The Pinion Vol. 89 No. 8 2011

THE PINION Vol. 89, No. 8

McKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

April 15, 2011

Student hopes for fourth judo title

by Amanda Muramoto Seven years after first putting on a judo gi, or judo uniform, senior Brittany Balanay is ready to take on her final high school challenge-- to become a four-time judo state champion.

If she places first in her weight division at the state tournament on May 7, she will join the elite group of four-yearstraight judo champions. So far, there are only four Hawaii judoka, or judo students, who have made first place in all of their high school years. One of them is McKinley alumnus Lianne Tomishima, who received her fourth title in 2007. In the A-building hallway, local newspaper articles cover her and other teammates’

“I think judo is a very rewarding sport that teaches you discipline and respect and creates everlasting bonds with your fellow teammates and coaches.”

Brittany Balanay (12)

accomplishments.

Today, judo is known as a martial art and a sport. Balanay, who is a brown belt in the Japanese marital art, practices at Shobukan Judo club and Grapplers Hawaii off-season. When asked who introduced her to judo, she said it was her younger brother, who goes to Kalani High School.

For this judoka, she believes that if you don’t practice to the best of your ability, you won’t be able to accomplish your goals. If you want to be a winner, she recommends that you have confidence

Senior Brittany Balanay (left) uses timing, strength, and technique to execute a throw on partner Ayame Higa (12). Photo by Reo Tafai (12).

in yourself and think positively. Balanay said she likes to listen to music and “visualize myself winning.”

Balanay is taking on the role of team captain for the second time. “I try to help everyone reach their full potential (while) bonding closer and creating fun memories together,” she said. For this season, in addition to her personal goal, she wants the team to become Eastern

and OIA champions. “Judo differs from other high school sports because it’s individual, but it’s also a team sport because without a team you won’t excel and meet your goals,” she said.

For Balanay, it has made her both mentally and physically stronger. She also said, “Judo has changed me. It made me more outgoing and confident and I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

2 THE PINION April 15, 2011

Perseverance yields happy ending in story

by Hongru Zheng (11) Once upon a time, there was an orphan called Ying. Ying in Chinese means Eagle. Because of the war, his parents died. A slave trader saw him and sold him to a rich person. After three years, he was 18 years old. Hard work had made him stronger and taller than other people. The rich person had a beautiful daughter. Ying loved her, but he was sensible that he couldn’t have her because he was a slave. “We don’t match,” Ying thought, “If I can see her every day, that is enough.”...

Read the rest of this story at myhsj.org/pinion

Enter Contest “Haiku for Graduation” Haiku is a form of poetry that originated from Japanese culture. It’s a simple poem that doesn’t need to rhyme but needs to create a picture in the reader’s mind. The poem is made up of three lines. The first line consists of five syllables, the second seven syllables, and the third line five syllables Any MHS student may write a haiku about graduation and send it to the Pinion staff at mhspinion@gmail.com before April 20, 2011.

The winning haiku will be published in the Pinion’s May issue.

Besides following the haiku format, we ask that you be respectful, creative, and have fun in your poem. If you or a friend want to illustrate the haiku, you can send it as a jpeg file.

With that said, good luck!

Check out The Pinion online at myhsj.org/pinion

MEA Engineering Expo story and photos at myhsj.org/pinion Pinion Staff

Adviser: Cynthia Reves Editor: Amanda Muramoto Reporters: Oliver Lam,Peiru Lu, Stacia Mahi

Publication Information

THE PINION is published by the Newswriting Staff and printed by the Reprographics Learning Center.

The Pinion McKinley High School 1039 South King Street Honolulu, HI 96814 Email comments or questions to mhspinion@gmail.com

Tigers represent at state science fair

by Oliver Lam McKinley High School students had the opportunity to play the role of “scientists” during this year’s school-wide and state science fairs. Twenty-one students were selected from MHS to compete at the state science fair held on March 29.

“I’m really nervous, but I hope I do well and am able to answer the questions the judges ask me,” said Lina Hang (11) before presenting her project to the state judges. Hang placed first in the schoolwide science fair held in February to secure her spot in the state tournament with her project that determined which recently fallen asteroids may potentially be comets. The science fairs allow students to demonstrate their scientific process and apply their knowledge of science outside of the classroom.

“I was really surprised that I won, but I worked really hard and I chose a project that was out-of-the-box,” said Hang. “My project lasted approximately five months, so I put a lot of time and effort into it.”

Mary Lui (11) with her partner Abha Shammar (11) hoped to improve on their second place finish in the school-wide competition. Their project was on the

effect of temperature on the viscosity of Non-Newtonian fluids such as canola oil.

“We expect to perform pretty well even though we are nervous,” said Lui a few days before the state tournament.

“Our favorite aspect of the project was presenting to the judges (in the schoolwide fair), so we could show all the work we did,” said Lui. Those who competed in the science fair dedicated their time since the beginning of the school year to their projects.

“I started to lecture them about the scientific inquiry [a modified version of the scientific process] since the first quarter,” said physics teacher Jossefin Rasay, who had her students choose five potential topics for their project. The students later researched their fields of interest before selecting their final choice. “I asked them why they chose the topic and checked to see if the project was researchable,” said Rasay.

The students began to plan their projects week by week and Rasay monitored their progress every three weeks until the end of the second quarter. The construction of these projects was completed during the third quarter. “It was a long process of learning for them,” said Rasay.

The Scientific Inquiry Process 1. Explorations: Using the five senses to link what we already know with what we observe about the world around us.

2. Research Questions: What we “wonder” based on our observations.

3. Background Information: A thorough study and documentation of the information related to the research question which aids in the formation of a testable hypothesis.

