A Student Publication of the University of Hawai`i • Honolulu Community College • September 2013
Lounge upgrade For the second year in a row, improvements have been made to the student lounge in Building 2. Page 2
Full classes School officials have increased the number of classes and class size to accommodate a growing interest in Hawaiian studies.. Page 3
Return home A HonCC grad rediscovers her Samoan roots -- and relatives -- when she makes a summer visit. Page 5
Ka La photo by Mathew Ursua Marc Tamura studies in a library carel with snacks and drinks by his side. Librarians say many have already taken advantage of the new policy allowing food and drinks in quiet study areas.
Library changes course; now allows some food By Mathew Ursua
Ka La editor
Fashion trend Chris Kim's journey has taken him from the Army in Iraq to the Fashion Design program on campus. Page 6
The college’s library has changed its policy on consumables, making it allowable for patrons to have covered or capped beverages and small snacks at study carrels. A sign greets people entering the library that reads, “Dry Snacks and Covered Beverages Are Permitted in the Library.” But food and drink items are still restricted at computer workstations. The library had maintained that it wouldn’t reverse its original policy restricting food and drinks, but all that changed over the summer. Librarians said that’s when they started letting people eat and drink on the premises. During this time, the library was located in a portable building on the gravel parking lot behind Building 2 while construction
crews renovated the lobby and second floor of Bldg. 7, the library’s permanent location. Head librarian Irene Mesina, said that the decision was made after the successful experiment in the portables and after consulting with librarians from other UH campuses like Kapiolani Community College and Windward Community College Mesina said she and other librarians have already noticed many students bringing snacks and drinks this semester. Jesse Pagtulingan, a Honolulu Community College freshman studying liberal arts, said he hadn’t used the library yet, but that he planned to visit in the coming weeks. He thinks the library’s new policy on consumables would encourage him to study there more often.
“That’s a good thing,” he said. Pagtulingan said he looked forward to bringing juice, green tea, and potato chips to the library. Librarians told Ka La last semester that they weren’t planning to back down from the no consumables policy, citing damages to books caused by spills. That month, librarians assembled a “tower of shame” display featuring damaged books, which was showcased in the lobby. “I’d like to think I’m open to change,” Mesina said, “but I was adamant in the past.” Mesina stressed that the library only allows dry food. “We don’t want people eating plate lunches,” she said. Mesina said librarians have been turning away people with opened soda cans because they are not considered covered beverages.
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 2
September 2013
Ka Lā, the campus newspaper of Honolulu Community College. Ka Lā publishes 2,000 copies every month during the Spring and Fall Semesters. Ka Lā and all campus publications are funded by student publication fees and advertising. All materials published in Ka Lā may not be reproduced or reused without permission of the HonCC Student Media Board. Ka Lā is published under the supervision of the HonCC Student Media Board: Chairperson Derek Choi Publications Director Mathew Ursua Ka Lā Editor Mathew Ursua Faculty Advisers Emily Kukulies Mike Leidemann Staff members Sean Hursey Brown Kaleo Gagne Angelina Peralta Andreina Keller September 2013 Contact Information editor@thekala.net Student Media Board Building 2, Room 115 Phone: (808) 845-9498 Submissions Ka Lā invites letters to the editor, articles, events, advertising, and classifieds. Ka Lā reserves the right to refuse or edit submissions. Submissions must be signed and include a daytime telephone number and email address. Editors and writers are responsible for content, which does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HonCC
Ka La photo by Sean Brown Morgan Hutchins tries out one of the new chairs in the student lounge. during the first week of school.
New chairs, TV enliven lounge
Most students welcome 'long overdue' changes By Sean Brown
Ka La writer
A joint effort between the Student Media Board and Student Life resulted in the student lounge at Building 2 receiving a much-needed makeover during the summer. New chairs were paired with the new tables and couches that were brought in previously, and the flat-screen TV mounted in the corner of the lounge found new life with basic cable access, allowing students to kick back and relax to catch up with their favorite TV programming between classes. “I think it was long overdue that students had something that met their needs,” said Emily Kukulies, director of Student Life & Development. “There’s been a positive response overall.” In comparison to the blocky, stiff wooden chairs that were previously in the student lounge, the new chairs are sleek, with smooth black plastic backrests and seats held together by a strong yet flexible metallic frame that allows the sitter to lean back in the seat for more comfort.
