Imua Sept 2009: Volume 85, Issue 1

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Vol. 85, Issue 1

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September 28, 2009

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Imua ‘Iolani

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Honolulu, Hawaii

Dress code in the buff

By Bridget Tobin

Kelia Cowan | Imua ‘Iolani V-neck shirts and other low cut tops have been outlawed by the revisions to the dress code.

This year, a few significant revisions to the school dress code have been made. We all heard the reading of the rules the first week of school, outlining the new dress code.

“The wording of the dress code hasn’t changed,” said Mr. Tate Brown, Dean of Students. “We realized that the dress code says no low cut tops and short shorts, but teachers had difficulty being subjective, so we made the dress code more objective.”

Now there are specific guidelines showing exactly what attire is acceptable. The boy’s dress code used to allow t-shirts to be worn under jackets, with the jackets zipped up. Now, the dress code bans t-shirts completely and boys must wear collared shirts at

all time, even underneath their sweatshirts and jackets.

Girls’ dress code has also experienced major changes. The neckline of tops must extend across from armpit to armpit. Any shorts and skirts have to extend below the fingertips when the arms are at the sides.

“We are now seeing more short shorts and low tops because it’s the fashion nowadays,” Mr. Brown said. “A few years ago we had problems with bare midriffs, but as we can see now, it’s no longer a problem. That may be the case with the shorts and tops in a couple years.”

If students are caught out of dress code, they will be sent to Mr. Brown, where they receive detention. They also must change out of their illegal clothes. If they don’t have

extra clothes with them, they must wait in the office for their parents to bring them an appropriate change of clothes.

The changes in dress code aren’t exactly popular among students. Many had to go and buy new clothes because their old ones were deemed inappropriate. However, teachers favor the changes because it tells them exactly what clothes are in the dress code; now, many more students are paying the price for their inappropriate attire.

Have most students been following these new rules? “Yes,” said Mr. Brown, “We have seen definite changes. Students are doing their part and dressing in attire appropriate for school.” Although many students object to the new dress code, it seems to be here to stay.

Burning of the ‘I’: questions answered

By Courtney Ochi

I’m just as upset about the controversy over the Burning of the “I” as everyone else, but like it or not, changes have occurred that we must all respect and live with.

Dr. Val Iwashita spoke to the senior class about these new changes during chapel on Thursday, Sept.

16. His speech answered many “burning” questions on the minds of the students. It also acknowledged the revised format for the ceremony.

For those of you still unclear as to why this longstanding tradition has been revised and what’s next, here are the answers to your questions.

What is the Burning of the “I”?

It was a ceremony that began in the fall of 1961. Since then, it has occurred after Ho’olaulea during Homecoming. The Sons

and Daughters of the senior class would line up in a circle around an “I”. Thirteen of the sons and daughters held torches and burned the “I”.

Why was the tradition changed?

In a letter sent to the sons and daughters of the class of 2010, Dr. Iwashita used the words “discrimnation” and “disunity” to explain his reasoning for canceling the exclusive event.

Who was involved in making this decision?

Dr. Iwashita, along with other members of the faculty, have been discussing how to revise the event for the past five years. In August, Dr. Iwashita also met with about half a dozen Sons and Daughters from the Class of 2010 to listen to their ideas. A new proposed plan was created and then relayed to the senior prefects during their annual sleepover. The prefects discussed

Inside: Orchestra 2 competition: p. 9 ‘Iolani Robotics: p. 10 New Cheerleader: p. 4 Clicking with cliques: p. 2

the new format of the ceremony, but had no actual input to any further changes.

Was the Board of Governors part of the decision making process?

No. Not all of the board was aware that any change had even occurred.

How have the Sons and Daughters reacted to this change?

Claire and Jackie Mosteller ’10 wrote a letter to the headmaster to challenge his original cancellation by proposing a new idea. They asked other Sons and Daughters if they would be willing to sign their names to the letter. Many did. However, some of the Sons and Daughters were told that the letter was meant to bring the ceremony back. They were not all told that the new proposal would be inclusive.

Many parents, of students not

7th Graders D.I.D it!

only in the Class of 2010, also rallied together and flooded Dr. Iwashita’s office with letters and calls to share their opinions.

Will the Sons and Daughters get to exclusively burn the “I” again?

No. At a Sons and Daughters potluck in August, Christopher Geiger ’10 represented the group of a half a dozen members who had met with Dr. Iwashita. Geiger summarized the ideas put forth at the meeting and said that the Sons and Daughters would not be able to exclusively burn the “I” “as long as Dr. Iwashita is headmaster.”

What will the new format of the Burning of the “I” ceremony entail?

The ceremony will no longer include only the Sons and Daughters. There will be two concentric circles for the seniors to stand in around the “I”. Seven people will burn this year’s “I”: three pro-

Sept. 11: A day to remember and discover

consuls, senior class president, two faculty yearbook dedication recipients, and the lower school sportsmanship award winner.

Will any other Sons and Daughters traditions be taken away this year?

At the August potluck, Geiger told the group that Dr. Iwashita had no plans to take away any other traditions including Baccalaureate seating and Graduation pins. Mr. Kirk Uejio, director of student activities, also announced the same information to the senior prefects during a discussion at their sleepover.

