McKinley Gets a Health Aide, Page 3
Through the Eyes of Cosplayers, Page 8
Analyzing the Current State of Women’s Reproductive Rights, Page 4
Nisei Alumni Recounts The Second World War, Page 10
Stay Informed with Fact-Checking, Page 12
McKinley High School held a blood drive in March to raise blood and to spread awareness about the reoccurring issues of Hawaii’s blood shortage. McKinley High School has about 40 blood donors among its staff and students..
McKinley’s Blood Drive advisor, Tiffany Miyashiro, has been advising the blood drives for McKinley since 2018 as she hopes to achieve the goal of more students donating blood at the high school blood drive and for more blood drives to come.
“High school blood drives matter because we bring in 10% of the state’s blood supply. And the goal is that if you donate in high school, that maybe you’ll become a lifelong donor,” she said.
Every day, someone in our community needs blood. What makes blood so important is that blood brings oxygen and nutrients to all the parts of the body so they can keep working, as blood also fights infections while carrying hormones around the body.
The Blood Bank of Hawaii is a non-profit organization and the sole provider of blood products to 18 civilian hospitals throughout Hawaii. With only 2% of Hawaii’s population donating blood our communities are constantly facing a blood shortage.
Blood can only be manufactured inside the body, this making blood donors a vital part in maintaining the health of our communities. About 150-200 donors are needed everyday to help meet the needs of Hawaii’s patients, according to the Blood Bank of Hawaii.
A survey conducted by The Pinion found out of 300 staff and students, 49 people have donated blood.
McKinley security guard William Mimura aka Shu, has donated blood 5+ times and believes it’s important for people to donate blood.
“I would like them to know it’s very important because someday it could affect someone that you know; family, friends, they may need the help, they need your blood… and to have a supply ready in very crucial moments because that person may be looking at life or death.”
Although needles are a part of the process, collecting blood isn’t always about collecting as much blood as possible but collecting what patients need when they need it. With casualties arising every day not every situation will be predictable, thus making it impossible to figure out what blood type may be needed for the patient or the exact amount they need or what blood products that patient may need. One in seven people entering the hospital will receive blood and due to the crisis of blood shortage if we don’t get enough blood that single person may not survive.
STAFF & FACULTY
Valerie Dao
Jodi Fong
Heather Itokazu
Aulii Mafi
William Mimura
Cal Muramaru
Jennifer Nakamoto
Joseph Nakamoto
Osamu Ono
Sherry Takao
Russell Vatalro
STUDENTS
Arianne Fiesta
Laurel Stevens
Daisy Wallace
Ram Galanto
Doan Vo
Ashley Kim
Yamato Shiota
Konatsu Udagawa
Shai Simbahon
Aaron Alexis Viloria
Rylen Marcos
Kathleen Yim
Stephanie Lee
Phoebe Yara
Chloe Lee
Kristine Claire Cabaluna
Landen Tialavea
Sitalia Akkin
Peter Ahn
Cy Wall-Silva
Trishele Ann Domingo
Makayla Reyes
Mathias Mafi
Jana Daubs
Dwen Ragnit
Aissea Stagner
Minh Khang Ha
Alan He
Merylle Bonila
Jesse Song
Tina Wong
From 2020 to 2022, McKinley High School did not have a health aide. Students with medical issues had to go to the secondary healthroom, which was in the main office. Principal Ron Okamura said he struggled trying to find a new health aide in those two years. Okamura said the pay for a high school health aide is the same for a middle school and elementary health aide.
“So, because there’s no differential between the two levels, a lot of health aides … will look for elementary school or middle school first before they come to the high school,” Okamura said.
Okamura said that luckily Shelby Johnson, McKinley’s current health aide, wanted the job. When Johnson arrived, MHS was still following COVID-19 protocols during 2022. This made the job a little more difficult than it was before, Okamura said. But Johnson said it was fine.
“She’s done a very good job here, and I’m very happy to have her. And I think the students are as well too,” Okamura said. “If there’s somebody that needs help then she’ll take care of them.”
Since then, Johnson has refurbished her furniture, so the health room has new beds and lamps. She also has
been restocking the health room. The health room has cold/hot packs, ace wraps, gauze, bandage, medical tape, alcohol wipes, a thermometer and feminine hygiene products. She also said that she has ordered period kits and emergency underwear for the female students, as well new wheelchairs.