Ka La photo by Mathew Ursua The television in the corner of the lounge can now tune in to cable, letting students be up to date on current affairs.
The legs of the chairs end in wheels, which makes them easier to move between tables and greatly reduces the overall damage done to the floor of the lounge. In addition, the chairs are foldable, which is a big help for Student Life workers when the lounge is being used for events, as the chairs can be easily folded up and rolled away to create space. “The chairs here are fantastic,” said administration of justice sophomore Alexander Yount, leaning back casually in one of the new chairs. “I like the fact that they roll.” Alexander was
also happy that the seats can be adjusted. However, his enthusiasm was metered with some concern. “There are so many of [the chairs], and with everybody sitting in them, the wheels get tangled up with each other easily.” These concerns were echoed by liiberal arts junior Rebecca Brown, who was a bit more harsh in her criticism. “These new chairs suck,” Brown said. “They’re difficult to move past each other because the wheels can get caught up together, making them hard to move around.” When an average
backpack is placed in the seat of the chair near the backrest, the seat folds inward, causing backpacks to slide through the chair directly to the floor. Anything particularly delicate in the backpack such as a laptop or a school project could be potentially damaged from the fall. Another student, liberal arts senior Sean Pilger, was not impressed overall either. “Two students were racing around in them earlier,” he claimed. “I like them, but I don’t like them better than the old chairs. I don’t know why we got them.” There was much less controversy surrounding the cable TV access, however. “The TV was not working when the Sandy Hook school shooting happened, or when the Boston Marathon bombing happened,” Kukulies said. “Those are examples of important events that students should be up to date about when they happen.” “It’s mostly football on the TV lately,” said Yount, content in his chair. “I wish it was kinda less mindless TV, and more news.”
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 3
September 2013
Clubs offer chance to get involved By Kaleo Gagne
Ka La staff
During Welcome Week students got to visit with outside vendors and Registered Independent Student Organizations, also known as RISOs. These groups are our “student clubs” on campus. Each month The Ka La will feature one RISO per month. This month’s focus is Early Childhood Education. Lehua Rowland originally from Waianae but now living in Papakolea, is the president of the ECE Club, which supports and mentors students majoring in the ECE program at Leeward, Kapiolani, and Honolulu community colleges. ECE Club members also work and participate in local communities. In the past, they’ve helped with the annual Christmas Shoebox project, which helps the Next Step Shelter, walked in the Kalihi Christmas Parade, and supported legislation that affects early childhood education. According to Rowland,
able to teach parents to become their child’s first teacher and promote better education because learning always starts at home. Javelle Kaneakua, mother of two boys, formerly worked in the customer service industry and is now majoring in Early Childhood Education as a career change. “My boys impacted my decision,” she said. The Early Childhood program teaches students to enhance the minds of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers by getting them ready to enter kindergarten. “The ECE club provides camaraderie with other ECE students and leadership skills,” said Iris Saito an instructor in the Early Ka La photo Noahlani FATA Childhood program. “Students are able to network Lehua Rowland hopes her work here with children will help improve the lives of others down the line. with each other in an informal setting by having fun.” her role as president is because there are people student body, we are one If you are interested in to serve the students of behind the scenes that campus, and to promote starting your own RISO Honolulu Community work really hard and put unity.” group, go to Student Life College. their lives on hold to help Rowland is hoping her and Development, build" Take your college life make the students’ life education will impact the ing 2, room 113, pick up a seriously, and seek out the better," she said. " Have an lives of families especially RISO form, have at least help, seek out the resourcattitude of gratitude. The in areas like Waianae. She six members, elect your ofes on campus, give back, RISOs are here to help the believes that she will be ficers, and create a consti-
Interest in Hawaiian studies keeps growing Class size raised to 30 By Mathew Ursua
Ka La editor
Hawaiian Studies classes are more crowded this semester, and the department's leader likes it that way. “Some of the rooms are small and filled to capacity,” said Mark “Alapaki” Luke, head of Hawaiian Studies. The enrollment cap for Hawaiian Studies 107 classes was raised to 30 this semester because of increased demand. Last semester enrollment was capped at about 24 in most cases, Luke said. According to Luke, in the days leading up to the first day of school, it was clear that some classrooms
Hawaiian Studies students working in groups during the second half of class. This afternoon class has 29 enrolled.
