Ma Ke Kula - Spring 2019

Ma Ke Kula H AWA I ‘ I P R E PA R AT O R Y A C A D E M Y M A G A Z I N E : S P R I N G 2 0 1 9

HPA SAYS ALOHA TO HEAD OF SCHOOL ROBERT MCKENDRY

BEHIND THE CAMERA: NANI WELCH KELI‘IHO‘OMALU ‘14

BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER: GPAC RECEIVES AN AV UPGRADE

MA KE KULA SP RING 2019

FEATURES

16

Bravo!

HPA performers have never sounded better, thanks to recent gift to the Gates Performing Arts Center.

20

Spirit of Service HPA says a hui hou and mahalo to Head of School Robert McKendry.

DEPARTMENTS 3

The Mix Suliana Manley ’93 wins 2019 Medal for Light Microscopy Sustainability Plan nears completion Nēnē research Photographer Nani Welch Keli‘iho‘omalu ’14 n

n

n

24

Ka Makani Pride Hiro Ueno ’14 documents the L.A. Rams Emi Higgins ’19 and Sihkea Jim ’19 HPA Olympics turns 40! n

n

28

HPA Connections Class notes Giving back HPA events and more.

• Tori Schneider P’17, P’19 • Jane Taylor ’68 • Former faculty member Bill Davis • Olivier Heuchenne ’86 n

n

n

Final Frame

48

Photo credits: Ari Bernstein ’94, Nani Welch Keli‘iho‘omalu ’14, Lucia Diaz Losantos ’21, Patrick O’Leary, Alexandra Peskova ’19, Mike Varney, Liz Watson, and Patrick Wong ’18.

Cover: Kaikea Nakachi ’11. See page 34 for more.

This page: Winter sunset silhouetting Kohala Mountain Road, as seen from the Upper Campus. Patrick O’Leary.

Back cover: Upper School playing fields. Patrick O’Leary.

Confidence in the promise This semester marks my final term as Head of School at HPA, and, like the class of 2019, I am grateful for this campus community and the blessing of being part of the larger HPA ‘ohana, now and in the years to come. My years of service to the school have been richly rewarding, often humbling, ROBERT MCKENDRY / HEAD OF SCHOOL

and deeply inspiring. I believe in the future for HPA, and I am proud of the ways in which our school is rising to deliver an authentic 21st century education within the traditions of our history and our home.

James Taylor, whose leadership did much to shape the direction of HPA, wrote often of moral courage, service, and living a life of meaning.

I earnestly believe these values continue, and that by living them, our graduates make the world a better place. Our school and the HPA ‘ohana are at our best when we come together to challenge, encourage, and serve the young people who will carry the lessons they learn here on Hawai‘i Island into the world.

Our HPA ‘ohana provides the foundation for everything that happens here. The faculty and staff dedicate themselves to nurturing and empowering our students; our students contribute their good-faith participation in the process of building community and knowledge; and HPA parents, friends, and alumni across the globe enable this work with aloha and action.

To be sure, there are inherent challenges in life and in the life of a school. But in the words of James Taylor, “Life thrives on challenge met with courage and faith and integrity.” Looking ahead, HPA is on the cusp of tremendous opportunities, including a leadership role in sustainability and extraordinary place-based learning, just to name two. Patrick Phillips, who assumes his duties as Head of School in July, will carry these initiatives forward, with help from all of us. I know that he and his family will be welcomed into this ‘ohana with warmth and goodwill.

I look to the future with gratitude for this place and confidence in its promise.

2 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

Michael Ho ‘15 enters Tokyo art scene When Michael Ho ’15 realized that he was on track to graduate from UCLA School of Arts and Architecture after just three years, his fine art professors urged him to finish school and begin making art as soon as possible. Encouraged by gallery owner and fellow alumnus Kosuke Shimamura ’16, who operates Tokyo International Gallery in Ginza, Ho is now based in Tokyo, where his work is gaining recognition. He exhibited in the Tokyo Tobi Art Fair last fall, where multiple pieces sold, and also at Art Central Hong Kong in March. At press time, he was scheduled to appear at the Tokyo International Art Fair in June.

