IMUA ‘IOLANI
May 30, 2014
A Voice for Students since 1923
Honolulu, Hawaii
Volume 89, Issue VII
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2013-14 was a year of breaking boundaries and going beyond expectations. From the the distribution of iPads and the opening of the Sullivan Center, we won two state championships, shaved five teachers’ heads, welcomed E.K. Fernandez rides to the fair, and were moved by several inspirational speakers. With the “Dream Trip” to Cambodia and the visit of Lama Tenzin, we opened our eyes to the world. While the year brought new events such as The Honesty Shop, many traditions were upheld like homecoming and Faculty Follies. The 2013-14 year brought many changes, but the spirit of One Team remains central to ‘Iolani.
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Lama Tenzin’s Mandala of Compassion
3 new class schedules to be tested this fall By David Pang ‘15 Starting in the 2015-16 school year, the ‘Iolani class schedule will be overhauled for the first time in 41 years. Three proposed schedule models for the Upper School are under consideration. Starting in October, each will be tested for at least a week and in November, the students and faculty will vote on the schedule they prefer. The decision to make the change came after growing criticism that the schedule, approved in 1974, was no longer meeting the needs of the faculty and students. Dr. Karen Neitzel, Dean of Studies, headed the Curriculum Committee that developed the proposed schedules. “When I came to interview last year, one of the things I heard from every group that I met with was, ‘You’ve got to do something about our schedule,’” said Dr. Neitzel. Surveys of the faculty found that 69 percent agreed that changing the schedule would benefit learning. Surveys of students, parents, and alumni produced similar results. The Curriculum Committee reviewed more than 30 proposed schedules. Proposals came from across the campus, including the students of Mr. Peter Greenhill’s English 10 class, who, as part of their class projects, had created possible schedules. The committee also looked at schedules from other schools including Hawaii Baptist Academy, Punahou, Island Pacific Academy, Maryknoll, and Seabury Hall. From the proposals, four schedules were selected. On
May 5, a faculty vote narrowed the proposed schedules to the three that will be tested in the fall. Each proposal had to conform to several basic rules. The first was that there had to be eight classes. According to Dr. Neitzel, if the number of classes decreased, ‘Iolani might lose an entire department due to the limitation of student choice. However, the eight classes do not necessarily have to
occur every day like they do for basic schedule and chapel schedule. The second requirement was that time was set aside for chapel. Also, Upper School lunch was to be scheduled during Lower School Performing Arts Department classes. Another requirement was to maintain the approximately 210 minutes of instructional time per week while not extending the school day. Dr. Neitzel made it clear that although the schedule is changing, the academic rigor of ‘Iolani will be maintained. The Lower School has requirements of its own which will most likely make their way into the new schedule. As a result of the last accreditation visit, a need was identified for more science time and for a common planning time for teachers. With these requirements, the aim of the new schedule is to improve pacing, to reduce the sense that students are rushing from class to class. “Ultimately, what I’ve heard from students is that they feel like they go to a class and then they have to go to another class,” Dr. Neitzel said. “They don’t necessarily have the time to think and process the information presented because it’s such a fast pace. For some I-Department classes, it’s hard to be there for 40
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News
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New class schedule Continued from page 1 minutes because you might have just started and then you have to dismantle.” To get an idea of student life, teachers from the Curriculum Committee became students for a day. From their experiences, teachers realized the fast pace of student life. Mrs. Allison Blankenship, who followed a 12th-grade schedule, said, “I was at the same time reminded of how dedicated our teachers are to their students and disheartened by how exhausted our students seemed.” Sitting for 40 to 45 minutes and quickly transitioning from class to class was a different sensation than teaching four of the eight periods in the day. For Lower School teachers, Upper School classes felt just right, while for Upper School teachers, Lower School classes were a little short. As with all big changes, there is some discomfort. After teaching the same class for many years, teachers will need to change assignment sheets and rethink the way they teach. However, Dr. Neitzel makes it clear that the Curriculum Committee remains open to suggestions. “We’re trying to represent the whole school and not have a particular bias,” she said. “We’re trying to present options in an objective manner for people to look at and decide for themselves.” Though the test schedules have been determined, it is the feedback that will determine the new schedule. “We’re here for students,” Dr. Neitzel said. “I think in creating the best possible academic experience for them should be our goal. We can always improve.”
To see the proposed schedules, scan this QR code or go to www.imuaonline.org and search “New Schedules”
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One last performance
By Kristen Nakaoka ‘14 The advanced theatre class concluded their year with an improve/revue show at Mamiya Theatre. Including acts such as sketch comedy, singing and tap dance, the theatrical production left audiences in a feel-good mood. Their final performance, rightfully named ‘Bits and Pieces’, marks the first time ‘Iolani School’s Advanced Theatre has performed a revue show, shying away from the usual scripted plays and sketch comedies. It was a welcome change which allowed students to show off not only their script writing and acting skills but also their other lesser-known talents. “Performing with my classmates was absolutely hilarious and also a little sad. It was a great way to close our long run in IDP [Iolani Dramatic Players] and theatre!” remarked Summer Scott ‘14. Seniors have a special role in every advanced theatre performance commemorating their final year at ‘Iolani in a fun, collaborative senior piece. Theatre combines the efforts of both seniors and juniors Chelsie Sen ‘14, a newcomer to theatre this year, played the piano in four songs while junior Samatha Caps ‘15 sang both “Falling Slowly” from the musical ‘Once’ and “For Good” from the musical ‘Wicked.’ Many students were involved with two or more pieces working as a group or as a solo act. Every year, students work long and hard in hopes of ending the year with more great memories. This year’s performance was a unique mixture of heartwarming personal monologues, laugh-out-loud sketches, beautiful duets, and the “One Team” spirit.
Students paid for campus jobs By Kathryn Teruya ‘14 Until this year, Upper School students in the scholarship program spent one period every day in a mandatory “office help” job. However, with the increasing variety of classes at ‘Iolani, it is almost impossible to take all the classes that a student would like due to the eight-period class schedule especially with the encouragement to keep at least one period free. In response, the school this year did away with the scholarship work program and replaced it with a paid internship program. “We decided to that we wanted to be fair to all the kids, whether they were getting scholarships or not, on not having them work based on whether or not they were getting scholarship,” said Mr. Tate Brown, Dean of Students. “We wanted to make sure that they had as much free time or chances to take other electives and things as everybody else who wasn’t on scholarship.“ Sixteen students are employed to work as office interns for the school and are paid minimum wage, $7.25/ an hour. Work that scholarship recipients did ranged from assisting in the Art Building in Lower School to the College Counseling Office. Under the new internship program, two students throughout the eight periods of the day work in the Upper School Main Office, and two students help in the morning at the Lower School auto line. This amount of help is significantly lower than the helped that was received last year as it covered the library, bookstore and many other locations. To ensure that all locations are receiving the aid needed by interns, the main office has an schedule board that gives the student interns location assignments after delivering messages,
such as call slips, for that class period. Although there are fewer students helping in the offices this year, there was no shortage of applicants for the job slots. “I had no idea how many students would want to do it, but we had so many applicants,” said Mr. Brown. In order to help everyone out, the yearlong commitment was shortened into a semester-long job. This allowed for twice as many students to be employed. “It’s basically the same work. You just get paid for it,” said Aolana Banes ‘14. Aolana worked last year on the scholarship program and also worked this year as a paid intern. Interns do not have free time during their period of work. By working as an intern, students are voluntarily giving up their free time for the paid job. This change was based solely on the fairness of time and opportunity for Upper School students. Mr. Brown referred to his own family’s financial circumstances as a student at ‘Iolani, and explained that there is an understanding that some families fall on a line where they do not qualify to receive financial aid, yet every bit can help. “In my opinion, all kinds of families can benefit from having their kid working.” said Mr. Brown. “That’s why we wanted to open it up to everybody.” The new system of student interns works well for the school. The program will continue next year without change. Scholarship students will not be required to work, and they will continue to be granted the opportunity to take as many classes as non-scholarship students. However they are still encouraged, as are all students, to apply for a paid internship.
Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Muraoka ‘15
Changes to fair evaluated By Ethan Hill ‘14 This past fair season, the ‘Iolani Fair and committee took a different approach to several major elements of planning. From the new wild and exciting E.K. Fernandez rides to the omission of the movies shown on the football field, organizers experimented with ‘Iolani Fair formula. Revenue for the 2014 ‘Iolani Fair was around $754,000, similar to recent years. However with the cost of the E.K. Fernandez rides, the profit may have taken a downward turn, though final numbers haven’t been released. The most significant change for students was the new system of manpower sign-ups. During a chapel period, students of all grades were herded into the lower gym for a speech on the benefits of working at the fair. “In order to encourage students to sign-up for a fair shift, they should be made aware of how much their help actually means to the school,” said Mr. Kevin Tomisato, the events coordinator. “The ‘Iolani Fair supplies most of the money used for student travel, and having the majority of students from each grade par-
ticipate reduces the amount of extra shifts alumni and faculty need to cover.” The fair office keeps track of the students who have signed up to work a shift at the fair. Through this database, the fair office can ask the student manpower co-chairs to email individuals and nudge them to sign up for a shift. The email read, “If you are receiving this email, it means that we do not have you down for signing up to work a fair shift for ‘Iolani Fair 2014: Circus Dreams.” Students who received the email were asked to contact Mr. Kirk Uejio or Ms. Kira Tamashiro, who acted as “middlemen” and referred the students to the fair office. Mr. Tomisato said the new streamlined process of manpower sign-ups was successful “and everyone rose to the occasion and pitched in.” Mr. Tomisato was very pleased with the results. “The fair is still mainly studentrun, and thanks to the amount of students we have had sign up, we have never had to close a booth due to the lack of manpower,” he said.
May 30, 2014
Features
Junior’s latest adventure: Heading to school in India
By Sierra Greene ‘15 Next year, while the senior class will be filling out college applications and stressing about things like Winter Ball, Kaz Tomozawa ‘15 will be beginning his two-year program in an international school in India. After spending the summer of 2013 in Jordan, Tomozawa realized that living abroad is definitely something he enjoys. Unlike most people, being out of his comfort zone makes him feel at home. While in Jordan with the National Security Language Initiative for Youth, Tomozawa learned about a program called The United World Colleges. This program includes 14 international schools, but the only way to become involved is to receive a scholarship. There are only 52 scholarships given to American citizens, and the program committee decides which school each scholarship winner will attend. Because of his outstanding record of community work both abroad and at home, as well as his passion for learning, Tomozawa was chosen for the program. Tomozawa is approaching his adventure with an open mind and an open heart, hoping to learn as much as he can about the community in which he will be living and the students who will be his classmates. Because the school is located on a biodiversity reserve, the curriculum is focused on sustainability. “Of course I will miss my family, but I will definitely not be homesick,” he said. “Being homesick takes away from the actual experience of it all.”
Photo courtesy of Kaz Tomozawa | Kaz Tomozawa on a trip for the National Security Language Initiative for Youth in Jordan.
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Students wary of Showbie timestamps
By Eliah Takushi ‘17 The addition of iPads into the school curriculum has meant new electronic submission methods. Instead of handing in pages of homework at the beginning of class, a student can turn in an assignment as soon as it’s finished. Many students worry that teachers will judge them based on the time that they turn in their work. “Sometimes, I think if I email something in five minutes before class, they’ll think I’m lazy,” said Katelin Miller ‘17. Another concern is that turning in a paper overnight might suggest unhealthy work habits. “I feel like my teacher’s gonna judge me for turning in a paper at two in the morning,” said Cierra Nakamura ‘17, “but I heard there’s a way to change the timestamp.” However, teachers say that the time that their students turn in work doesn’t affect their opinion of the student’s attitude or their work ethic. In fact, most teachers say they don’t notice the time that their students turn in work, and since submission apps like Showbie require a time for the due date, many teachers are more lenient with the exact times for homework and papers. Dr. Peter Webb said that he does worry about “students whose papers are time-stamped ‘4:20 a.m.,’ but I certainly don’t mark them down.” He also says that procrastination is no more of an issue now. “Back in the printed paper days, I often had students who would rush into class as the bell rang with papers still warm from the computer printer,” he said. Other teachers who accept electronic submissions via Showbie felt the same way. Dr. Gretchen Kellough, who teaches English, feels that iPads are ideal for her assignments. “It’s so nice to have everything nicely ordered in electronic files. And it means that students and I can keep track of work over the course of a semester or year without holding onto stacks of papers,” she said. As for procrastination, Dr. Kellough said electronic submissions make no difference. “Students procrastinate with paper submissions and electronic submissions. I do too,” she said.
Young entrepreneur reaches out to kupuna By Amy Nakamura ‘17 In January, senior Taylor Hamai received a grant from Generations United and the AARP Foundation for her work in the One Mile Project, `Iolani’s initia
Photos courtesy of Taylor Hamai At right: Taylor Hamai meets with one of her centenarians. Above: One of the greeting cards.
tive to connect with people and issues that surround our campus. This grant sent her to Washington, D.C. where she gathered ideas for an intergenerational project. After talking to One Mile teachers Mr. Kirk Uejio and Mrs. Allison Blakenship, Taylor decided to create “Messaging with Love.” Her aim is to perpetuate the legacy of centenarians - those aged 100 and older - promote awareness for older adult support, and raise money for a local nonprofit. Money raised by Messaging with Love will go to Project Dana, a Honolulu nonprofit organization that “provides a variety of services to the frail elderly and disabled to ensure their well-being, independence, and dignity in an environment of their choice.” Taylor decided to raise money for this organization by selling artful, meaningful greeting cards that contain wise words of advice from centenarians whom she persmet and interviewed. “I wanted to create a business that would not only solidify my learning about kupuna and creating a business but I would also give back to an organization in our community,” she said.
Taylor is selling 10-packs of greeting cards for $20 each in several locations around campus such as the main office and the bookstore. Each card comes with words of wisdom and a short biography from a centenarian. Many people have already been able to enjoy these greeting cards and their invaluable advice, and Taylor hopes that many more will.
