February 14, 2014
Honolulu, Hawaii
Volume 89, Issue IV
Discipline: The ultimate judgment call By Lindsey Combs ’15
When a student is expelled from ‘Iolani School, the scandal and the events that follow are often kept hush-hush by the administration for reasons of student confidentiality. However, everyone on campus talks about it: “Who did what?” and “Why did one student get to stay and the other have to go?” So much is at stake for ‘Iolani students as they apply to colleges, yet after one infraction, years of hard work could be on the line. One man has the power to determine all of their fates: Mr. Tate Brown. As the Dean of Students, Mr. Brown reviews every disciplinary case. In the most serious cases, he refers the student to Head of School Dr. Timothy Cottrell to make the final decision on expulsion. In an interview, Mr. Brown explained how he tries to keep his perspective. “My number one priority is to protect the child,” Mr. Brown said. “I act as the policeman, judge, jury, prosecutor, and defense attorney all in one.” After a student is brought to him for disciplinary action, Mr. Brown must gather as much information about the event as possible before coming to a decision. Mr. Brown said he strives to see every side of the story by having individual meetings or “hearings” with the student, his/her teachers, and witnesses. Although these meetings often clarify the facts, Mr. Brown must evaluate whether or not the students involved are telling the truth. “You are better off telling the truth,” Mr. Brown said. “If you lie, and we find out about it, you will have compounded your problems because lying is part of the school rules . . . and if you lie, it will stay with you. On the other hand, he said, “If you are truthful, and you have to get kicked out, then maybe you will have the opportunity to come back.”
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See EXPULSION on pg. 2
A paperless iPad campus? Not really
By Kathryn Teruya ’14 As iPad use continues to increase at ‘Iolani, you would think that paper use would decrease. Students now have the ability to write essays and read articles on their iPads, and teachers can post or email class assignment sheets and worksheets. Upper school students have significantly decreased their amount of printing. “Wlab is way down. I used to get a case every week . . . I would fill up a ream everyday.... But now, it’s very, very slow . . . I do know I am not getting paper as much as I used to,” said Mr. Ricky Okazaki, Computer Support Specialist. Students now are in charge of refilling the printer in the W-lab since it doesn’t need to be refilled as often as last year. At the start of this school year, the computer labs and Upper School Library each received new black and white printers. According to the memory on these printers located in the Castle labs, library, and Weinberg ground level and third level labs, the students have printed 131,736 pages since the start of school in August. Due to iPad apps such as Google Drive and Showbie, many students do not have to print assignments in order to submit them to their teachers. “Most of my work is
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turned in through email or Google Docs,” said Sammie Yee ’16. Many of the printed assignments are essays for English and history classes. In contrast to the decrease of paper usage of students, the amount of paper that is used by the ‘Iolani faculty has not significantly changed. “I am ordering the same amount of paper,” said Mrs. Melanie
Kimura, cashier and bookstore assistant. The bookstore continues to purchase 45 cases of paper per month at a cost of $2,000 for faculty use alone. Each case has ten reams of paper and each ream has 500 sheets of paper. This printer paper is used to restock the Castle copying room, cafeteria lounge, Sullivan work room, lower school library work room, and main of-
fice. “Because of technology, the amount of paper we order goes down, but it has not gone down significantly this year,” said Mrs. Rene Totoki-Enomoto, bookstore manager. Teachers continue to photocopy worksheets and tests. “It is very hard to write and administer a test that people can’t cheat on when using an iPad. More importantly, some students learn best by filling in answers and taking notes on a worksheet,” said AP Psychology, Psychology, and Algebra 1B teacher Ms. Ernette Au. It is logical for teachers to continue to print out many worksheets because many students in certain subjects learn and comprehend ideas more clearly by manually taking notes than note-taking on an iPad. As much as we think about the amount of paper used and the monetary toll it takes on the school, the real burden is not paper, but toner. “The money spent on paper is a drop in the bucket compared to the ink,” said Mrs. Totoki-Enomoto. Every time a copier or lab printer runs out of toner, the replacement of the four colored cartridges range in cost from $1,000 and $1,400. Toner cartridges were replaced in all of the computer labs by the end of the first semester.