Ho graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in fine arts from UCLA where he also received an Internet Research Incubator grant to study virtual reality in the fine arts. Focusing on visual semantics and quasi-didacticism, Ho’s paintings and sculptures “take from fleeting moments of American pop culture, investigating the more intricate ability for painting to engage in a contentious, active conversation with the viewer.”

Enlist My Demons In War, 2017, digital print, ink transfers, oil pastel, gloss gel medium, enamel, acrylic, 42” x 42”

3

Multicultural Bounty On International Day in February, students and faculty had the opportunity to share their cultures in a formal way with the entire campus community. The day kicked off with workshops on 19 topics that included karate lessons, Hungarian Easter egg painting, Taiwanese folk culture, African storytelling, football Aussie-style, authentic salsamaking, Columbian agriculture, and ku’i ‘ai, traditional Hawaiian kalo pounding. International students, with the assistance of Sodexo staff, prepared and cooked a variety of ethnic foods for a community-wide lunch, followed by a showcase of performances in the afternoon. •

Dorrance Family Foundation recognizes service learning In January, HPA received a grant from the Dorrance Family Foundation in recognition and support of service learning outreach, which continues to grow.

Service Learning Coordinator Willie Quayle has worked diligently to establish and nurture relationships with leaders at community organizations throughout the island. Thanks to this gift and to ongoing support from the James M. Greenwell Endowment for Service Learning, HPA is able to prioritize projects with significant cultural and ecological dimensions to serve both our students and our community. HPA is committed to empowering and magnifying the passion and energy of our students as they grapple with climate change, social injustice, and other major issues that need their leadership and innovation.

4 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

Suliana Manley ’93 WINS 2019 MEDAL FOR LIGHT MICROSCOPY

When it comes to biophysics, her field of expertise, Suliana Manley ’93 is interested in the physical principles that govern life, even at the microscopic level. “Most people think of living systems being a product of their DNA,” she says, “but physics affects life at all scales, even DNA itself.” A professor and the director of the Laboratory of Experimental Biophysics at the École Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland, Manley builds microscopes that can be used to see objects smaller than normally thought possible according to the laws of physics. For her innovation in this area, she was recently awarded the 2019 Medal for Light

Microscopy from the UK-based Royal Microscopial Society, a 175 year-old organization. The medals are intended “to recognise and celebrate individuals who make outstanding contributions to the field of microscopy across both the life and physical sciences.” Manley was cited in particular for “outstanding scientific achievements applying or developing new forms of light microscopy.”

Looking back, Manley recalls vividly how her time at HPA began to shape her into the scholar she is today. Prior to her arrival, she says, “I don’t remember school interesting me that much. It was an incredible awakening for me to take classes at HPA. I have very fond memories of taking algebra with Jerry Bleckel and English with Jo Piltz during my freshman year. It also helped me a lot that the days were very structured, with time set aside for study and sports.

I learned to enjoy doing assignments and loved the close relationships with friends from all over the world.”

In physics class, again with Jerry Bleckel, Manley discovered the passion for science that would set her on a path first to Rice University and then to Harvard for her Ph.D. “I still remember sitting on the grass outside the classroom,” she says. “He had brought a magnet and iron filings to show us the field lines of the magnet. That class completely blew my mind: the merging of nature with mathematics was just so beautiful. I had the idea that I wanted to keep studying this.” These days, Manley finds similar pleasure in creating that kind of experience for others, and for young women in particular. “At this stage of my career, I am excited to play the role of mentor to younger scientists,” she says. “It’s very important to diversify science, since creativity plays a tremendous role in scientific breakthroughs.” •

FROM THE ARCHIVES

“ Students should be strongly urged to participate in the milk program.

Our long mornings definitely call for this renewal of energy between breakfast and lunch.”