Although many students are still frustrated by the change, no one interviewed was willing to be quoted due to a fear of possible administrative discipline. Changes to the format of the Burning of the “I” are in place. Only time will tell if students will attend the newly revised, inclusive event.

Index

Editorials--2 Sports--4 A&E--9 Lighter Side--10 Lower School--12 Features--3, 11

Editorials

Page 2

Imua ‘Iolani

The new dress code: Injustice exposed

By Victoria Kim

gal. Which begs the question, if they don’t seem to be illegal should they be?

The intent of the dress code is to promote a more professional image among the students. A quick glance through stores with more mature attire such as Banana Republic or Ann Taylor will reveal that many of their tops are lower cut then the armpit level. That doesn’t make them any less appropriate, as can be evidenced by the many female teachers around campus who wear similar styles and still manage to look like professional women rather than “professional women.”

As for the question of shorts, I know two friends who are polar opposites in fashion.

One is among the smartest and responsible people I know. She always dresses in nice crisp clothing – and shorts. The other is always wearing long skinny jeans that obviously meet the length requirement of the dress code but that also come in a blinding

array of colors. However, though the latter outfit fulfills the letter of the law, the former meets the intent.

While certain standards must be upheld to prevent students from coming to school looking like members of a certain timehonored but not quite honorable profession, the newly implemented rules do not necessarily reflect the over-all intent of the dress code.

Though too deeply low cut tops and too short shorts detract from the professional and academic atmosphere, the requirements for either should not be based on the criteria that are currently being employed.

Perhaps rather than one set length, a reasonable grace interval of a centimeter or two above or below the pointer finger mark or armpit line which would still be appropriate but would also give students a little more breathing space and leeway could be embraced by all.

Godzilla-chan meets Mr. Pan Face: A dress code adventure

By Cordelia Xie

The beginning of another school year…

A time of assemblies, chapels, and more than one almost mental breakdown when that horrible panicky feeling suddenly starts to well up in my chest along with the slow realization that I forgot to pack my homework for my next class and my suspiciously draconian teacher is going to eat me alive and leave my bones with the remains of Unfortunate Students Past when I arrive without my homework because I was doing my other sixty billion assignments for all my other classes.

A time when all that separates me from hell’s deepest pits of agony and despair is the cushioning comfort that only a good outfit can afford. Clothes work wonders on a person’s confidence, self-image, and perceived mental health (imagine a madwoman muttering to herself in a tie-dyed

shirt and go-go boots. Now imagine a madwoman talking to thin air in a crisp business suit. Who looks crazier?).

Unfortunately, such halcyon days are at an end. With the recent amendments in the dress code, boys are expected to wear collared shirts at all times and girls must wear bottoms no shorter than pointer fingertip and tops that don’t go lower than the armpit line. With the recent amendment in the dress code, the percentage of “illegal” clothing in my wardrobe has spiked.

Oddly enough, the only people who have commented on my clothes are equally worried and confused students. My presence hasn’t seemed to register on the radar of the people who should be most concerned about the length of my shorts or my décolletage, probably because my clothes miss their mark by a few unnoticeable centimeters.

And yet, they’re still technically ille-

Cliques: Can new students click?

By Jen Samantha Rasay Now that I’m a sophomore and this is my second year in ‘Iolani, I look back on my very first day of freshman year and wonder how I survived.

I thought that being the new kid was scary. I thought that being the new kid in high school was scarier. I thought that the scariest yet was being the new kid in ‘Iolani School.

This year, approximately 120 new students braved the waters of ‘Iolani Upper School. They were easy enough to recognize during the first few weeks—dazedly walking around in the mornings and lunchtime, barely speaking in class, looking as if they were in a hurry to get somewhere in order to avoid stares and unnecessary interaction with others. These were the students who possessed all the trademarks of a “New Student.”

At the same time, the trademarks of the “True ‘Iolanian”—a warm smile, a friendly invite to lunch or a simple answer to a question— were also evident during the first few weeks of school.

The students’ spirit of aloha and contributions to the welcoming atmosphere of ‘Iolani are two main reasons why almost all ad-

mitted students choose our school above others. Yes, we have excellent college-preparatory courses, a great athletics program, and a wonderful Performing Arts Department.

But the ‘Iolani students take it all the way home and follow through by making it easier for new students to adjust. This is the general happy picture that teachers, faculty, and adults see on the surface. Dig deeper, down to where the students are, and you’ll see a different story.

Although this is ‘Iolani School, we’re still talking about typical teenage-dom here. Not every student is bursting with rainbows and butterflies. Different types of media—whether it be books, movies, or TV shows—almost always portray our generation’s high school social scene as a brutal and harsh jungle where Social Darwinism takes on a whole new meaning.

It’s a good thing ‘Iolani doesn’t exactly fit that descrip-

tion. Although we’re not a very clique-y school, there are several clearly defined social groups in each grade. These groups peacefully co-exist; they acknowledge each others’ presence once in a while due to the fact that many students belong to multiple groups. The occasional branch-

‘Iolani for a longer time than I have.

Although old ‘Iolani students are generally very kind to new students, I noticed a certain selectivity. There is no doubt that old ‘Iolani students are very friendly towards new students in general. But old ‘Iolani students also tend to be friendlier towards particular new students in their grade. Is this wrong?