4. Hypothesis: Key word is “testable” and is stated in an “if…then…because…” format.

5. Experimental Design: Identifies specific variables and controls and follows logical, safe practices to collect data and answer research questions.

6. Results: Explain what happened, are logically organized, report observations, accurately and objectively report findings, and depict graphs.

7. Data Analysis: Explains “why did it occur,” explains trends in the data, and explains where errors could have occurred.

8. Summary and Conclusion: Reviews the results and makes a decision. Determines if the data supports or refutes the hypothesis and answers the research question.

9. Implications: Share the results and repeat the study or conduct more research.

April 15, 2011 THE PINION 3

Class project promotes recycling

by Stacia Mahi Imagine you have a chance to fix a problem at your high school. What would you fix? Three McKinley High School seniors decided to distribute recycling bins throughout campus to increase recycling awareness. The project first started when Alan Sekiguchi told his class to find a problem at MHS and fix it.

“We walked around campus and noticed recyclables thrown all over the place,” Kia Agustin said. Agustin and her classmates Jhonatan Nagasako and Tyler Guieb soon began making arrangements to have recycling bins on campus.

From the beginning, Principal Ron Okamura liked the idea but had some concerns. “The main issue with Mr. Okamura,” said Agustin, “was that the homeless would come and take the recyclables.

And having homeless (on campus) isn’t safe.” After agreeing that the bins should be located inside buildings rather than out, Okamura authorized the plan. Next, the three contacted the City and County via e-mail, asking for assistance in obtaining bins for our school. The City and County gave the bins for free, said Agustin. After the school got the eight bins, Lester Higa created the graphic art stickers decorating the bins.

This recycling project started in the third quarter, and a letter was sent to all

Seniors Tyler Guieb, Kia Agustin, and Jhonatan Nagasako have a single goal, which is as Kia Agustin puts it “to advocate recycling more.” Photo by Caitlyn Lee (11)

clubs asking for assistance in maintaining the bins. Each club is assigned to empty the bins weekly. The money that the bins collect will be equally distributed among the clubs that volunteered.

Clubs such as the Leo, Filipino, Japanese, Dance and Go Green have since signed up to participate. So far, 11 big black trash bags have been collected.

Even after the creators of this project are gone, they want the recycling bins to remain on campus as long as possible. So, they have turned the task over to the Go Green Club.

OPINION POLL Did you do something to help the victims of the disaster in Japan?

Illustration by Nicholas Jones (11)

Vote at myhsj.org/pinion

Student wins photo award

4 THE PINION April 15, 2011

Nunn Khan’s work displayed in the Hawaii State Art Museum

by Peiru Lu Art competitions require talent and creativity. There were about ten winners from different high schools in Hawaii in the 2011 Art Scholastic Competition, and senior Amber Nunn Khan was one of them. There were 16 different art categories in this competition, and Nunn Khan won the photography category. Her award-winning photograph is displayed in the Hawaii State Art Museum from February to April. Later in May, the photograph will be sent to the mainland for national competition.

Nunn Khan said, “I was surprised at the picture they chose, because the one that did win, I didn’t think it was going to win anything.” She submitted a portfolio (eight photos) and three individual photos. She said that her award-winning photo “is a self-portrait of herself in black and white.”

She’s fond of taking pictures. She said, “I’ll pick something I like, like a certain style, and then I will recreate it in my own version.”

For the future, she said, “I would like to go to art school. A lot of art schools in the main land are expensive; I can’t

Bethany Hamilton (left) and AnnaSophia Robb, who plays Hamilton in the film

by Amanda Muramoto If you got attacked by a shark, would you go back in the water? That’s exactly what professional surfer, Bethany Hamilton, a local Kauai girl, did. Her strong faith in God and passion to surf is now the basis of a new movie, “Soul Surfer” which opens nationwide on April 8.

afford them,” She said that she hasn’t selected a major yet, but will minor in art.

Nancy Wilcox, Nunn Khan’s photography teacher, said, “I’m very excited for her, because it’s her second year of Photography class and she’s the only one who won the award (in our school). Last year, she won two gold medals (in the Scholastic Competition). It’s the most prestigious and most important award that a student can win in high school.”

When Nunn Khan was asked about the criteria for winning, she said, “It had to be a unique piece you created, and it must be original.”

The 2011 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are now closed, but students don’t need to be in a photography, art or writing class to enter. Any student is welcome to sign-up for next year at artandwriting.org.

“When I’m taking pictures, it’s more like finding inspiration for something.” Photo by Yong Lin Huang (12)

Local surfer inspires new movie “Soul Surfer” is about Hamilton’s determination to return to the sport she loves after losing an arm in a shark attack The attack happened when she was 13 years old. In the movie, the attack is portrayed in a heart-pounding, scary, realistic scene.

“When can I surf again?” was the first question she asked after the incident.

The movie shows Hamilton’s real-life struggle to adjust to a whole new life and surfing style, post attack.

Along with being a great comeback surfer, Hamilton is also a devoted Christian. She believes to trust God in every situation. Hamilton also goes on mission trips such as the one included the film, where she goes to Thailand and is able

to bring the locals back into the water after the tsunami in 2004.

Also in the film are some fictional parts, such as how Hamilton has a surf rival named Malina. However, Hamilton said she likes how they add to the story.

She hopes that her message to keep up what you believe in will be grasped by moviegoers. “Push through hard times and make the right decisions in everything,” Hamilton said.

“Soul Surfer” will make you smile, laugh, and cry in the whole hour and 45 minutes. Hamilton’s message can be strongly felt in the film and will leave everyone feeling inspired. It is a film definitely worth watching.