— REGARDING THE “CRACKERS AND MILK RECESS” FROM THE 1969 FACULTY HANDBOOK 5

5 Questions with Leilani Barnes ’19, Carter Hall prefect Let’s start with academics.

Do you have a favorite subject?

Leilani Barnes came to HPA last year as a boarding student from O‘ahu. She serves as a Carter Hall prefect and the executive dorm representative to Student Council. These roles make her part of the student-faculty team responsible for HPA’s residential life programming and activities.

We asked her to reflect on her multi-faceted HPA experience and especially what makes boarding at HPA worthwhile.

6 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

It is nearly impossible to decide my favorite. Currently, there is energy dancing in my bones about agro-ecology with Mr. Emmons, history through mixed media with Mr. Mumau, and Spanish with Ms. Martin.

HPA has definitely enhanced my interest in sustainability, which led me to take multiple sciences in that direction, gardening, and an independent study dealing with CSA (community supported agriculture). The outdoors has always been a part of my life, and HPA will allow me to move forward and bring about change in this area I have a passion for.

What do you love about Carter Hall this year?

I cherish the powerful sense of diversity we share. You have girls from Spain, China, and Hawai‘i singing beautiful music, watching their favorite TV shows, or blasting their reggae. Carter recently had an open dorm event where the theme was “Girl Power,” and each floor was decorated with inspirational female figures. A slide show presented images and quotes from all those inspiring Carter girls.

Name one object in your dorm room that best describes you and why.

I would say my upside-down bed frame and mattress on the floor. I consider myself someone outside of the box in a place where the flowers grow and the sun shines.

What does the executive dorm representative do, exactly?

I help address issues in the dorms alongside other dorm representatives and consider how to deal with or fix what does not benefit the community.

The representatives and I meet weekly and work to make living at HPA an experience at its best. For example, this year we organized a discussion for all Upper School students to get a better perspective on the circle-sit activity used in HPA Olympics. We have focused on keeping the student union clean and available to students, and we organized a dress code committee to communicate with faculty about the new code.

What will you take away from your boarding experience?

Having the opportunity to work with, plan, and revise parts of HPA makes me feel all the more connected to the school. Each and every student brings their own background, culture, and personality like seeds to HPA so that this community may grow as a diverse garden full of life. It’s important to welcome the experience of this garden and to look for ways to add seeds of one’s own. •

HPA to host muralist Estria Miyashiro Next fall, HPA will welcome internationally-renowned muralist Estria for a week-long workshop with HPA students. This project is possible thanks to a grant from the Bill Healy Foundation and Kawehi Cabuzel ’21, who brought the idea to school administration and collaborated with HPA’s advancement office to apply for funding.

Since 1993, Estria Miyashiro, who is known professionally by his first name, has taught aerosol art classes and lectured at universities on public art’s social and political impact. Mural clients include President Clinton, Oakland Museum CA, and the cities of San Francisco and Oakland.

Along with numerous commissions, Estria’s recent focus has been creating the Water Writes international mural series and developing Estria Battle, the premier U.S. graffiti competition. HPA students will take part in his latest project, Mele Murals, a series of murals across the Hawaiian Islands that explore mo‘olelo ‘āina (stories of place) and cultural and historical heritage.

Cabuzel, who is a veteran of the Mele Murals process, notes that “environmentally, the murals often focus on issues which are important both locally and globally.

Walls painted island wide have reminded us of the sacredness of Mauna Kea, that our ahupua‘a system is a perfect balance of agricultural needs and sustainability, and they remind us of the importance of our streams, rivers and oceans. Animals that are depicted in the murals represent the ‘aumakua and suggest that not only are we here for their protection, but they are here for ours.”

