February 14, 2012

IMUA ‘IOLANI

February 14, 2012 News Briefs

A Voice for Students since 1923

Honolulu, Hawaii

Volume 87, Issue 3

Love in the air: Three heartfelt stories Valentine’s: Recognizing Love or Singles-Awareness?

By Jaylene-Rose Lee

Spelling champ buzzes to states

Toshiro Yanai ‘16 will be advancing to the Hawaii State Spelling Bee on March 24 at the PBS Studio in Honolulu. He placed first in the Honolulu district bee.

Today we celebrate the loved (or loathed, depending on the viewpoint) holiday, Valentine’s Day. From school hallways and locker rooms to Facebook statuses and Tumblr reblogs, Valentine’s Day is everywhere.

Due to the customs of flower-giving, card-sending, and candy-eating, businesses flourish on Valentine’s Day. Each year, Americans send more than 140 million Valentine’s Day cards and spend roughly $20 billion on chocolate and candy and about $360 million on flowers.

So if not a holiday, what is Valentine’s Day? Is it truly a day to recognize love, or is it rather a day to remind people of their solitary status?

Fear not, singles. Stop watching Nicholas Sparks movies and put down the gallon of ice cream. According to recent numbers, over 90 million people (almost half of the U.S. population) in America are single. What’s more, the number of proposals on Valentine’s Day is slowly climbing each year! So don’t lose hope!

Though some may feel personally victimized by Valentine’s Day, it really is another day that you don’t get to skip school for. With that said, how is it possible for one day to elicit such stress? Maybe it’s the power of love.

A Valentine’s Day Tragic Blessing

Circulate your Love -- Give Blood

For my family, Feb. 14 is special. On Valentine’s Day 17 years ago, my dad was cooking steak and rice for my mom, who was sick and three months pregnant with me.

My older brother Zach, eight months old at the time, climbed into my father’s lap and reached for the rice cooker. Before my dad could react, Zach yanked the cord and brought down a full pot of steaming hot water and uncooked rice upon his undeveloped, infant head.

My dad rushed him to the bathtub while screaming for my mom to call an ambulance. My brother’s face, chest, chin, and right arm had immediately begun to swell, and he was at risk of suffocation.

At Kapiolani Hospital, the doctors were amazed after hearing the story that somewhat magically the water had taken an unusual route, and avoided all but the side of my brother’s face. Had it traveled just inches further, he could have been blinded, suffocated, or suffered other serious injuries.

Zach later had to have two surgeries because he could not fully extend his right arm. But now, as a junior, the effects of that day are nearly unnoticeable other than a long scar on his arm.

To this day, my parents tell us that because of all the love in the air that day, my brother lived, and that an angel had put their hand on Zach’s face, and guided the boiling water away from where it would harm him most. Had it happened any other day, they assure us, there is no telling if he would have made it. But thanks to Valentine’s Day and the spirit of love, in just two weeks, my family made it out of the ICU.

Vampires and the blood bank have one thing in common; they both want your blood! March 3 is the annual Iolani Blood Drive from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Seto Hall.

Although many students and faculty may want to donate blood, potential donors must meet a series of certain requirements. Donors must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds, but they also cannot have any recent piercings anywhere besides the ear lobes.

Dietary habits are also important when donating blood. According to the Blood Bank of Hawaii’s ‘Guide to Giving Blood’, “having low hemoglobin (iron) is the number one cause of blood donor deferrals.”

Another prerequisite for donating blood is the donor’s traveling history. Recent travel to some nations disqualifies donors as they could have picked up dangerous blood-borne diseases.

Jaime Rosenberg ‘12 will consider donating blood. “I hope that if I were in an accident and needed a blood transfusion then blood would be provided for me,” she said. Rachel Ray ‘12 added, “And if everyone just takes, takes, takes and doesn’t donate, there would be no blood in the blood bank.”

‘Iolani hopes to have at least 110 people sign up to donate blood, but because people often back out or forget about donating, it has set its goal of actual donations at 85. Remember, before donating blood, drink plenty of water and eat a healthy, hearty meal to ensure that the blood you are donating is the best it can possibly be.

By Cassie Busekrus

Photo of Kevin Love by Keith Allison courtesy of Flickr’s Creative Commons

Sending you some [Kevin] Love from the Imua ‘Iolani sports staff!

Photo by Zadi Diaz courtesy of Flickr’s Creative Commons

The cafeteria will serve chocolate-covered strawberries & red velvet cupcakes today.

Cartoon by Cordelia Xie

By Michael Zobian

Unlocking Mr. Mali: Keables Chair 2012

By Ross Villiger and Jeri Miyasato Taylor Mali was raised in a family of words. He insists that the only instance when a member of his family could leave the dinner table was to look up a word in the dictionary.