Index News-2+3 Opinion- 4 Sports -5
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Features -6 A&E - 7 Valentines - 8
News
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Imua ‘Iolani
The many travels of Keables Chair Sherry Ott
By Korry Luke ’15 Sherry Ott describes herself as a “jack-of-all-trades: knowledgeable in everything, master of none”. Her job as a traveller and blogger requires skills in a vast array of fields, including writing, photography, video editing, quick, instinctive thinking, and flexibility. She champions the underdog, the forgotten, and loves to photograph and tell their stories. After leaving her corporate job in New York as an accountant, she faced the pressures of unemployment. “It was really the first time in my adult life that I didn’t have a paycheck. I was only spending, with no income yet.” However, within two years, she had begun monetizing her travels through advertising on her website, which had grown substantially since she first started. “A lot happened because the world of web was changing. It was a couple of years and then I got more and more because more companies started advertising online.” Ott enjoys visiting places not polluted by mainstream tourism, places often considered “off the beaten path”. She has travelled to 60 countries, and she loves the different cultures and lifestyles of the people and places she visits. Her personality and lifestyle are reflected in some of her favorite places, particularly Mongolia; “I absolutely love the nomadic lifestyle and culture there. They live a life so far from our own that I find really fascinating.” She also loves Nepal, saying “I like the mountains . . . it’s like you’ve stepped back in time about fifty years.” Another is Antarctica, which she feels has some of the most stunning landscapes and presents the added challenge of photographing the wildlife there, yet “it’s one of the most spectacular places on this globe, and it is one of the very few places on the globe where human beings are not in charge. It’s not a country, no one owns it. Its population are animals, human beings have no business there, and I think that it’s fun. It feels like you
go to a different planet.” When she’s on the go, Ott travels to capture the essence of a place through her photography, whether for her job or for her own interest. “Sometimes, it’s based on the work I’m doing. If I know I’m writing an article about a restaurant, I have to take a photo of the chef, the food, things like that. Then there’s the time when I’m just walking around and something just catches my eye.” She takes photos that capture elements of culture, something that she feels “gives me a sense of peace, turmoil, or evokes a feeling.” Her favorite places to take photos include India and Antarctica. In India, “everyone wants their photo taken. If you want to learn how to photograph people, it’s one of the easiest places to go. People are begging you to take their photo. Unlike other countries, when you take a photo of someone, they normally smile, give the peace sign, pose, but in India, it can be that they laugh and smile, but when you raise the camera, they look right in the camera and look really serious, like they’re practically looking through you. It’s perfect, the kind of shots I’m normally looking for. They’re really intense, [and] it makes my job easier.” However, Ott’s job does not come without its challenges. She faces the environmental obstacles of each place she visits, such as humidity and temperature, and she also faces the cultural hurdles. “As much as I love the Middle East, it’s always a bit challenging to see the role of women. So, seeing that women are not in public as much, I find it challenging that I don’t know what to do myself. I go to a coffee shop, and it’s filled with just men, and I always wonder ‘what do they think of me?” It was fine since I was a visitor, but [that feeling] was always there”. While she faces difficulties abroad, she also faces struggles back home, saying “I don’t regret much. But when I’m back in the United States, particularly New York, I do get nostalgic. I see my friends are
Expulsion Process Continued from Page 1 Although Mr. Brown’s methods for gathering evidence are thorough, sometimes there just isn’t enough evidence to know for sure whether a student broke the rules. He explained, “I can’t just nail them because I think they did it . . . I have to ask myself which would I rather do: get it right and punish the people who I know for sure are guilty, or sometimes get it wrong and punish innocent people? Sometimes guilty people go free; that’s life, and I know that . . . it can sometimes be unfair to others, but I know that even if they’re getting away with it, chances are . . . they will eventually get caught.” Overall, the Dean of Students has a very difficult job. Although he sometimes has to make heart-breaking decisions, he tells himself that “they will learn from it and be better off . . . it’s like a wake up call, and
married and have their own kids, and it makes wonder what my life would be like if I hadn’t quit my job and started traveling.” Despite these difficulties, she feels “when I’m abroad, I don’t think about any of that stuff at all. I’m not in my own culture, so there’s no pressure to conform. I don’t miss that job at all”. Throughout her travels, Ott has acquired valuable skills and shared some of her advice and how it translates to life skills. “As a traveller, I focus a lot on ‘soft skills’—skills that can’t be taught in corporate settings, but are highly valued in corporate settings. Things like being able to make decisions quickly, being able to communicate in very confusing environments, changing plans quickly, always making decisions, taking smart risks, being flexible and patient. All of these things, the interesting thing is that, when I was working in corporate, these were things that I looked at as a hiring manager. As I looked at people’s résumés, I could see, of course, their education, but one of the things you do when you hire people, is ask ‘Do they have those soft skills? Are they patient, do they communicate?’. It’s hard to assess that as a hiring manager, and it’s hard as a person to show that you can do that. Now as a traveller, I have all kinds of examples where I had to communicate in a difficult situation, so I can actually share those stories now. I think those soft skills are really enhanced when you travel. Those aren’t things you’re ever going to learn in school. You can get an education, but you really can’t learn those types of skills in a school setting very easily”. Above all, Ott hopes that people will have quality trips over quantity. She advocates the idea that people should “travel closer to the ground”, embracing the culture and atmosphere of a place as opposed to taking a typical tourist vacation. She recently promoted the idea of “make your own way”, similar to the idea of “you only live once (YOLO)”. #MYOW
it will keep them out of even bigger trouble later in life.” Mr. Brown also sometimes empathizes with the students, saying, “they’re just kids, sometimes kids are rascals, and they just need to be sat down and given a talking-to . . . then they’ll be fine.” Despite often having to take on the bad-guy role, Mr. Brown said, “I watch someone that I might have had to see a lot [in my office] when they were younger really grow up[. . .] they come back and tell me that something I said to them really changed their thinking. Those moments make the job more worthwhile.”