“I pretty much have everything that we need for the health room,” Johnson said.
The most common reasons students come to the health room she said are headaches, stomachaches, scratches, and cuts, which she can handle. If the patient has a fever, she will call the parents/guardians and send the patient home. If a student has a broken arm, she follows her manual. She will stabilize the bleeding and the broken area. Then she would contact the parents. If they do not answer the phone, she will call EMS.
“[I’ll] always contact parents before calling EMS because parents can probably come pick them up and since the ambulance costs money,” Johnson said.
The health aide cannot give medicine for things like fever or colds unless given permission.
“I can give medication as long as it’s approved and they have an emergency action plan,” Johnson said.
If a student needs to take ADHD medication, they have to have it ap-
proved by their doctor, complete the paperwork for it, and have Johnson complete her side of the paperwork for it. If a student is having an allergic reaction and does not have their EpiPen or EAP, she has to call the ambulance and contact parents or guardians. Johnson said she has yet to experience any serious emergencies, thankfully.
Johnson said that if the students need someone to comfortably talk about things, then they are welcome to visit the health room in A100.
“I am a safe person to talk to about anything really,” Johnson said.
The Pinion conducted a survey to see how frequently students visit the healthroom.
High schoolers are at an age where they are becoming sexually active, where the possibility of getting pregnant or getting someone pregnant is higher. Reproductive freedom and abortion rights in the United States has been seen frequently on the media and news after the overturn of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022.
Roe v. Wade was essentially a privacy case in which the Supreme Court decided that the right to privacy implied in the 14th Amendment protected abortion as a fundamental right. However, even with this law came the government’s power to regulate or restrict abortion access depending on certain factors. Since its overturn, abortion laws have been up to the states. In Hawaii, a woman is able to access abortion until the fetus is viable, or able to survive outside of the womb, according to Abortion Finder. But now, with almost half of the states either fully banning or placing heavy restrictions on abortion, leaving Hawaii could mean different abortion laws.
“It was a realization that a lot of people had feared for years, especially with some of the more newly appointed Supreme Court justices with a more conservative slant,” Rajani Dhakhwa Morita, a social studies teacher at McKinley High School said. “It’s concerning that our right to privacy and our freedom to make private decisions has been jeopardized, if not actually taken away.
Abortion has been part of the full scope of reproductive healthcare, something that has been debated for decades, way before Roe v. Wade. According to The Cupola, in June 1914, the Woman Rebel, a magazine that purposefully defied the Comstock laws, first used the phrase “birth control” and first cited the existence of a birth control movement. The Comstock Laws criminalizing any use of the U.S. Postal Service to send any of the following items: obscenity, contraceptives, abortifacients,
sex toys, or personal letters with any sexual content or information.
Makenna Murphy, a student teacher at McKinley High School said Roe being overturned was “a sad day in American history.”
“I thought we were going back in time,” Murphy said. “It was a huge backstep and undid all the work women had done for years.”
Her opinions regarding abortion rights reflect the message “my body, my choice.”
“Every woman should have the right to her own body and they should have the right to choose.” Murphy said. “If you personally wouldn’t have an abortion, that’s your decision. However, you do not get to dictate what happens to someone else’s body.”
In addition to the debate on individual choice, the overturning of Roe has caused concern about a rise in maternal mortality. Roe v. Wade reduced maternal mortality rates by 30%-40% by securing access to safe and legal abortions. Pre-Roe, in the 1950s and 60s, between 200,000 and 1.2 million women underwent illegal abortions each year in the U.S., most of the procedures done in unsafe conditions, according to Scientific America. At one point, illegal abortion accounted for an estimated 18% of all reported pregnancy related deaths, the actual number most likely being much higher but many deaths were attributed to other causes.
Results from a survey held by Kaiser Family Foundation, an independent health policy research source, revealed that 64% of all obstetricians and gynecologists believe that the ruling has worsened overall pregnancy mortality. These OBGYNs predict the overturning of Roe v. Wade will increase maternal deaths by 24%.
“They’re not getting rid of abortions, they are getting rid of safe abortions. Because even if they try to get rid of them, women are resilient,” Murphy said.