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Editorials
Tactless advice mars senior forum
By Ashley Mizuo ‘14 Every year on fair day, the senior class is required to sit in a cold room, tamping down anticipation of rides and games through a two-hour assembly known as “Senior Forum.” It is supposed to inform the seniors of safety issues outside the protective walls of ‘Iolani. In theory, this is a positive, proactive activity. But this year, good intentions were marred by inappropriate jokes and poorly phrased advice. The first half of the assembly was fine. It educated us about school shootings and proper Internet safety, but when a few of the boys in the back began to act up, instead of tastefully telling them to be quiet, the guest speaker, an attorney, decided to make jokes about their sexuality. In one instance, one boy’s arm was around the other, and the speaker started ridiculing their physical contact. Although to some people, the joke was just a quick quip to make a couple of disruptive boys stop talking, others felt it was distasteful. Was making a joke that was borderline homophobic necessary? No, it was not. There are better ways to tell three high school boys to stop talking and pay attention. The worst part of the whole assembly was, unfortunately, the
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last part, which was the section about party safety. The message to girls was that if they are in a room filled with frat boys, are wearing revealing clothes, and the boys are giving them alcohol, that they should leave. It was only briefly mentioned to the boys that they should not be the sort of guy who takes advantage. It was emphasized that if a woman drinks too much and is conscious, but cannot remember what happened and is sexually assaulted, it may be difficult to prosecute the attacker. On the other hand, if a woman drinks too much and loses consciousness and is assaulted, it’s easier to press charges because the victim was incapacitated. There was no mention of the danger of men assaulting men or women assaulting women except for another tasteless joke about prison rape. Although ‘Iolani was trying to help seniors prepare for life after high school, this was not the right approach. On such a sensitive and complex topic, the school should consider engaging someone with special expertise. Senior forum is an important opportunity to reach students. The message should be blunt but not tactless.
Senior perks: Leaving campus
By J Holmes ‘14 After June 7, the class deadline. For my of 2015 will take over as table in particular, ranking seniors. This trannobody brought sition is fraught with peril. anything. It’s easy to be caught up in But it didn’t the tide of senioritis or sucmatter. cumb to the pressures of We all had period college applications, SATs, 1 free, and so we and social pursuits. split up the shopping The temptation to abanduties, left campus, don the rigors of academia and came back with in favor of the simple pleashiny Christmas sures of a senior year filled decoration things. with ease is well known to The point of members of the teaching, all of this is that counseling, and administhe ability to leave trative staff. campus is the one Their level of concern thing that makes behas increased to the point Amanda Shigeoka | Imua ‘Iolani Seniors enjoy the privileges of their seniority. ing a senior really that I have been asked to awesome. who does, a whole new world of possibilities write an article addressing If you choose not these issues, given that I am a beacon of re- opens. Rainbows, Ono’s, and Yoon Cy Ko- to study, or get tagged with probation, or put rean BBQ can be a part of every school day. sponsibility and academic honesty. in study hall for being tardy all the time, you But more than just buying food is the free- won’t have this privilege, and you’ll be just There is one major difference between seniors and the rest of school: seniors are al- dom to go anywhere during a free. another kiddie eating school lunch under the Case in point; this past year, the senior same sad tree. lowed to leave campus during school hours. All of the other students are confined to the class had a bench-decorating contest the week So work as hard as you have to, do what before winter break. yard like little dogs on big leashes. must be done, don’t do bad things to other True to ‘Iolani form, senior benches re- people, and you’ll be fine. If you have a car, or if you know someone mained barren up until the morning of the
Trendy travels: Cambodian pants
By Emily Tanaka ‘14 Tight skinny jeans are out and baggy cotton pants are in. The polar opposite fashion trend spread rapidly throughout the upper school after Haley Miyaoka ‘14 and fellow ‘Iolani students traveled to Cambodia as a part of the dream trip contest. Miyaoka won the trip in a contest sponsored by the SAO. The girls who went to Cambodia brought back fond memories and luggage filled with foreign treasures. Within their stuffed suitcases were trinkets, snacks, and of course, Cambodian pants. The loose pants, which are unique to Cambodia, come in a variety of bright colors and designs, and are often confused for pajamas. Sabrina Gouveia ‘14 said, “Papa Jack calls me ‘Pajama girl.’” Senior Klein Masutani ‘14
wears the pants at least once a week. When asked where she bought the pants, Masutani said, “A swap type of market, when you bargain for it, so you can get it for like $10 or $2 depending on how much you bargain for.” Since the pants were so cheap, students also bought extras for friends and family. “They have really cute prints and are super comfortable to wear,” said senior Sara Endo ‘14. Although fashion trends come and go, Cambodian pants are more than just a comfortable and cute replacement for jeggings. “I think it’s really special because it’s from Cambodia you know? And it’s not something you can just get here at the mall,” said Taylor Hamai ‘14. “It’s a good way of remembering our trip and the memories we made.”
Emily Tanaka | Imua ‘Iolani
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Sports
Imua ‘Iolani
Tough losses for judo Medals for track family By Lindsey Combs ‘15
Mathew Mcarthur ‘15 fights his opponent at the 2014 Judo state tournament. By Jordan Ng ‘15
The ‘Iolani boys varsity judo team captured an ILH title for first time in school history. The ‘Iolani team went into the tournament with nine qualifiers out of a ten man team. Meanwhile, the girls team went into states and ILH with only three participants. After their win at the ILH championships, the boys’ team went into the state tournament as one of the top teams in the island. But in the second round of matches, al-
most all of the ‘Iolani judoka suffered a loss to difficult opponents. “I feel that because we had more people on the team this year, our morale was much higher, therefor allowing us to bounce back from these difficult loses,” said team captain Spencer Kiehm ‘14. Even those who were not participating at the tournament added to the higher morale on the team. “Even though I couldn’t be
a participant I still wanted to be involved so I took on more of a manager and supporter role,” said Alexandra Fautanu ‘14. Fauntuna, who is recovering from an injury, still played a key role on the team, actively cheering for her teammates as they took the mat. The boys team took seventh in the state while the girls managed to take 21st. The overall victors were the Kapolei Boys and the Pearl City girls.
At the state track and field championships on May 10, ‘Iolani athletes competed to break their own personal records, represent the Raiders, and see how they stacked up against the other 62 track teams in the state. Many on the ‘Iolani team reached their personal goals and performed well. Kamuela Borden ‘15 placed first in shot put and third in discus, Amanda Beaman ‘16 placed third in the 3000m run, and all eight ‘Iolani athletes who competed in the state finals received medals and scored points for their team. (See below for a complete list of the ‘Iolani athletes’ placings). However, with only eight athletes medalling, The Raiders left states somewhat emptyhanded, with the boys’ team placing third and the girls’ team placing seventh overall. Jensen Fontanilla ‘14 said, “I was in tears after the 4 x 400m [at the trials]. To be 0.13 seconds off from making it to finals was heartbreaking.” Although the Raiders came up short of capturing a state title, which the girls have done only five times and the boys one time in past years, the ‘Iolani athletes acknowledged how much they have gained from their many years and experiences on the track and field team. Fontanilla shared, “This was my first and final state championship. It was amazing.” Shot put and discus thrower
Elizabeth Vaea ‘14 also said that during her events, “I usually tell myself that this is my last meet ever... Only this time, it really was. I actually got a bit emotional before my last throw, but it was fun while it lasted.” The athletes also expressed their gratitude for their supportive teammates. Justin Park ‘14 said, “[I wanted to] run for the team.Track is supposedly an individual sport, but you can’t get far without teammates who push you and believe in you.” Vaea added, “It’s a One Team thing, and we really became a family this year; I’ll cherish this season for the rest of my life.” One of the biggest trademarks of this season was the lasting relationships that the athletes built with their coaches. Vaea said, “My coaches have watched me grow as an athlete and a person from being an awkward 12 year old in 7th grade until now, 17 years old and graduating.” Fontanilla explained, “Coach Javis coached me for the past six years, and he has probably taught me the most about track, life, and girls. He truly is my brother.” Each of the track and field athletes, medal or no medal, gained much more than a PR or stronger muscles from this season. They built relationships with coaches and teammates and memories to last forever.