Yes and no.

Yes, it is wrong because ‘Iolani students should know better not to make judgments about a person whom they have not had the opportunity of meeting. Most of the time, new students don’t even get a chance to show their true colors in order to find their own group of friends; the decision is basically made for them by the current students.

However, this differentiation among the new students makes it easier for existing groups to befriend new students most similar to the old students belonging in

The media portrays the high school social scene as a brutal and harsh jungle where Social Darwinism reigns. ing out of several individuals with others from different groups is also not uncommon.

When the entrance of new students pose a possibility of changing this status quo of groupings, old students aren’t always as welcoming as the typical “True ‘Iolanian” that I described earlier. Having been standing from the “New Student Side” of the matter last year, my view from the “Old ‘Iolani Students Side” this year may be different from others who have been attending

the group. It creates less tension (especially when multiple groups approach the same new student simultaneously) and holds less of a threat to the status quo.

In the interest of all students, current and new, we must meet each other halfway, right in the middle. Both sides must approach each other at the same time. New students should not be afraid to express themselves to meet old students.

In turn, old ‘Iolani students should appreciate all new students and should not make hasty judgments about any. Social groups should not close their doors to new members; it’s never too late to make a brand new friend. And we old-timers all know that friends are an essential at ‘Iolani. Friends keep you sane amidst all the activities and the stress.

Now, I look back on my very first day of freshman year and no longer wonder how I survived it all. I still think being the new kid is scary, and being the new kid in high school is even scarier.

But being the new kid in ‘Iolani School? It’s not so bad; you just have to find your own niche.

September 28, 2009

Features

Page 3

Senior Prefects: title or responsibility?

By Courtney Ochi This year’s senior prefects are composed of 24 seniors who were either voted in by their classmates or grandfathered in by virtue of their position (which includes the three proconsuls, student body treasurer, senior class president, yearbook editorin-chiefs, and Imua editor-inchief). But is being a prefect just another honor to add to a college resume, or is there significance and impact that come along with the title?

Over the Labor Day weekend, the prefects had a sleepover in Seto Hall, but spent the majority of the day around town performing community service.

The annual prefect sleepover is meant to unite the group and to get the ball rolling on “hot button issues” that need to be discussed in order to improve the school.

After a long day of cleaning up the Hawaii Nature Center and scavenger hunting throughout Waikiki, the prefects

discussed important ‘Iolani issues. Currently, a lot of students are bothered by the new dress code standards being enforced by the teachers.

But there are also smaller problems that need to be acknowledged. For example, should students be required to buy their own textbooks? Or would it be beneficial for ninth to twelfth grade students to also have the two-tests per day policy?

Over the course of the year, the prefects will gather information and decide which issues need reconstruction. They will then organize a proposed solution that will be presented to administrators including headmaster, Dr. Val Iwashita.

“The big thing that prefects do is make ‘Iolani a better place,” said Mr. Kirk Uejio, Director of Student Activities and advisor to the prefects. “It’s up to the group what they want to do.”

Some of the prefects were involved in the hiring process

of Assistant Dean, Ms. Lily Driskill. A group of students interviewed four potential candidates for the job and their

The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City were attacked by terrorists in 2001. Around three thousand people died: men, women, and children.

Five thousand miles away and eight years later, ‘Iolani students remember the lives that were lost and the people affected by this tragedy. A service was held, but few students attended.

Following the service, Chaplain Diane Martinson-Koyama recounted the day the attack happened. She remembered worrying about her relatives and friends. She talked about how much it impacted her life.

“Because of this, we need to strive even harder for peace and harmony in the world. That’s the only way to solve it,” she said.

Mrs. Kimi Frith, one of the service attendees, had a friend that was killed on Sept. 11.

“She worked for Cantor Fitzgerald, and they were in the second tower to get hit, but the first tower that went down…She called up her mom and said ‘I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing, I don’t know what’s going on,’ and then that was it,” said Mrs. Frith. “So when we went to ground zero, we saw pictures of her posted around, and we just lost it.”

Junior Reggie Garcia, remembers feeling confused and sad. At the time, he was living in Washington, D.C., and all the children

were sent home from school that day due to a bomb threat.

Eight years later, he now comprehends the situation, but feels that “people kind of ignore it, its not easy to talk about.” He said he didn’t attend the chapel service because “I care about what happened, but I had to do homework. It is important, but other things took priority.”

“That’s the best way to die, when someone says ‘I love you’” Bianca Bystrom ‘11, has a different memory. At the time, Bystrom was living in Japan, and she remembers waking up just after the first tower was hit. The situation did not feel real to her, since she had recently moved from New York to Japan.

While living in New York, Bystrom’s father worked inside one of the Twin Towers, and she remembers standing outside looking up at the humongous buildings.

After the attacks, all Bystrom could think about were the “what if’s.” What if they were still living in New York and her father had been at work inside one of those buildings?

So, even though the role of the senior prefects commonly goes unnoticed, they are making a valuable contribution to ‘Iolani’s

Photo courtesy of Mr. Kirk Uejio This year’s prefects played in the rain at the Hawaii Nature Center during their annual camp. input was taken into account when hiring her. “When the administration has a question, they start by asking the prefects,”

Remembering the fallen

By Trent Nakamura, Kelsey Ohira, and Raquelle Pendleton

he said.