Shelby Johnson, McKinley High School’s new school nurse, said the overturning of Roe v. Wade would im-
pact her friends and family members living in Texas.
“It saddens me that if a loved one of mine needed access to abortion, they would need to fly somewhere and get it done. It shouldn’t be that way,” Johnson said.
Texas is just one state that has stronger restrictions on abortion. In Texas, almost all abortions are banned unless the doctor determines the pregnancy is at all life-threatening, according to the Texas Tribune. The state of Texas is not alone in their efforts. Nearly half of the states in the U.S. have made abortion access more difficult after Roe v. Wade.
A common misconception is that the overturn of Roe meant an outright abortion ban; the ruling simply turned the decision back to the states.
The question of federal versus states rights has been an ongoing controversy, not only regarding reproductive rights, but in similar cases with the Civil Rights movement. When the Civil Rights Act passed 50 years ago, views were firmly divided about whether the federal government was overstepping on states’ rights, according to the Saturday Evening Post. Many states wanted to keep segregation laws. Many senators believed these issues were better resolved at a local or state level.
But the local level, as the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Anthony Lewis put it, “was precisely where the problem lay.”
Lewis said when the states were left on their own to handle race relations, “the result was massive inequality, injustice, and cruelty that shocked the conscience of this nation.” It was decided the U.S. could not be a place where black people in certain states had less rights than those in others.
Getting an out-of-state abortion is often what women are told to do as a solution to their problem. However, flying out-of-state is not an option for millions of women across the U.S.
Increasing restrictions and bans on reproductive care impose a significant physical and mental burden seen through this generation. However,
the abortion bans cause disproportionate harm for women and women of color. More than 60% of those who seek abortions are people of color, and about half of them live below the federal poverty line, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research and policy group.
Due to factors such as lower housing costs, many people of color live in more southern parts of the country, facing the brunt of negative impacts following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
“There’s so many things like access to food, access to living wage, access to insurance, your race, your gender, your ability to make money for your family,” said Oriaku Njoku, a reproductive rights activist in Georgia.
A recent court ruling happened in Alabama regarding IVF treatments. IVF is now outlawed in the state of Alabama as they equate embryos with children. Not only did they outlaw IVF in Alabama, they incorporated primarily religious rhetoric into their ruling. Chief Justice Tom Parker cited arguments from multiple platforms, all leading to one source for the court’s judgment: God. He cites scripture nearly two dozen times in the ruling on embryos.
Not unlike many other court rulings regarding reproductive rights, religion has been used as reasoning to rule against it. These actions completely do away with the very first freedom guaranteed by the first amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” prohibiting the government from creating an official religion or favoring one religion (or nonreligion) over another.
“In blatant terms, I thought it was disgusting that politicians think that they have the right over our bodies and use religion to justify it.” Murphy said.
A common misconception that further stigmatizes reproductive resources is that the use of these products causes women negative psychological effects. According to
the American Psychological Association, this could not be further from the truth, as 50 years of research shows that having an abortion is not linked to mental health problems but restricting access to safe, legal abortions is. In a landmark study of more than 1000 women across 21 states, those who were allowed to obtain an abortion were not more likely to report negative emotions or mental health systems.
“It’s important for folks to know that abortion does not cause mental health problems,” said Debra Mollen, PhD, a professor of counseling psychology at Texas Woman’s University, who studies abortion and reproductive rights. “What’s harmful are the stigmas surrounding abortion, the lack of knowledge about it, and the lack of access.”
Social studies teacher Morita, said growing up in a country, especially here in Hawaii, with access to these long-held healthcare options created a greater sense of confidence and security to be able to make informed decisions with medical professionals.
“We are so fortunate to live in Hawai’i where students and people have different options available to them,” she said.
Despite that being one of the many
positives about living in Hawai’i, it often forces people to wonder where Hawai’i activists for abortion rights find their conviction in continuing to fight for them. What is their call to action when Hawai’i doesn’t have those problems?
Abortion Rights activist and Refuse Fascism organizer Liz Rees said everyone should be frightened.
“Even though Hawaii does still have safe, legal abortion, the goal of the anti-abortion movement is to outlaw abortion nationwide, a goal which they’ve made very clear,” Rees said.
“I am outraged from watching the horrible things that are happening state by state, endangering women’s lives and forcing women to be mothers,” she said.
