely well at the 2012 Hawaii Council on Economic Education's Economics Challenge! It was held on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at the University of Hawaii-Manoa's Campus Center Ballroom! 

In the David Ricardo (non-AP) Division, students earned 4th place, and the students were Christie Dang, Kylie Ojiri, Stephanie Mau and Gabriel Shimizu (division high scorer).  In the Adam Smith (AP) Division, students earned state runner-up honors for the seventh consecutive year.  The students on this team were  Brandi Chun, Nathan Goo, Hawkins Ko, Davin Nagamine, Flora Wang and Rikuro Fukusato (division high scorer).

Currently training for Ironman Canada, Devin Rettke is not like most triathletes; he does not have the pleasure of eating whatever he wants or training as much as he wants. Instead, Devin is required to train while hooked up to wires and looking at numbers. These numbers are not heart rate, cadence or speed, but instead they are his insulin levels. At the age of 9, Devin was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Devin is now on a mission to become the youngest diabetic athlete to complete an Ironman! Through this journey, he hopes that he will be able to inspire and encourage teens and kids with diabetes and other health issues to get out and pursue their goals. Devin says, “Any goal is obtainable with hard work and courage.” The Maryknoll School community looks forward to seeing Devin achieve his goals! Visit his website for more information.

Devin's achievements include:
Youngest type 1 diabetic half Ironman Finisher
2010 and 2011 Hawaii Team Time Trial State Champion
2nd Place in age group at the 2009 Xterra 10K World Championships

• Senate President: Jamaica Go, '13
• Senate Vice-President: Alana Laanui, '14
• Secretary of Communication: Anthony Ng, '13
• Secretary of Spirit: Kasey Cachola, '13
• Treasurer: Calvin Chang, '13
• Tresurer's Apprentice: Jacob Burke, '14

Students interested in running for division office should see their respective Division Coordinator for an application.

Maryknoll School students are hosting eight exchange students and their chaperone from Okinawa Catholic High School in Okinawa, Japan. This exciting cultural exchange will run through March 29. Maryknoll Japanese teacher, Ms. Rie Mizumura, coordinated the visit. The exchange students will attend various classes with their Maryknoll host brothers and sisters, and will be giving a presentation about their high school in Okinawa as well as speaking about cultural aspects in their community.

Our annual Senior One-Acts were held in February at the Kumu Kahua Theatre downtown, and the students did a fantastic job! The Senior One-Acts Program is designed for seniors to experience the process of directing and mounting a short production at a local community theatre.  Students go through the process of rehearsing a show from start to opening, thereby increasing their confidence, leadership, and communication skills while gaining the satisfaction of seeing their creation come alive onstage in a theatre rich in local history and tradition. Congratulations to the cast and crew of “Finding Nemo” who did a fabulous job at Kumu Kahua Theatre! Mahalo to their teacher, Elitei Tatafu, for his leadership in this program.

Finding Nemo
Directed by Clare Taira

Performers
Chelsea Adora
Jared Ladera
Joseph Reyes
Christianne Michel
Nicole Choy
Lorelei Zabanal
Laiman Severson
Emerald Leong

Sound and Light Operators
Gwendilyn Liu
Jenna Mimaki

SPRING BREAK
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS

Monday, March 26 at 8:30am-12pm
Women’s Shelter at Institute for Human Services (IHS)

Wednesday, March 28 at 1-5pm
Mayor Wright Housing Children’s Learning Center

Saturday, March 31 at 12-3pm
Makiki Park Easter Egg Hunt & Community Food Drive

March 26-30 at 10am-1pm (Daily Shifts)
Central Union Church Adult Day Care & Health Center

Space is limited.
Sign up w/Mrs. Faria by March 21.
Questions? Go to Room 133 or email raymi.faria@maryknollschool.org

Each year, Maryknoll's National Honor Society, under its advisor Mrs. Grace Williams, coordinates two Blood Drives with the Blood Bank of Hawaii, one in the winter and the other in spring.  This year, the Spring Blood Drive will take place on March 19, 2012, and it will be held in the library from 8 - 2 PM.  