And on a lighter note, the prefects are currently in the process of planning fun and

“It’s sad because things like that happen when you least expect it,” she said.

Chaplain Martinson-Koyama also told a story about a firefighter’s two sons on National Public Radio about a firefighter’s two sons. The sons, firefighters as well, sacrificed their lives in order to save the lives of innocent people. Before the sons entered the building, their father called and said he loved them.

Chaplain Martinson-Koyama’s voice began to waver as she became emotional. “That’s the best way to die, when someone says ‘I love you’,” she said.

wallyg | Creative Commons The twin towers were struck by two hijacked planes on September 11, 2009, in New York City’s financial district.

exciting spirit days. Their job is to set an example by being a positive asset to the ‘Iolani community.

community by trying to improve policies that need fixing, and making the overall environment a little more Raiderrific.

‘Iolani e-mail switches to Gmail

By Victoria Kim For those in the know (i.e., those who check their rarely used school e-mail accounts), the news that ‘Iolani is switching its e-mail server to Google should not come as a surprise.

“We were on an old version of our email program and realized it had limited functions,” computer specialist Ms. Lisa Miyamoto said. “One option was to upgrade our email server to the most current version and another option was to change to a different email server.”

The school ultimately chose to switch to Google’s Gmail, which provides an e-mail service along with anti-virus and spam filtering free of charge.

“We feel Google will provide current and innovative features and is committed to provide users with the best possible service,” Ms. Miyamoto said.

As Google is just providing the domain (complete with the ‘Iolani logo in the corner of the web-pages where the Google logo would normally be), ‘Io-

lani e-mail addresses will retain the “@iolani.org” suffix rather than “@gmail.com.”

However, users will also be granted access to other Google applications such as Google docs and sites, which can be specified to restrict access to ‘Iolani users.

Although only a small number of ‘Iolani students have used their “@iolani.org” addresses in the past, Ms. Miyamoto hopes usage will increase as “teachers will be able to create Google docs and sites limited to ‘Iolani Google users.”

Students will need to use their school e-mail accounts to access these services.

Ms. Miyamoto hopes the migration to Google will serve two purposes if all works well.

According to the email sent to all ‘Iolani email users, the school plans to migrate all addresses and emails stored on those accounts during Sept.

18-20.

For more information on the move, students can contact Ms. Miyamoto in the I-Lab, or, for once, check their ‘Iolani email.

Sports

Page 4

Imua ‘Iolani

What is the One An intro to ‘Iolani athletics Team philosophy?

By Kaela Shiigi

Football head coach wendell look

“I think it means that everyone is important on the team, that everyone has a role to play. Whatever the role is, it is important to the success of the team. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone will get the same amount of playing time, because competition means learning how to compete. Importance is valued, and every place on the team has value to it.”

Andrea Baysa (tennis) ‘11 “Your teammates encourage you and cheer you on, and they don’t get mad at you when you mess up.”

Division 2 Boys Waterpolo “It means family, and family means no one gets left behind.”

Alia Levi ‘17

Hello Raider fans! Along with the start of the school comes a new year of ‘Iolani sports. Remember to support the teams, wear school colors, and cheer loudly. Or better yet, join a team and get involved! Here’s a quick guide of must-know facts.

1. Colors Red, black, and white are always in fashion. Teams sometimes plan a red-out or black-out dress code for games where the ‘Iolani crowd wears all one color.

2. The Shirt Every year around homecoming, a new “Go Raiders” shirt comes out. Be sure to get them quick at the S.A.O. before sizes run out! The best part is that they’re considered legal on homecoming day. There are also shirts available for specific sports too.

3. Facebook

Join the Facebook group ‘Raider Nation’ and receive updates and reminders on ‘Iolani sports events.

4. Pep Band This spirited group of students is always present at major athletic events. They pump up the crowd with spirited music.

5. Teams Fall- bowling, cheerleading, cross country, football, girls volleyball, boys waterpolo Winter- basketball, paddling, soccer, swimming and diving, wrestling Spring- baseball, golf, judo, softball, tennis, track and field, boys volleyball, girls waterpolo

6. ‘Iolani No Ka Oi ‘Iolani’s fight song is played every time a touchdown is made or a goal is scored. Here are the words to sing along!

Some folks say Iolani is slow, Iolani No Ka Oi. But you just watch Iolani’s team go, Iolani No Ka Oi. Fight, boys , put Iolani on the top; We’ll cheer you on And never, ever stop.

Till you’ve done your best To put her on the top: That’s Iolani No Ka Oi. Fight, team, fight Fight, team, fight Fight, team; fight team Fight, fight, fight

7. One team Remember to always show ‘Iolani pride with good sportsmanship, integrity, and most importantly a one team spirit.

Anderson springs into action

By Akari Hatanaka Football fans were in for a surprise during the past few football games not only by well-earned victories, but by a new addition to the cheerleading team: Senior Devin Anderson.

When asked why he chose the sport, Anderson said, “I’ve taken a few gymnastics lessons over the summer… and cheerleading was on my mind.”

He later met a classmate of his who was putting a cheerleading uniform on, and she encouraged him to try out for the team.