A survey of 276 McKinley students found 48% have some to a lot of knowledge of current abortion laws.
“I am inspired by those students who try to become informed, have healthy discussions, and are fighting for the rights for not just themselves, but for future generations,” Morita said.
“I hope this generation and the younger generation will see that there are fights that still need to be fought,” she said.
The Smarter Balanced Assessment is a standardized test that was introduced to schools in early spring of 2015. Since then, the test has been used in 13 states, including Hawaii, to assess schools and students.
Recently, the Hawaii Department of Education has added targets for schools in the state to reach by a certain year using the SBA.
McKinley High School’s English department is expected to reach 82.07% proficiency by 2029, which is a 15.27% increase from 2023. MHS is expected to increase 2.55% every year in English. In math, MHS is expected to reach 38.74% by 2029, which is a rise of 2.31% every year. In science, MHS is expected to reach 43.44% by 2029, expecting to gain 1.59% every year.
“This way it kind of gives schools an idea, every year it shows how much we have to increase in academics,” Principal Ron Okamura said.
The SBA is an objective test that adapts its questions to each student’s performance. The SBA uses the Common Core State Standards to ensure it aligns with what students are expected to learn, according to the HIDOE’s website.
“The purpose is to judge the ability of students, seeing if they’re meeting a certain level of proficiency,” said Christopher Martin, the language arts department chair.
Not only does the SBA evaluate students, it also helps teachers. Teachers can adjust their teaching methods and curriculum to better meet the needs of their students, based on how students do on the SBA. This can result in better education.
“The SBA scores help us make decisions for how we teach and assess if what we’re doing is working,” English teacher Jordin Carmichael said.
The SBA can also benefit students and save them money. Students can use the SBA to their advantage, as it can also potentially affect a student’s entrance into community college or
A survey of 276 McKinley High School students found more feel stressed than comfortable while taking standardized tests.
universities.
“If a student does well, or if they score at or above grade level proficiency, then they don’t have to take the entry exams for community college, saving them money,” Martin said.
Okamura also emphasized the importance of students taking the SBA seriously.
“It’s not so much about the school itself, but more so as an individual student,” Okamura said.
Based on a survey of 276 students conducted by The Pinion, the majority of students were in the middle when asked how accurately they
think standardized tests such as the SBA measure their academic knowledge. 42.75% of students voted a 3, and another 42.39% voted a 2 on a scale of 1-4. Majority of students were also in the middle when asked how stressed they were with taking standardized tests. 37.68% of the students surveyed voted a 3, and another 38.41% voted a 2.
Landon Cruz (c/o 2025) prepared for the SBA by keeping up with his studies throughout the year.
“I think if you’re simply doing what you’re supposed to do, you’re more than prepared,” Cruz said.
Cosplay is a word play of “costume play.” In cosplay, individuals dress up in costumes and fashion to represent a specific character. That character can come from a TV show, movie, or video game. Out of the 300 participants who responded to a survey conducted by The Pinion, about 40 % had some kind of grasp on what it is and 20% actively participate in it.
Students from the Art and Manga club attended Kawaii Kon March 2024, where people participated in cosplay. Irene Tanaka, one of the advisers for AMC, attended the event with the club members and is a cosplayer herself. She started in college doing simple hair and makeup and hand-sewing a part of her cosplay, while her friends helped out with the rest. She has cosplayed Koyoa Ootori from Ouran High School and Haruka Naase from Free!Iwatobi Swim Club.
“I get to pretend to be someone else for a short amount of time,” Tanaka said.
Tanaka said that she saw lots more families attending the event along with young adults and older teens.
Liam Choy (c/o 2026) is another cosplayer. He was introduced to cosplay in 2017 and started making his own cosplay in 2023. Choy has been to events such as Comic Con and Kawaii Kon, dressing up as Flapjack’s grave from the show Owl House for one of his cosplays. At Comic Con (August 2023) Choy said that some of the voice actors were there, such
as Sarah-Nicole Robles (VA of Luz Noceda), Elizabeth Grullon (VA of Camila Noceda), Cissy Jones (VA of Lilith Clawthorne) and Avi Roque (VA of Raine Whispers). Even the creator of the show, Dana Terrace, was there and Choy was able to get his cosplay signed and their reactions to his cosplay.
