THEVolume LEADER 96: Issue 1
April 21, 2011
Ke Alaka i THE LEADER
Commencement Commencement Theend endisisonly only the The beginning 6 the beginning
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Table of Contents
Ke Alaka i April 21, 2011 • Volume 96: Issue 1
VALERIE BAGLEY e di tor-i n - c h ie f
KENT CAROLLO art director
SAM SUKIMAWA he ad photograph e r
LEEANN LAMBERT advisor
COPY Editors
Cover: Sasa Zibe, a graduate from Tonga, is showered with leis at the April 2011 commencement ceremony. Photo by Taylor Rippy
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Freshman sends aid to Japan... before the earthquake. Destiny or dumb luck?
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Get a glimpse of the finest photography this side of the Focus Film Club
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Winter 2011 graduates take a walk and face the future
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A few flicks to look forward to this summer
Video Production
N i col e C lark Gabby Saballon e s Ash l en Qu iran te Amy H an son
Aa r o n K n u d s e n Lindsay Bancroft
photographer B art Jol le y De wey K e ith ly
art & graphics Joan Yau Naomi Yanga
Multimedia journalists Jame s C ho i , Aaron Pu z ey , Na tha n P a ck er , Tay lor Rippy, M a r ni Va i l
INTERNS
web design
R ac h e l A u Ie on g S u za n n e Tu ttle
Rachel Au Ieong
Ad manager A aron Kn u d s e n
Email: kealakai@byuh.edu AD INFO: KEALAKAIADS@GMAIL.COM Phone: ( 8 0 8 ) 6 7 5 - 3 6 9 4 Fax: (8 0 8) 6 7 5 - 3 4 9 1 Office: C am pu s A loh a C e n t e r R o o m 1 34 News Center Box 1920 BYUH Laie, HI 96762
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Robert R. Holland D.C., L.M.T.
CHIROPRACTIC & MASSAGE THERAPY Specializing in Medical Massage and Soft Tissue
Rehabilitation for Whiplash Injury, Neck Pain and Back Pain No Fault Insurance Accepted
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NOTE WORTHY NEWS HEADLINES
Invisible Children: BYU–Hawaii will have the opportunity to learn about the conflicts in Northern Africa, specifically with the abductions of children made into soldiers in Sudan, Uganda, and the DR Congo on April 26, in the McKay Auditorium at 7 p.m. The nonprofit organization, known as Invisible Children, will share a documentary and teach about how to advocate for change. Tickets are free. For further inquiries, email nellie3@go.byuh.edu. Worldfest Worldfest is in the Aloha Center Mall April 21 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. At Worldfest you can sign up for one of the cultural, academic or special interest clubs. Dues are $3. The event repeats again on Friday and again next Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
Education Week: Kahului Hawaii Stake President, Arnold Kelii Wunder will be the keynote speaker for the 2011 Hawaii Education Week that will be held on BYUHawaii campus on June 10 and 11. Volunteers will receive a free day pass to attend the workshops for the conference. The Ko’olauloa Children’s Singing Choir, under the direction of Esther Macy, will present “Light the Candles All Around the World” on April 28 from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the McKay Auditorium. Due to live recording, children under five will not be allowed. Attire is Aloha Wear.
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NOTEWORTHY NAME: LAUGHING SAMOANS WHY THEY’RE NOTEWORTHY: Talofa lava! BYUH Performance
Series welcomed “The Laughing Samoans” on Tuesday, April 19. The comedic duo, Eteuati Ete and Tofiga Fepulea’i premiered their acts in February 2003 at the New Zealand Fringe Festival. Since then, “Laughing with Samoans” has been an instant hit with immediate requests for return performances. They’ve been producing and performing to sold-out crowds all over the globe, including New Zealand, Samoa and Hawaii. THEIR TAKE: “Its so nice to be here. We’ve performed here numerous times and it’s always special. The crowd is amazing and you can count on our audience to be with us mentally and spiritually. It’s great because we can expect them to be sober as our show is mostly for family. We’re really blessed and humbled by the support we receive.”
-J AME S CHOI
G o onlin e to Kea l a ka i . byuh. ed u Fo r fu r t h e r info r ma t i o n.
