The Pinion Vol. 102 No. 3 March 2024

‘Future is Bright, Just Believe’

by Shane Kaneshiro

At 98 years old, Norman Yukio Hashisaka (c/o 1943) is still able to recall the education philosophy of his former principal, Dr. Miles E. Cary.

“Every morning, Dr. Cary would have assemblies (in front of the administration building),” Hashisaka said. “(Saying) the Pledge Allegiance to the flag, Boy, we had strong loyalty to the U.S.”

It has been over eighty years since Hashisaka stepped onto McKinley’s campus since graduating.

Hashisaka was born on Oahu in Waianae on Aug. 10, 1925, with the name of Yukio, but grew up on Kauai from grade school until sophomore year at Kauai High School.

Hashisaka and his family moved to Honolulu in June of 1941 where he transferred to McKinley as a junior. Hashisaka said they lived in the McCully area and Daniel Inouye (c/o 1942), a future United States senator and war hero,

was their neighbor.

“He was real nice, a real country boy,” Hashisaka said. “He would take me to his favorite places, the Nuuanu YMCA. I enjoyed it. There were all kinds of games.”

On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Hashisaka was walking down King Street toward Makiki Christian Church when he saw dark clouds billowing from the direction of Pearl Harbor.

“I was thinking, ‘What were they (United States Military) doing on an early Sunday morning,’” Hashisaka said.

When he reached the church, the radio was on at full blast, announcing that Pearl Harbor was being attacked by Japanese planes.

“It was the beginning of the Second World War,” Hashisaka said. “It was quite an experience for me. It was quite a shock at that time.”

After the attack, the military and industries on the island requested help, such as digging trenches, cutting kiawe trees and working in the pineapple and cane fields.

The student-run newspaper of McKinley High School

HASHISAKA Continued from page 1.

Hashisaka worked at the pineapple cannery in the warehouse of the labeling and packing department during the summer vacation after junior year.

“As high school students, we did whatever we could do,” Hashisaka said. “We volunteered and joined groups to help with the war effort.”

Hashisaka graduated in 1943 and started working at the post office in downtown Honolulu. At the time, the military sent a recruiting team to Hawaii looking for people willing to enlist and who were fluent in Japanese. Hashisaka heard about the recruiting team and decided to help.

“The U.S. Army needed help really badly,” Hashisaka said. “My parents communicated in Japanese. They were immigrants from Japan and they sent me to Japanese school.”

Hashisaka went to the recruiting office at the Nuuanu YMCA and told the officer “I’m not that good (at Japanese) but I am interested in helping.”

The officer gave him a series of tests that consisted of reading and writing in Japanese.

“I took the reading test but I don’t think I passed because I wasn’t good at reading the kanji, but no, he said ‘No, you passed.’ He surprised me,” Hashisaka said, laughing.

After making the commitment to the recruiting officer, Hashisaka said, “When I go home, what do I tell my mother?”

Hashisaka went home to share his news. “Okasan, I am going to the Army.”

His mother responded, “American jin da, America de umarete’ (You are an American citizen. You were born in America) so you are an American, She told me I am supposed to serve. No problem, go volunteer and go serve, but come back safe and healthy. ‘Matteru kara’ (she will wait for my return from the war).”

“I am an American citizen. I fought in the Second World War. I wanted an American first name, English name!”

-Norman Hashisaka

In 1944, Hashisaka was sent to Camp Savage in Minnesota for Japanese language training and Fort McClellan in Alabama for basic training. Day and night, he did nothing but read and write in Japanese. He also learned how to

Norman Yukio Hashisaka

by Shane Kaneshiro

On Jan. 26, Norman Yukio Hashisaka was inducted into McKinley High School’s Hall of Honor. Family and friends gathered around Hashisaka, congratulating him for this honor. Hashisaka was extremely overwhelmed.

The Hall of Honor was created in 1986 to recognize McKinley’s outstanding alumni who have brought honor to the school and community through their achievements and contributions.

The student body was introduced to Hashisaka in the gym. Many performances were showcased to honor Hashisaka. Kenny Endo Taiko Center of the Pacific played taiko music and Dazz Toguchi (c/o 2001) performed a Japanese cultural dance. The McKinley Jazz Band with Johnathan Cabagbag performed while Aloha Dancesport performed swing dancing, which was popular when Hashisaka was growing up in the 30’s and 40’s.

Hashisaka spoke to the assembled students, sharing his time at McKinley, working odd jobs and his experiences during the war.

“We were able to prove without a doubt that we were Americans,” Hashisaka said in his speech. “Not just for ourselves but for those who came before us.”

Fifteen hundred students, faculty and staff silently listened to Hashisaka’s advice

“Work hard, believe in yourself and even during dark times, never lose hope,” Hashisaka said. “Be resilient … Your future is bright, just believe… Someday you could be here receiving this great honor … Mahalo, Go Tigers!”

To honor Hashisaka. Kenny Endo Taiko Center of the Pacific performed taiko music. Photo by Shane Kaneshiro.

interrogate prisoners of war.

“I studied as hard as I could, even after lights out by studying in the toilet,” Hashisaka said. “I am not the smartest but I always give it my all.”

After completing his training, Hashisaka served in the Philippines as a part of the Military Intelligence Service, translating Japanese documents, maps, journals and diaries. During the Second World War, The MIS, mainly made up of the nisei, the second generation Americans of Japanese descent, served in the Pacific campaign.

The MIS veterans remained in secrecy for more than 30 years and until the records was available to the public in 1972 under the Freedom of Information Act.

Even after the operation became unclassified and the MIS have been credited with shortening the war by two years and saving countless lives, many of the MIS veterans, including Hashisaka, decided to remain silent, showcasing their true loyalty to the United States.