“Which would I rather do: get it right and punish the people who I know for sure are guilty, or sometimes get it wrong and punish innocent people?” -Mr. Tate Brown, Dean of Students
February 14, 2014
News
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Big screen arrives with big appetite for content By Jordan Ng ’15 The screen is so massive, it looks like you can check Hawaiian Airlines flight times. In December, ‘Iolani’s IT Department unveiled a flatscreen in the I-Building courtyard where an empty display case once stood. The idea of installing the I-Building screen came from Interim Director of Information Services Jim Crum. “I initially presented the idea to Dr. Cottrell and the Senior Administrative Team after seeing the I-Wing display case empty and unused for many months,” Mr. Crum said. “We formed a school-wide committee to review the content that should be displayed on it and are working with the communications office on an ongoing basis to look for new digital media and content for the display.” The main purpose of this innovative project was, “to provide a place to present digital content (photos and videos) that are being created at the school and a forum for information of Jordan Ng | Imua ‘Iolani interest to students and faculty,” Students questions the location and usefulness of new said Mr. Crum. I-Building digital screen. Now comes the challenge been playing for about a month now” said of filling the screen with compelling conSpencer Kiehm ’14. tent. Currently it only displays a couple of “The screen sorta helps, it’s only refeatures. ally good for checking the weekly cycle” So far it consists of the weekly cycle, said Sarah Harada ’17. “They probably and “a video of Lama Tenzin that has
could have done something else (with the money) because you can’t really do much besides just look at the screen”. “The TV was purchased at cost, directly from Sony, and we used the ITS Department budget to pay for it,” Mr. Crum said. Kristi Kaneta ’14 wondered about the location of the screen on campus. “I’ve seen the screen a couple of times
but I doesn’t really affect me because I don’t hang out around I-Building,” she said. Viewing the screen is also challening around the middle of the day when the sun creates a glare. Mr. Crum has asked that if anyone has any ideas for filling the screen, then please go and see him in the IT office or I-111.
Governor Abercrombie speaks at ‘Iolani Talked with students and offered ‘unique insights’ on civic service By Matthew Beattie-Callahans ’14 ‘Iolani was fortunate to host Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie on Jan. 29 at a a lunchtime event in Seto Hall sponsored by the ‘Iolani Young Democrats Club. During his speech, the governor covered a wide range of issues, including his ascension into Hawaii politics. The governor’s political career has touched on nearly every facet and level of Hawaii politics over the past 40 years. He has served at the local level as a Honolulu City Council member. At the state level, Governor Abercrombie has served as a House member and a senator. On the national level, Governor Abercrombie served 10 consecutive terms representing the 1st Congressional District. He left Congress in 2010 and was elected governor. He is seeking a second term in 2014. One particularly passionate part of the governor’s speech occurred as he discussed the events that drew him and his generation into political activism in the 1960s: the Vietnam War and the
civil rights movement. The governor recalled how he could not simply stand by, so he launched a campaign for the U.S. Senate while still a graduate student at the University of Hawaii. Although the Senate campaign was ultimately unsuccessful, it was a turning point in his life. The governor encouraged the students in attendance to find the issue which resonates with them and then get involved in their community. During his unsuccessful Senate Run, Governor Abercrombie was invited to give the commencement speech for the class of 1971. He joked, “It went over so well that they invited me back here 40 years later!” The governor also addressed his controversial decision in 2012 to appoint his then-lieu- Courtesy Photo tenant governor, Brian Schatz, The Vietnam War and civil rights movement of the 1960s inspired Neil to replace the late U.S. Sen. Abercrombie’s political career which has since led him on a path from Daniel Inouye. The governor City Council to U.S. Congress and now to the Governor’s Mansion. cited Senator Schatz’s youthfulto appoint him to the Senate. of students, teachers, and other ness, young children, and his own Governor Abercrombie went school community members. personal feelings and confidence on to take questions from the William Heyler ’19 asked the in him as factors in the decision audience of 80-90 comprised governor for his thoughts con-
cerning the previous night’s State of the Union address by President Obama. The governor responded with an impassioned speech appealing for immigration reform. He referenced how nearly everyone in the room had an ancestor who at some point immigrated to America and that Americans should work with the President to help pass meaningful immigration reforms. Student Kenneth Lee ‘14, Vice President of the ‘Iolani Young Democrats Club felt a true connection during the governor’s speech. I felt that the governor’s discussion over the importance of having a new generation of leaders resonated with me the most,” Lee said. He made it clear that many of the issues facing Hawaii and the nation were relevant for students my age to both understand and respond to.” “The governor was inspiring in generating enthusiasm about civic service through his funny stories and unique insights on how to approach public service.” “Governor Abercrombie’s visit was certainly a very strong eye-opener for members of the ‘Iolani students as we are all being trained to be strong civic leaders in our different contexts.”