Despite having the entire summer to make the cosplay, Choy procrastinated. Some people were distraught because Flapjack’s death was such a big moment in the show. Others thought it was great and asked to take pictures with him. Having only a week to make the cosplay was stressful, but in the end it was fun.
“I think it was pretty fun, but a lot of people didn’t think it was funny,” Choy said.
Things Choy learned from doing cosplay is to not rush if you want it to
look nice, or wait a week before making it for events. He said you should look around your house for things you could use for your cosplay instead of buying stuff. Choy said those who are interested in the craft should start off with closet cosplay, which is taking things you already have to create your outfit.
“If you want to get into it [cosplay], you should dive in head first with a character you can easily do. If you think about it, Halloween is basically just cosplaying, but only on one day (October 31st).”
Jewel Ann Sophia Cortes (c/o 2026) is another cosplayer. She only has been doing cosplay since 2023, dressing up for special events like Halloween or conventions. Cortes said she attended her first convention, Kawaii Kon, March 2024 with AMC. At first it was overwhelming since Cortes is Cheska Orias (c/o 2026) in various cosplays they’ve done or plan to do in the future.
Dressed up as Mk from Lego Monkie Kid, Roach from the Call of Duty franchise, and Lamber from Cult of The Lamb. Art by Cheska Orias (c/o 2026)
someone who often stays home so going to public gatherings can be draining. Yet, as the event continued, she became more comfortable as she got used to the environment.
“It did end up getting better because cosplay helps me feel more comfortable with myself,” Cortes
said.
Throughout the event, Cortes said she saw people enjoying themselves and having fun. Everyone was very comfortable and respectful to each other. Nobody was being weird or judgey.
“It was just like going to a gathering where everyone knew each other,” Cortes said.
Cortes said cosplay is a hobby of hers and a way to express herself. Some characters she has cosplayed are Hastsune Miku and Len Kagamine from the Vocaloid franchise.
“Those characters were able to help me be myself and have fun,” Cortes said.
When approaching a cosplayer for pictures, Choy said that you should always ask before taking one, as well as asking if you can touch them since consent is a big thing.
“Cosplayers are just ordinary people,” Cortes said. “People think cosplay is weird or cringe, when it’s just a hobby people like to do. It’s just like being enthusiastic about a show or fashion.”
(Editor’s note: Around the time of World War II, McKinley was known by many as “Tokyo High” because so many of its students were second generation Japanese Americans, or nisei. Many of these students participated in the war efforts. Roy Hideo Fujii (c/o 1942) is one of the last few surviving veterans of the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, which was activated on February 1, 1943.)
At 99 years old, Roy Hideo Fujii (c/o 1942) exercises daily on a stationary bike and gets around with notes posted on his walker to remind him of his agenda.
Fujii was born June 7, 1924, in Lahaina, Maui. Around the age of five, he moved to Oahu. From 1939 to 1942, Fujii attended McKinley High School and was part of the ROTC program, attaining the rank of First Sergeant. ROTC was mandatory for all high schools and taught infantry training.
Back then, Fujii worked on the weekends mowing lawns with a “push mower” that weighed as much as him. On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Fujii was mowing a house that was being rented by a naval officer. He
saw the officer rush out of the house, to return back to Pearl Harbor.
After the attack, Fujii joined the recently formed Hawaii Territorial Guard with a few other high school ROTC students. Fujii helped the other volunteers in training such as firing rifles and later the Browning Automatic Rifle at Koko Head. Since he and other students had ROTC training, Fujii said they were assigned to be in the back of each person that was firing. After teaching how to fire the BAR, he recalled one volunteer who said he knew how to fire the BAR. Fujii was skeptical because a lot of the people had never seen a gun before, but proceeded.
“When he fired the BAR automatic, he froze. He kept on shooting,” Fujii said. “ Only thing I can do is dive on the back and hold him down. (Later) I tell him ‘you better stay in the back.’”
In 1943, Japanese of American descent were allowed to volunteer into the military. Initially, the military requested for 1500 from Hawaii. Over 10,000 showed up to the recruiting offices. Fujii’s brother wanted to volunteer; however he was already working, building the Aiea hospital.
“I told him ‘you stay, you get job, you bringing money to the family. I’ll go,’” Fujii said. “That’s why I volunteered.”