After the war ended, Hashisaka and other MIS personnel traveled to Japan to translate in the Yokohama War Crime Trials. Through his time serving as a translator, he witnessed the Japanese soldiers who were in charge of prisoners of war camps sentenced to life in prison or death due to their treatment of the POWs. He stayed his required two and half years and returned to Hawaii.

When Hashisaka returned to Hawaii he said to himself

“I am an American citizen. I fought in the Second World War. I wanted an American first name, English name!” Hashisaka said

Hashisaka had friends who had the name Norman and he said, “I like that name... As soon as I got discharged, I went to the governor’s office and he signed the paper. That’s It. Simple!” Hashisaka said, laughing. “‘Til this day I have the first name, Norman.”

Hashisaka graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and economics with the help of the GI bill. He met his wife, Mabel Kawakami, in a Japanese course. He started with German but switched because learning German was “too hard.” They got married in 1954 and raised three children: Reid, Ruth, and Ann.

Inducted into Hall of Honor

Awards and Recognitions:

-Grand Marshal for the Veterans Day parade in Kapa‘a, Kauai, and was written in the Garden Island Newspaper, “A Tribute to all World War II Veterans, the Greatest Generation.” Living Treasures of Kauai and Niihau, Excellence in Business with Aloha, Waimea Spirit Awards and Japanese Culture Society Kansha, or Gratitude Award, The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii “Sharing the Spirit of Aloha” award.

-Congressional Gold Medal, Good Conduct Medal

-Lions Club West Kauai: 67 years of service. Lifetime membership

-Kauai Hospice donor -Hawaii Foodbank donor

-McKinley High School Boys basketball donor

-McKinley High School Foundation donor

To see Hashisaka’s speech, scan the QR code

Dazz Toguchi (c/o 2001) performened Japanese cultural dance to the student body. Photo by Shane Kaneshiro.

Fifteen hundred students, faculty and staff silently listened in the gym to Hashisaka’s speech, sharing about his experience. Photo by Shane Kaneshiro.

Challenges Students

by Nhi Nguyen

Natalia Nieves (c/o 2024) won the second round of McKinley High School’s Poetry Out Loud competition on Jan. 16 in the auditorium. English teacher Jordin Carmichael was the lead coordinator. The school event had three other participants: Shane Kaneshiro, Jerry Tautua, and Winster Bagara (all c/o 2024).

Last year, Nieves went to the state competition to cheer on McKinley’s representative, Justin Nguyen (c/o 2023), which inspired her to join Poetry Out Loud.

“I really liked how everyone was so in their element, so I really wanted to be a part of it,” Nieves said.

Poetry Out Loud is an annual poetry recital program for high school students across the country. According to Poetry Out Loud’s official website, the program aims to encourage the study of great poetry and to help students

develop their confidence and public speaking skills, as well as build their knowledge of literary history. In the competition, students memorize and recite a poem for each round of the contest. The state and national level finals of the competition consist of three rounds each.

This year, McKinley’s competition had two rounds, which were held on separate days. Contestants are judged based on physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, and evidence of understanding, as well as overall performance and accuracy, which are weighted slightly more than other criteria.

Carmichael has assisted with organizing the Poetry Out Loud contest for five years, and this was the first year she was the main organizer. She said her favorite thing about hosting the contest is watching the number of participants grow and seeing the contestants’ progress over two months.

“I think it’s a really great and important opportunity for students to get to build confidence and also to help keep poetry alive, so I wanted to keep it going at our school since [the previous host] did such a great job,” Carmichael said.

Carmichael said she noticed the hardest part of the competition for most students is memorization. She said to overcome this, students should practice in front of other people and ask for advice from teachers and classmates. She encourages students who plan to join next year to talk to her early in order to have more time to get ready.

“Especially when [students] get to the second level and they have to memorize two poems, that can be a lot to keep track of sometimes,” Carmichael said.

To prepare for the contest, Nieves practiced with her parents every night, and they took note of what she did right and what she shouldn’t be doing. The hardest part of the competition for Nieves was having to recite in front of her peers, so she practiced in front of her English class.

“I knew that they weren’t going to judge me too much, so I used [my English class to practice], and that’s one of my biggest classes,” Nieves said.

The most rewarding part of the competition for Nieves was when her name was called as the school winner, and she was proud to show her parents their hard work had paid off. Nieves said she believes the contest is a really good opportunity for students, especially those who struggle with public speaking. She said students who want to participate in the competition should practice a lot.

“It does give you a chance to just be vulnerable,” Nieves said. “And I think once you get over that vulnerability, it becomes like a second nature; you don’t really see the

Natalia Nieves (c/o 2024) recites “American Smooth” by Rita Dove at the State Poetry Out Loud competition held Feb. 25 at Tenney Theater. Photo by Shane Kaneshiro.

audience, you kind of see yourself… in the audience.”

The in-person state Poetry Out Loud competition was held Feb. 25 at the Tenney Theater at 1 p.m. The three poems Nieves chose for the state-level competition were “American Smooth” by Rita Dove, “The Contract Says: We’d Like the Conversation to be Bilingual” by Ada Limon, and “One Girl” by Sappho. Nieves said she chose “American Smooth” because she loved ballroom dancing since she was young, and she found a safe space in it in high school.

“ I started to romanticize it… in the sense that, I love dancing, and it makes me feel safe… and like I can just be myself,” Nieves said. “Being able to translate that in a poem to where the audience can be in that safe space with me… where everything [seems] just lovely and dandy, when it’s not. And I think that’s really nice.”