Opinion
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Imua ‘Iolani
Despite perks of iPads, some cite drawbacks
One senior: Just give me a pencil and paper
Rather than students scribbling notes in Marble composition books or reading from textbooks, one is more likely to find an ‘Iolani classroom filled by the muted sound of frantic students’ fingers striking the screens of their iPads. The iPad initiative started on a trial basis last year and rolled out completely this year, and is now in full swing. “I think it’s great,” said Danielle Nakamoto ’15. “It’s extremely helpful to have everything in one place. I haven’t touched my home computer since I started using my iPad.” Students from all grade levels echo these sentiments. For many, their iPads are central to their academic lives. Flash cards, homework, assignment sheets, notes, and more are consolidated onto a single device. As the year progresses, reliance on iPads grows steadily. “It allows me to learn more on my own and reinforce the things I learned in class,” said Marc Ma ’14. “It’s an awesome tool.” Ma’s comments reflect what seems to be the general attitude around campus. Mr. Russell Motter embraces the integration of iPads in his History classes. “I’ve not felt the need to police students’ use of iPads in my classes, and I haven’t,” he said “It seems to me that there’s been no detrimental effect on student engagement now that the iPad in in the class.” However, he acknowledged the potential for distraction, noting the handful of students he’s caught playing on their iPads during class. There is no doubt a potential dark side to the growing ubiquity of technology in students’ lives. The iPads function not only as educational tools, but also as insidious diversions. “It’s definitely a distraction,” Kiana York ’14 said. “Not so much games, but social media and iMessage. I’d say that those things are my two biggest distractions from my schoolwork.” The issue of distraction is a prevalent
I am a throwback. Although my class of 2014 was the first to obtain iPads, there are a handful of us who resist. We abide by the same dress codes, receive the same education, and follow the same schedule as
By Justus Wataru ’15
woe. It’s common to see students playing games during their free time rather than doing homework as they otherwise might. Lilly Soriano ’15 admits to falling victim to the temptation to misuse her time. “I get really distracted and end up playing my games when I’m sup-
posed to be doing homework. It’s probably caused a little bit of a drop in my grades,” she said. Taking full advantage of the iPads requires a level of responsibility, and students generally understand this. “I didn’t like it much at first, but the more I used it the more I realized how useful it could be,” explained Alyssa Switaj ’15. “It can be really useful, but it can also hurt you. It all depends on how you choose to use it.”
Imua ‘Iolani is published by the students of ‘Iolani School, located at 563 Kamoku Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96826. Est. 1923, printed at Hawaii Hochi Ltd. Print Editor-In-Chief: Matthew Beattie-Callahan Managing Editor: Emily Tanaka Online Editor-in-Chief: Ashley Mizuo Section Editors: Lindsey Combs Claire Furukawa Korry Luke Riley Sakamoto Amy Nakamura Eliah Takushi Matthew Vinci Ethan Vo
Chief of Correspondents: Max Wei Hiki No Producer: David Pang Staff: Cody Abe Brittany Amano Elisabeth Kamaka Kento Tanaka Kyla Smith Sierra Greene Ethan Hill J. Holmes Sarah Hui Robi Kodama Shuko Matsubara Ryan Mori Kristen Nakaoka Jordan Ng
By Ryan Mori ’14
everyone else. Yet as ‘Iolani students mobilize toward the iPad Network, we remain loyal to the reliable pen and paper. In our pockets we hold pencils, we carry folder paper, and keep various notebooks for each course. I have attempted to adjust to this massive explosion of technology. At first, I was ecstatic about the new iPads . . . but now? I find them more annoying than the constant ticking of a clock in a classroom. I have been using paper and pencil since the beginning of my educational career. Writing with a pen feels fluent as opposed to the constant pats on a screen. Furthermore, it is easier to retrieve notes by flipping papers rather than using the four-finger toggle.
Ani Oshiro Amanda Shigeoka Kathryn Teruya Justus Wataru Lauren Yamaguchi Matthew Yuen Adviser: Ms. Lee Cataluna Adviser Emeritus: Mr. Charlie Proctor McDermott-Oda Chair Holder: Mr. Andy Yamaguchi Consultants: Mr. Cyrus Won Mr. Taylor Wong
Take some time to think of everything a pen and paper can do better than an iPad. Paper is less confusing! There’s no need for passwords, apps, and updates. It is just me and my pen. Moreover, there are no rules when it comes to keeping a notebook. Draw whatever you please, no one is monitoring you. Drop it and nothing breaks. Andy McCoy, ’14, describes his similar view toward this big jump from pen and paper to pad and finger. He feels that the iPad is more tedious. “It’s harder to be organized and keep up when all the apps begin to pile up,” he said. Andy, like me, prefers the traditional paper and doesn’t “like going online to get his own assignment sheet.” Some teachers also find that the iPad can be an inconvenience. Mr. Christopher W. Strawn, Latin teacher, tells his students he believes that medicine will be a stable career choice in the future, particularly for eye doctors who will benefit from this new explosion of staring at an iPad for hours, and for orthopedic surgeons will be in demand for all the cocked necks. Mr. Strawn describes this humor as “kidding on the square”, or making a joke that is also true. However, this point of view toward the iPad is limited to a bundle of students at this school, while the majority of the student body adores this new transition. Haley Harada, ’14, a veteran at using the iPad, enjoys using this new technology to further her educational experience. One app that Haley really enjoys is Notability, a note-taking app. She finds it better than paper because her notes, “are not as easily misplaced. You only need a stylus, which conveniently accesses all different colors rather than using separate pens. It definitely makes note taking a lot easier.” Haley feels that the iPad is a good resource. There are fewer textbooks, and the new ebooks work just as well, if not better, which means no more back pains for the up and coming seventh graders. So while most of `Iolani adores the tap and swoosh of iPads, I love the hand cramps, eraser dust, and the paper cuts that come with using traditional paper and pen.