We are reminded that Hawaii needs 200 blood donors every day, and that one donation can save 3 lives when separated into platelets, plasma and red blood cells.  Statistics show that 60% of the population will need blood during their lifetime.  10% of recipients are Accident & trauma victims; 30% are Newborns, persons with bleeding ulcers & other forms of treatment & surgery; 25% are Open heart surgery patients; and 35% are cancer patients.

The qualifications to be a blood donor are simple:

• Be in good health.
• Be at least 18 years old (17 years old with signed BBH Parent/Legal Guardian Consent form)
• Weigh at least 110 pounds.
• Have a valid photo ID with date of birth.

Thank you to all those who have already signed up to make a donation and to those who are working behind the scenes to help make it possible to "give the gift of life"!

Senior Project is a graduation requirement in which each student undertakes an individual project that is completed during the senior year.  This project is to be research based, provide evidence of individual analysis and effort and cross traditional academic disciplines.  The project includes a presentation and an oral defense.

This year, Senior Project Presentation Nights are from Monday, March 12 - Wednesday, March 4, 2012.  Check out the Senior Project Information page for the schedule for these nights as well as more details about this graduation requirement.

At the end of Senior Project Week, there are 3 students that are selected to present in a schoolwide assembly to grades 8-12.  This is a wonderful way that we as a community celebrate the seniors' accomplishments. 

Two Maryknoll School students, Gloria Miao and Christopher Chow, have been honored with the prestigious Wo International Center Summer Study in China Scholarship. A program originating from the Punahou School Wo International Center, this special exchange program provides American students the opportunity to interact with Chinese teenagers in Beijing, Shanghai, and a two-week summer camp setting in Baojing, a farming town in Hunan province. The trip blends the learning of a second language and culture through direct involvement with Chinese students in the cities with an international service learning project in rural China. Students will have accommodations at dormitories, along with a few days living with a Chinese family.

Currently juniors who were outstanding academic achievers in Su-Hsiang McCraw’s advanced Chinese class, Gloria and Christopher are looking forward to experiencing language immersion to improve their Chinese, as well as having the opportunity to teach Chinese youth American culture and the English language.

“I want to be able to interact with people in China in my same age group, learn their language, and experience what life is like for them,” said Gloria Miao.

“It’s all about learning about different cultures, their traditions and language, and exchanging our culture with them. I look forward to sharing my knowledge with Chinese children, and I have never been to Asia before, so this is very exciting for me,” said Christopher Chow.

The exchange will last one month from July 4^th to the 30th, and the scholarship is valued at $4200 per student, which covers round-trip airfare, travel in China, tuition, lodging, as well as extra-curricular activities. 

When asked what kinds of American foods they would share with their host families, Gloria responded, “Pizza and spam musubis,” and Christopher suggested pancakes!

Congrats to Gloria and Christopher for being awarded this prestigious scholarship and for living our school motto of Noblesse Oblige by serving and educating youth in rural China.

Maryknoll students are hosting nine exchange students and their teacher from Akifuchu High School in Hiroshima, Japan. This exciting cultural exchange will run through March 15. Maryknoll Japanese teacher, Ms. Rie Mizumura, coordinated the visit. The exchange students will attend various classes with their Maryknoll host brothers and sisters, and will be giving a presentation about their high school in Hiroshima  as well as speaking about cultural aspects in their community like martial arts.

This year's Junior-Senior Prom will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at the Hawaii Prince Hotel from 5:30 - 10:30 PM.  The theme is "You're The One That I Want." A senior divisional will be held on Monday, March 5 and a junior divisional will be held on Thursday, March 8 to go over prom information.

Prom bids are $65 per person and  will go on sale during lunch from March 7 - 23.  Senior preference for bid sales will take place from March 7 - 9, 2012. A copy of the contract is available under High School Documents page.