wouldn’t accommodate the number of students enrolled. Administrators arranged for extra tables and chairs in rooms where there wasn’t enough seating. Luke said that even
filled to capacity, the classes are still intimate. “Students are learning about their home,” he said. Luke said there’s a lot of a hands-on-learning in 107 classes. “We learn by doing,” he said.
107-level classes require service-learning projects that put students in taro patches and other Hawaiian-related sites. He said the number of Hawaiian studies courses offered by the college has tripled over four years. This semester there are 10 107-level courses being offered. One reason for the high demand is that the course fulfills core requirements for a liberal arts degree. Luke pointed out that only a few courses are approved to fulfill the Hawaii, Asia, and Pacific degree requirement. Among them are a Hawaii geography course and a more advanced Hawaiian studies course, but the most popular is 107. High demand for Hawaiian Studies 107 isn’t unique to Honolulu Com-
munity College, according to Luke. “It’s systemwide,” he said. University College Dean Marcia Roberts-Deutsch said that 30 is the normal cap for liberal arts classes. The exceptions are speech, English, and writing intensive classes that tend to require more interaction between students and instructors. Roberts-Deutsch said the enrollment cap on most liberal arts courses was once 35. She said the cap was lowered years ago to the current number, 30, at the insistence of faculty. Luke said that the college’s new Hawaiian Studies Associate’s degree, which was approved last school year, might be another reason why students are flocking to Hawaiian Studies courses.
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 4
September 2013
Free condoms feel like right thing to do By Kaleo Gagne
Ka La staff writer
You walk into Student Life and Development to ask a question on locker rentals or update your student ID, and staring you right in the face is a basket of condoms and lube. What to think? It’s a good thing, that’s what. The condoms were originally provided on campus last year as part of a World AIDS Day program, said Student Life & Development Director Emily Kukulies. Leftover condoms will be put out on a regular basis until they are all gone, she said. Students and others on campus say they’re happy that someone is providing the free condoms for them. “Yes, it prevents STDs and pregnancy,” said Austin Tabora, a HonCC student. Student Sean Brown also endorses free condoms. “Safe sex is important for college students,” Brown
Ka La photo by Mathew Ursua Members of the UH system student caucus check out the free condoms during a meeting on the HonCC campus this summer.
said. “It prevents unwanted health risks and unwanted pregnancy.” What do women think about condoms at HonCC? “I think nowadays it is a necessity. I am glad it is assessable, ready and
Game review
Saints Row IV still feels fresh enough By Sean Brown
Saints Row IV is a cacophonous orchestra of madness and absurdity. It is a bionic open world game, forged from the parts of lesser open world games of the late 2000s, to create the penultimate open world game. Saints Row IV is the fourth game in the overthe-top open world Saints Row franchise, which began as a fairly crude Grand Theft Auto clone before embracing a curve towards the insane and demented. You continue as the nameless boss of the former Third Street Saints street gang and ascend to such heights as president of the United States. An alien attack leaves the human race in shambles. The aliens capture the best and brightest in the world, including yourself and
place everyone in a computer-generated world not dissimilar to The Matrix. In this cyberworld, allied super-hackers phreak the alien computer systems and have you fitted with superpowers, essentially mixing the classic Saints Row franchise together with such open world superhero games as Prototype and Infamous. Though the game engine borrows heavily from the most recent game in the franchise, it still feels fresh enough to be well worth the full price Recent and upcoming games:
The Wonderful 101 (Wii U), Sept. 15. Grand Theft Auto 5 (XB360, PS3), Sept. 17. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ (PC/Steam), Sept. 25. NBA 2K14 (XB360, PS3, PC/ Steam), Oct. 1. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD (Wii U), Oct. 4. BEYOND: Two Souls (PS3), Oct. 8.
free,” said Misty Chiechi, a student and worker in the Student Life & Development office. “It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.” “It is a great thing.