Nieves also picked “The Contract Says: I’d Like the Conversation to be Bilingual.” When reciting the poem, she wanted to deliver it from the perspective of an insensitive person trying to place an immigrant’s experience in a box. Nieves said the poem resonated with her because as a Hispanic immigrant child, people would try to take advantage of her and act like she was different from everyone else.

“It felt very… ostracizing in a sense, because they expected me to have this, like, big difference [from everyone else] because I’m from a different country,” Nieves said.

The last poem Nieves chose to memorize was “One Girl,” which was her friend’s choice. Nieves said she wanted to do a poem which her friend really liked to show

her appreciation.

“She helped me a lot throughout the whole Poetry Out Loud [competition], and I just wanted to appreciate her and … how much she helped me,” Nieves said.

Nieves said one piece of advice she was given before the state competition that stuck with her was from her mother, who reminded her to be proud of all the work she put in to prepare, no matter what the outcome of the competition was.

“[She texted me that] it doesn’t matter what happens or what is going to happen, it just matters how much time and how much effort you put in to really portray what you put on stage, and that the stage is my scene, and to always be proud of what I put out there,” Nieves said.

The winner of the competition, Jordyn Imig from Hanalani Schools, was awarded $200 as well as a fullyfunded trip to Washington, D.C. to compete at the national level competition held from Apr. 30 to May 2. The winner’s school will receive $500 to be spent on poetry materials. The runner-up, Koali’i Keawe-Asuega from Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, was awarded $100, with $200 to go to their school.

“I really want to thank the whole English department, especially [Evon] Le, [Jordin] Carmichael, and [Cynthia] Reves for being able to put time and… energy into me and I really believe that they’re great teachers in that sense,” Nieves said. “Although they may be strict inside the classroom, they really do care about their students, and I think that really shows their encouragement.”

Making Memories In High School

by Kiara Chastity Pajarillo

High school is a place where everyone goes at some point in their life. Meeting new people, finding out your likes and dislikes and joining clubs are all common high school experiences. Students at McKinley reflected on their high school experiences, thoughts and feelings regarding memories in high school.

Jasmine Le (c/o 2025) said she’s maintaining her student life, playing sports, experiencing high school to the fullest and making memories along the way.

“People can teach you so many things and you’ll gain more experience in life. And you’re able to accomplish things you want to achieve,” Le said. “Sometimes I wish I did something else. So I’m still happy I tried to do something or I tried

something new.”

Mana Akana (c/o 2024), leaves some words of advice for the underclassmen.

“Focus on the moments you have,” Akana said. “Regardless of memories, live the moment you have to the fullest.”

Akana’s high school experience was cut short due to COVID and personal reasons, leaving her feel lost.

“Please, enjoy your time you have before it’s too late,” she said.

Health teacher Jodi Tanabe-Hanzawa said she believes making memories in high school is important as high school is a one-time experience.

“I remember numerous memorable events, both great and negative. All of them are events I will never forget and learned lessons from many of them. (We) did things we weren’t supposed to do but grew up and

learned from them.” she said, “We did things and, I mean, you learn from it.”

Tanabe-Hanzawa encourages students to get involved with clubs, activities or sports their freshmen year or to at least go out. However, they always wait.

“That’s why they (students) realize like oh, I should have done this. I should have done that. And they’re already one year behind because they don’t go out their freshmen year,” she said.

Tanabe-Hanzawa thinks it’s important to experience things because you’ll remember those things.

“Even if you get involved and you decide you don’t like it, you don’t have to do it anymore,” she said. “You can choose something else, but you never know unless you try.”

Tiger Media ‘SHOOTS’ to Victory

by Joseph Mai

Last month, McKinley High School participated in the SHOOTS Summit, a three-day filming competition for Hawaii students held at Moanalua High School. MHS entered the Short Story Film, Public Service Announcement, Music Video, and Broadcast News Story Editor categories and got third place for PSA and second place for BNSE and Music video.

On the first day, all the schools had an introduction to the competition. During the next two days, students were given a set amount of time to complete their category, using the prompt they were given. If not in a contest, students participated in lecture seasons from guests, talking about their experiences in the industry or their life. The third day was the award ceremony.

The team that competed for the SSF category were Thomas Chang and Maureen Tortona (both c/o 2024). Tortona was mostly in charge of storyboarding and directing. Chang was mainly in charge of camera work. Both of them worked on the editing. The SHOOTS Summit was Tortona’s first filming competition event.

“It was really fun. I got to learn how to work with Thomas and our skill levels and what we work best in,” Tortona said. “Making up the plan of what to film was really fun.”

Tortona said she and Chang worked efficiently to make a storyboard for the video. When they were trying to

find a quiet filming location, it took them three different spots, until they settled on the auditorium.

“Me and Thomas worked really well. I think during the editing part, we both realized that we have certain strengths,” Tortona said. “Because he doesn’t know how to do audio and I know how to dabble with the audio. So I did that mostly and then he adjusted the clips how he wanted it to be.”

Tortona said if she could attend the next SHOOTS Summit, she would. She said she would want to be more prepared and change how she handled things like how she directed the actors’ placements.

“I feel when we were filming, I was just thinking out on the spot of how [the actors] could have been … [The actors] were great, though. They were awesome,” Tortona said. “I think filming got stressful but making up the story was nice.”

Adam Auro, Gavin Simon and Jennifer Li (all c/o 2024) were the team that competed for the PSA category. Auro said he found the competition an overall unique experience.

“It was definitely challenging for me, having to improvise and adapt for the time and resources we had to make an effective PSA video. But it was also fun, making all of it alongside peers,” Auro said . “I want to leave behind a message for many people to think about through art, visuals, media, all that, and also entertainment.”