If you have any questions, please contact the Prom Co-Advisors, Mrs. Arakaki-Pedro at kaoi.arakaki-pedro@maryknollschool.org or Mrs. Matsumoto at nicole.matsumoto@maryknollschool.org or call the office at 952-7200.

The 3rd trimester begins on Monday, March 5, 2012, and it is a 'B' Day. Students received  another copy of their schedule in advisory the week of February 20th, and they can also access it via NetClassroom.

Some reminders as students prepare for the 1st day of this new trimester:

1. Bring your schedule with you.
2. See the Registrars in the front office if you need another schedule on the 1st day. A $5 fee is charged if you request another copy.
3. Purchase your books from MBS Direct if you have not already done so. The booklist is posted on the school webpage under "High School Booklist".

Schedule changes really should not be made at this time as they should have been made in mid-November.  However, if there are any changes that still may need to be made, students may be subject to a $50 scheduling fee change. Students can come to the front office to pick up an Add/Drop Request Form and to see the most up-to-date course enrollment numbers. 

Should you have any questions, please call the front office at 952-7200 or email highschool@maryknollschool.org

Each year, the school President & Alumni Association hosts a "100 Days 'til Graduation Dinner" for the senior class.  This is a special event for the class as they have the opportunity to be with each other and to enjoy this time before graduation and everyone goes their separate ways.  This year's jubilarian class, the class of 1962, also has the wonderful opportunity to attend this dinner as they will attend the class of 2012's graduation ceremony in June.

There were several special presentations made on this evening to honor a member of the class of 1962 and to present a senior with an Alumni Association scholarship for $1,000.  This student is nominated by the senior advisory teachers. 

The event was held at the Japanese Cultural Center at 5:30 PM, and the emcee for the evening was Jeremy Ramos, '07. Special guest speakers were Sister Rosario Daley, MM, and Stacey Foy, '82.

Maryknoll High School attained charter status, the highest level of membership, in the National Forensic League (NFL). The distinction reflects the growing success of students on the Speech Team and their advisor, Dr. Fran Wong. The NFL is a not-for-profit honorary society whose mission is to promote high school and middle school speech and debate activities to develop a student's life skills and values. As members, students may compete to attend the world's largest academic event, the NFL National Speech and Debate Tournament which awards over $153,000 in scholarships to top students. 

The following Maryknoll students are NFL Members: Lauren Aratani, Megan August, Micah Bagayas, Shane Bassett, Jacob Burke, Christopher Chow, John Chow, Nicole Choy, Brandi Chun, Chloe Fortuna, Jasmine Francisco, Nathan Goo, Justin Higa, Xavier Imperial, Ayanna Jose, Wesley Kamikawa, Yuki Kijima, Giordan Kitts, Tiffany Leung, Emily Lum, Priscilla Luu, Andrew Nilo, Sophia Oak, Chase Ogoshi, Nicole Panos, Bryce Sadarananda, Clare Taira, Lisa Takagi, Jordan Yamashita and Michaela Yamashita.

Leland Nisky skateboarded 120 miles from Waimanalo to the North Shore via Kaneohe to raise money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity. Nisky’s Skate for Humanity is also part of his Maryknoll senior project in which he wrote a research paper about the science of building skateboards and then built the board he rode on his journey.

Nisky volunteered with the Honolulu Chapter of Habitat since arriving to O'ahu from Hong Kong a year ago. He helped build a house in Waimanalo and worked on a home in Papakolea.  To learn more about Nisky’s Skate for Humanity visit skateforhumanity.webnode.com  and  http://www.midweek.com/leland-nisky/

World Language teacher Chris Cramer welcomed University of Hawaii – Manoa Hawaiian Language experts Kau’i Sai Dudoit and Puakea Nogelmeier to his class for a community service presentation on their initiative to type out Hawaiian language newspapers.  The ‘Ike Kū’oko’a – Liberating Knowledge project seeks volunteers to type the text of Hawaiian language newspapers dating from 1834 to 1948 into a repository so they may be word-searchable via the internet.  The project, also referred to as ‘Hawaiian Google,’ will provide access to data on Hawaiian culture, politics, history and science.  Over 8,000 volunteers from eight countries, throughout the U.S and the island chain are participating.  Student volunteers will earn hours toward their community service requirement for each typed page.  The project needs at least 3,000 more volunteers to meet their July 31 deadline.

