Imua May 2009: Volume 84, Issue 9

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Vol. 84, Issue 9

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May 29, 2009

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Imua‘ Iolani

92

Honolulu, Hawaii

Tamai receives national honor

By Amelia Linsky

The economics team shows off their medals in Los Angeles.

Mr. Richie Kibota | Imua ‘Iolani

Econ team takes second in national competition

By Katherine Lum The economics teams did ‘Iolani proud at the National Economics Challenge. After state and regional victories earlier this spring, both teams competed in New York City from May 14-18. In the Adam Smith Division, (AP level), and the David Ricardo Division (non-AP level), the ‘Iolani teams took second place out of the 8,000 teams that competed from across the nation. Both ‘Iolani teams placed first nationally in 2008, and the school has won the regional title in all but one competition. This year, four teams from each division flew to New York for the big competition. In both divisions, the top two teams competed in a buzzer round. In the Adam Smith division, the team made it to the buzzer round, which went into overtime. ‘Iolani came in second to Philips Academy, a boarding school in Andover, Mass. In the David Ricardo division, it came down to the last question. ‘Iolani came second to a team from Little Falls High School from Little Falls, Minn. “The competition was keen, but

Iolani’s One Team was right there trying as hard as they could until the very end,” said Colonel Richard Rankin, the team coach of the Adam Smith division since 1998, on ‘Iolani’s website at www.iolani.org. “We coaches will do our best to make these students understand that we are all proud of them and they have excelled.” Rankin said that he and Mr. Richie Kibota, coach of the David Ricardo division, extended the weekend and tried to plan activities for the students. The teams from both divisions went to a Yankees baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wall Street to visit ‘Iolani alumni, and the Broadway musical South Pacific where they visited Loretta Ables Sayre, an actress from Hawaii who plays Bloody Mary in the musical. Seniors Rayfe Gaspar-Asaoka, David Martorana, Uyanga Tsedev and Truong Vu were on the ‘Iolani team for the Adam Smith Division. Sophomores Mark GrozenSmith, Bobby Huang, Matthew Lum, and Andrew Wu represented ‘Iolani, Hawaii, and the Western region in the David Ricardo

Inside: Moving Up (right) - 5 Honors Day Awards - 8 - 9 College Bound - 10 - 11 ‘Iolani Writes Winners - 15 - 19

Division. Senior Uyanga Tsedev said that the most exciting part about going to the national competition was getting to meet other economics teams and actually going to New York. It was her first time visiting the city. Sophomore Mark GrozenSmith said that the best part was getting a free trip to New York and representing ‘Iolani in a national competition. Kibota added that “seeing the students having a good time and being rewarded for their hard work” is the most gratifying aspect of these competitions. Sophomore Matthew Lum said that his team is a group of “hardworking students with a desire to win.” Grozen-Smith said that the team “melds well because [his teammates] are all sort of the same.” Senior David Martorana said that his team was “dynamic, cohesive, and highly determined.” Colonel Rankin said that this year’s team in the Adam Smith Division “worked as hard as the two national teams did.”

Senior Robert Tamai has been named one of two Presidential Scholars from Hawaii. The other is Lucia Mocz of Mililani High School. The proconsul, cross country captain, and tennis player has maintained 4 AP courses and two electives throughout the past year with a 4.31 GPA. The eminently qualified Tamai professed surprise at first, but conceded, “Yeah, I’m really excited to meet all of those fascinating people [at the awards ceremony]. I get to shake the President’s hand so that’s pretty cool.” The ceremony will be held in Washington, D.C., in June. Tamai named Chemistry teacher and 2009 class adviser Mrs. Gail Tuthill as the teacher who most influenced him, and she will accompany him to the nation’s capital.

There are 176 Presidential Scholars throughout the USA and its territories. They have demonstrated “outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, and community service” as determined by a 29-member Commission on Presidential Scholars appointed by the President. Tamai will attend Harvard College in the fall.

Weinberg fixture gets a new look

Amelia Linsky | Imua ‘Iolani

The fountain donated by local artist Satoru Abe has undergone several chemical color changes since its installation in 2003, but the latest has stained the basin purple. Story on page 12.

Index

Courtney Ochi | Imua Iolani

Editorials--2-3 Sports--4-5, 20 A&E--6-7 Lighter Side--14 Lower School--13 Features--12


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