Being in a responsible relationship, you need to take care of yourself and your partner,” agreed Lorri Taniguchi, a registered nurse who heads the health office at HonCC. “In all seriousness, I think get-
ting HIV testing and STD testing beforehand, and then keeping it safe with more monogamous type relationships, but with the tide of things being more casual, people need to learn that there will be problems getting STDs, and the lasting effect if one’s self is not protected,” Taniguchi added. The Center for Disease Control reported in 2013 that about 20 million a year contract a sexually transmitted disease, resulting in about $16 billion in medical costs. More than 800,000 STD cases reported were gonorrhea infections, with most occurring in people between the ages of 15 and 24, the center reported. In Hawaii, according to the group, Advocates for Youth: Fifty-four percent of Hawaii's high school students reported using condoms at last intercourse – the lowest percentage of any state in the nation.
Ka La comics: The lighter side of HonCC
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
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Going home
September 2013
Ka La photos by Noahlani Fata
A summer trip back to Samoa brought HonCC grad Noahlani Fata a renewed connection with her first island home and some of the relatives she hadn't seen in years.
A HonCC grad rediscovers her Samoan roots
By Noahlani Fata
Ka La staff writer
Sometimes life gets so hectic that we forget to stop and enjoy the things we appreciate most in life – like family. I was recently reminded of this when my grandmother passed away this summer in Samoa. I hadn’t been back home for seven years. I was so career focused that I forgot to keep in touch with the people most dear to my heart. On the plane ride to Samoa, I kept thinking to myself, “I have so much to get done before school starts and I really don’t want to stay in Samoa long.” I was so worried about my job and school stuff that I was willing to trade family time for it. This is the family I haven’t seen or talked to in seven years. When I got there, it was non-stop reconstruction of our house so we could get it ready for my grandmother’s funeral. We woke up at 7 a.m. and went to sleep around midnight. I remember complaining during the first week about how much work we had to do. But little did I realize that I was having so much fun doing it with all my cousins. I didn’t realize we were bonding when
we did our chores together. All of the kids would sleep down at the family beach together every night. We walked to the store together every night to buy snacks, singing our songs and laughing the night away. We even built our own bonfire. Before I knew it, I became attached to all my cousins. I remembered that these were my first best friends in life. I got so caught up in working and going to school that I completely forgot about everyone. Finally, the funeral came and went and plenty of people showed up. It was so beautiful. We had her funeral at the beach. Almost a month went by and I didn’t realize it. I was having so much fun that time flew by. I remember standing at the airport catching my flight back to Hawaii and I looked around and saw all of my family standing together. Everyone was singing and laughing; just enjoying their last moments together. It was so hard for me to say goodbye to them. I cried and just thought back to the first day I was in Samoa and how bad I wanted to go home. Now, I didn’t want to leave. I finally understood the value of family.
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 6
September 2013
Her healthy smile is contagious By Kaleo Gagne
Ka La staff
Imagine you are not feeling well on campus. You think you might have a temperature and end up in the health office on campus. As you walk into the door, you are greeted with a smile and a sweet empathetic hello. That alone starts to make you feel better. You ask yourself: “Who is that girl?” She’s Jovi Lavaro, 32, raised in Kalihi and a student worker in the health office at Honolulu Community College. Lavaro has many leadership roles in the health office. She is one of the people behind the scenes who plans the Great Aloha Run and arranges for the American Red Cross to come to our school and have blood drives on campus. “I think her name says it all,” said Lorri Taniguchi, a registered nurse who heads the HonCC health office. “When you think of
Ka La photo by Mathew Ursua
Jovi Lavaro uses many of hear leadership skills as a student worker in the school's Health Office.