For more information visit http://www.awaiaulu.org/main/index.php and http://www.midweek.com/history-comes-alive-with-hawaiian-google/

Maryknoll Physics Teams under the guidance of Physics teacher Dr. Eugene Guillian won first and second place at University of Hawaii’s 2012 Physics Olympics at Kapiolani Community College on February 25.  The Physics Olympics program for high school students is comprised of five hands-on events involving applications of physics. 

Tobias Schramm and Dalton Chan won first place for the Marshmallow Tower event.  Lindzey Ng, Hannah Haythorne, Angeline Tai and Christine Nishigaya won second place for the Lazer Maze event.  Keone Machida, Trevor Yee, Raymond Liang and Kyle Nugent also won second place in the Carl Joust event. 

Visit http://www.phys.hawaii.edu/newsEvents/olympics/annualphysolympics.html for more information.

Maryknoll students Heather Acidera, Andrew Ines and Justin Higa won a first place trip to Japan at the Japan Wizards Statewide Academic Team Competition on February 25 at Kapiolani Community College. The team competition sponsored by the Japan-America Society of Hawaii tests students' general knowledge of Japan and Japan-related fields. The Maryknoll team competing against 44 other teams from schools throughout the state also won the Atsuhiko Tateuchi Memorial Award for Outstanding Scholarship for achieving the highest overall score. 

Visit http://www.jashawaii.org/edu5.asp for more information.

Senior One-Acts will be directed by Leilani Canapino & Clare Taira on February 21^st at Kumu Kahua Theatre at 6 PM. They have assembled a cast of students to perform selected scenes from the movie, “Finding Nemo”.  Senior Josh Dela Luna is also participating indirectly as a creative consultant. 

The Senior One-Acts program is an ongoing collaboration with Kumu Kahua Theatre to educate and empower aspiring student performers by having them take on the responsibility of directing and staging a production in an actual community theatre space. 

For more information, contact Arts teacher Elitei Tatafu elitei.tatafu@maryknollschool.org or call the front office at 952-7200.

The Maryknoll Robotics Team, Spartechs or Team 2441, participated in the VEX Robotics Competition Invitational Tournament on Sunday, February 19 at Pearlridge Uptown Center.  This tournament was sponsored by the Hawaii Council of Engineering Societies (HCES) and Pearlridge Center along with the McKinley High School Robotics Team.  This event took place during the 2012 Engineers Week in Hawaii celebration.

Check back later for the overall results of this competition by clicking here.

The annual Hawaii Council of Teacher of Mathematics' (HCTM) Spring Conference took place on Saturday, February 18 at Kalakaua Middle School, and the theme was "Educational Techniques in Mathematics". 

Several faculty members from the Math Department participated in this conference, and presenting a workshop session was James Uy and Lance Suzuki.  Their presentation was titled "Integrating Mathematics & Economics" which allowed for an interdisciplinary discussion of topics that integrate Algebra, Statistics & Calculus with Economics.

Each year, the faculty and staff participate in an annual retreat, and on this day, there are no classes for students.  This year, we culminated our Founders Week with our retreat that was held at the Ko'olau Ballrooms .  It was a wonderful opportunity for everyone to gather and participate in the activities planned for the day as well as to take time for prayer and reflection.  The opening speaker for the day was president of Farmers Insurance, Michele Saito, '77.

Maryknoll students may apply for work study positions available on campus, earning a maximum of $1,000 gross wages applied to tuition.