Fujii was inducted into the army and was sent off to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, for basic training in 1943. He and other niseis trained with the newly-formed 442nd Regimental Combat Team where he was placed in the 522nd field artillery battalion. At first, Fujii was reluctant to join because his training in ROTC only taught infantry training, but complied with the decision.
“That’s why I was saved,” Fujii said. “People got killed, but the chances of us staying alive is higher than being in the infantry.“
After completing training, Fujii traveled with the 442nd RCT to their first destination in Italy. Fujii said the first shell they fired in combat was on a chilly morning. Fujii rammed a shell into the breach to fire the first shot; however, the shell was lodged.
“I tried punching it, but it didn’t budge. So I told my guys, ‘bring me the sledge hammer,’” Fujii said. “When I said that, my captain dived in the (nearby) swale.”
Fujii gave the shell two or three hits. It went in and his crew fired.
“I told the captain ‘on the way,’” Fujii said. “(The captain) was crawling out of the swale. He thought we exploded.”
The 522nd Field Artillery Battalion firing shells at the enemy with a 105 milimeter gun. Photo by 522nd Committee.
Fujii remembers another encounter when the Germans fiercely defended a hill. Fujii said the forward observers were with the infantry, relaying information to get rid of the Germans.
“We learned what was called time fire. The projectile in the front get timer, the control center figured out how many seconds,” Fujii said. “(We) wiped out the Germans.”
In March 1945, the 522nd was detached from the 442nd to assist American units in the push toward Berlin, Germany. As the Battalion advanced into Germany, they witnessed one of many subcamps of Dachau, one of the longest running Nazi concentration camps during the war. Fujii said when they arrived, he remembered seeing the prisoners.
“I remember striped clothing,” Fujii said. “The prisoners were eating dead horses. They used to eat it raw. I mean they were hungry, they must eat something.”
As the war was coming to an end in the European theater, Fujii found himself in the town of Genderkingen. He remembered the town with trenches all around for civilians to take cover when bombs would be dropped.
One night, Fujii was on guard duty when he heard a rustling noise. It was a German soldier wearing a blue-gray uniform.
“Good thing I didn’t kill (him),” Fujii said. “He came with his hand up.”
One of the houses that was under
“I remember striped clothing. The prisoners were eating dead horses. They used to eat it raw. I mean they were hungry. They must eat something.” Photo by 522nd Committee.
the 522nd occupation was the German soldier’s home. The soldier wanted to check up on his wife and daughter. Knowing the soldier had already surrendered, Fujii allowed the soldier to spend the night with his wife and daughter with permission from his sergeant.
“In whatever German, Italian, all kind (languages), I tell him ‘you schlafen with your Gattin and Kind’ (you sleep with your wife and child),” Fujii said.
Before letting the soldier rest with his family, Fujii shared his rations and told the soldier he would pick him up in the morning.
“The next morning, he was waiting for me already. They put him in the prisoner of war camp … but he must have had the chance to eventually go
home,“ Fujii said. “That’s why I told him ‘you smart, you come home.’”
On May 8, 1945, the European theater came to a close with the surrender of Germany, however, the war with Japan was still raging. Fujii said the military wanted people to be interpreters so, he volunteered. However, he was not able to become one.
“We came back to California. They said, ‘Oh we don’t need you. You don’t have to go language school. Go back home and get discharged,’” Fujii said. “I said ok and got discharged.”
After being discharged, Fujii came back to Hawaii. Through his service, Fujii carried one Honolulu Rapid Transit Token with him alongside his dog tags. Fujii said people used to ask him “why you keep that with your dog tag?”
“I might not have the money for bus, but I had the HRT token,” Fujii said. “So after the war, for me to get home to Manoa, I used that token.”
When Fujii came back to Hawaii, he wanted to learn a trade. With the help from the Airforce, Fujii was sent to Texas to learn air conditioning. After completing the training, Fujii worked at Hickam Air Force Base for 39 years before retiring and worked as an inspector for the next 11 years.
Through Fujii’s life and in his service with the 522nd, he said that anything is possible with a good team
“You have to work together. Not one person is the important person,” Fujii said. “Everyone is.”
Every year, the graduating class of McKinley High School anticipates a joyous journey across the oval, where family and friends are gathered to celebrate four years of dedication, perseverance and diligence. This cherished tradition marks a significant milestone in the graduates’ lives as they venture into the real world, ready to make a lasting impact on themselves and those around them.