Jovi, you think of the word Jovial. She exhumes enthusiasm. When she is on the phone, people on the other line can see her smile.” Lavaro was a medical assistant for seven years for a plastic surgeon.
Because of her passion and love for people, she then decided to come to Honolulu Community College to pursue her dream to one day become an emergency room registered nurse. Due to saturation of nurses
in the medical field, after her graduation in spring 2014, Lavaro’s next step is going to Kapiolani Community College, where she will be taking classes in the paramedics program.
Lavaro said her experience at HonCC and the health office has given her some insight into what students need most: “ Make positive friends,” she said. “You need people to help you get through your
through the college. Her fire science major is the entire reason for her tenure at Honolulu Community College. Other than Hawaii Community College on the Big Island, HonCC is the only school in the UH system that offers a fire science major. Her overall goal is to work as a firefighter within the Honolulu Fire Department system. To that end, Seamon has spent five semesters pursuing her degree, jumping right into college after high school like a firefighter rushing after an alarm. Seamon originally sought a computer science major by her mother's request. This didn't last long, however, as Seamon was quick to change her major over to fire science. Her decision to become a firefighter is inspired by her familial relationships. "My dad's friend is a captain of a fire department, and I always thought firefighters were cool," she said.
As far as concerns go in being one of the few females in the fire science program, she has very few that worry her. In fact, she's quite optimistic. "The teachers remember my name easier," Seamon said, a sly smirk on her face. "It's usually the only girl name in class." She also regards her fellow (typically all-male) classmates with the same ease. "They're all so manly," she says. "They all have biceps, they all like to work out, they all like to do some sort of sports. They're kind of stereotypical men. With muscles. Yeah." Seamon is active in her own sport of choice: Tae Kwon Do, a Korean martial arts style with a focus on high kicking and quick motion. Having been a Tae Kwon Do student for over two years, she's currently a red belt, and will graduate to a black belt in December if she passes her test.
She has a burning desire to be a firefighter Sean Brown
Ka La staff
Seated against one of the large glass windows in the student lounge, 19-yearold Sierra Seamon huddles close to her black Nintendo 3DS, a small smile on her face. She's content with her progress in Mii Squad as the reputation with her Mii squadron has recently risen. "I can now hit the reputation 'cheerful'," she softly exclaims, still smiling. Seamon comfortably wears the mantle of tomboy. She has raven black hair that hangs loose over her shoulders and doesn’t wear a speck of makeup. She would sooner carry a toolbelt than a clutch handbag and is seen dressed in loose fitting clothing that includes a moody grey hoodie and baggy denim jeans with the cuffs gathering over a pair of high top sneakers. In class, she doodles unusually proportioned creatures and superheroes from her imagination in a
Ka La photo by Sean Brown Sierra Seamon relaxes between classes in the student lounge.
notebook instead of taking notes. Outside of class, Seamon makes her roost in the Building 2 student lounge and spends her time away from campus at Tae Kwon Do practice or writing fantasy-fiction stories at
home. Though a mere candlelight in her daily activities, she’s a raging inferno in her desire to become a firefighter. Seamon is one of a small handful of women pursuing a fire science degree
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
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September 2013
Iraqi war vateran now studying fashion design Jacqueline Miszuk Ka La staff
This fall semester has brought many fresh faces to HonCC's campus to join with returning students who will become the graduating class of 2014 next spring. Among the continuing students is Chris Kim, who has returned to finish his Associate of Applied Science degree in fashion technology. Kim, an Iraq War veteran, comes from a background working as an Apache Crew chief in the U.S. Army. When I asked Chris what possessed him to make such a drastic career change, he replied: “It started out as a conversation between friends about printing T-shirts,” and he decided to continue all the way to becoming a fashion designer. “British Designer Ozwald Boateng is my favorite designer,” Kim said about his inspiration. Kim appreciates highend formal men’s wear and considers Boateng's suits among the best for fit. The up-and-coming design
student hopes to develop his own men’s formal wear in the future. "Before coming to this program, I had never even touched a sewing machine,” Kim admitted. His achievements since enrolling at HonCC include making the dean's list, and as co-president of the Fashion Society this year, his goal is to have a “smooth” senior fashion show. He credits the teachers of the fashion technology program as being very helpful. Be sure to check out his designs on the runway next spring in the HonCC Senior Fashion Show. Meanwhile, the HonCC Fashion Society has already held its meeting and selected the executives who will lead the way in producing the school’s annual fashion show extravaganza. The Fashion Society is a club at HonCC consisting of student and instructor members who are dedicated to the fashion community and industry. The club focuses on fash-
Ka La photo by Jacqueline Miszuk Chris Kim works on one of his designs in the HonCC Fashion Technology classroom.