Thorton Bolly (c/o 2024) was on the team that competed for the Music Video category with Aubrey Nunies, Elven Truong and Carissa Ulep (all c/o 2025). He said he mainly directed during the filming process. Bolly said he found the competition very fun, but it also was not the only thing he enjoyed. He said he enjoyed attending Evangeline Lilly’s lecture. She is an actress who starred in The Hobbit Trilogy, Lost the TV show and as the Wasp from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“I also got to meet her after she spoke, which that was really fun and she’s just a really funny person and just talking to an actress was really cool,” Bolly said.

He said if he could attend next year’s SHOOTS Summit, he would build closer bonds with his teammates so it could be a more comfortable and easy working environment for all of them. He also said he is grateful to his teammates.

“You know, just being around other hardworking and determined people, being in that environment, also got me really in that mode as well and just working with people is always a good thing because you never know what type of people you’re working with,” Bolly said. “But you have to learn to adapt and work with others. And that just makes you learn more about others and yourself as well. So, it’s always a good experience for me. SHOOTS was a really fun experience from the beginning and there was

TMP students celebrate their time at the SHOOTS Summit award ceremony. Photo by Mara Kaizawa.

so much to do, and … I’m just really grateful.”

Mara Kaizawa, the Tiger Media Production teacher, organized this trip. and chaperoned the students during the event.

“As the teacher, it’s stressful because you can’t do anything and you’re just watching your students encounter challenges, but you can’t help them, and you know what you want to say to help them but you can’t,” Kaizawa said. “So in that sense it’s stressful, but at the same time, I have a lot of faith that the

students will get it done.”

Kaizawa said this was McKinley’s second year attending the SHOOTS Summit. But this is not the only contest McKinley media students are applying for. She is also preparing her students for Student Television Network which is a filming competition at Long Beach, California, during spring break.

“It’s definitely about growth. We want to see that they’re growing in their video production skills, like the technical skills of storytelling, video, audio, editing,” Kaizawa said. “But I

think it’s also about personal growth. I think the biggest thing is perseverance and adaptability.”

Kaizawa said, just like the SHOOTS Summit, her students will not know what the prompt is for the STN contest, but they do know what the skills they have to use, they do not know what obstacles they might face, so they must be adaptable.

“No matter what challenge you’re thrown in, you can problem solve through it and come out victorious,” Kaizawa said.

Community Raises Safety Awareness

by Cheska Orias

In the year since McKinley High School student Sara Yara (c/o 2024) was killed in a hit and run in a marked crosswalk on Kapiolani Boulevard Feb.15 2023, the community has worked to create safer streets and raise awareness. On Kapiolani and Pensacola street speeds bumps where placed in response to the accident.

McKinleys principal Ron Okamura worked with the city and county to install these speedbumps. Something like this would normally take a few years to build, but happened within a couple of weeks. Lane closures happened on March 20, 2023 from 9 am to 3 pm and their completion date was on Mar. 23, 2023 according to the State of Hawaii Department of

Transportation.

“To me, it was a groundbreaking event that took place. Both the city and the state government came together to do something really quickly because normally projects like this will take a couple of years,” Okamura said.

Okamura said these speed bumps are a huge difference when it comes to cars slowing down. He said it’s important people are aware they are driving in a school zone, with students and other pedestrians frequently crossing the street.

“(It made)A huge difference as far as cars and the speeds that they come down. The one thing that I think is most important is that people are aware that there is a school there,” Okamura said

Another part of pedestrian safety is awareness and rallies.

An issue Okamura has seen is how people don’t look both ways when walking the streets. With pedestrians having the right of way, pedestrians just walk onto the street, expecting the cars to stop. He said when he was growing up they had classes on how to cross the streets. People expect the car to stop and somtimes people get hit.

He said you have to keep yourself just as safe even with the speedbumps there.

“Anytime you go across the streets regardless if you have a light on or anything, it is important to always stop and look when you go across the streets because you never know if drivers are paying attention or not.”

On Feb. 17, to honor the anniversary of Sara Yara’s death, family members, friends, police officers and legislators waved signs regarding driving laws and pedestrian safety awareness.

Photo by Shane Kaneshiro.

Exposing Fight Culture at McKinley

by Malia Manuel

The students that attend McKinley high School specifically have most likely either been in or have witnessed an altercation between McKinley students. An influx of physical fights and acts of violence/intimidation in quarter three have been occurring both on this campus and close around its perimeters. Fighting culture is becoming a more and more prevalent issue in American schools. 46% of schools in America have seen an increase in fighting and violence, according to surveys done in 2020-22 by the National Center for Education Statistics.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the reasons for students fighting are never straightforward. It is difficult to configure exactly why teens feel the need to handle their issues violently. Anger, self-defense, rumors, etc, are common occurrences regarding these problems.

On McKinley’s campus, there have been more precautions being taken by the administration to lower the chances of these problems. Some of these actions include cracking down on students having and wearing their IDs at all times, upping the security around campus, having admin and security patrol around and off of campus, etc. There are still many different opinions surrounding these issues at school.

Vice principal William McGuire has been a close witness to these fights during the years he has worked on this campus alongside other teachers and admin.

"We had five fights in seven school days just a few days ago!" McGuire said.

It had even gotten to a point where McGuire had to watch for these incidents outside of school and try to prevent them.

"There were a few weeks there where I had to be in places I normally wouldn't be, like out on the street or patrolling behind the Kapiolani Gate."

McGuire offered a few observations regarding situations like these.

"Once students aren't focused on what they should be focused on, they're not focused on academics, or positive things like sports and clubs, typically I find their grades aren't great." McGuire said.

