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Friday, April 29, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Friday, April 29, 2022

Science Camps of America, based in Pāhala each July, has received funding from
the Atherton Foundation for scholarships native Hawaiian students for this summer's sessions.
See more below. Photo from Science Camps of America

A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL BE PLACED IN NĀ'ĀLEHU, according to state Rep. Jeanné
Kapela. She announced through instagram on Friday that the Hawai'i Legislature has approved $500,000 in Capital Improvement Project funding for planning and design for a new elementary school in Nāʻālehu.
    Nāʻālehu Elementary serves keiki from Nāʻālehu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Ka Lae through Wia'ohinu and all of Ocean View. Kapela represents the area as part of House District 5 and serves as Vice-Chair for the House Education Committee. The State of Hawaiʻi Transparency Website states that Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) are "renovations, repairs, and major maintenance to existing facilities, landscape improvements, new construction, land acquisition, and utility modifications."
   In her statement, Kapela said, "We're going to be working with the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, community members like yourselves, and teachers and school staff to develop a 21st century learning center that follows a community school's model in which we bring educational and social services together to be provided for keiki and their families. I'm incredibly excited and honored to be bringing this win back home to District 5." She wrote that she is "grateful to help build the schools our keiki deserve."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/03/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.

THREE FINALISTS HAVE BEEN NAMED FOR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR HAWAI'I. Public testimony is invited through the state Board of Education website at https://boe.hawaii.gov/Pages/Submit-testimony.aspx
Dr. Caprice Young
    The statewide school system with central management is unusual in the U.S. and purports to make school funding and education equally available from wealthy to moderate and lower income communities.  
    The three finalists are Darrel Galera, Keith Hayashi and Caprice Young. 
    Dr. Caprice Young is the former president of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education and founding CEO of the California Charter Schools Association. She earned a Doctorate in Education at UCLA, a Masters in Public Administration at USC and a B.A. at Yale. Her Linked-In profile says, "Raised in a foster family, she has committed her life to improving education for underserved students just like her foster brothers and sisters."
     Her profile on Lifelong Learning says, "She provides strategic counsel and leadership to Lifelong Learning’s education partners including Learn4Life, FLEX, and Mission Academy schools. She also serves as the founding superintendent of Stanza International Academy and as previously as the national superintendent of Learn4Life. She is the national voice for the organization and schools to advocate for education reform, bring forth solutions to the dropout crisis, incubate education innovations, and provide equity for opportunity youth."
    Keith T. Hayashi has served as interim superintendent of the state Department of Education since Aug. 1, 2021. he earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. From UH Manoa, he holds a Master of Education degree in curriculum and instruction, and another in educational administration.
Keith T. Hayashi
    His profile on the DOE website says, "Hayashi's 32-year career with the Department spans the school, complex area and state level. He has led Waipahu High School as principal since 2009, a position for which he has received numerous awards, including Hawai‘i High School Principal of the Year and the collegiate Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction. He is credited with pioneering the Early College program in Hawai‘i public schools and earned the distinction for Waipahu High as the state's first nationally recognized wall-to-wall academy model school.
    Hayashi began his education career at Lehua Elementary as a teacher and went on to serve as a district resource teacher in Leeward O‘ahu. He also served as a vice principal and principal at the elementary, middle and high school levels before becoming Pearl City-Waipahu Complex Area Superintendent. At the state level, he served as interim deputy state superintendent and as interim state superintendent in 2017.
     Darrel Galera served as a teacher and principal in Hawai'i's public school system and is a former member of the state Board of Education. He has served as chair for Gov. David Ige's Every Student Succeeds Act Team.
Darrel Galera

    Galera graduated from Waipahu High School on O'ahu and earned a master’s degree in educational administration and bachelor’s degree in secondary social studies from University of Hawaii Manoa.
    He was Teacher of the Year at Moanalua High School. He served as school principal at Shafter Elementary, S.W. King Intermediate, Aiea Elementary, Moanalua High and Castle High.
     When naming him to the BOE, the governor said, "“Darrel has been instrumental in engaging the public all across the state to help build the blueprint for our public school system. His service on the board will help bridge the work of the Board of Education and the ESSA Team.” Galera resigned for the board to apply for the Superintendent's job in 2016, but withdrew his application and has remained off the board since that time.
    As a candidate for superintendent, he received support from the head of the Hawai'i State Teachers Association - the teachers union.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/03/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.

SCIENCE CAMPS OF AMERICA, WITH TWO PĀHALA SESSIONS, has announced that this year's program is the recipient of a grant from the Atherton Family Foundation to provide full scholarships for
Science Campers study and survey the coastline.
Photo from Science Camps of America
Native Hawaiian students. The grant, administered through the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, fulfills one of the organization's primary goals: to provide immersive science learning experiences that will inspire and encourage more Native Hawaiian students to pursue STEM careers.
    “We hope that our programs will help create a future in which Native Hawaiians are much better represented in our stateʻs STEM professional community, and we are honored that the Atherton Family has chosen our program for these students,” said Science Camps of America Executive Director Michael Richards.
    Science Camp for Teens Hawaiʻi is open to all students ages 13-17 who are entering grades 8-12 in the fall. There are two ten-day overnight sessions. Land & Sea Camp is held from July 1-10 and Air & Space Camp from July 11-20. The camp is attended by students from throughout the Hawaiian Islands, the continent, and worldwide.
    Each session is filled with science activities and field trips to destinations around the island. Native Hawaiian students interested in applying for one of these scholarships may apply online at
Science Campers make art from a beach cleanup.
Photo from Science Camps of America

https://scicamp.org/atherton. Other interested students may apply for one of the organization’s other scholarships at https://scicamp.org/scholarship.
    Science Camps of America is a Hawaiʻi based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2012 to create informal science learning experiences for middle and high school students. For more information about Science Camps of America and its programs, visit https://scicamp.org. The Atherton Family Foundation is one of the largest endowed grantmaking private resources in the state of Hawaii devoted exclusively to the support of charitable activities. It perpetuates the philanthropic commitment expressed during the lifetimes of Juliette M. Atherton and Frank C. Atherton, and of the family who have followed them.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/03/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.

A SPRING SPORTS RECAP FROM KA'U HGH ATHLETIC DIRECTOR TIM GOULD notes that as the school year is coming to an end, so too are high school sports. Ka’u High teams participated within Big Island Interscholastic Federation in five team sports. "This high school season was different in comparison

New Athletic Director Tim Gould
to most years as games were limited due to complications from Covid-19."  Gould also said "most sports rotated hosts to accommodate an official shortage across the island."
    The Trojans Boys Volleyball team displayed continual improvement throughout the season. The team finished with an overall record of 5-4 including a home playoff victory over Kohala. The team’s playoff 
run was ended in the BIIF semifinals with a loss at Pahoa.
    The softball team overcame inexperience and injury while playing their best at the end of the season. The team finished with a season high 22 runs scored in a one run loss at Konawaena.
    The baseball season was limited to a total of five games. The season highlight was a memorable comeback victory in the bottom of the 7th inning against HPA at Wong Stadium in Hilo.
    The Judo team gained valuable experience and had solid finishes at the recently finished BIIF Finals. Delisa Breithaupt finished 4th. Shemayah Doi finished 7th.
    Track & Field runs into May. The BIIF Freshman/Sophomore meet is this Saturday, April 30 at Konawaena. BIIF Championships will also be held on May 6 and 7 at Konawaena.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/03/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.

                            


See The Ka'ū Calendar April edition at
www.kaucalendar.com, on newsstands and in the mail.