ion show production to
include the annual spring show where graduating
members are afforded the opportunity to introduce
their line of garments to show attendees. All students and club members are encouraged to participate and present their garments in the shows.
Throughout the school year, members are engaged in event planning, public relations, advertising, management, modeling, and fund raising.
The four-day workshop allowed these instructors to immerse themselves in the theory behind the operation of electric drives and gave them the opportunity to test their knowledge by working on actual vehicles like the Nissan Leaf. “I’ll be able to implement different teaching techniques that I learned from our instructor and my peers in my classroom,” said Gordon Talbo, hybrid/EV program coordinator for Kaua'i CC. “There is strong support and collaboration between the community colleges, which make training opportunities like this so valuable.”
This training was made available as part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College Career Training Grant, better known as C3T Hawai‘i. C3T Hawai‘i is a $24.6 million grant awarded to the UH community colleges through the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration. The grant will fuel the development of an education and training curriculum and student academic/career coaching, which targets certificate and degree programs specific to the needs of agriculture, energy andthe health industry.
School leads the way on electric vehicle maintenance By Ka La staff
With the growth of hybrid and electric vehicle sales across the nation, the emerging need for skilled automotive technicians is on the rise. Addressing this gap, automotive instructors from Honolulu Community College joined with others in the University of Hawai‘i system this summer in an intense training in hybrid and electric vehicle repair and maintenance. “These instructors learned theory and application to be problem solvers and diagnostic specialists,” shares Jack Rosebro, instructor with
Honolulu CC photo Instructors gathered on the campus this summer to upgrade their electric car knowledge.
Perfect Sky, who taught the workshop. “The ability to be a self-learner and adapt to the changes of the auto industry will enable these
instructors to be success-
ful when transferring this knowledge to their students.”
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
During the first week of class, the staff at the Ka La asked more than a dozen new Honolulu Community College students why they chose the school. Their answers were as varied as the student body itself, but most cited costs, convenience and programs that can only be found at the HonC C campus. Enrollment is down slightly at Honolulu Community College this semester, with 4,437 students attending class here.That’s a decline of about 4.6 percent or 213 students from last fall’s enrollment, University of Hawaii officials reported Monday. This decrease comes after record-breaking enrollments in each of the last last five years.
Sherrie Akana Construction m\Management "It's close to where I live and it's convenient.""
Miki Ann Tsuneda Early Childhood Education "I chose it because it was near my mom's working place and they have the classes I want to study."
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September 2013
What made you decide to attend HonCC?
Matua Tuaolo Liberal Arts "It is close to home."
Koby Matsukado Fire sSafety . “I heard the fire program was really good."
Josh Fisher Carpentry " This is the only school on the island that offers Carpentry as a major."
Danielle Hipol Early Childhood Education “I chose to come here because community college is very affordable, and Honolulu Community College is a close as well as a convenient school for me.”
Mario Evans Fashion Technology
Holden Paulino
"I came here because fashion program allows me to make a personal expression.
"I chose to come because I realized that I can get the same education and finish all my pre-requisites at a cheaper cost. It's also the closet CC to me."
“
Liberal arts . "
Aaron Ota
Fashion Technology "I heard about the program through friends who are alumni.".
Genesis Tor Liberal Arts " It is affordable and (has the) same education as a university."
Dominic Tom Electrical Engineering "So I can take one class not available at another campus."