Mali, 46, was the said his favorite word of three letters is YES, an encouraging, inspirational word that represents determination. His own determination has led him to a tenacious fight

for the future of education. Mali, a performer and poet, has used his words to inspire people to declare their dream of teaching.

From Jan. 23 to Feb. 3, Mali visited the ‘Iolani campus as the Keables Chair holder, presenting his poetry and leading English classes. The Keables Chair, started in 1982, is an endowed teaching position that each year brings to ‘Iolani a teacher who excels in English and writing. The chair was named after Harold Keables, an English teacher who was the originator of the grammar and

style guide named after him.

Mali, a self-proclaimed Scrabble aficionado, is also four-time winner of the National Poetry Slam Competition. Poetry slam is a form of poetry that is spoken aloud. “Poems that are read out loud can withstand more sentimentality,” he said. His poem “The Naked Gardener” is a literal scene structured eloquently to be a piece of sentiment and humor.

“The makeup of the audience affects the poem,” he said. “The audience responds to guts, beauty, and honesty.”

Mali considers himself as much an educator as he does a poet. In fact, his zest for teaching and everything it stands for is well represented in many of his works, most of which deal with his own experiences as an instructor in New York City and Cape Cod. But Mali never really let go of his inner teacher. In fact, as soon as he decided to “put his teaching career on hold” in search of another way to make a difference, he set out to, not surprisingly, find a new way to teach.

In 2000, Mali set a goal: to persuade 1,000 people to become teachers through portraying in his poetry of the rewards of teaching. In his pursuit of the New Teacher Project goal, he has not cut his hair. With 925 teachers on the rolls as of Feb. 1, Mali has planned his first haircut in over a decade for April 7, when he will donate his locks to Pantene Beautiful Lengths.

Jasmine Ying and Trey Takara also contributed to this article.

Valentine’s Day

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Dr. Iwashita began his education at Ali`iolani Elementary School Dr. Iwashita attended Jarrett Middle School for two years

Dr. Iwashita joined the `Iolani community as a freshman, then graduated four years later in 1967. He played baseball and was a member of the Japanese club for all four years. His inspiring senior quote was, “The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult.”

Dr. Iwashita went to the University of Hawaii for his bachelor’s and master’s degree in education. He also met a girl named Cynthia who later became Mrs. Iwashita.

Dr. Val I Imua ‘Iolani

By Iris Kuo and Max Wei Dr. Val Iwashita is a lot of firsts. He’s the first `Iolani alumnus to be head of the school. He’s the first Asian-American head of the school. He’s the first person from Hawaii to be named Chair of the National Association of Independent Schools.

But, most importantly, he’s the first person that comes to `Iolani students’ minds when they hear the word “headmaster.”

Now, after 17 years as headmaster, Dr. Iwashita has decided to retire.

“You know, I’ve been starting to feel nostalgic lately,” he said. “I can remember my first few days on the job; I was very happy to have been named headmaster. It was a big school, a big job.”

Dr. Iwashita doesn’t claim to have had a sturdy vision coming into the job, but he knew he had to build productive relations with faculty, staff, and the Board of Governors.

“My hope,” Dr. Iwashita said, “was that together we could develop and move forward with a vision [of updating the technology and infrastructure].”

And according to Dr. Carey Inouye, Dr. Iwashita did just that. “He’s moved us forward in many ways educationally and technologically even while the economy is a bit rough,” Doc Inouye said, citing the Sullivan Center as an example.

Capt. Tom Miller, headmaster prior to Dr. Iwashita, agreed, saying that Dr. Iwashita is known for his concept of enhancing the campus, and his vision of a new building is representative of his forward thinking. Capt. Miller added that Dr. Iwashita made his mark in furthering and enhancing the `Iolani spirit, which, coincidentally, Dr. Iwashita named as something he will miss.

Above all, Dr. Iwashita says he will miss the community. “It’s the people that really make `Iolani what it is. It’s how people step up to the plate under challenging circumstances. It’s the support we have for each other. We might disagree, but we all love `Iolani.”

Before being named ‘Iolani headmaster in 1995, Dr. Iwashita worked at Mid-Pacific Institute for 20 years, first as a counselor, then a dorm adviser, and finally as principal. He credited Lester Cingcade, a former headmaster of MPI, with encouraging him to broaden his experiences and perspectives.

“We all need mentors,” he said. “We all need people that support and guide us, especially when we’re young.”

As a daughter of `Iolani, I’ve been under Dr. Iwashita’s guidance, albeit indirectly, from a very young age. And although there’s no way of knowing for sure, I’m fairly certain that the direction in which he chose to guide `Iolani is part of the reason my years here have been so enjoyable.