Review of the ‘Iolani year in sports
By Riley Sakamoto ‘15 ‘Iolani saw another successful year in athletics with a handful of ILH and state titles. In the fall, boys’ water polo and football captured ILH titles. In the winter, soccer and basketball took both ILH and state champoinships. And in the spring, Kamuela Borden ‘15 was named state champion in shotput. The girls’ water polo team took 2nd place in the state tournament. Here are the results for all ‘Iolani athletics in the 2013-14 school year:
Fall ILH State BOWLING - BOYS Varsity 6th --- BOWLING - GIRLS Varsity 9th --CROSS COUNTRY - BOYS Varsity 3rd 3rd CROSS COUNTRY - GIRLS Varsity 2nd 5th FOOTBALL Varsity 1st 3rd KAYAKING - BOYS Varsity --- --KAYAKING - GIRLS Varsity --- --VOLLEYBALL - GIRLS Varsity 3rd --WATER POLO - BOYS Varsity 1 1st --Varsity 2 4th --- CHEERLEADING Varsity 4th ---
Winter ILH State BASKETBALL - BOYS Varsity 1 1st 1st Varsity 2 2nd --- BASKETBALL - GIRLS Varsity 1 4th --Varsity 2 2nd --PADDLING - BOYS Varsity 1 5th --Varsity 2 5th ----Varsity Mix Crew 8th PADDLING - GIRLS Varsity 1 8th --- SOCCER - BOYS Varsity 1st 1st SOCCER - GIRLS Varsity 1st 5th SWIMMING - BOYS Varsity 3rd 9th SWIMMING - GIRLS Varsity 3rd 3rd DIVING Varsity --- --WRESTLING - BOYS Varsity 8th --WRESTLING - GIRLS Varsity 19th ---
Spring ILH State Baseball Varsity 3rd --- GOLF Boys 4th 4th Girls 2nd 2nd Varsity 1 2nd --Varsity 2 1st --JUDO Boys 1st 7th Girls --- --SAILING Varsity 5th 5th SOFTBALL Varsity 4th 4th TENNIS Boys 2nd 4th Girls 2nd 4th TRACK Boys 4th 5th Girls 6th 8th VOLLEYBALL - BOYS Varsity 1 4th --- Varsity 2 6th --WATER POLO - GIRLS Varsity 1 2nd 2nd Varsity 2 2nd ---
Class of 2014
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HAWAII: University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Honolulu, HI Brooke Alcuran Natasha Bailey Aolana Banes Ilana Buffenstein Zachary Buscher Jasmin Chang John Cole Ethan Hill Megan Kibaota Aaron Lee Lynn Luu Shuko Matsubara Johan Park Stefen Joshua Rasay Christina Rivers Chase Shimizu Lansing Sugita Kathryn Teruya Jasmine Tokeshi Brett Tsuzaki Adam Uehara Aleix Uyema Elizabeth Vaea Max Weber Miranda Yip
Humboldt State University Arcata, CA Franklin Heggeness Lewis and Clark College Portland, OR Wataru Kajima Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA Amy Cheng Taylor Hamai Kiana Harpstrite Taylor Ann Masuda Blaise Nakagawa Kaitlyn Yee Marissa Yonamine Occidental College Los Angeles, CA Dana Lim Kristen Saito Zachary Tagawa Oregon Institute of Technology Klamath Falls, OR Kainoa Fong
Kapiolani Community College Honolulu, HI Austin Nalu Josiah
Oregon State University Corvallis, OR Trent Cayetano Christian Donahue Alexandra Fautanu Travis Fujimoto Christopher Gallacher Megan Nakai Christine Ushijima
Leeward Community College Pearl City, HI Taylor Garcia-Perreira Kiana Like-Uehara
Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA Kristi Kaneta Courtney Kennedy
WEST COAST:
Pacific University Forest Grove, OR Maxwell Look Racesen Nakagawa
Hawaii Pacific University Honolulu, HI Jaylene-Rose Lee
Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA Jonah Wataru California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, CA Jacy Watanabe California Maritime Academy Vallejo, CA Dane Perrott California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, CA James Los Baños California State University, Long Beach Long Beach, CA Sara Watanabe Chapman University Orange, CA Claire Furukawa Preston Scott Kamada Matthew Miwa Gonzaga University Spokane, WA Landon Lum Karen Suzuki
Pepperdine University Malibu, CA Emily Tanaka Portland State University Portland, OR Sayge Rezentes Reed College Portland, OR Alisa Kwok Saint Martin’s University Lacey, WA Jase Kugiya Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara, CA Andrew McCoy Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA Kristen Carson Sara Endo Sabrina Gouveia Sutter Grune Haley Harada Joshua Inouye Taylor Mau Taylor Tagawa Daniel Tan Lindsay Teruya
Seattle University Seattle, WA Jacqueline Araki Tyler Beal Dillon Itai Sari Kwee Ryan Mori Kristen Nakaoka Andrew Pfund Cameron Pudiquet
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“Tell everybody
Southern Oregon University Ashland, OR Arieta Augafa Sydnee Halcro Stanford University Stanford, CA Austyn Lee Rachael Ridao The Evergreen State College Olympia, WA Carly Chikuma Jake Matsuda Hirata
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Shane Hayakawa Yuki Kuromaru Kenneth Lee Timothy Leong Evan Lum Austin Ohira Brandan Sakka Charlynn Yeung University of the Pacific Stockton, CA Joshua-Michael Adachi University of Washington Seattle, WA Ricky Chai Samuel Makai Tiffany Tang Shaye Villanueva Washington State University Pullman, WA Frank Leota
University of California at Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Casey Morrisey
Western Oregon University Monmouth, OR Tiana Koch
University of California at Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA Tristan Emmons Austin Tom
Westmont College Santa Barbara, CA Mari Freitas Chelsie Sen Devon Tongg-Woodall
University of California at Davis Davis, CA Amnesty Dawson University of La Verne La Verne, CA Robi Kodama University of Oregon Eugene, OR Cody-Joe Abe Akira J. Holmes Brooke Kaneshiro Klein Masutani Amanda Shigeoka Kiana York University of Portland Portland, OR Owen Daniel Erin Ibaan Allison Ifuku Matthew Murayama Kara Okazaki Taryn Okemura Courtney Otani Daniel Pham Jarren Takaki Catalin Wong Samantha Wong Matthew Yuen University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA Miles Freeman Brittney Imada Melisa Kegans University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA Guy Ahlo Alyssa Lam Keri Teramae
Whitworth University Spokane, WA Aaron Yanagi
MOUNTAIN and SOUTHWEST: Brigham Young University Provo, UT Kameron Ho Ching Makayla Okamura Eric Yugawa Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction, CO Dustin Wagner Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO Brielle Asato Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO Skylar Gross Christian Isham Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ Tristan Soriano Regis University Denver, CO Celeste Jordan Fajardo The University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Chansen Fukushima Taylor Tamura University of Denver Denver, CO Scott Hom
College Map
May 30 2014
I’m on my way� University of Nevada, Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV Jordan Genovia Bryce Tsuruda University of Nevada, Reno Reno, NV Marc Ma Western New Mexico University Silver City, NM Jade Botelho Yavapai College Prescott, AZ Caleb Duhay
SOUTH: Baylor University Waco, TX Ani Oshiro Duke University Durham, NC Kyle Miller Trinity University San Antonio, TX Reece Arakawa Joshua Gonzaga University of Miami Coral Gables, FL Kevin Togami
MIDWEST: Creighton University Omaha, NE Lauren Ho Brandon Iwaishi Alyssa Masaquel Ashley Osumi Alexander Sasaki Tori Teramae Easton Tsubata Grinnell College Grinnell, IA Solomon Phillip Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Leilani Etherton Daniella Kim Ashley Mizuo Nicholas Nagata
EAST: American University Washington, DC Tyler McKenna Carlynn Yoshina Amherst College Amherst, MA Brendan Seto Bentley University Waltham, MA Dior Derwenskus Boston University Boston, MA Eugene Au Melanie Carlile John Gregory Stacey Lee Grace Lei Brown University Providence, RI Aja Grande Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, PA Lauren Goto Elizabeth Kamaka