McGuire attributed these problems to something deeper than the surface-level drama others tend to see.

"Kids that struggle academically tend to find other things to do, they use them to cover up for their inadequacies which impacts their interpersonal relationships; it's just not a positive mentality."

PE and biology teacher Bartly Wilson has also seen some of the recent altercations between students on campus.

"We have a lot of people here at this school that are allowing outside influences to come in here and make a negative impact on the campus," Wilson said.

"Instead of students feeling freedom at this school, it's

going to feel almost like we're in some kind of lockdown because everywhere we look, there's police cars and armed police officers."

Both McGuire and Wilson share the same views of social media in regards to how it contributes to this issue, noting that the problem has been inflamed by it and can have a negative influence on youth.

"You make foolish decisions based on what other people think about you a lot, especially when you're young," McGuire said.

It's hard to say exactly what will solve or at the very least, lower the high occurrences of these problems.

Elijah Jones (c/o 2026) has also had some thoughts regarding this situation.

"Students don't seem to care as much because the fights are entertaining to them, even if it negatively affects others," Jones said. "Their immediate instinct is to get their phones out and film."

Jones feels that the school is handling it to the best of their ability, since the police have been stationed around the school and there's been more security.

Wilson said he believes that the school has to do something that sets a better example for those who think this behavior is acceptable, and that without it, he is afraid more kids are going to end up in trouble and at a juvenile detention center.

McGuire said the school need help with an alternative program for these students because there are not enough options here; they cannot be left to their own devices at school.

“Currently, the school district does not seem to have the capacity to change and give these kids a better chance,” McGuire said.

Why Keeping in Touch With Your Culture is Important

by Nhi Nguyen

You walk into your home and breathe in the smell of your favorite food. You read the news and discover that one of your favorite celebrities once attended your high school. You scroll through Instagram and see a relatable video from a creator of the same ethnicity as you. You meet someone, and find out you both like the same music artists.

Chances are the cultures you identify with, whether ethnic or otherwise, have a big impact on your life and the actions you take. Being involved with your culture can develop your identity, your understanding of your history and your connection with others.

For as long as I can remember, my parents have made a point of making sure my sister and I stay involved in our culture. They encouraged us to speak Vietnamese when talking to them at home so that we stayed familiar with our language and made sure we participated in important traditional celebrations such as Tet Nguyen Đan (Lunar New Year) and Tet Trung Thu (the Mid-Autumn Festival). They take us to Vietnam for a month every couple of years to expose us to Vietnamese customs.

don’t get in the way of my connection with my culture. Whenever I feel out of place culturally, I talk to cousins at home who have had similar experiences, and take comfort in Hawaii’s diverse communities, where people like me are commonplace and even part of the norm. I believe even if you never really took time to get exposed to your culture for most of your life, it’s never too late to reap the benefits of connecting with your ethnic culture.

According to Deakin Research, many studies including those on ethnic identity suggest that connection to a group is linked to higher self-esteem. Being connected to your ethnic background can also provide a buffer against the psychological effects of ethnic discrimination. Your cultural background is a key part of your identity, and by maintaining your links with it, you can better understand who you are as a person. It can help you feel closer to people with similar roots and find a sense of belonging in your community. Knowing where you come from can also help you develop your confidence, so that no matter where you go or what you do in the future, you’ll always know who you are.

I’m grateful for my upbringing, because it helped me build a bond with my parents and my home country that would have been difficult to build otherwise. But as a first-generation immigrant myself, I know that first- and second-generation immigrants often struggle with a feeling of cultural disconnect because of the constant struggle to juggle two identities at once. Whenever I visit extended family, especially in Vietnam, I get the sense that I’m not as Vietnamese as everyone else, because I don’t have a perfect grasp of the Vietnamese language, and I spent most of my life in the United States, taking part in American customs.

However, because of the way my parents raised me, these occasional feelings of insufficiency and confusion

But your ethnic culture isn’t the only type of culture you can explore to figure out who you are. There are many types of culture you might identify with without even realizing it. Online communities with people who share particular hobbies, watch particular shows, or play a particular game all have cultures you can get involved in. Offline communities such as your town, school or clubs you’re in can all be a part of your identity, too.

By building a positive environment and upholding the values of pride and tradition at school, you can create a culture that you’re proud to be a part of. By getting involved in local, cultural and school activities, as well as connecting with communities you relate to online and offline, you can discover your identity and your roles in your community.

Art by Nhi Nguyen.

Artist Vs AI

by Cheska Orias

What The Art Process Is Like For An Artist

As a digital artist myself, I’ve spent lots of time drawing on my iPad, trying to get it the way I want it to look. Sketching away, lining art, coloring, and finally rendering the whole thing. The process isn’t easy. Some days the hardest part of being an artist is actually getting an idea I want to do and finalizing it with a sketch.

For example with art I drawn for this article (far right) I’ve spent three hours and twenty nine minutes creating it. It may look simple, but it’s really not. The original sketch doesn’t even look the same from the final product. During the process something didn’t sit right with me so I scrapped it and went searching for references. After pulling up images from Pinterest, used them as references and inspirations for my sketch before I finally settled on one I actually liked.

After all of that and arguably my favorite part is when I ink/line it and color it all in. Once that is finished, I ren-

dered and added all the shadows, lighting, textures, and fun other stuff to really pull the piece together. This part takes trial and error and experimenting to find something I like. One thing might not work out, but it gives me an idea for something else I can try.

Once I put my signature on it, I have the final piece.

When I see others using AI and claiming that they are an ‘AI artist’ a little part of me dies every time. Along with other artist friends who put blood, sweat, and tears into their works. Just to even get an idea is a struggle, especially if they are in art block.