Applications will be accepted twice a year: no later than May for the summer months and August for the school year. Students will be notified at the end of May if they have a work study position for the summer. Students must be at least 14 years old, entering grades 9 through 12.  Students receiving financial aid receive priority consideration. Each work study participant is responsible for obtaining all necessary work permits. 

Applications are available in the High School front office.  For more information, please contact the High School front office at 952-7203.  

Maryknoll High School and International Mid Pac College (IMPAC) honored four Korean teacher-trainees yesterday at their graduation luncheon.  The graduation luncheon marked the trainees completion of a English language training program sponsored by IMPAC.  Maryknoll teachers Ka'oi Arakaki-Pedro, Steven Caley, Fran Wong and Charlene Martin mentored the trainees from January 18 to February 6 allowing them to observe and assist in their English and Social Studies classes.

Below are some important dates that have been announced for SY 2012-2013.

• Professional Development Days: Monday & Tuesday, August 13-14, 2012
• Teacher Work Days: Wednesday & Thursday, August 15-16, 2012
• Admissions Day (Freshmen Orientation & BBQ): Friday, August 17, 2012
• Freshmen First Day only: Tuesday, August 21, 2012
• 1st Day of Classes for Gr. 9 – 12: Wednesday, August 22, 2012
• Thanksgiving Break: Thursday, November 22 - Friday, November 23, 2012
• Christmas Break: Thursday, December 20, 2012 - Wednesday, January 2, 2013
• Kuhio Day: Tuesday, March 26, 2013
• Good Friday: Friday, March 29, 2013
• Easter Monday: Monday, April 1, 2013
• Easter Vacation: Monday, April 1 – Friday, April 5, 2013
• Last Day of Classes for Gr. 9 – 11: Wednesday, June 5, 2013
• Graduation: Friday, June 7, 2013

A more complete High School Calendar will be available in late May or early June, and a copy will be posted to the webpage and mailed home in the summer mailing packet.

Maryknoll School will again participate in Foodland’s Shop for Higher Education that runs for a six week period from February 8 – March 20, 2012.  This program will award (100) $2,000 college scholarships to deserving high school seniors across the state.  The more points earned, the more scholarships schools can receive depending on how they rank compared to other schools.

We truly appreciate your support in designating Maryknoll as your favorite school to help earn Maika’i points for yourself and the school!  More details can be found about this program on the Foodland website, http://sfhe.foodland.com/general_info.php

Got jeans?  The Key Club is sponsoring its Annual Teens for Jeans drive during Catholic Schools Week.  This drive is part of a national effort coordinated by DoSomething.org and Aéropostale to collect jeans for homeless children.

Students who drop off their old pair of jeans to a Key Club member during lunch in Rogers Hall will receive a 25% off coupon for a new pair of jeans at Aéropostale.  To learn more about this drive, go to www.TeensForJeans.org

This year's Junior Retreat was on Wedensday, January 25, 2012 at St. Anthony's Retreat Center.  The theme was "Responsible Freedom!"

Students were recognized with awards from PBS Hawaii for their participation in Seasons 1 and 2 of Hiki No, the nation’s first state-wide, student-created news broadcast journalism show. It airs weekly on PBS in primetime and is repeated twice on the weekends.  In its second year now, Maryknoll has been involved with it since its' inception.  This years' crew included, Tyler Ciconne as lead writer, anchor and editor, with Jase Sasaki and Emerald Leong on Camera.  Together, their efforts illustrated the dangers of a sometimes deadly toxin known as Ciguatera.  This disease is digested by eating reef fish.  Over time, the toxin builds in the system and causes both neurological and physiological disorders.  

The students were recognized for their efforts with certificates after the show premiered.  Although the piece was first shaped in videography class, the students put in a lot of extra time to get the shots that helped communicate the message best.  The story was originally generated from Tyler's Ciconne's senior project and was part of his effort to bring the project to another level.  It is hoped that this PSA-like story will help bring awareness to the larger public of which many are unaware the disease even exists.