“At the Thanksgiving chapel service, Chaplain MK asked us all to name three things we’re grateful for. My three were family and friends, good health, and my years at `Iolani School. They were just the best years of my life professionally and personally.”

In June, I will complete my 13 years at `Iolani and head to graduation. I will sit with the other members of the Class of 2012 as Dr. Iwashita addresses us, and I will shake his hand after receiving my diploma. All of this will happen in accordance with tradition. This year, though, he will graduate with us.

Dr. Iwashita leaves behind a school that’s moved forward under his direction, students who identify him as their only headmaster, and a community that he’s touched in an unforgettable way.

Erin Nakamura and David Pang contributed.

Today is Dr. Iwashita’s birthday! If he had been born two days earlier, on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, Val would have been Abe instead.

Dr. Iwashita received his doctorate in education at Brigham Young University.

Iwashita February 14, 2012

Val Day

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Dr. Iwashita announced his plan to retire on August 18, 2011.

Kekoa Morris | Imua Iolani Dr. Val Iwashita, pictured here with his wife, Mrs. Cynthia Iwashita, has announced his plan to retire at the end of this school year. When he retires in June, Dr. Iwashita will have been headmaster of `Iolani for 17 years. All other photos on the page provided courtesy of `Iolani archives.

Val’s valentine

By Matthew Callahan and Kekoa Morris

They say that behind every great man is a great woman. Mrs. Iwashita, Iolani’s “First Lady,” can often be found walking her dog Raider outside of her house with a warm and inviting smile. She acts as an ambassador for the school, helping to arrange social and fundraising events. With Dr. Iwashita’s retirement around the corner, the Imua ‘Iolani staff had the opportunity to talk to this remarkable woman about her marriage to Dr. Iwashita, thoughts on his retirement, and the 17 amazing years she’s enjoyed at ‘Iolani School.

How does Valentine’s Day for the Headmaster’s wife differ from that of any other girl? Not much, apparently. The holiday shares its date with Mr. Iwashita’s birthday, and as a result is usually overshadowed.

The best Valentine’s gift he has given to her throughout the years is the simple act of taking time from his busy schedule to celebrate his date of birth.

But the worst? “One year, I guess he just forgot, so he gave me some money and told me to get something for myself”--a little surprising for the man whose name derives from this romantic holiday. To put any uncertainty to rest, she revealed that Val was indeed named after Saint Valentine, though his parents had originally planned to name him Abraham because of his expected arrival on the sixteenth president’s birthday, February 12.

The two met at a party as students of the University of Hawaii, where she claims it was love at first sight.

“His confidence and sociability won me over,” she

said, though she hinted that a snazzy Chevy convertible should also receive some credit. Nearly forty years later, the couple is still happily married. When asked what the secret is to a long-lasting relationship, she replied that it is important to maintain constant communication, especially when you’d rather not.

Sadly, this will be their last Valentine’s as a formal part of ‘Iolani. Her husband’s transition into retirement is a bittersweet ending to the couple’s long life on the campus of this school. For her, the 17 years she has spent with ‘Iolani have been “heaven on Earth.” What has impressed her most about the school since the beginning is the warmth of its members; the students, whose courtesy and diversity are far from the academic robots that such a rigorous curriculum would normally produce, and the staff, who are more like an extended family than co-workers. However, Mrs. Iwashita said that both her and her husband would remain extremely involved in ‘Iolani activities, just not on a day-to-day basis. However, Mrs. Iwashita said the school will be left in good hands as she feels all the potential headmaster candidates are “extremely qualified.”

Those that remember events like the Pumpkin Patch or sixth grade promotion will lament the loss of such an integral part of the ‘Iolani Ohana, but she promises that they will maintain strong ties to the school for many years to come.

Dr. Iwashita worked at Mid-Pacific Institute for 20 years as a counselor, a dorm adviser, then as principal.

Dr. Iwashita was inaugurated as headmaster of `Iolani on Nov. 5, 1995.

Valentine’s Day

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Imua ‘Iolani

Hearts Through Time and Space

By Ashley Mizuo

Today is February 14, Saint Valentine’s Day, but most people shorten the name to just “Valentine’s Day.” In modern times, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, where couples give each other flowers and candy with the words, “I love you.” But how was this day started? Who decided to make a day dedicated to one of the most complex emotions? Although no one really knows for sure, here are a few legends.

In the first legend, Valentine was a priest who lived in Rome during the third century. The ruling emperor, Claudius II, said that young men could no longer marry because single men were better soldiers, but Saint Valentine, aware of his wrongdoing, still married these couples in secret. Soon, Claudius II found out and demanded that Saint Valentine be executed. It is also rumored that while in prison, Saint Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter, who frequently visited him. Before he died, he wrote her a letter and signed it, “From your Valentine.”