April 21, 2011
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april is ‘Tsunami Awareness month’ “If the earth is shaking so hard that you have difficulty standing... there’s a very strong likelihood that there will be tsunami.” -Gerard Fryer, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
April is Tsunami Awareness Month for the state of Hawaii, and emergency officials are encouraging the public to learn from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Held annually, Tsunami Awareness Month occurs to commemorate the tsunami that hit the Hawaiian Islands on April 1, 1946, which took 159 lives. Though most of the victims were on the Big Island, 18 lost their lives on Kauai, six died on Oahu and 12 were killed on Maui. Preparation is key in coping with natural disasters. Residents must know what to do and where to go if they live in an evacuation zone. “When the warning was issued, my friends thought that I was overreacting, but I figure that you can’t be over-prepared for events like that,” shared Rachel Johnson,
a sophomore in secondary education from Riverton, Utah. While it’s important to be aware of warnings from emergency management officials, geophysicist Gerard Fryer of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center advised, “If the earth is shaking so hard that you have difficulty standing. If that’s how hard it’s shaking that means there’s a very strong likelihood that there will be tsunami.” According to the Star Advertiser, the city of Honolulu has also said that it is increasing the use of text messages and e-mail, via www.nixle.com, to get emergency messages to residents and others. BYU-Hawaii students will receive text alerts in time of crisis. -TAYLOR RIP P Y
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eagle scout, BYUh freshman helps prep japan for disaster S t u dent makes 72- h ou r kit s f or Jap a nes e m i s s i o na r i es ju s t p r i or to the e art hquake s an d ts una m i i n Ma r ch “Always be prepared” was the motto Eric McIntyre had in mind when preparing for his Eagle Scout project last year. Little did he know the 72-hour kits he prepared for missionaries serving in Japan would be put to use within the very year when the tsunami struck. “Because of Japan’s history with major earthquakes and tsunamis and also the missionaries lack of emergency kits here in Kobe, I felt that it would be a good idea if I volunteered to make the kits. My father is actually the mission president of Kobe, Japan, so it wasn’t hard to get approval for this project,” explained McIntyre. The projected commenced around January of 2010 but wasn’t completely finished until sometime around May of 2010. The kits consisted of basic needs such as bottles of water, cans of fruit, peanut butter, canned tuna and rice crackers as well as saltines. Items that could also come in handy (other than food) such as toilet paper, gloves, garbage bags, a tarp, flashlight, etc. were also distributed within that same month.
When it comes to inspiration for the project idea, McIntyre gives credit to his father. “My project came to mind simply because of a need that needed to be filled here in Kobe, Japan. I needed an Eagle Project, and it just so happened that the missionaries needed emergency kits. I wouldn’t say that I was inspired, but it is possible that my father was. He had been talking about how a major disaster could happen at any time and that he wanted to make sure the missionaries in the outer areas of the Kobe mission would be okay,” said McIntyre. While McIntyre is now back in Japan preparing for his own mission, he was still here in school at BYU-Hawaii when news of the earthquake first hit. McIntyre knew that scientists had predicted an earthquake of about that scale for about the last 50 years yet nothing had happened so far. “To hear that [the earthquake] finally came sent me into a state of unbelief. I still remember looking at my phone as I
Eric McIntyre, a freshman from Japan, made 72-hour kits for elders in the Kobe Mission. Photo by BYUH
walked back from basketball practice and seeing 13 or so messages. Luckily my dad got through to me immediately after the earthquake to let me know that he along with my family was fine, but it wasn’t until the next day that I found out that my grandparents were fine as well,” he said. McIntyre was grateful to have fellow Japanese roommates and friends to talk to in the midst of all the disaster. “I am glad to say that no one I know was hurt in this disaster, but it still hurts to think about all of those who weren’t as lucky,” said McIntyre. While he doesn’t know how much his kits helped in Kobe, he did feel a sense of relief to know that the missionaries who might have had some trouble would be able to use his kits and hopefully better their situations.