"HIKI NO gives voice to our youth as they use real-world skills to share stories from diverse communities across our island state," said PBS Hawaii President and CEO Leslie Wilcox. "Through the process of gathering information, writing, shooting and producing their stories, HIKI NO students develop critical thinking and workforce skills, while meeting PBS Hawaii's high standards for broadcast journalism," added Wilcox. For more information about Hiki No on PBS, visit their website. Congratulations to the Maryknoll High School Hiki No participants!

Maryknoll School's publication, The Toad, was honored to receive two distinguished awards for its publication last year: “Most Outstanding High School Literary Art Magazine,” and “First Place with Special Merit.”  These awards were given by the American Scholastic Press Association, an organization that recognizes high school and college publications.  The entire student-based Toad staff is to thank for the acknowledged excellence. Congrats to all the students who helped in making The Toad 2011 an award-winning publication!

Pictured above: (from left to right): Karlee Young (layout editor, 2011), Amanda Ing (art editor, 2011), and Nathan Goo (co-editor-in-chief, 2012).

Interested in signing up for an Advanced Placement course in the 2012-2013 SY?  There is a parent and student informational night that is being held for sophomores & juniors in the Library on Tuesday, January 24 from 6:30-7:45 PM.

Two Maryknoll High School seniors are giving 285 children free bicycle helmets at their upcoming helmet safety presentation at the Maryknoll Community Center in February. As part of their senior projects, Spencer Young and Rory Hiranoka teamed up to educate children about the importance of wearing a safety helmet when biking.

Pictured above: Maryknoll High School seniors, Spencer Young (left) and Rory Hiranoka, believe helmet safety is best taught to children at a young age because they can develop the habit of wearing a helmet when they first learn to ride a bike.

“The inspiration for this project came from my father, who has a Master’s in Public Health and works for the Honolulu City and County Emergency Medical Services division,” Young said, “the ultimate goal is to hold regular helmet safety classes focusing on younger age groups, as they are more easily influenced than older students and can adopt safety habits early on.”

The purchase of the helmets was funded by a grant the students received from the Hawaii Medical Service Association Foundation.  

Congratulations to the 13 new NHS members who will be inducted on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 in the NHS Induction Ceremony at Sacred Heart Church at 6:30 PM!  There will be a reception that follows.

12th grade: Josephine Fiame, Gordon Inouye, Bryce Sadarananda, Nichele Wada, Joyce Zhang

11th grade: Amra Evers, Theadora Lau, Emerald Leong, Anthony Ng, Sean Saito, Novelle Yu

10th grade: Chloe Fortuna, Alana Laanui

Thank you to the faculty who served as NHS faculty council members: Nicole Matsumoto, James Wong, Charlene Martin, Toni Nishida-Chock & Evanson Chang!  Thank you also to Mrs. Grace Williams, NHS Faculty Advisor, who works with the NHS students throughout the year.

The Junior Parent College Night will take place on Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 6:30 PM in the library, room 202.  A presentation by the College Guidance Counselors, Mr. Larry Kekaulike and Mrs. Tracy Manlansing, will address junior year college guidance concerns and planning. 

The agenda for the evening will include discussion of college planning, Naviance's Family Connection website, PSAT score reports and SAT/ACT testing information.  Parent username and password information for Naviance will also be distributed again.

Parking is available on the high school campus, and overflow parking is on the grade school campus courtyard area.  Parents should enter via Alexander Street and then turn right on to the campus.

If you have any questions, you can call the College Guidance Office at 952-7220 or email them at larry.kekaulike@maryknollschool.org or tracy.manlansing@maryknollschool.org

The December  senior T.G.I.S. activity day took place on the long advisory period on December 20th.  The seniors gathered in Rogers Hall for hot cocoa and to write letter to our troops who are serving overseas.  It was an opportunity for the seniors to gather as a class and enjoy each other's compnay before the Christmas break.