Sports
February 14, 2014
Fast freshman makes a big splash
Wrestling with discipline by Matthew Vinci ’18 and Ani
Oshiro ’14 The sport of wrestling is more a test of mental strength than anything. Although often overlooked, it may just be the most difficult sport because of all the sacrifices and commitments wrestlers have to make. A wrestler’s schedule consists of practice five days a week for two hours, early morning runs on Tuesday and Thursday, lifting weights on Monday and Wednesday, and meets on the weekends. From morning weight checks to salad for lunch, to post-sleep visualization sessions, a wrestler always has the sport on his mind. At the top of these constant concerns comes the morning run. Most students know it as the Lower Gym, but twice a week at 6:30 a.m. the wrestling team transforms it into a torture chamber where their determination and stamina are tested. The black-hooded wrestlers run in circles in the pitch black abyss, driven only by self-motivation and the prospect of a few bites of a musubi later in the day. Spencer Keihm ’14, the wrestling team captain said, “If we’re in the gym, we usually just run or do sprints the whole time for half and hour from 6:30-7:00.” Wrestling team coach Waldo Au ’03 explained, “Part of it is to help with your weight maintenance and to get your metabolism going for the day. [It] helps to keep your body on its toes and shock it through new activities, so that you won’t plateau in your
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By Akira J. Holmes ’14
Matthew Vinci | Imua ‘Iolani
progress through the season.” The sport of wrestling combined with the workload of ‘Iolani is a very arduous task; one that only a very select amount of gifted individuals can handle. Handling both with expertise is ‘Iolani senior Spencer Kiehm ’14. Even though Kiehm is a state champ contender and maintains a 4.4 GPA, he still goes through some struggles. “The worst part of all is not being able to eat whatever you want,” stated Kiehm. Being forced to make certain weight cuts, he has to sacrifice. When having to lose weight, wrestlers eat “lighter” foods like salad and try to fill themselves with liquids to avoid feeling hungry. “If worst comes to worst, I
will just skip a few meals before the tournament to make sure I’m under my weight,” said Kiehm, “All of the drilling and conditioning is exhausting, and there are many times when I want to quit, but through mental discipline I’m able to force myself to focus through the pain and exhaustion,” stated Kiehm. In his final year of high school wrestling, Kiehm is one of the best wrestlers in the state. He came extremely close to winning his weight division the last two years, and is on a mission to win it all this year. Kiehm exemplifies the high level of hard work and dedication at which ‘Iolani wrestlers operate. The varsity wrestling team is now preparing for the Feb. 22 ILH Championships!
Nobody ever expects freshmen to do anything notable; they’re just there, young guileless minds finding their feet and making about as much impact as a marshmallow dropping onto a Tempur-Pedic mattress. But sometimes they surprise you. A freshman at ‘Iolani is making quite a splash for the men’s Varsity swim team. Meet Jack Lee. The odds are that you’ve seen him walking around school before, and you just haven’t realized it. Jack clocks in at 5 foot 10 inches tall, but he lacks the physical presence that the last scion of ‘Iolani swimming, Kacy Johnson possessed, since he weighs merely 140 pounds. One of the most stunning things about this young man is the quiet brilliance and air of complete humility with which he carries himself through his daily life. Teammate Aja Grande (’14) describes young Jack as a “total stud,” and Chase Nakamura ‘16 describes him as the “humblest guy” he knows. Elizabeth Barr ’14 says that Jack exhibits “God given talent” as a swimmer. Jack has had a most memorable first year competing for ‘Iolani’s swim team. Named to the varsity squad right off the blocks because of his speed and agility, Jack quickly rose to the position of fastest swimmer on the team, a position that he cemented at ILH Varsity Championships when
he won both the 200 individual medley and 100 meter butterfly at ILH varsity championships. He was the only freshman to crack the top ten in either event. In a sport like swimming, where the hours are long, the practices are almost 100 percent conditioning, and there is usually no professional payoff in the long run, it is common to see athletes, even those up to their ears in talent, fade out of the sport as they grow tired of it. Jack Lee, ‘17 In order to succeed, swimmers have to set goals for themselves. Jack’s goal is very simple: “I have a goal of becoming an Olympic swimmer, so every day I look at my goal and it just makes me stay.” Jack looks to the upcoming HHSAA Swimming State Championships as his next opportunity to help the team. His “goal is to make it hard for Kevin [Frifeldt] (Mililani) to win the 100 fly.” Given that Frifeldt holds the state’s top time in that event (51.20 seconds), and Jack holds the seventh (53.06), it may seem to be a longshot for Jack, but if anyone can make something amazing happen, it’s this kid.