Behind the scenes, the school administration, student council and the student activities coordinator, April Nakamura, plan for over five months to prepare a memorable and enjoyable graduation event, organizing festivities, logistics, and rehearsals. Additionally, sophomores set up necessities before the event, assuring that everything is in place for the festivities, while juniors usher during the ceremony by guiding attendees to ensure smooth proceedings.
This collaborative effort ensures that every detail is carefully arranged for the graduating class and their guests.
“It’s like being in a family where everyone pitches in,” Nakamura said. The following day, freshmen are brought out of their classes to deal with the aftermath left by attendees—a massive mess that is too overwhelming for custodians to handle alone, particularly the thousands of non-recyclable confetti pieces strewn across the lawn, which they are tasked with picking up by hand, one by one.
Although the freshmen are willing to pitch in, the trail of litter left on the front lawn not only detracts from the beauty of our school grounds, but also reflects poorly on the school’s values. Our celebration should be a symbol of our school’s motto; Pride and Honor, not a source of disregard for our surroundings.
To address this issue effectively, it is crucial for graduating students to take responsibility for proper trash disposal and to remind their guests to do the same during the graduation festivities. Let’s work together to reduce the use of messy party supplies, such as non-recyclable confetti, in order to maintain the beauty of the school campus and minimize waste.
By making mindful choices and keeping the school grounds clean, we can ensure that graduation celebrations are enjoyable for everyone.
While it is understandable to celebrate with exuberance after four continuous years of passion and dedication, we must also recognize the importance of responsible behavior during and after our graduation ceremony. Let us not allow our joyous festivities to be clouded by negligence, resulting in a careless aftermath on the front lawn of our school.
As the students of McKinley High School, we have a responsibility to demonstrate respect and stewardship for our school environment. Let us set a positive example for future graduates by showing consideration for the school administration and the underclassmen who work to organize the event, as well as the custodians who work rigorously to maintain the beauty of our campus.
Together, let’s celebrate responsibly and uphold the dignity of our school. By being mindful of our actions and making the right choices, we ensure that our actions reflect what we hold dear, with Pride and Honor.
Every April 2 since 2017 has been International Fact Checking Day. As a person living in the Information Age, there’s a high chance of seeing and hearing news from all kinds of sources and perspectives every day, especially online. In a time when people receive so much conflicting information, it’s important to know how to find and identify reliable sources and fact-check.
According to a survey conducted by The Pinion, 72% of the respondents said they get the majority of their news from social media. This is substantially more than the 23% of U.S. adults that said they get news there often, according to a fact sheet released by Pew Research in Nov. 2023. Meanwhile, 54% of U.S. teens got their news from social media at least a few times a week according to a 2019 survey by Survey Monkey and Common Sense Media.
However, only 64% of The Pinion survey respondents said they always fact-check news they see on social media. This means that for many McKinley students, double-checking the accuracy of the information they get online might not be their first priority.
But fact-checking information is an
important step, and it doesn’t have to be a difficult process. Lateral reading is a concept originally created based on research by the Stanford History Education Group led by its founder and executive director Sam Wineburg. The process was developed as a method to help determine a source’s credibility. There are five main steps to using lateral reading to verify information you find online.
Find what other sources say about the topic
Find out if a claim or piece of information has been mentioned by other sources. For example, if you see a video claiming that a species called the Peruvian ball fish is the smallest animal with fully developed eyes, you might do an internet search on the species name to find out if it’s a real species. If it is, then there will most likely be many well-known science and news sites displaying information about the species.
However, if it’s made up, the only mentions of the supposed species might be on forums or blog pages. You might also find fact-checking sites disprove the claim. If it isn’t obvious from first glance whether the claim is true, you might want to view other articles on the topic.
Find a source that specializes in the topic
Many news sites only specialize in specific topics, and so they might be more reliable for some topics than others. For example, Forbes specializes in business, while the Smithsonian specializes more in science, nature and history.
Therefore, if you want to learn about a recently discovered extinct species of bird, you might want to visit the Smithsonian over Forbes. On the other hand, if you want to find
out more about Elon Musk’s most recent ventures, you might pick Forbes as your source.