Parsons The New School for Design New York, NY Rachael Heller Tyler Truglio Princeton University Princeton, NJ Kekoa Morris Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RI Sae In Kim Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ Reid Kimura Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Mitchell Takeda
Eastman School of the U of Rochester Rochester, NY Chanelle Huang
United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD Justin Park
Emerson College Boston, MA Mitchell Kouchi
University of Massachusetts, Amherst Amherst, MA Soungmoon Jang
Fordham University Bronx, NY Azusa Suzuki
University of Rochester Rochester, NY Haley Miyaoka
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineer-
University of Vermont Burlington, VT Emily Louis
Needham, MA Trent Dye Jordan Van Duyne Gannon University Erie, PA Elizabeth Barr George Mason University Fairfax, VA Cassandra Busekrus Jensen Fontanilla
Purdue University West Lafayette IN Chase Kanekuni Nicole Ono
Harvard College Cambridge, MA Spencer Kiehm
Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO Kelsie Kodama Kayla Seto
Northeastern University Boston, MA Michael Chen Aaron Nakasone Sarah Zhang
Tufts University Medford, MA William Kawahara
Northwestern University Evanston, IL Chad Hanaoka
University of Nebraska at Lincoln Lincoln, NE Angela Ching
New York University New York, NY Megan Ching Lia Ho Victoria Sprowls
College of William and Mary Williamsburg, VA Logan Colby
ing
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Williams College Williamstown, MA Ayami Hatanaka Yale University New Haven, CT Matthew Beattie-Callahan Sarah Oyadamari
INTERNATIONAL: John Cabot University Rome, Italy Ashley Cobile The Chinese University of Hong Kong New Territory, Hong Kong Emma Buchthal University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC, Canada Kevin Chou Nicholas Liu
GAP YEAR: Nikolai Chen Clarissa Gonzales
Haverford College Haverford, PA Daisuke Nakayama Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD Frishan Rocel Paulo Marymount Manhattan College New York, NY Summer Yamada-Scott
Best wishes to the Class of 2014!
Imua ‘Iolani page 8
HONORS DAY
UPPER SCHOOL US Presidential Scholar Matthew R. Beattie-Callahan
NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS $2500 Award Spencer H. Kiehm Kelsie C. Kodama University of Southern California Shane J. Hayakawa Timothy T.K. Leong
NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLAR FINALISTS Matthew R. Beattie-Callahan Ilana R. Buffenstein Megan S.J.M. Ching Clarissa J. Gonzales Shane J. Hayakawa Chanelle M. Huang Spencer H. Kiehm Kelsie C. Kodama Timothy T.K. Leong Kekoa A. Morris Sarah Oyadomari Justin J.H. Park Alexander K. Sasaki Taylor M. Tagawa Sarah H. Zhang
NATIONAL MERIT COMMENDED STUDENTS Eugene S.C. Au Logan T. Colby Trent K. Dye Chad M. Hanaoka Ayami A. Hatanaka Rachael L. Heller Akira J. Holmes Brittney S.L. Imada Alisa Kwok Austyn T. Lee Evan R.Y.S. Lum Blaise M. Nakagawa III Aaron Y. Nakasone Makayla K. Okamura Rachael M. Ridao Christina S. Rivers Jarren K.T. Takaki Tiffany F.L. Tang Jordan T. Van Duyne Carlynn M. Yoshina Eric D. Yugawa
CUM LAUDE SOCIETY Eugene S.C. Au Ilana R. Buffenstein Ricky S. Chai Sara E. Endo Ayami A. Hatanaka Shane J. Hayakawa Alisa Kwok Lynn C. Luu Taylor H. Mau Kekoa A. Morris Aaron Y. Nakasone Courtney M.Y.H. Otani Justin J.H. Park Frishan Rocel O. Paulo Kayla W.L. Seto Victoria K. Sprowls Lansing L. Sugita Jarren K.T. Takaki Daniel M. Tan Jordan T. Van Duyne Kaitlyn Y.J. Yee Miranda S.W. Yip
MILITARY ACADEMY APPOINTMENTS US Naval Academy Justin J.H. Park
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS UH Manoa Regents Scholar
May 2014 ACADEMIC AWARDS
ART DEPARTMENT Drawing 2.................................................................................Jacqueline M. Araki Photography 3..................................................................................... Dana E. Lim Advanced Placement Studio Art: Drawing.......................................Kaitlyn Y.J. Yee Advanced Placement Studio Art: 3D .................................. Franklin A. Heggeness
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT Creative Non-Fiction................................................................ Shane J. Hayakawa Literature of the Ocean.................................................................Miranda S.W. Yip Shakespeare II.................................................................................. Austyn T. Lee Advanced Placement English Literature.................................... Spencer H. Kiehm
HISTORY DEPARTMENT Economics & Entrepreneurship............................................. Elisabeth M. Kamaka Advanced Placement Microeconomics....................................... Evan R.Y. S. Lum Advanced Placement Government & Politics: US..... Matthew R. Beattie-Callahan
LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT Spanish 4............................................................................. Kameron S. Ho Ching Latin 5H...................................................................................... Spencer H. Kiehm French 5H........................................................................................Lauren C. Goto Spanish Conversation and Culture.................................................... Austyn T. Lee Advanced Placement Chinese Language & Culture..............................Alisa Kwok Advanced Placement Japanese Language & Culture........................Ricky S. Chai
Carter Stubbs Drake Goad Award
Five consecutive gold medals on the National Latin Exam Spencer H. Kiehm
MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT Design Science .............................................................................. Tyler S. Truglio Economics of Personal Finance ........................................... Marissa H. Yonamine Advanced Placement Calculus AB....................................... Taylor Ann A. Masuda Advanced Placement Calculus BC.....................................................Ricky S. Chai
Miranda S.W. Yip University of Hawaii Chancellor’s Scholarship Lansing Sugita Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation Scholarship Award Austyn T. Lee Fukunaga Foundation Scholarship Melanie A. Carlile Foodland Shop for High Education Scholarship Chad M. Hanaoka UH Manoa Doctor of Medicine Early Acceptance Program Ilana R. Buffenstein Christina S. Rivers Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation Scholarship Aja O. Grande Timothy T.K. Leong
PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT Advanced Theatre..................................................................... Victoria K. Sprowls Concert Band..............................................................................Shuko Matsubara Marching Band ........................................................................ Nicholas N. Nagata Symphonic Band..........................................................................Sydnee L. Halcro Wind Ensemble.......................................................................... Spencer H. Kiehm Stage Band 3............................................................................ Nicholas N. Nagata Chorus 1......................................................................................Rachael M. Ridao Chorus 2............................................................................................ Austyn T. Lee Dance 3................................................................................. Marissa H. Yonamine Dance 3K........................................................................................ Akira J. Holmes Dance 4.......................................................................................Kathryn S. Teruya Orchestra 5................................................................................Ayami A. Hatanaka