What Is AI Art and How Is It Created?

AI art has become more prevalent, and wide spread on social media. You can find AI art being used on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Some of the biggest AI art generators include MidJournary, Stable Diffusion, and WOMBO dream. They’re all free to use, as long as you have an idea you can input it and boom! You have your very own art piece right in front of you.

To create AI art, the AI algorithm does not follow a set of “rules” or “code” in order to create. Instead it “learns”

Creating the original piece (left) took four hours and 51 minutes to make. The original art was fed into an AI art program Wonder (right), only taking one minute to recreate. In the recreated piece, one of the character’s gender was changed, missing or merging limbs and took away text bubbles. Art by Cheska Orias

by taking in images online for a certain aesthetic. The algorithm then tries to make new images based on the things it has learned from taking those images. In the end you have an “art” piece that is made by different and various images taken from online. In addition, with some websites you can input an image, and the AI will take that image and use it as “inspiration.” This makes it easy for people to take art from artists, by running it through an AI art program to pass it off as their own.

Since AI art is created by altering and inputing images, there is no human talent. As of 2023 in the United States, a federal judge ruled that AI artwork cannot meet federal copyright standards.

With AI art stealing art styles, real artists with that art style get hate; people claiming that their art is AI generated. This can put a dent in an artist’s confidence and motivation to create and produce more art. If someone kept posting their own original work and people said that they didn’t make that, would you want to keep creating?

Also with people turning to AI art, people who take commissions or people who create art as their job it becomes harder for them to earn money. Jobs like graphic designers, animators, tattoo artists, and even photographers all make art as their job and yet people use AI so they don’t need to pay an actual person. People pour their heart and soul into their work.

How Are Artists Dealing With AI Art?

Those who aren’t as artistically inclined use AI to get a good laugh or use it to manifest something they’ve imagined. Yet, when people start to use it to replace actual artists it is infuriating. With AI art you lack actual passion and individuality. All you get is a dual piece of art made up of stolen artwork. Sure it looks amazing at first glance but once you take a closer look you can see all the flaws in it. Lines leading to nowhere, anatomy looking off, lighting not matching the light source, extra limbs or missing limbs, and so much more.

It also can be discouraging for newer artists who are getting into the scene. Whether it be digital or traditional, it’s hard work when it comes to creating stuff, looking up tutorials and references just to perfect their style and make it their own. Yet, when faced with an AI who can make it on the fly it’s demoralizing.

With all this discourse on AI stealing the original art of artists to use for themselves, and people saying that artists are using AI just because their art style looks AI generated, it gets pretty disheartening. Yet, there are ways artists are fighting back against it.

Since AI art is not protected by copyright law, it’s free domain for everyone to use. People can search up AI art and use it as inspiration for their own artwork, getting ideas from the design, lighting, and character designs. There are also people who take AI generated characters and make it their own character, adding their own personal twist with a flick of their brush.

Another way artists are fighting back against AI is by creating a data poisoning tool, that being Nightshade. Nightshade was created by Ben Zhao, a professor at the University of Chicago, who led a team to create it. It oper-

ates by changing the pixels of images into pixles that are invisible to the human eye, but not to the AI eyes. As the manipulated images are fed to the machine-learning models it makes, it interprets the images something different from what it actually shows.

Artists have also started movements online for example with the hashtag ‘#notoaiiart’. This was started by Bulgarian illustrator Alexander Nanitchkov in late 2022 on Instagram. Nanitchokov’s issue began with a platform called ArtStation, which was accused of not doing enough to prevent artists’ work from being taken from the site and being fed into a program that creates AI art, and not flagging when AI art is uploaded to the site. Nanitchkov spoke against those who still support it and use it. He wrote in a post, “I have no respect for anyone that uses it to make final images and then calls themselves an artist … if you are going to steal, have the decency to do it yourself.”

What Does It Mean For Artists In The Future?

With a few clicks of a button you can create a “masterpiece” within seconds, but that can never replace the authenticity that a human made. You will never feel the same love, feel the effort and feel the blood, sweat and tears a human puts into their art compared to a soulless AI.

I created this image to show how AI is being spotlighted, but in reality, AI programs “learn” by taking the original artwork from actual artist’s. Artist gets no say in this nor consented for their art to be used this way. Art by Cheska Orias.

Which Bathroom is the Best?

by Joseph Mai

Have you wondered what the best bathroom here is? This article will be explaining which bathroom is the best through a tier list. The bathrooms will be ranked through an A, B, C, D and F tier list, where A is the best, while F is the worst.

The information was collected via a survey, asked what people thought about the bathrooms and by investigating each boy’s bathroom individually.

(The criteria was cleanliness, supplies, privacy, and what bathroom is used the most. For clarification, there are two different toilet papers, one is toilet paper rolls and the other is toilet tissue paper. The difference is toilet paper rolls are regular toilet paper, and toilet tissue paper is more like tissue paper than actual toilet paper. We will start from the bottom and work our way to the top. However, this article might be skewed to boys bathrooms over girls bathrooms, due to this reporter only personally confirming boys bathrooms.)

The last on the list are F-building and J-building’s bathrooms. F-building has no stall doors and the stall walls are very short, so there is very little privacy. In terms of cleanliness, the F-building’s bathroom is the worst among the other bathrooms. The floors are old and dirty and there is a smell. The supplies this bathroom has at least are paper towels and toilet tissue paper. According to responses from students, F-building bathrooms need renovation. These students are in luck, however. Principal Ron Okamura said they allocated the funds to renovate the F-building’s bathrooms. So in the future Fbuilding’s placement could change. J-building is higher than F-building but is still in F tier. It only has a boys bathroom and also has no stall doors and the stall walls are very short. However compared to F-building, the floors look cleaner and there is no smell. There is little privacy and its location is near the parking lot, making it one of the farther bathrooms on

this list. But this bathroom is higher than the F-building’s bathroom.