Find out expert opinions on the source
It’s generally a safe idea to go to sites you know are well-trusted if you’re unsure about where to go to find reliable information on a source. However, if you’re unsure of a source’s credibility, it still might be a good idea to look into the sources you want to visit in order to know if a source you’ve never heard of has a good reputation and find out if they might have a bias on your subject matter.
Reliable sources will usually list the author’s name in the article as well as their qualifications. By reading the information about the author(s) listed, you can see if they are experts on your subject matter. You can also click on their name or look them up on the web to see if they have written other articles on similar topics.
Find other expert opinions
It’s always good to see more than one opinion on the same topic, as one author might include more information on the topic than another, and experts writing for reliable media companies can still have differing opinions. By using the previous steps, you can find if other sources agree on the topic and come up with your own opinion based on the information you read.
False or misleading information is becoming increasingly pervasive online. Fortunately, by maintaining a healthy dose of skepticism and properly fact-checking what you see online, you can be sure that you’re properly informed on the topics that matter.
Apr. 15 during lunch, there was pick up for Cap and Gowns at the student activities center for seniors. Seniors checked for their name and number to pick up their cap and gown.
Apr. 4, McKinley band students in symphonic band and symphonic wind ensembles performed in Parade of Bands at McKinley auditorium. Parade of Bands is an event which spans for four days where middle and high school students are able to participate. Each day is hosted at different schools. Each band is judged and scored one through four, one meaning superior, two being excellent, three being good, and four being fair. Both ensembles scored an overall one.
Under T-Building, an Easter-themed class level competition was held Apr. 1 with activities such as egg scoops and “Where’s the Duck.”
Meet Sandy Domion who has been working at Daniel K. Inouye Library at McKinley High School for three years. When asked what her favorite part is about working at the library, she responded “interacting with the students every day.” Domion says the library is a place where students can come to do work, play games, to relax, and read their favorite books.
Mar. 28 during 20/20, A-Team freshmen and Ignition mentors participated in Sharks and Minnows and Dragon Tail activities.
Apr. 18, The Pinion staff attended the Hawaii High School Journalism Awards luncheon at UH Manoa. At the Luncheon, schools were presented with awards in each category. They also toured around UH, listened to speakers, and met other students journalist.
What is your superhero name?
What are your superpower(s) ?
What if some of The Pinion staff were given superpowers to protect McKinley High School ...
Editor-In-Chief Shane: Superspeed
Assistant Editor Malia: Flight
Assistant Editor Nhi: Gravity Manipulation
Assistant Editor Cheska: Telekinesis
Reporter Kiara: Teleportation
Reporter Joseph: Mimicry
Reporter Lukas: Time Manipulation
Editor-in-Chief
Shane Kaneshiro
Malia Manuel
Nhi Nguyen
Cheska Orias
Reporters
Jerzel Bornios
Isaiah Dexheimer
Lukas Gaudier
Kenvin Huynh
Jayson Jwanian
Deon Kelley-Reed
Joseph Mai
Kiara Chastity Pajarillo
Kai Pendleton
Cynthia Reves
The Pinion staff strives to provide and maintain accurate, entertaining and informative news for the students, staff and alumni of McKinley High School. We strive to show diligence in creating all our content so we can make a positive contribution to the public.
Publication Information
The Pinion is published by the Newswriting class and printed by Reprographics Learning Center.
The Pinion McKinley High School 1039 South King Street Honolulu, HI 96814
All content and more is at mhspinion.com. Print archives are at issuu.com/mhspinion.
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Email - 10002427@k12.hi.us
“In the four years of being with The Pinion, I enjoyed the memories that I have created with each staff that has passed through. I will miss this publication that has became a part of my life. So farewell, it’s my time to leave and a new staff to take over.”
- Shane Kaneshiro (c/o 2024)
“Goodbye and I hope you have a good summer and enjoy The Pinions we published this year. If you’re considering joining The Pinion, please do.”
- Cheska Orias (c/o 2026)
“I had a great first year, I learned a lot of things and I can’t wait to come back next year to share more of my articles.”
- Nhi Nguyen (c/o 2027)
“I had an amazing year with The Pinion and it was a really good learning experience. Next year, I am looking forward to bringing the school more interesting articles.”
- Malia Manuel (c/o 2025)