“She helped me through the process of trying out,” Anderson said. “(At the first game I cheered at) it felt a little strange…because I didn’t memorize all the cheers yet, but then my teammates made me feel pretty good during the whole game. Hopefully it will get better from there.”

Anderson is also a vital member of the boys’ varsity tennis team.

“I think it’s kind of cool that we have a guy cheerleader,” tennis teammate Andrea Baysa ‘11 said. “It takes a lot of confidence for a guy to try out for cheerleading.”

“If the guy is good at what he does, it doesn’t matter,” adds junior Daniel Tamaru. “I give him props for having the guts to do it.”

“I think that’s impressive,” said senior Jason Preble, “Devin’s my favorite cheerleader. He’s a cool guy. I wish I could do half the stuff that he can do. His backflips are probably the best part of watching cheerleading. Devin is my hero. He also seems to be very su pportive of others. “ Kaela Shiigi | Imua Iolani Devin Anderson (‘10) backflips through the air.

“That we all have to stick together.”

Raider community aids endangered Hawaii sports

Mr. Kirk Uejio “It’s a feeling of the ‘Iolani family helping each other at any cost.”

Photos by Akari Hatanaka

By Kaela Shiigi The distress signal SOS isn’t just for boats, it applies to Hawaii’s public school athletics programs too. In the current economic situation, funding for public high school sports has been cut, but through the Save Our Sports fund people and businesses around the community have pitched in to help.

The fund started in July by the Hawaii High School Athletic Association has collected over $700,000. People from baseball star Shane Victorino to football players at Saint Louis have donated to the cause.

Although ‘Iolani isn’t directly affected by budget cuts, the list of contributors put out by the Honolulu Advertiser every week contains the names of many teachers,

coaches, alumni, and families who have given to the fund. In addition, the ‘Iolani Boosters Club gave a $1000 donation.

Alumni Jade and Kodi Look (’07 & ’08) have also made generous contributions. Their father, Coach Wendell Look, said, “My daughters have known the benefits of having the opportunity to play sports and they don’t want others not to.”

September 28, 2009

Arts and Entertainment

Page 9

Orchestra to take part in national festival

Taking note of Mr. Dayao

By Bridget Tobin

Mr. Richard Hotoke, the former band director, retired from ‘Iolani after 22 loyal and dedicated years of teaching music. This year in his place is Mr. Manny Dayao to uphold ‘Iolani’s reputation and musical excellence.

Upon googling “Manny Dayao,” one might come across the phrases “Iolani Stage Band Yearbook,” or “Our Wedding Day,” among others. When scrolling through the ‘Iolani website under “Faculty & Staff,” “Manny S. Dayao” shows up, along with “Boston Conservatory M.A.” and “Performing Arts.” Many have seen his unfamiliar, goatee-adorned face around campus, usually wearing a loose dress shirt and semi-formal attire. Yet, apart from Mr. Dayao’s students, only a select few are fully aware of his unrivaled enthusiasm and passion for music.

Mr. Dayao has plenty of experience at ‘Iolani, including filling in during Mr. Hotoke’s 2006 sabbatical and being a part of the summer staff. In addition, he has led numerous choirs, pep bands,

Seventh through ninth grade orchestra students recently received some exciting news. Due to their stellar performance last year, they have been selected to take part in the National Orchestra Festival (NOF) Competition in Santa Clara, Calif.

The NOF Competition takes place annually, organized by the American String Teachers Association, where orchestras from across the country are selected to perform. There are various competitions going on simultaneously: middle school orchestras, high school orchestras, honors orchestras (by audition only), solo competitions, and other programs.

This year’s competition will be on Feb. 17, 2010.

The competition is by invitation only, but Mrs. Katharine

Imua ‘Iolani is

published by the students of ‘Iolani School, 563 Kamoku St., Honolulu, HI 96826.

Established 1923, printed at Hawai’i Hochi.

Imua ‘Iolani accepts advertising on a space available basis. Rates are $100 for 1/2 page, $60 for 1/4 page, and $35 for 1/8 page ads. Please e-mail iolaniimua@gmail.com for more information. Include “advertising” in the subject line. Deadline for the next print issue is Dec. 2.

Editor-in-Chief: Courtney Ochi Copy Editors: Arushi Dutt Jen Samantha Rasay Photo and Art Editor: Bianca Bystrom Cordelia Xie - Artist Features Editors: Tawni Murphy Kelia Cowan Opinion Editors: Victoria Kim Ashlyn Koga Sports Editors: Akari Hatanaka Kaela Shiigi Arts & Entertainment: Bridget Tobin - Editor Angelina Yick - Reporter Lighter Side Editors: Tyler Cundiff Kyle Kim Lower School Editors: Iris Kuo Katherine Lum

Hafner submitted Orchestra 2’s spring concert CD, and they were selected to take part in the event.

“The competition is a place for string teachers and music professionals to go and observe students,” said Mrs. Hafner. In the country, only eight to ten orchestras were selected to compete, two of which are from Hawaii (Iolani Orchestra 2 and Punahou School Advanced Orchestra). While Iolani’s Orchestra 2 is in California, they will play two concerts as well as attend clinics.

A minimum of 25 students need to go on the trip for it to happen.