This year's Spring Musical will be "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" which will be from April 12-13, 2012.  It is a  hilarious musical comedy centering on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous mainland Middle School.  The main characters are six quirky adolescents and three equally-quirky grown-ups, but there are many side characters who will be cast separately.

Auditions will be held on Tuesday, December 20 from 3-5 PM in room 135.  Students are asked to bring sheet music (16-32 bars) and be dressed to move and dance.  Auditions will consist of singing, dancing, and short readings from the script.  Perusal scripts are currently available in Room 135 and it is recommended, though not required, that you read the script beforehand.

If you have any questions or concerns, see Mr. Elitei Tatafu.

The theme for this year's Christmas Aloha Week (December 19-21) is "Unity & Giving Back!"  The Student Senate has various activities scheduled throughout the week from an advisory door decorating contest, Iron Chef Gingerbread House contest, candy cane grams, talent show, the annual singing contest and mcuh more. 

There are also spirit dress days on each day, and below are the themes as well as reminders about what is inappropriate dress.  Students should follow the spirit dress guidelines as states in the Student/Parent Handbook.

• Monday, December 19: I ♥ Maryknoll Day t-shirts or Uniform
• Tuesday, December 20: Maroon & Gold
• Wednesday, December 21: Red, white or green day 

Inappropriate Dress for girls:

• Backless, halters or strapless shirts or blouses
• No skirts or shorts
• See-through clothing
• Clothing that exposes the stomach or undergarments
• Clothing w/profanity

Inappropriate Dress for boys:

• Clothing that exposes bare stomachs
• Tank tops (tank tops over a t-shirt is allowed)
• Clothing w/profanity

More detailed information about the activities for this week will be posted on the Senate page.

Emerging technologies like Web 2.0 and social networking sites are altering the ways we communicate and changing our ideas of privacy. Adolescents and adults can benefit from a frank discussion about the characteristics of the Internet, emerging technologies, and the unintended consequences of their online behavior. "Digital Tattoos" examines our ethical behavior in a virtual world and attempts to answer why young adults should be vigilant of their conduct while online.
Open to all parents and guardians of middle and high school students and to students 7th grade and up. Light refreshments will be provided

• Where: Hilo Hattie Conference Room, 700 N. Nimitz Hwy
• When: Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:00 pm
• RSVP by Friday, December 9 to Email to Reserve Your Space! (Limited to the first 100 people)

More about Special Agent Arnold Laanui:

After earning a law degree (J.D.) from the University of Hawaii, Special Agent Laanui entered service with the FBI in 1995. His investigative career began in the FBI's Violent Crime/Major Offender Program where he served for 8 years as a member of the FBI's SWAT Team. He has lead numerous investigations in a variety of areas to include bank robbery, juvenile prostitution, serial homicide, police corruption, narcotics, labor racketeering, computer hacking and child pornography.

Special Agent Arnold Laanui is a vocal proponent of digital ethics. He has received numerous accolades for his innovative work in the development the Internet Safety Awards (www.interentsafetyawards.org), an educational outreach program that promotes ethical and legal use of the Internet among youth and teens

* The topic of sexting will be discussed.

Any additional questions? Please contact Carol Kramer at 497-3764.

"Tale as Old as Time" is the theme for the 2011 Winterball which will be held at the Ko'olau Golf Clubhouse on Wednesday, December 21, 2011. 

Click here for the updated 'Ohana Photo Studio picture order form. All couple picture packages must be pre-paid by Monday, December 19. Poses and backgrounds can be selected the night of the event.

If there are questions regarding picture ordering, please call Ohana Photo Studios at 748-9917 or email info@ohanaphotostudios.com

The presentation will address the college financial aid process and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Families are invited to begin the FAFSA process by previewing the form on the website, www.fafsa.gov

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Larry Kekaulike, Director of College Guidance, at 952-7272 or via email, larry.kekaulike@maryknollschool.org