The next bathrooms are the D tier bathrooms, which are the gym, Bbuilding and D-building’s bathrooms. The gym’s bathrooms is better than the other two. The gym has better supplies and cleanliness. B-building’s bathrooms are next, with better privacy than the other two. While the bathrooms mostly have supplies, two of its stalls were out of order during the reporting period. D-building may mostly have supplies, decent privacy and be moderately clean, but what it lacks is its size. It is one of the smaller bathrooms on campus, causing it to be last in D tier.

The bathrooms that are in C tier are E-building and C-building. C-building’s bathrooms has a good amount of privacy and supplies and is moderately clean. This is probably due to its location, as it is one of the farther bathrooms on campus, and survey participants indicated it is mostly not used. Up next is the first upstairs bathroom on this list, E-building. Though a couple of its stalls are out of order and it does not have mirrors, it is fairly clean, supplied and private, according to the survey. Additionally, thanks to it being upstairs, the windows are left open, letting in a breeze, making any smell dissipate.

Further up the list, we have the B tier bathrooms, which are MS-build-

ing, Hirata Hall, band room and the health room. In terms of cleanliness, privacy and supplies, they are all fairly equal except for the health room. It has the best supplies over the others because it is always stocked with toilet paper, soap, paper towels, a tampon and pad dispenser and is even scented so it does not smell. Overall, it has the best privacy. However, it has only one stall, which limits its accessibility and if the health room is not open, it is also not open. That is why it is only a B tier. The other bathrooms have a similar problem in terms of accessibility. MS-building’s bathroom is the farthest bathroom on this list, because it is on the edge of campus. Hirata Hall’s bathroom is only accessible to G/HH3 classrooms and those who are in Hirata Hall. And finally the band room’s bathroom is only accessible to the Band, Chorus and Orchestra classes.

Before we get into which building’s bathrooms are the best, I need to mention that over time these bathrooms will change and these scores will become invalid. There have been problems where students abuse their privilege to use the bathroom as an excuse to wander around on campus and there are those who vandalize the bathrooms as well. There have been concerns that this article may make these problems worse, so as to be respectful and responsible stu-

Art by Joseph Mai.

dents, let us all agree that the bathrooms here are important and should not be taken for granted, lest we want to find out.

The contenders for the best bathroom are W and A-building. A-building is always accessible to students before and after school hours, unlike other bathrooms and is in the center of campus, so it is within walking distance from the cafeteria to Ebuilding. According to the survey, a majority of people think A-building’s bathrooms are the most used. Wbuilding’s bathrooms were renovated in 2023, so they are the cleanest and newest out of all the bathrooms on

this list. They are equally stocked in supplies, but instead of paper towels, A-building’s bathroom has a hand dryer. However, they are not equal in cleanliness and privacy, A-building’s stall doors have gaps where someone could peek through and one time, some of the stalls had their locks reversed, so you could not lock the stall. The hand dryer may save paper towels, but it is not as convenient as paper towels, which can be a grab and go. Compared to W-building, A-building’s bathroom is more vandalized and dirty.

So according to The Pinion’s survey and this reporter’s diligence in

confirming the facts about most the bathrooms, the best bathroom at MHS is the W-building’s bathrooms.

Now you know what the best bathroom is, so let’s keep it that way. These bathrooms are special and the people who take care of them should be treated with respect and gratitude too, because without the bathrooms, MHS will be in chaos. The best bathrooms at MHS are the bathrooms that we treat the best. So make sure to ask for permission, wear your ID and use the closest bathroom.

*Unfortunately the Boys and Girls Locker room could not be included into this article, due to a lack of time.

Should Schools Switch to Four-Day Week?

by Jayson Jwanian

Nationwide, people have been talking about changing the regular five day school week, suggesting that a shorter four-day schedule could be better. With some districts in other states such as Missouri transitioning to four days, I think Hawaii should be one of the states to follow this.

One big advantage of having a shorter school week is that it could solve a lot of problems for both students and teachers. Less time spent traveling to school and lower costs of transportation could make things easier for families. Teachers might also have a better balance between

their work and personal life, making them happier at their jobs.

Switching to a four-day school week would not be easy though. It would need good preparation, such as changing the curriculum to match the schedule and possibly training teachers to maintain the education the students get. Also, talking to parents, community members, and others would be important to address concerns such as them worrying the students wouldn’t getting enough education and get support.

The Guardian reported that Microsoft Japan tested the four-day work week, which increased productivity by 40% and led to more efficient

meetings and happier workers. They achieved the same result as a fivework week with 20% less working time. Employees took less time off and staff stress levels decreased by 7%.

Principal Ron Okamura said that he used to have 4 weekdays but they didn’t get paid for the day off. It helped him focus a lot more on what he had to do and students were getting more time to finish their work over the extra day given to them.

As things change in education and work, we need to think about the new ideas that fit the unique needs of Hawaii schools.

A tier list of all of the bathrooms. Art by Joseph Mai using Tierlistmaker.com.

reedom to Fail

by Kiara Chastity Pajarillo

Failure is an obstacle everyone faces and most dread. Failing a test, missing a deadline, not getting accepted for a job, underperforming, not making a sports team. As a society, we often see failure as disastrous to success instead of a natural part of life.

It feels disastrous for me, too. Failure is a fear that forever lingers in the back of my mind. Despite getting older and having more experiences, I just can’t seem to shake this fear. This word follows, haunting and pursuing me no matter what I do.