- ASHLE N QU IRANTE
APRIL 21, 2011
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Re v i e w i n g t h e p a s t ,
Facing the future C la ss o f 20 1 1
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amily and friends filled the crowded Cannon Activities Center as the processional began and graduates filed in through the double doors for the Winter 2011 commencement on Saturday, April 9. The celebration recognized their hard work and served as an outlet for reflection on students’ time spent at BYUH. Phil Andrus, a graduate in international cultural studies from Oregon said, “I can’t see myself having had a better experience anywhere else. I cherish my experience at BYUH because of the friends I have made from all across the world and because of the ability we have as students to interact and learn from professors one on one. I think we take it for granted sometimes.” Over 350 students graduated this semester from over 70 countries. Elder Left: Nathan Williams; Below: Desiree Arthur. Photos by Bart Jolley
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“My time here has not only allowed me to make countless friends from across the world... but it has also found in me qualities I never knew I had to become an asset in my home country when returning home.” -Wendy Vaivai, New Zealand Russell M. Nelson spoke to the graduating seniors, along with student speaker Chris Breese, an art major from San Diego, Calif. “BYUH has been an experience of a lifetime that I will never forget,” said Wendy Vaivai, an elementary education major from New Zealand. “My time here has not only allowed me make countless friends from across the world, whom I will forever remember, but it has also found in me qualities I never knew I had to become an asset in my home country when returning home.” Vincent Murahwa from Zimbabwe, who graduated in art education said, “I feel like [BYUH is] a place where you mingle with students from different cultures, and you come to appreciate the world as a place
where different individuals share common goals.” “BYU-Hawaii is a great school, with the friendliest people, in the best place in the world. I’ve earned a degree in business management, and I have loved my years at this school,” commented Katie Bowers, a graduate from Oregon. “The town of Laie is such a wonderful and inspired place to have this school. My professors here have been very helpful and kind, and I can tell they want their students to succeed.” Bowers feels that students shouldn’t take for granted the north shore, the diversity of the people and the privileges of being at BYUH. - T AYLO R RIPPY
Below: Wesley Nye, Glen Palepoi, Dominic Ho Jian Yin; Top right: Jessica Mcmaster; Middle right: Joshua Cooper; Bottom right: Flora Ah Chee Fiaui. Photos by Bart Jolley. For more photos, go to kealakai.byuh.edu or visit Ke Alaka‘i on Facebook.
Stayin g fo cu se d F ocus Film Club ann ou nc es w i nner s to p ho to g r a p hy co ntes t
Above: “Light of my sky” Davia Au, Hong Kong Sophomore, Elementary Education Above right: “Under Mom’s Wing” Makoto Asai, Japan Junior, Business Right: “Next Generation” Li HWa (Emily) Wong, Malaysia Freshman, Business Management “Focus Film and Photography Club is a club that focuses on helping and supporting students with interests in photography, filming, and modeling. The club organizes activities that allow students to explore and improve skills having to do with these hobbies.” -Ka Lai Chan, President
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Photo by Rachel Au Ieong
Y e ar book DVD av ailable for p urcha se Ke Alaka‘i’s Yearbook DVD is a compilation of movies, interviews, photos and events that have taken place at BYU-Hawaii within the past year. Students who graduate or who wish to remember the past year can watch memories of the good times they had on campus. The surprise cafeteria musical, a day in the life of PCC workers and sports highlights are just a few of the memories available in this compilation. The DVD is divided into several categories:
Academics Inspirational Student Life PCC Life Housing
Food-Cafeteria Outdoor Sports Behind the Scenes Photos
The yearbook also features the vocal talent of community members and BYUH students. You can purchase the Semester Snapshots Yearbook DVD from the Ke Alaka‘i office located in the Aloha Center for $10. -S u z anne T uttle
march 31, 2011
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P r e s i d ent Wheelright s h a r es hi s vi s i on wit h in c o mi ng s tuden t s While the McKay Auditorium is a common site for concerts and theatrical productions, on the evening of April 17, it was transformed into a religion classroom. It was filled with new students who were invited to meet their new President, Steven C. Wheelwright, and returning students. George Tuihalangiegie, a junior in accounting from California, said that he learned “how to apply the scriptures more” and felt “it was a good introduction for new students to know what our school is about.” With chalk in hand, Wheelwright stood at the helm of the discussion inviting new students to catch a glimpse of his vision for them. Wheelwright said, “The best way