Boys basketball team charges through season By Ethan Vo ;’18
Dribbling their way through the basketball season, the Boys Division I Varsity Basketball team keeps charging ahead. They have suffered tough losses, but also enjoyed some rewarding victories. With a strong overall record of 17-7, the team ended the playoffs with a 43-29 victory in the finale against fierce rival Punahou. Senior Zach Buscher ’14 is ‘Iolani’s second leading scorer with 112 total points, behind Ikaika Phillip ’14 with 129 total season points. Buscher explained, “My teammates and I are constantly learning ways to improve... We are all students of the game and always have something new to learn,” he said. “Our mistakes and weaknesses have been highlighted by a few of our losses this season, but we continue to learn and grow from them.” Buscher graduates in four months; ending his days here at ‘Iolani. “As a senior, I feel like my role is to play consistent basketball, and to be a leader is something that is new for me. It’s hard to believe that my basketball career at ‘Iolani is almost over. I just want to cherish these times with my teammates and enjoy the game of basketball.” Optimistic about his team’s chances, he carries nothing but effort, passion, and a basketball in his final year at ‘Iolani. “I just want to ... go out there and leave
everything on the court, lead by example, and make plays for my team. If we continue to work hard, play with passion, and play together with confidence, we’ll be fine,” Buscher said. Another notable player on the team is the 6 feet, 7-inch freshman, Hugh Hogland ’17. Unique to this year, ‘Iolani is a taller and more physical team. Used to playing smallball for many years, ‘Iolani now takes advantage of their size. Playing varsity was a big jump for Hogland, the youngest and tallest player on the team. “As a freshmen, I was honored to make the varsity basketball team,” he said, “Being the only freshman on the team, I had to grow up, and adjust to the maturity of the upperclassmen... I persevered to overcome that challenge.” Coach Dean Shimamoto also had a few words on the team’s goals and performance. A record of .500 is usually the mark that most teams try to stay above, (having equal wins and losses), but Shimamoto is instead focusing on the team’s overall improvement. “We are not worried about .500 or anything; with every loss that we had, we learned something. The goal of the season is to be playing our best basketball at the end,” he said. So far, the season has been far from per-
Zach Buscher ’14 attacks the basket against Punahou. Ethan Vo | Imua ‘Iolani fect, but the team has remained strong and steady. Shimamoto explained, “The most recent thing is that we have to learn how to finish games better on the defensive end and on the offensive end. That is one of our weaknesses now, and we hope to take care of [it] by the time of the tour-
nament. We still have some games left in the season, so we’re trying to care and focus on those first. When it comes to the playoffs, we need to be playing our best basketball. If we do, I believe that we will be in a position to win.”
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Features
Lower school learns from lioness by Eliah Takushi ’17
With all the excitement about The Lion King back in Hawaii, after school musical theater students were thrilled to learn that their teacher was part of the original Broadway cast. Ms. Christine Yasunaga danced the part of a lioness in the original cast of The Lion King on Broadway. During her career in New York, Ms. Yasunaga also performed in The King and I . Because of her connection to the musical, Ms. Yasunaga brought actor Mr. Tony Freeman, who plays both Timon and Pumba in the Honolulu tour, to visit with her classes. A 1989 ‘Iolani graduate, Ms. Yasunaga moved to New York after getting her degree at UCLA. It was a bold move that paid off. “If I didn’t take the risk to move to New York, I would never have been able to train, educate, fail, and succeed in my life. I have learned so many life lessons, made so many lifelong friends, worked with talented artists, met my husband, and been part of the highest grossing Broadway show in history. Only six of us female Photo courtesy Christine Yasunaga dancers can say that,” she said. the opening night of The Lion King and attended After years as a Broadway performer, Ms. Yasuthe cast after-party. However, Ms Yasunaga’s fanaga returned home to Hawaii so her daughter Myla vorite part was not the show or the party, but her could be raised in the islands. The two went to see daughter’s reaction to the opening number. “She was so wide-eyed and in awe, like so many others,” she said The show has changed over the years. “They took out some numbers, and the set is a little different than Broadway. I used to fly in the show and that was removed; I was sad about that,” she said. Ms. Yasunaga is a dance teacher, but teaches musical theater for Special Programs afterschool, something that she did not expect. “Teaching musical theater, something I never thought I would do, has become so fun for me and I love all my kids. Their enthusiasm is infectious and it’s energizing for me when I get to pique their own creativity,” she says. “I only wish that Photo courtesy ‘Iolani Special Programs I could be at ‘Iolani more.”
Imua ‘Iolani
Top 15: 2014 Resolutions by Sierra Greene ’15
With the second semester ushering in new classes, teachers, and goals, the Imua staff went out to survey ‘Iolani students, faculty, and staff to ask them what their second semester resolutions are. We got an array of responses. Here are our top 15.