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT Conceptual Physics......................................................................... Tyler S. Truglio Physics......................................................................................... Emily M.K. Louis Advanced Placement Biology..................................................... Spencer H. Kiehm Advanced Placement Physics C: Mechanics...................................... Trent K. Dye Advanced Placement Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism.................. Trent K. Dye Advanced Placement Chemistry................................................. Evan R.Y. S. Lum
ADDITIONAL COURSES Advanced Placement Psychology.............................................. Spencer H. Kiehm Psychology.......................................................................................... Dana E. Lim Graphics-Excellence in Yearbook........................................Amanda J.S. Shigeoka
HONORS DAY
Imua ‘Iolani HEADMASTER’S CERTIFICATES
Seniors earning the Headmaster’s Certificates for having achieved a 3.5 GPA for the first three quarters of their senior year with no grade below BReece T. Arakawa Brielle N. Asato Eugene S.C. Au Natasha A. Bailey Matthew R. BeattieCallahan Ilana R. Buffenstein Cassandra M. Busekrus Kristen C. Carson Ricky S. Chai Jasmin Chang Michael S. Chen Nikolai M.Y.H. Chen Amy Y. Cheng Megan S.J.M. Ching Logan T. Colby Dior M. Derwenskus Trent K. Dye Tristan J. Emmons Sara E. Endo Mari E. Freitas Travis S. Fujimoto Sabrina N.M. Gouveia John H. Gregory, V Taylor R. Hamai Chad M. Hanaoka Haley M. Harada Ayami A. Hatanaka Shane J. Hayakawa Ethan C. Hill Kameron S. Ho Ching Lauren T.K. Ho Scott A. Hom Chanelle M. Huang
Erin M. Ibaan Allison M. Ifuku Brittney S.L. Imada Joshua H. Inouye Dillon A.N. Itai Brandon S.I. Iwaishi Wataru J. Kajima Elisabeth M. Kamaka Chase C. Kanekuni William T. Kawahara Spencer H. Kiehm Kelsie C. Kodama Mitchell M. Kouchi Sari M.M.L. Kwee Alisa Kwok Alyssa W.K. Lam Austyn T. Lee Stacey J. Lee Grace W. Lei Timothy T.K. Leong Dana E. Lim Evan R.Y.S. Lum Lynn C. Luu Marc H.C. Ma Taylor Ann A. Masuda Klein K.K. Masutani Taylor H. Mau Matthew Y.C. Miwa Haley K.E. Miyaoka Ryan K. Mori Casey A. Morrissey Samuel A. Mukai Nicholas N. Nagata Kristen A. Nakaoka
Aaron Y. Nakasone Austin N. Ohira Makayla K. Okamura Kara G. Okazaki Nicole M. Ono Sarah Oyadomari Justin J.H. Park Frishan Rocel O. Paulo Daniel S. Pham Stefen Joshua D. Rasay Rachael M. Ridao Christina S. Rivers Kristen K. Saito Brendan K. Seto Kayla W.L. Seto Victoria K. Sprowls Lansing L. Sugita Karen S. Suzuki Taylor M. Tagawa Jarren K.T. Takaki Daniel M. Tan Emily K. Tanaka Tiffany F.L. Tang Kathryn S. Teruya Lindsay A. Teruya Kevin T. Togami Tyler S. Truglio Brett L. Tsuzaki Jordan T. Van Duyne Jonah J. Wataru Kaitlyn Y.J. Yee Charlynn C. Yeung Miranda S.W. Yip Marissa H. Yonamine
May 2014
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Special Awards (cont.) LAWRENCE S. BRADEN PRIZE IN MATHEMATICS
To two seniors, male and female, in recognition of their superior mathematical ability, enthusiasm for the subject and sterling character.
Ricky S. Chai and Rachael M. Ridao THREE SIGMA SCIENCE AWARD To two seniors who through curricular and extra-curricular involvement have displayed superior academic achievement and vigorous enthusiasm and passion for science, and who have impacted the science department with unfailing commitments to excellence.
Sarah Oyadomari and Rachael M. Ridao Harold Keables Creative Writing Award and the Gayle Keables Scholarship Award Before he left ‘Iolani in 1980, Mr. Keables left the school a generous bequest to establish awards in his name for creative writing and in his wife’s name to honor a person who has triumphed over adversity. Harold Keables Creative Writing Award............................... Ilana R. Buffenstein The Gayle Keables Scholarship Award .................................. Mitchell M. Kouchi
100th Battalion Award Male and female senior who have demonstrated initiative to serve their community.
John H.V. Gregory and Courtney A. Kennedy
ACTIVITY AWARDS ‘Iolani Dramatic Players watajeen cano SCHOLARSHIP award.............................................................Rachael L. Heller
Special Awards
Daniel R. and M. Jill Stewart Ka Mo'Olelo O ‘Iolani Achievement Award .................Kristen C. Carson and Clarissa J. Gonzales
RICHARD L. BROWN AWARD
MANE O KE OLA ........................................................................Rachael L. Heller
To a senior who selflessly contributed their talent to ‘Iolani School.
Megan S.J.M. Ching and Ayami A. Hatanaka PAUL E. Dibianco Award
To the senior who has demonstrated conscience, compassion and courage in service to others despite significant personal hardship or physical challenge.
Tiffany F.L. Tang JEFFREY JONES AWARD
To a senior in recognition of the same qualities of unselfishness that drove Jeffrey Jones to make the ultimate sacrifice to his fellow man.
Emily M.K Louis Koon Chew Lum Prize
To a senior for excellence in writing.
Rachael L. Heller ROY T. MORIKAWA AWARD
To a senior who has provided significant selfless service to school and community and who displays a high standard of integrity, humility and character.
Austyn T. Lee Dennis Onishi Award
To a junior whose helpfulness, friendliness, selflessness, and perseverance have been exemplary during the past year.
Courtney P. Overland and Scott N. Wo SANANIKONE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
To a senior who has demonstrated extraordinary efforts in the face of hardship and in overcoming the barriers of an unfamiliar culture and language in achieving scholastic excellence.
Shuko Matsubara MARK MASUNAGA AWARD
To a senior whose outstanding artistic and technical work in photography reflects Mark’s lifelong interest in and love of photography.
Rachael L. Heller
SERVICE AWARDS ACOLYTE SERVICE Eugene S.C. Au Nikolai M.Y.H. Chen Mari E. Freitas Sydnee L. Halcro
Soungmoon Jang Spencer H. Kiehm Sarah H. Zhang
Volunteer Student Tutoring Brielle N. Asato Melanie A. Carlile Kristen C. Carson Lauren C. Goto Taylor R. Hamai Kiana M. Harpstrite Brittney S.L. Imada Kelsie C. Kodama
Stacey J. Lee Taylor Ann A. Masuda Kekoa A. Morris Courtney M.Y.H. Otani Taylor M. Tagawa Lindsay A. Teruya Shaye K. Villanueva
Lower School Big Brother/Big Sister Program Grades K-3 Dior M. Derwenskus Chad M. Hanaoka Joshua H. Inouye Timothy T.K. Leong James T. Los Banos Marissa H. Yonamine
Grades 4-6 Christopher K. Gallacher Taylor R. Hamai Shane J. Hayakawa Kristi M. Kaneta Grace W. Lei Austin N. Ohira Amanda J.S. Shigeoka Emily K. Tanaka Toshi M. Taniguchi Keri K. Teramae Kevin T. Togami
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Teachers
Imua ‘Iolani
‘Retirement is bittersweet’ - Aloha and Mahalo Fifteen faculty and staff members, many of them fixtures on campus for decades, will depart at the end of the school year. Their contributions influenced the lives of thousands of students and in many ways established `Iolani’s culture of excellence and personal responsibility.