Many believe that Saint Valentine died on February 14, and thus gave the date its name. Others argue that the Roman Catholic Church decreed to make the Pagan festival of Lupercalia, which celebrated fertility on February 15, pure on that day. Before the fifth century, all the young women of marrying age would put all their names in a pot during the festival while the men would pick the name of their future spouse from the pot. This was deemed not very Christian and was discontinued. In France and England, February 14 was seen as the day that birds would mate, lead-

ing people to classify it as a time of romance.

In Japan and Korea, Valentine’s Day is a day for women to give all of their male co-workers chocolate unless the 14th is on a Sunday.

If so, they give chocolate to a special loved one. On March 14, or “White Day,” men return the favor. In Korea, they also have a “Black Day” on April 14. If a person does not receive anything on February or March 14, they go to a restaurant, eat black noodles, and mourn their single life.

As you can see, there are a number of stories concerning the origin of Valentine’s Day. But regardless of which one you choose to believe, the general idea is that Valentine’s day is a day for love, be it romantic or platonic. So, spend this day showing people how much you love them by sending them chocolate, a flower, or a greeting “from your Valentine.”

Information source: Wikipedia

Planning a Bad Day

By Ashley Mizuo

Almost everyone (whether they will admit it or not) has a perfect Valentine’s Day fantasy. For some, it entails candy shaped hearts, chocolates, flowers, and romance. For others, it means going out with that special someone. Yet, while many daydream about their perfect Valentine’s Day, few spend the time to plan out their Valentine’s Day nightmare. This is mine.

I wake up Valentine’s Day morning with strong hopes that someone will send me a candygram or a flower. Or maybe I’ll get to go out tonight with that boy I’ve been thinking about for the past three months. Upon arrival at school I already see many couples exchanging gifts, a flower here, a chocolate box there. I watch, amused, as each couple tries to outdo the others with more and more flamboyant and extravagant gifts. Being the festive person I am, I’ve decided to wear 100 percent pink, red, and white. Walking to my locker, still jealously staring at yet another girl who just received a dozen beautiful red roses, I slip on a muddy puddle. I let out an ear-curling shriek and fall right on my back in the mud. My formerly red, pink, and white heart outfit is now brown, dirty, and muddy. With all eyes on me, I slowly pick myself up and head to homeroom; it’s 7:35 a.m., and I have no time to change if I want to make it to homeroom on time. I walk into homeroom, completely frazzled and out of place. I track mud into the classroom, and realize that I’m going to have to clean that up before I leave for period one. On the bright side, since I’m in homeroom maybe I’ll get that candygram. I wait for my name to be called. I wait, and I wait, but it is never called. I sadly stand up and walk to the bathroom to clean myself up.

On the way, I run into HIM, the boy that I can’t get out of my head. He waves; he must be waving at me--we’re the only two people in the hallway. I wave back. He says a cheery “Happy Valentine’s Day!” and goes on his merry way. He had to see me now?

NOW? When I’ve just fallen in the mud? When I look like a complete mess? What an embarrassing disaster! I could just die, die in a hole. It would be so much better than walking around all day knowing that he saw me like this! Man, Valentine’s Day is the worst. The day goes on as usual, and I am still smashed with homework, but it’s okay because I didn’t have any plans to go out. I arrive at home, open the freezer and pull out my companion for the night, a box of Haagen-Dazs ice cream. I guess this would be a good time to post on my Facebook, #foreveralone.

I hope that everyone has a happier Valentine’s Day than that! Even if you don’t have a date, do something with friends so you don’t have to be alone on this holiday! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Imua ‘Iolani is published by the students of 'Iolani School, located at 563 Kamoku Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96826. Est. 1923, printed at Hawaii Hochi Ltd. Editor-In-Chief: Iris Kuo

Layout Editors: Bianca Bystrom Pino Maya Stevens Contributors: Cassie Busekrus Matthew Callahan Ashley Cobile Maile Greenhill Jaylene-Rose Lee

10 movies to watch on Valentine’s with or without Ryan Gosling

By Claire Furukawa It’s the bittersweet-loveydovey-milk-chocolate-red-rosebouquet time of year again! Valentine’s Day is a time for being excited about that special person in your life or the newly kindled spark of a relationship. On a different note, it’s also a stressful time of year where singles are reminded that they haven’t found

Korry Luke Ashley Mizuo Kekoa Morris David Pang Max Wei Michael Zobian Adviser: Ms. Karin Swanson

that special someone...yet. Regardless, a good tear-jerking film with (or without) a loved one and a bag of Hershey’s chocolates can bring more comfort on Valentine’s Day than you could ever imagine. So without further ado, here’s a list of the best romance movies in honor of February 14!

Imua 'Iolani accepts advertising submissions on a space-available basis. The deadline for the next issue is Feb. 17, 2012.

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