1. To enjoy and cherish the time I have left with my class — Aleix Uyema ’14
2. Play soccer more — Shannon Kanemaru ’26 3. Learn how to juggle — Dr. Lee 4. Be fabulous — Austyn Lee ’14 5. Get into the Sullivan Center more — Mr. Joe Monaco 6. I’d like to go up to the girl I’ve liked since tenth grade and tell her that I’ve been wholeheartedly following her on Facebook. #MYOW — David Pang ’15
7. To not do homework at home — Kaitlyn Yee ’14 8. To bring my homework back on time, because I turned my phonics in late today — Kelia Siu ’24
9. Now that I have two frees, I plan on going to sleep at 11:30 at the latest! — Naomi Natori ’16
10. Work out more for mental and physical health — Ms. Tamashiro
11. To not walk into the wrong classroom or to not be late to school — Emily Louis ’14
12. Continue to be my joyful pleasant self — Mr. Yonamine
13. I want to sell 700 Girl Scout cookies to get an iPod shuffle — Ella Kimura ’24
14. Improve my handwriting — Kainoa Kelly ’25 15. Do the impossible — Juliette Paige ’15
From miles to smiles: students reach out to kupuna by Brittany Amano ’15
“Grumpy, smelly, weird, slow.” These were the adjectives that the One Mile project class used when they were asked to describe elders, or kupuna. The students also had to get up and talk about their grandparents to the rest of the class. Many of them only knew a few details; some didn’t even know their names.”We started off with having no knowledge of kupuna whatsoever,” said Robyn Amano ’16. The One Mile project class was designed to come up with solutions to better the community in a one-mile radius around the school. The students were presented with the opportunity in the beginning of the semester by Dr. Christy Nishita, Director of the UH Center on Aging, and also an Iolani alumni and
parent, to spend their semesterlong course coming up with solutions to better the lives of kupuna in their community. The class as a whole agreed and embarked on their journey to learn as much as they could about kupuna so they, in turn, could come up with solutions. The class listened to various guest speakers throughout the course such as geriatricians, AARP representatives, and nursing home administrators. The students learned about a multitude of subjects relating to kupuna ranging from health problems they experience to the differences between Medicare and Medicaid. They also completed empathy challenges to learn the day-today challenges that older people face. Students had to wear diapers, wear glasses with Vaseline
on them to mimic glaucoma, drink water thickener, and Ensure, just to name a few. “It really taught us about the challenges they face and made us feel empathy towards them,” said Cierra Nakamura ’18. They also took field trips, including spending time with the kupuna at Moiliili Community Center, visiting Project Dana clients in their homes, doing walkability audits, and more. “The senior citizens here really enjoy seeing young kids so they all loved talking to the students,” says Nadine Nishioka of the Moiliili Community Center. After soaking in as much knowledge as they could, the students spent the rest of the semester working on a final project. They came together as a class to present the “One Mile One Planet” building proposal.
The students proposed a three story building to be built on the recently purchased DateLa’au property which would consist of a intergenerational community center for kupuna, complete with a fitness center on the second level and a school community service center on the third floor. The students wanted others to experience the benefits of building intergenerational relationships, so they came up with classes and programs that ‘Iolani students and the kupuna could attend together, such as P.E., cooking, book clubs, and more. The students even got the support of various faculty for intergenerational classes. “The idea of taking hula with kupuna is fun,” says Brooke Bantolina ’16.
Photo courtesy Taylor Hamai
February 14, 2014
Arts/Entertainment
Page 7
HYS: Past to present
A future on the stage
By Shuko Matsubara ’14 Mr. David Masunaga, a math teacher at ‘Iolani School, was a member of the Hawaii Youth Symphony in his high school years. He mentioned how much the symphony has changed over the years. Hawaii Youth Symphony consists of three major orchestras: Concert Orchestra, Youth Symphony II, Youth Symphony I, and four other smaller programs. It was founded by Mr. Peter Mesrobian. Mr. Masunaga performed under him. “When I was in HYSA there were only 3 orchestras -Youth Symphony (high school), Junior Orchestra (pre-high school) and Preparatory Strings,” said Mr. Masunaga. He played in the Junior Orchestra in 1971 and in the Youth Orchestra in 1972-1975 as an oboe player. “Mr. Miyamura(the current conductor of YSI) is the third conductor of the top group of HYS.” The HYS played less at the Neil Blaisdell concert hall. Instead, they performed at McKinley High School and Farrington High School. They invited guests such as Bud Dant and Hawaii State Ballet to perform with them. Every year, the YSI has a two-day trip to a neighbor island. They also had these trips in the past, but they also had Oahu islands tour where they traveled to Windward and Leeward schools. One year, they had a one week music camp at the Big Island. “Intensive training all day, every day with Honolulu Symphony musicians.” said Mr. Masunaga. Sarah Park ’14, a flute player in YSI, commented that she “would love to have the one week trip because sharing the music with other islands is exciting, and just hanging out with my music nerd friends for a week would be
By Ashley Mizuo ’14
Photo courtesy of HYS amazing.” HYS rehearsals take up much time from students. There is a rehearsal every Sunday for three hours. However, Mr. Masunaga said that it was worth his time, although he was sometimes not able to participate in Oahu Math League. Park also mentions that it is worth her time “because I get to make music with many great players from this state from different schools. It is the only year long orchestra that brings the students from different schools together and I think this is a completely different experience from the school band and orchestra.” The Hawaii Youth Symphony demands much commitment from students. There were many changes between the past few decades, but the fact that this symphony attracts many young musicians around the state has not change.