At the Sept. 14 meeting, a great turnout of 64 students showed up.

In order to go on the trip, students must inform Mr. Tate Brown of their decision by Sept. 25.

“If the students who showed up to the meeting choose to go, we’ll have a great orchestra,” said Mrs. Hafner.

ImuaOnline.org

is the online branch of ‘Iolani’s school newspaper. View it at www.imuaonline.org.

We welcome reader comments and participation in weekly polls. Deadlines for the online issue are ongoing.

Online Editors: Jana Dagdagan Cole Stevens Adviser: Mrs. Karin Swanson Imua ‘Iolani is distributed free of charge to students of ‘Iolani School. Mail subscriptions are $15 per year.

Imua ‘Iolani is online at www.imuaonline.org or as pdfs at www.iolani.org under the “Student Activities” menu. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

The opinions herein expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the administration, faculty, staff of ‘Iolani School or Imua ‘Iolani.

By Jana Dagdagan

and was even the musical director and conductor of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals at Harvard University.

Having found out about the vacant position in April 2009, Mr. Dayao was thrilled yet tied down to California’s Central Coast area, because he was already engaged to a fiancée with a wonderful career. In late April, Ms. Lily Driskill, ‘Iolani’s Assistant Headmaster, had a face-to-face talk with Mr. Dayao and his fiancée regarding job details.

Aside from his impressive credentials and positive past with ‘Iolani, his fiancé’s flexibility and understanding nature towards his career fully convinced Ms. Driskill that Mr. Dayao was the right man for the job. Mr. Dayao refers to the “’Iolani Band Director” position with utmost reverence, calling it his “dream job.”

In fact, in the hectic month preceding school’s commence, Mr. Dayao took off a little time from band preparations to get married and enjoy a short honeymoon.

What devotion!

In the future, Mr. Dayao hopes to nourish and enrich his students’ lives with music, expand the band program, and create an overall greater sense of pride and enthusiasm. He mentions that what makes being ‘Iolani’s Band Director his “dream job” are first and foremost his students’ terrific personalities, sense of humor, and responsibility--a rare trait, he notes. Although the quality of music is a definite top priority, the journey to success requires dedication, hard work, and a drive to strive towards excellence--precious lessons valued above all.

This school year, aside from a new band director, the ‘Iolani Marching Band is now comprised of not only students from Band 4, but Band 3 as well. Though a larger band makes for a greater learning experience and promises new levels of size and volume, it brings new challenges along with it.

Mr. Dayao recalled some exciting experiences at Band Camp “drill downs” between “rookies” and “old timers” which have fully convinced him that this change is for the better. In the spirit of change, Mr. Dayao explains, half jokingly, that he will clear the dusty shelves and rusted trophies, hoping to start anew, blazing ahead in a new direction.

Entertainment in the lab?

Gamers, music lovers claim computers

By Guthrie Angeles Computer abuse at `Iolani remains a significant problem, especially with the exponential growth of Internet use in the past few years. Often students find themselves walking into a computer lab filled with people playing games, listening to music, or just wasting time on the computers.

According to computer support specialist Mr. Ricky Okazaki, the amount of computer misuse has remained steady over the years.

“We see most of the gameplaying and abuse from eighth and ninth graders,” Mr. Okazaki said, offering no explanation as to why. “Halo, the Demo Version, and Linerider have been some of the most common games to have popped up.”

As stated in the `Iolani Catalog, and in the rules read at the start of every year, “any student who violates a rule may be punished by penalties ranging from loss of computer privileges to probation or expulsion, depending on the severity of the violation.”

“When we find repeating offenders, it’s then that we turn them into the dean,” Mr. Okazaki said.

“Usually, they get something like

disciplinary study hall and lose computer privileges for a determined period of time.”

Some students have claimed that they have been caught when their accounts were searched for information. However, Mr. Okazaki said catching culprits requires no such intrigue. Usually, when a teacher walks into a lab, students playing games make it a point to leave quickly. In their haste, they usually forget to log off their accounts, making it easy to find out names.

“We don’t intentionally search people’s accounts for incriminat- Permitted entertainment: Last year’s ing information, but if seventh graders scour the Internet for we wanted to, we easily clues on Discover ‘Iolani Day. Imua ‘Iolani file photo could,” he said.

Preventive measures such as SurfControl and blockers are set up to keep stu- ever, Mr. Okazaki said students dents from accessing inappropri- need to develop an awareness ate sites, but have their weakness- of how to use school equipment es. The blockers are categorical, appropriately. but still let through certain sites.

“It’s not the blockers, it’s really Some people use proxy serv- the students’ judgment that should ers to get through to sites such as guide them in their actions.”

Facebook and Myspace. How

The Lighter Side

Page 10

Imua ‘Iolani

College application essays sure to get you noticed

By Tyler Cundiff Hello ‘Iolani! Welcome to the 2009-2010 school year! Don’t worry, I’m not going to sit here and write some panegyric on how happy we all are to be back in school because we all know that’s total flapdoodle.