Jack Kay: 51 yrs. Last year, Mr. Jack Kay celebrated 50 years of teaching at ‘Iolani. He stayed one year more to continue teaching AP Biology and mentor various student projects. Mr. Kay teaches both biology and life lessons through his famous stories. “I learned a long time ago that storytelling is one of the most ancient and effective forms of communication,” said Mr. Kay. True to his word, his stories range from humorous to inspirational. Mr. Kay grew up in Chicago. He moved to Hawaii in 1959 for graduate school. “After I was here a couple of months, there were these local guys that took me diving every week, even though I was a stranger. I thought they were great.” Mr. Kay also joined the Lion’s Club of East Manoa. Although all the members were Japanese, they made him feel like he belonged. He met and married his wife, Violet, who convinced him stay in Hawaii rather than go back to Connecticut to be manager of a fishery with higher pay. Mrs. Kay told him he would love it at `Iolani, and so he accepted the teaching position. Mr. Kay fit right in, and ‘Iolani became an extended family for his family. Although he has already traveled enough to become a million mile flyer and has given talks in Hong Kong, Canada, and various other places, Mr. Kay will be traveling in his retirement. He intends on going up the Yangtze River in a boat. As themed throughout his stories, Mr. Kay taught life lessons as well. “Listen to your fellow men, and take their conversation at face value. Even though they say you can’t trust anyone anymore, you need to trust people, smartly. “
KatherineHanlon: 20yrs. Perhaps the thing Mrs. Katherine Hanlon has enjoyed the most over her 20 years at `Iolani is watching the light go on in students’ eyes when they read great literature like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Tempest. “I love to see kids develop into confident writers and feel that they will be more successful in the future than they were in the past,” she said. “I try to get them to develop a mindset to enjoy English class and think grammar is fun! YES! YES, it IS!” For her first 17 years at `Iolani, Mrs. Hanlon taught English as a Second Language. “Retiring is bittersweet,” she said. “I won’t have to spend so many hours on so many weekends grading papers, but I actually love to read your papers. I feel like English teachers are lucky because we may be privileged get a deeper glimpse into our students’ hearts and minds than other teachers do.”
Clifford Lee: 36 yrs.
Dorsey Gibson: 40 yrs. Mrs. Dorsey Gibson grew up as a “campus kid”, though she was not able to attend `Iolani, which was an all-boys school at the time. She returned “home” to the campus after college and has taught at the school for 40 years. Her favorite times as a 6th grade teacher include sharing good books and writing with students. “Interesting moments include the great stampedes at Camp Mokuleia, every homeroom time with Josh Inaba, and so many great times as a campus kid,” Mrs. Gibson said. Though she will miss her fellow 6th grade teachers, Mrs. Gibson says she will not miss doing grading and midquarters. As for what she plans to do with her time, Mrs. Gibson said, “Take a break, have fun, do good deeds.”
Earl Hedani: 35 yrs. It’s hard to imagine `Iolani School’s Physical Education Department without Mr. Earl Hedani. He has been a PE teacher and coach for 35 years, but in total, this Son of `Iolani has spent 55 years of his life at this school. He said he’s retiring because of medical reasons, but promises to be on campus often. “I will be out there on the track to keep those young head coaches in line,” he said. “They are doing a fantastic job.” Mr. Hedani plans to golf and travel, but he has a new assignment already lined up. “The most time of my retirement will be babysitting and watching grandchildren grow up,” he said. “My job is easy. Babysit and spoil them.”
Susan Igawa: 35 yrs.
You can find her teaching her students about the history of China and Japan in her classroom on the 3rd floor of Weinberg. Asian American Experience and Modern East Asian Studies teacher Mrs. Susan Igawa enriches her students with her vast knowledge, and spreads her light-hearted, joyous energy to those around her. Mrs. Igawa started at teaching in 1979 when ‘Iolani was beginning to enroll girls. Although many faculty and students will miss her as she finishes up her final year at ‘Iolani, Mrs. Igawa says she is, “really looking forward to this gift of time.”
Rosemarie Panko: 11 yrs.
“Value those who have been at ‘Iolani before you as they created what it is today, inspiring us for the future” Those words are from Ms. Rosemarie Panko, who has served as ‘Iolani’s Head Archivist since 2003. “The first year I was archivist, the archives had just moved into a new location in the library building that was where the Sullivan center is now,” she said. “Shelving wasn’t finished for many months so it was challenging to find things!” Prior to being the archivist, she worked in the Lower School library. Before that, she was an `Iolani parent when her children attended the school. Now in her retirement, she will turn her attention to working on her own family history and photograph collection.
Amelia Lee: 33 yrs.
Teachers
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Colonel Rankin: 20 yrs.
Colonel Richard Rankin had taught at West Point before coming to `Iolani. Still, he said, he had to adjust to the intensity of this school. “I remember working all day long and I’d get home and ask my family to be quiet because I’d continue to study, not so much the content but how to get it across. I remember it being very challenging.” During his 20 years at `Iolani, Col. Rankin has been honored as National Economics Teacher of the Year and has taken many `Iolani economics teams to New York, where they competed in and won national championships. “It’s been a thrill. The kids have worked really hard,” Col. Rankin said. People have often asked me how do we do this. You know, there are a lot of good teachers and a lot of good students across the country. How do we win the National Championships? Hard work. And I like to watch our students work hard and have those kinds of successes because hard work pays off.” In his retirement, Col. Rankin plans to fish, golf and play tennis. He is also going to work with the Wounded Warriors program. “I feel a special place in my heart for those guys and gals who sacrifice,” he said. “I enjoy working for them and with them.”
Chris Strawn: 33 yrs.
His booming voice can be heard echoing through much of Nangaku, but he’s more likely to be reenacting a battle scene than yelling at his students. Mr. Chris Strawn makes a dead language come alive. For the last 33 years, he has served at `Iolani, teaching Latin and SAT prep classes. He has also taught in the English Department and served as Department Head of Language. In his first year his roster was filled with future `Iolani all-stars. “I remember it vividly. Mrs. Kimura was in my Latin class, the Monacos were 7th graders and it was a wonderful year,” he said. “I caught every disease that the students had and I didn’t miss a day of school because I wanted to be here so much.” Before accepting a full-time teaching position at `Iolani in 1981, Mr. Strawn taught summer school here and at Punahou. He also taught at the University of Hawaii and the University of Colorado. He also had a career in the music business and has great rock and roll stories to tell. He has great stories to tell about `Iolani, too, but says his first day is still the best day, “... because I felt like my feet weren’t touching the ground.” Mr. Strawn will continue as director of `Iolani’s SAT prep program, his booming voice continuing to echo through the minds of nervous juniors facing the scary Scantrons.
Ann Yoneshige: 41 yrs.