As a student graduating high school next year, failure is a common occurrence for me. Looking back, failure was and still is a frustrating and painful experience. Experiencing failure puts my life on halt, making me feel embarrassed and humiliated, leading to me feeling only self-conscious and ashamed at times and it’s frustrating knowing I failed the first time and have to try again. It’s like it’s embedded into my mind that failure is something to be avoided at all costs, yet I, and society, seem to forget failure is a natural part of life.

Denis Waitley is an American motivational speaker who

has been inducted into the International Speaker’s Hall of Fame.

“Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end,” Waitley said. “Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.”

Adding onto that, not only is failure essential to success but if you haven’t ever failed at anything in life you truly haven’t grown nor learned. If we start to accept failure, failure will help us to gain experience and understand that failure isn’t a setback but is instead an opportunity to help us learn and grow so we can improve.

Just as we have the freedom to fail, we have the freedom to improve and grow. Freedom is the power of being able to do what we want without limitations and restrictions. As we continue to fail, we also continuously learn, grow and improve.

Not only do we forget failure is a natural course in life but that failure also gives us an idea on what doesn’t work and what may work the next time we try again and again, allowing us to learn and grow from the experience. The road to success will always include failure and failure is life’s greatest teacher.

Thriving from Surfing

by Kai Pendleton

I started surfing in 2015 and the person who introduced me to surfing was my brothers because we were all at the beach and we had a longboard and I just started on from there.

My first time surfing was a struggle because I couldn’t stand up and I always got hit off by a wave, but once I started surfing more consistently I got better and better. When I’m on a wave I get a big boost of adrenaline. I always see big waves far out. When I paddle out surfing and it’s a little scary, I have to duck dive under the waves so I won’t get hit.

Longboards were built to cruise for a long time on a wave and they are meant for staying on a wave longer than being on a shortboard and you’re not going to be able to have a lot of mobility on one.

Shortboards are meant for tricks and they are much faster than longboards. They’re also better if you want to

do a lot of maneuvers.

There are a few reasons why I think people should give surfing a chance:

-It’s great for your mental health and good physical fitness,

-There are a lot of benefits for your health. When you surf, it exercises the mind and you feel more loose. When surfing for a long time, it can make you very fit.

-It makes your body loose and flexible.

-adrenaline rush is very exciting.

-Surfing provides a lot of adventure.

-You can also make a lot of money from competitions and other things.

-Surfing has a great culture where you can meet new people and when you surf at that same spot constantly, you can make friends at that spot

-It’s normally a friendly sport

A really cool thing about surfing is that if you stay out very long every single day, it can make your hair turn blonde.

Girls Basketball Scores

D2 Championship

by Kenvin Huynh

The McKinley girls’ basketball team achieved a milestone. On Jan. 31 at Pearl City High School, the Tigers beat the Farrington Governors 41-33 to win the 2024 OIA Varsity D2 Girls Basketball Championship.

McKinley’s victory ends a 16 year streak without a championship win.

“It feels amazing to be a part of a team that won a championship game.” Grace Pham (c/o 2024) said.

Pham, who is a varsity player on the basketball team, is also ranked 5th in the state as a point shooter.

“I never thought I’d even place in the top ten, let alone top five,” Pham said.

As the team reflects on their journey, Kailey Reverio (c/o 2024) emphasizes the importance of teamwork and chemistry throughout the season.

“I’d say teamwork and chemistry were one of the two leading factors to our success. Without those two key factors, we wouldn’t have won the championship game,” Reverio said.

future of the team.

“I just hope for the team’s future that they stick with it, continuing to work hard, grow, and perhaps win another title in the years to come,” Reverio says.

Principal Ron Okamura attended the championship game, supporting the girls.

“It’s always great to make it to the championship game, and to especially win the championship game too,” said Okamura.

Not only did the girls secure the championship title with their win, but they also made history for McKinley by earning a banner. This accomplishment holds importance for the team.

“We haven’t had a banner in a long time,” Okamura said.

As the celebrations continue, Pham reflects on her incredible journey and expresses her gratitude for the support received

“I am beyond happy that I was able to win a title for my school, my team, my coaches, and everyone that came out to support us,” Pham said.

Looking ahead, Reverio also shares her hopes for the

Avya Wathall (c/o 2025) dribbles across court against Hanalani. Photo by Minh Khang Ha (c/o 2025).

Grace Pham (c/o 2024) shoots a three pointer during the state championships against Hanalani.

Photo by Minh Khang Ha (c/o 2025).

Established in 1920

Editor-in-Chief

Shane Kaneshiro Assistant Editor

Nhi Nguyen

Cheska Orias

Reporters

Jerzel Bornios

Isaiah Dexheimer

Lukas Gaudier

Kenvin Huynh

Jayson Jwanian

Deon Kelley-Reed

Jerome Linear-Owens

Joseph Mai

Malia Manuel

Kiara Chastity Pajarillo

Kai Pendleton Adviser

Cynthia Reves Mission

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.

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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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What was your favorite activity/event during Quarter 3?

“My favorite thing about third quarter is being in Mrs. (Lisa) Kaneshiro’s class because she motivates me to do my work. We measured the kalo and gave the information to Mrs. Kaneshiro, so she can check it.”

- Phillip Muller-Komanta (c/o 2025)

“My favorite event thorught the third quarter was JLAB academic team. I thought it was really cool how a bunch of cadets could team up together and got through the second round together and that really helped me bond with my fellow cadets”

-Jesse

Song (c/o 2025)

“My favorite event during the third quarter was Soak a Senior. ... Everyone was having fun with each other.”

-Mai

Nhu Quynh Doan (c/o 2024)