Already our hallowed halls of learning are ringing with screams of anguish and yet another set of oddly timed bell calls. However, we complaining underclassmen should consider ourselves lucky to be avoiding an exclusively senior-targeted form of torture: the college application essay. All you early admissions people are probably already frantically compiling your applications, so I’ve decided to help out. Knowing how crucial and difficult it is to whip up that magnificent title for one’s beautiful essay, I have compiled a list of foolproof, ready-made titles guaranteed to catch the eye of that college admissions dean. (Editor’s Note: Please do NOT actually use these titles in case you were thinking about it.)

1. I Assume You Like Having Two Working Kneecaps 2. Thank God You Didn’t Ask Me to Take A Drug Test 3. Lessons I Learned from My Cellmate 4. The Kid I Paid to Write This Essay Forgot to Title It 5. ADHD: My Intensely Personal Battle Wi… HEY LOOK A BIRD!!!

6. Instead of an Essay, Here’s A Photocopy of My Butt 7. Some Dirty Jokes I Found on the Internet 8. How AA Helped Me Find Myself 9. Why You Should Overlook My Tiny, Insignificant Criminal Record 10. C’s = A’s: My High School’s Complex Grading System

Robotics: More than meets the eye

By Joshua Whiteley When I joined the ‘Iolani Robotics Team two years ago, I had an idea of what to expect: robots, and the construction of them.

However, there were many more things that I didn’t expect.

I learned that there was much more than meets the eye. Here are eight things you wouldn’t expect from Robotics: 1. Robot Battles are exciting. Many people think a Robotics Competition consists of robots doing uninteresting things, like stacking blocks. Well, actually, it is that, except that it also has the brutality of a cage fight.

Robots pin each other to the wall, ‘accidentally’ flip each other over, steal goals, and score on bots that have been deactivated due to being rammed so hard the battery came out and have been utterly demolished. It isn’t your

Grandmother’s sport. cated for them. It’s really not. erans and the rookies apart.

2. World Championships The engineering process breaks 4. We play with big ARE possible. It’s the dream of down all aspects of building, so toys. The FRC robots are a little every sports team: make it to the that everything is small and man- heavier than a Roomba. About Nationals. Well, the VEX Robot- ageable. All new members of 115 pounds heavier. They take ics Team has done at least 2-3 people to better: Worlds. carry, need a truck Twice. ‘Iolani has to be delivered, and one of the strongest are shipped in a crate teams on the island, large enough to stand taking the Rookie in. Last year’s robot of the Year in 2007included a custom wa08 season, and winter-cut gear the size of ning the Pan-Paa hubcap. In short: the cific Tournament in robots are pretty big.

2008-09. The team 5. Zipties are a has proven that it gift from God. Trust is not only capable me, all team members of competing on learn to love these lita global scale, but tle guys. It’s hard to can make it to the explain.

Photo courtesy of Robotics Team World Finals.

6. Yeah, you do 3. It really Robotics team members celebrate a victory. use math outside of isn’t that scary. A lot of peo- the team pick up the basics in a school. No, your math teacher ple think that building a robot week, and by the time the robot didn’t make that up. It actually is something that is too compli- is finished, you can’t tell the vet- applies to the real world. In fact,

last year’s robot, the “Auto-Pirate II” used trigonometric functions to maximize the efficiency of the turning on its RT-AWD chassis. The robot does all the hard calculations for you, but it’s cool to see math applied in real life situations.

7. Robot nerds are awesome. Try to name a place where you saw breakdancing techies, a blue-haired emcee from NASA, spontaneous dancing on the field, and a guy in a suit of armor made of soda cans. If you can’t, that’s because you’ve never been to a Robotics Tournament. Attend one to meet some of the most interesting people you’ll find.

8. Joining is easy. Send an e-mail to frcteam2438@ gmail.com or drop by Science Office 2 and talk to Mrs. Gail Tuthill.

WANT MORE?

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Features

September 28, 2009

Page 11

Discover ‘Iolani day: teamwork prospers

By Coutney Lui

Photos courtesy of Ms. Katherine Hanlon

Teamwork, teamwork, teamwork; that’s what the day was all about.

Discover ‘Iolani Day was filled with activities for seventh graders designed to build unity among the class and encourage students to develop trust in one another.

Closest to the main entrance of Kozuki Stadium, four groups, varying from nine to twelve students, held hands in complete chaos.

First, the kids were instructed to clump together and hold hands with someone opposite them.

Their next task was to untangle themselves without letting go of the other peoples’ hands.

Some groups were farther ahead than others, with yelling, stomping, laughing, and demands of “What are you doing?!” as seventh graders fell on one another.

The girls’ groups were calm and thoughtful while individual boys were each trying to do their own thing.

Amid the confusion, seventh grader Courtney Choy said, “We’re trying to form a circle by untangling ourselves!” as she stepped over someone else’s arm.

Jasmine Banner ‘13 added, “It’s a way to get closer!”

Teachers stood by, offering suggestions. Clearly, cooperation

and persistence were required in order to complete this task.

The next activity at the far end of the field required a little less shouting and a lot more extreme focus and concentration.

The groups formed a circle with each student holding a piece of string that was tied together in the center. The goal was to maneuver a tennis ball balanced on the center of the strings onto a tiny plastic piece on the floor.

The easiest part of the task was walking slowly to get the tennis ball to the target spot. The hardest was the amount of patience required to lower the ball down to the ground. If the ball was lowered any faster, it would have fallen off the strings and rolled away.