The Castle Building and Nangaku hadn’t been built yet. The lower gym wasn’t air-conditioned. `Iolani was an all-boys school, and many of those boys were rambunctious. Ms. Ann Yoneshige had just graduated from college when she started as a math teacher here in 1973. She taught five classes a day, and each class had at least 25 students. “So it was pretty rough but I think faculty here was always supportive and they all told me ‘the first year’s going to be rough but the second year should be better’. And that’s why I stayed,” she said. When the school went co-ed, another female counselor was needed, so Yoneshige went back to school for a year to prepare for that job. She served as a counselor for seven years, and then went back to teaching math before becoming Director of Special Programs and eventually Dean of Upper School, the position she has held for the last two years. “I have so many wonderful memories” Ms. Yoneshige said of her 40 years at `Iolani. Even after all that time, the first day of each school year is still magical to her. “When I see all the students come on campus that is definitely the most exciting day of the year for me. Everyone is back on campus and it’s a new start. There’s a lot of energy. “ Ms. Yoneshige says she has family and personal things to attend to in her retirement, but also hopes to volunteer in her community. Her parting words of encouragement to her `Iolani family: “I would say take care of each other. I think all the years I’ve been here what’s kept us together as a community is that people care about each other.”
JoAnn Stepien: 16 yrs.
Imua `Iolani
Gail Tuthill: 20 yrs.
Chemistry teacher Gail Tuthill retired at the beginning of this year after 34 years of teaching. Her fifteen years of experience at an all-girls school didn’t prepare her for the academic rigor of what would become nineteen years of ‘Iolani life, and she had a rough transition during her first years. “The fast pace of the ‘Iolani chemistry courses, their breadth and their depth are formidable. I spent my first few years getting my understanding of chemistry and my teaching skills up to speed.” She says she is grateful for the opportunities ‘Iolani provided her for pro-fessional development , something that allowed her “to see that elements of fun and magic com-pounded to make teaching a difficult subject more enjoyable for me and, I hope, for my students too.”
Paola Williams: 14 yrs.
Mrs. Paola Williams came to `Iolani in 1998. She teaches History of the Ancient World and World Geography 7 and says she enjoys watching students grow. “Especially at graduation, I just felt really happy and good. I don’t think I cried, but it was just overall a really good feeling. And when they came back, you know, after they graduate, that was good.” In her retirement, she plans to visit her grandchild on the Mainland, but has no plans to move away from Hawaii. “I’ve lived here for 41 years, and this is home,” she said. She also plans to catch up on reading. “I guess I want to read a book from cover to cover without feeling guilty because I have papers to grade, too.”
Larry Teske: 34 yrs.
Mr. Larry Teske laughed as he recalled his favorite part of teaching: “Watching kids get mad at the stupid worksheet.” For those who have never had Mr. Teske as their teacher, “the stupid worksheets” usually pose a question in the beginning, and students must discover the answer by doing math and filling in blanks. For example: Joke: Why are radioactive cats special? Answer: They have 18 half-lives. Joke: Why did the sports announcer say “Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!”? Answer: He was reading the Olympic symbol. Mr. Teske also enjoys the reaction of his algebra honors students when they are made to sing the quadratic formula to the tune of “Pop Goes the Weasel.” This happens at least once a day during their chapter unit on quadratic equations. Now that Mr. Teske is retiring after 34 years of teaching, he plans to go fishing and bike riding. He said that the least likable part of teaching is grading and writing comments on the students’ report cards. The best part? Everything else.
Theresa Falk: 23 yrs.
Though she’s not retiring, Mrs. Theresa Falk’s departure is like the end of an era. She was a member of the class of ‘86, lives in an apartment next to campus and has taught English here for 23 years. Her students know that she expects excellence, but that she is one of the kindest souls they’ll ever meet. However, she feels she has received even more than she has given. “My favorite memory is the cards that I got from the kids when I lost my son,” she said. “I was giving them some kind of lesson, and they gave me this huge box, and I opened the box, and this was in May. It was Mother’s Day cards... From all of them. Every single student that I had. So for me, that’s very indicative of how my teaching career has been. I may give, but my students, they give back, and they don’t even know it. You know, those box of Mother’s Day cards got me through the year, and they don’t even know it.” Mrs. Falk, her husband and their two children are moving to Seattle this summer. “I’m going to be teaching 6th and 8th grade at Lake Washington Girls Middle School. It’s an all girls school. And their goal is to empower young women through public speaking,” she said. “It’s my dream next school.”
Although she works as the Lower School Assistant Dean, Mrs. JoAnn Stepien’s influence on the students all the way to Upper School is easily seen. She helped to start the robotics program, expanded the summer school program, and most importantly, inspired many kids to persevere. In Lower School she brought in aquaponics, started an ocean studies class, and also started the Green Club and the Peace Institute. Mrs. Stepien began her ‘Iolani career 11 years ago and will be retiring at the end of this school year. However, she will still come to school as a substitute teacher, and volunteer at the ‘Iolani Fair. While on a field trip with students at the San Jose Science and Technology museum, they took a wrong turn and ended up at a robotics Mars Rover mission competition instead. This led to the first Lego League at `Iolani School. During her retirement, Mrs. Stepien looks forward to following her love of photography (to take pictures of all the sunrises and sunsets) standup paddleboarding, and sewing, as well as helping NOAA with monk seal rescues and caring for her 5th grandchild arriving in September. Complementing the lessons learned from her experiences, Mrs. Stepien believes in following your heart and dreams. “Live, smile, and enjoy each day - it’s a gift.”
Lighter Side
Page 12
Imua `Iolani
Hey, what are you doing over summer vacation? “I’m going to Australia with my best friend from elementary school. I’m going to find myself a husband there - a beautiful Australian husband.” - Leilani Etheron ‘14
“I’m going to shred the gnar, skating, surfing, and other extreme sports.” - Dane Perrott ‘14
“I’m looking forward to preparing for next school year and clearing out the Room of Doom in my house.” -Mrs. Higashihara
“I’m going to volunteer at Queen’s hospital. Basically I’m going to help transport elderly patients in wheelchairs, but I think it’s going to be a really great experience.” - Kori Chun ‘15
“I’m hoping to go into medicine eventually, so I’m going to intern at dialysis centers around the island.” - Frishan Paulo ‘14 “I’m going on vacation to Oregon with my sons and their wives and my grandchildren. We’re going to go hiking and horesback riding and berry picking. -Aunty Sue
“I’m travleing with IDP to Edinburgh, Scotland. We’re going to perform Sweeney Todd at the Fringe Festival, which should be cool.” - Ethan Moon ‘16
Dang it, ding dong! How to swear like Kamu
By Imua `Iolani Staff
He’s one of the biggest dudes on campus. He’s also one of the sweetest guys you’ll ever meet. Junior Kamuela Borden stands 6’ 3”. He is the 2014 State Champion in shot put, a member of the varsity football team, and he played on the banner-winning 2014 Div I boys basketball team. He can put on the scariest game face, but he’s never seen an R-rated movie, and has sworn off swearing. Here’s a guide to help you up your game and swear like the big man.
Ding dong (n) Term of derision used to indicate a foolish person. “Eh, don’t act like that, you ding dong.”
gun funet (int) Gosh darn it
Whip yo ‘elemu (v) threat of bodily harm to one’s posterior
Flip (int) Shucks! As in, “Flip! I forgot we had a test today!”
Bull Horns (n) Used to call a person’s bluff, as in, “I don’t believe you, ba. That’s bull horns!”
Oh snap (int) Like “oh shoot”, an expression of surprise or disappointment
Terrible (n ) In extrem ely shameful or deplora ble condition. “Dude, I s aw what you’re we aring to p rom and it’s... TER RIBLE!”
Ba of s (n) Sh bra aying orter d w b sou dah th rothe ay ro nd at und like doesn r erg fem ’ arm inie t ent s
(I don’t give a) Flying Sock: (int) I could not care less