Victoria Sprowls was sitting in the middle of pre-calculus when she got the news. An email came from New York University. She opened it and almost bolted out of the room. “Between sobs all I could say was, Oh my God! Oh my God! Ms. Kline, can I go? I have to tell people, I got into NYU!!” Victoria played Mrs. Lovett in this year’s fall musical, Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. In 2011, she starred as the sassy Sabina in IDP’sThe Skin of Our Teeth. She dreamed of continuing her study of drama in New York City at the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. However, applying and being accepted into the program is different than any normal college application. Unlike sports, the scouts do not actively come to assess the student’s skills. To be accepted into the program, Sprowls first had to apply to the school and then schedule a live audition on one of the available days. Not only did she have to travel to the school in New York, “We had to make our completely own travel plans and pay for it all by ourselves,” Sprowls said. That means she had to book her own hotel as there is no lodging on the campus and pay for air fare. “It was probably upwards of $2,000,” she said. Upon entering the school for her audition, Victoria was afraid that the atmosphere would feel extremely competitive, but to her surprise it was not like that at all. “I was glad it wasn’t a cutthroat environment,” she said. First, the applicants were split into musical theater and acting. Victoria was in the acting group. The acting section was split into four or five smaller groups with one au-
Lauren Yamaguchi | Imua ‘Iolani ditioner. The applicants played a few warmup games to ready themselves for their individual auditions. After the games, they were given numbers to determine the order in which they would audition. Each student had to prepare two contrasting monologues to display their acting versatility. While some people might be scared for such an important audition Victoria said, ”I was really pumped because like I felt like I had everything down.” After auditioning, she had a formal interview. “She asked me why I wanted to go to NYU and I told her that I thought it was one of the best schools in the country for acting because of the fact that all the teachers continuously work and knew that worked for me because I’ve seen my acting teacher act in things and that’s so much more helpful than just a classroom setting.”
Sarah Rudinoff dazzles ‘Iolani students
By Ethan Hill ‘14
World renowned for her singing, acting, writing, and composing, class of ’89 graduate Sarah Rudinoff returned to ‘Iolani School for a performance with the ‘Iolani Jazz combo, Hokuloa Singers and the cast of the spring musical Flower Drum Song during the week of January 20. This week marked Rudinoff’s first return to ‘Iolani since she graduated. Rudinoff’s old chorus teacher, John Alexander was the individual responsible for bringing her back to the school as the Tam & Young Arts Chair. Her freshman year in chorus, Mr. Alexander took Rudinoff under his wing and she began singing as a tenor. “It was not the best idea at the time,” said Mr. Alexander, “Girls aren’t supposed to sing as tenors, but at that moment we needed tenors in the chorus.” As her chorus career skyrocketed from just a member of the regular chorus, to a member of the Hokuloa Singers, Mr. Alexander was astounded, “Sarah was amazingly talented and she was tons of fun to work with.” Throughout her high school career, Rudinoff also participated in the spring musical. Mr. Alexander was so impressed by Rudinoff’s voice and stage presence he suggested to her that she should enter show business and take her singing career to the professional level. Looking back on her high school experience, Rudinoff felt as if the support from Mr. Alexander as well as the encouragement she gained from everyone else played a key role in her eventual journey into the world of entertainment. Gaining momentum from a successful singing experience in high school, Rudinoff graduated from Pitzer College in Claremont, California in ’93 and immediately began her work as a professional singer/actor. Constantly moving between Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles and New York, Rudinoff started performing in small theaters that hosted newer plays and smaller musicals. During her residency, Rudinoff rehearsed for her upcoming concert with the cast of the spring musical Flower Drum Song as well as the Iolani Jazz Combo. To conclude her residency, Rudnioff held a private concert after school in Seto Hall performing with the Iolani Jazz combo, Hokuloa Singers and the cast of Flower Drum Song. She also performed a couple of solo numbers. The concert was very intimate, as it was not advertised to the public. Even with the smaller turnout, the concert was not lacking in any area. The audience was astounded by her performance. David Kim, a member of the Class of 2013, said, “It was really nice, I really liked all the songs especially the funny one.” Nick Lee another memember of the Class of 2013 said, “It was absolutely riveting, her musicality and her voice were off the charts.”
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Valentines
Imua ‘Iolani
Candy grams, with love, from Imua
“I wish we had lightning bolts and thunderbolts instead of hearts.” - Brody Segawa ‘26
“Boys are cool and all but I like Valentines Day because it’s my birthday!” -Molly Palalay ‘21
“I don’t really like Valentines Day. There’s still school.” - Kekela Meyer ‘23