Mrs. Jami Higashi-Lee said the students “focused on communication, teamwork, and working together to problem solve.”

Other activities included students working together to lift each other over a wall and stepping on other students to get from one side of a mat to the other. In short, the day was filled with laughs, new friendships, and teamwork.

From the arts and crafts, the group activities, and finally the scavenger hunt, each activity was geared toward teaching the ‘Iolani One Team spirit.

Harmonious Mrs. Hafner in the Honolulu Symphony

Kelia Cowan | Imua Iolani Mrs. Hafner plays the violin with grace and ease.

By Rintaro Sato ‘Iolani is one of the few schools with a strong orchestra program. The reason it is so strong is because Mrs. Katharine Hafner leads it. She encourages the orchestra with quotes such as, “It’s not funny, it’s shameful.” Mrs. Hafner guides the orchestra with an iron fist, but she is facing a challenge even greater than the percussion section.

Mrs. Hafner, aside from teaching at ‘Iolani, has also been part of the first violin section of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra since 1980. As a veteran, she has seen the many ups and downs of the symphony, but recently she saw some of the worst.

Last spring, the symphony was fourteen weeks be-

hind pay. For most of the people working in the symphony, it is their only source of income, and with the base pay of $31,000, living in Hawaii is tough. Even though some of the musicians have been in the Symphony for many years, including Mrs. Hafner, their salary has dropped.

“They aren’t doing it for the money or glory, they are doing it for the art,” Mrs. Hafner said when asked about why musicians play in the symphony despite the low pay.

Fortunately, the symphony staff members were finally paid off and, along with a new executive director, an exciting new season has begun.

The 84 members of the symphony are not only dedicated, but also extremely talented. You cannot directly apply for an audition; the symphony will ask you to audition. An audition does not necessarily mean acceptance either. The select few who are accepted into the symphony know the competition and are expected to meet high standards.

The Honolulu Symphony is essential because it keeps the music program alive in Hawaii. Many of the musicians are also tutors and instructors of not only students, but for the band and music teachers throughout Hawaii. The professional teachers naturally have a higher expectation of the students than amateur teachers because they are competitive and have to meet a high standard. Even though Mrs. Hafner may deliver a cantabile of constructive criticism, it means she knows that the students can accomplish more.

So if you have some free time, or simply enjoy hear-

ing music, support Mrs. Hafner and the Honolulu Symphony. Who knows? You may even earn some extra credit to balance out that bad playing test.

Kelia Cowan | Imua Iolani This poster adorns the doors to the orchestra room. Mrs. Hafner creates posters such as this annually.

Lower School

Page 12

Imua ‘Iolani

Meet Some Kindergartners Wyatt Nako

Megan Leong

Favorite color: red Activities: soccer Hobbies: climbing trees Favorite subject: not sure Future job: ambulance driver What he loves the most about ‘Iolani: lunch Interesting fact: “he has long eyelashes” -classmate

Favorite color: blue Activities: swimming, tennis, used to do soccer Hobbies: watching TV, playing with her little brother Favorite subject: science Future job: not sure yet What she loves the most about ‘Iolani: not sure Interesting fact: went to Ko’olina for the weekend

Ellie Ochiai

Favorite color: pink Activities: violin Hobbies: touching her nose, recess Favorite subject: science Future job: pet and people doctor What she loves the most about ‘Iolani: the playground Interesting fact: “her hair” -classmate

Jake Hanashiro

Favorite color: blue Activities: piano, soccer Hobbies: playing, reading books Favorite subject: playing with blocks Future job: policeman What he loves the most about ‘Iolani: playing, afterschool care Interesting fact: favorite books are Super Why! And Clifford

Alyssa Kimura

Tristan Kim

Favorite color: pink Activities: reading books, basketball at home Hobbies: drawing pictures Favorite subject: afterschool care Future job: veterinarian What she loves the most about ‘Iolani: “that I’m in the orange door (K-Mauka) and that I got accepted” Interesting fact: “I like to mess up my bed”

Favorite color: blue Activities: baseball Hobbies: playing with Legos Favorite subject: science Future job: doctor What he loves the most about ‘Iolani: playing Interesting fact: “I only have one mouth”

Marissa Kusumoto

Madison Yee

Favorite color: pink Activities: soccer, jazz, ballet Hobbies: coloring, reading books (favorite: Pinkalicious) Favorite subject: reading Future job: teacher What she loves the most about ‘Iolani: the teachers Interesting fact: went to a hotel recently

Favorite color: red Activities: Wii sports, hula, ballet Hobbies: worksheets, playing with her younger sister Favorite subject: reading Future job: dentist What she loves the most about ‘Iolani: doing ballet Interesting fact: her pet fish is at her cousin’s house

Mari Chun

Favorite color: pink, purple Activities: hula, gym Hobbies: playing with toys Favorite subject: math Future job: policewoman What she loves the most about ‘Iolani: “it’s clean” Interesting fact: “my mom lets me put on nail polish”

Reyn Asato

Favorite color: blue Activities: swimming, soccer Hobbies: watching TV, playing outside Favorite subject: science, computer Future job: construction worker What he loves the most about ‘Iolani: the playgrounds Interesting fact: goes on a lot of trips

Interviews and photos by Iris Kuo