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[to become who you want to be], is to pray daily and read the scriptures.” Using the Book of Mormon as his guide, he proceeded to fill the hour with spiritual insights as students read with him from 1 Nephi chapters 17 and 18. President Wheelwright pointed out the Lord didn’t tell Nephi everything because he wanted him to keep coming back. Wheelwright explained, “This is exactly what the Lord would like you to do: to go to him regularly… He’s not going to reveal everything, but he will inspire you and help you, and reveal things to you that you haven’t thought about asking.” He explained that the Lord wants to be a part of “studying, writing papers and taking exams, but he’s going to rely on you to come and ask.” To help students remember the things taught at the fireside, each student was given a little blue velvet box with a large
silver coin inside -- the same coin that was once passed out to BYUH students at a fall 2009 devotional. On one side is printed the school’s motto, “Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve” and the other side is the Laie Temple. Printed on the outer rim of the coin is the word “Aloha.” President Wheelwright explained the significance of the word in four parts: A- Atonement, which everything is built around Christ’s life, mission and resurrection; L- Love: Because the savior taught us to love; O- Obedience: Blessings come when we are obedient; HA- The breath of life in Hawaii Jason Choi, senior in music and vocal performance from Korea said, “It was a reminder to let the Lord be a part of our plan.” -MARNI VAIL
S UM MER MOVIE LINEUP M AY Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Release Date: May 20 Rated PG-13 Thor Release date: May 6 Rated PG-13 Kung Fu Panda 2 Release Date: May 26 Rated PG
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Green Lantern Release Date: June 17 Not Yet Rated X-Men: First Class Release Date: June 3 Not Yet Rated Super 8 Release Date: June 10 Not Yet Rated
X -Me n: F irst Cl a ss
J U LY
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-Part 2 Release Date: July 15 Rated PG-13 Captain America: The First Avenger Release Date: July 22 Not Yet Rated Cowboys and Aliens Release Date: July 29 Harry Not Yet Rated
Po t t er
A U GUST Rise of the Planet of the Apes Release Date: August 5 Not Yet Rated The Help Release Date: August 12 Rated PG-13 T he H e l p
More summer movie previews at kealakai.byuh.edu
march 31, 2011
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Women’s tennis team wins Pac West Conference Tournament Championship The second-ranked BYU-Hawaii women’s tennis defeated fifth-ranked Hawaii Pacific last week 5-0 to win the Pacific West Conference Tournament championship. The Seasiders swept all three doubles matches and won quickly at number two and number three singles to improve to 26-0 for the season. Elwen Li and Yuan Jia took an 8-0 win at number one doubles while Annie Hwang and Shawni Porter were winning 8-6 at number two doubles. Salina Aranda and Sasha Ulbrichtova claimed the third doubles win 8-4 for the Seasiders. Jia won 6-1, 6-1 at number two singles and Li won 6-1, 6-3 at number three singles to complete the victory for BYU-Hawaii. The Seasiders were leading in three of the other four singles matches when play was stopped. The Seasiders will face SUNY-Albany on April 23 at 9:00 a.m. HST in Laie as a tune-up match for the upcoming NCAA II West Regionals in early May. -B Y U H S ports I n f ormation
Elwen Li helpes bring BYUH women’s tennis to victory. The women’s tennis team is undefeated 26-0. Photo by Mei Yin.
SCOREBOARD SINGLES 1. #1 Annie Hwang, BYUH vs. #6 Zora Vickova, HPU 6-2, 3-2 DNF 2. #2 Yuan Jia, BYUH def. #42 Ielyzaveta Rybakova, HPU 6-1, 6-1 3. #4 Elwen Li, BYUH def. #34 Celina Goetti, HPU 6-1, 6-3 4. Salina Aranda, BYUH vs. Aleksandra Stankovic, HPU 6-1, 4-2 DNF 5. Shawni Porter, BYUH vs. Sandra Wikstrom, HPU 6-4, 1-3 DNF 6. Sasha Ulbrichtova, BYUH vs. Florie Paquay, HPU 5-7, 1-2 DNF DOUBLES 1. #1 Jia/Li, BYUH def. #7 Vickova/Goetti, HPU 8-0 2. #17 Hwang/Porter, BYUH def. Stankovic/Rybakova, HPU 8-6 3. Ulbrichtova/Aranda, BYUH def. Wikstrom/Carrie Shuler, HPU 8-4
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Left: Yuan Jia. Right: I-Hsuan (Annie) Hwang. Photos by Mei Yin. Yin and Jia helped the tennis team win the championship and will have the upcoming NCAA II West Regionals in early May.