Estria’s visit to HPA will include a huaka‘i (field trip) to sacred or significant local sites; guided meditation to the ‘āina and to kupuna to help students uncover the subject of the mural; technical classes focused on sketching and spray painting; and a culminating ceremony to bless and unveil the mural somewhere in Waimea. This project will bring Upper School students and teachers together with the wider community to collaborate on a powerful piece of public art that honors our history and our place. • 7

Among the Greenest of Schools Progress and highlights from the HPA Sustainability Plan After a year of visionary work, the HPA Sustainability Plan is nearing completion. Launched last May, the comprehensive planning process involved teachers and alumni; staff and trustees; national experts and HPA kindergarteners; boarding students and local entrepreneurs—a true collaboration within our HPA ‘ohana and Hawai‘i Island community. HPA is deeply grateful to Jim Kennedy ’66 and the J. C. Kennedy Foundation for a generous grant that made our planning year possible. As early as July, HPA will begin executing elements of the plan as current resources allow. If you are interested in learning more about the impact your philanthropy can make on this historic effort, contact Hannah Hind Candelario ’01, director of advancement, at hcandelario@hpa.edu.

OUR VISION FOR SUSTAINABILIT Y

Mālama Kaiāulu

Care for our community of spirit, land, and people.

Mālama (verb): to care for, serve, and protect Kaiāulu (noun): community of spirit, land, people The foundation of our work is our kaiāulu, which includes not only people but spirit and land. Within this broad perspective of interconnection and responsibility, all elements are equals and partners—humans, animals, forests, grasslands; the immense ocean and lava rock beneath our feet, all joined and associated through the unique spirit of this place. Mālama Kaiāulu means to care for all these members of our community. We understand that our actions and relationships within our kaiāulu determine the health and viability of our future.

8 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

1

konohiki group comprised of cultural practitioners and place-based educators who helped develop a plan that is tailored and appropriate for Hawai‘i.

1,000 +

students, teachers, staff, alumni, parents, grandparents, community leaders, environmental experts, and many others helped create the vision, goals, and metrics of our plan.

70

years of school history and leadership, upon which our plan is built, from Ossipoff-designed buildings and early camping programs to the Go Green initiative and today’s school gardens.

100%

12

sustainability metrics by which we’ll measure progress, including food, wellness, waste, alternative transportation, water, land, and energy.

6,000+

graduates will leave HPA over the next 50 years,

ready to be change agents no matter where they work or live.

renewable energy by 2030; just one of the resource goals outlined for measurement in the HPA Sustainability Plan.

9

Small World, Big Dreams The story that brings Leonce Kabela ’20 to Hawai‘i involves a Tanzanian orphanage, a Hollywood screenwriter, the HPA financial aid program, and a circle of generous donors.

Three years ago, Kabela was a determined teenager hoping for greater educational opportunity. Today he’s a resident of Perry-Fiske dorm, a member of HPA’s championship paddling team, a lover of languages and astronomy, and an ambitious young man who shares his intercontinental perspective with classmates and who hopes one day to help others in his native Tanzania.

The story begins with Scott Fifer, a screenwriter and former New York lawyer, who in 2005 was volunteering for the TunaHAKI Orphanage in Moshi. Fifer, known for his credits on “Beverly Hills, 90210” and the Emmy Awards, was in the early stages of forming GO Campaign, a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of children worldwide.

Through partnership with grassroots organizations in 34 countries, GO Campaign has served over 130,000 children since its inception.

“Every year, I returned to the orphanage,” says Fifer, “and I was continually struck by Leonce’s inquisitive nature, his creativity, and his desire to learn. It was clear that he was not just smart but innovative and driven.”

Over time, Fifer arranged for Kabela to attend an Englishlanguage school in Kilimanjaro, and a mutual colleague introduced Fifer to Josh Clark, then HPA’s director of admission, on the hunch that HPA’s financial aid program and astronomy classes might be a good match. “Leonce had a fascination with ‘the heavenly bodies’ as he called them, from a young age,” Fifer explains. “In a whirlwind, he was

10 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

accepted; we obtained a visa and other paperwork; and Leonce arrived at HPA less than nine months after that initial call.”

Kabela’s scholarship comes from HPA and from private fundraising Scott pursues alongside his GO Campaign work.

Meanwhile, Kabela is growing into a renaissance scholar of sorts, with interests that include not just astronomy but creative writing, economics, and multiple languages. “I am currently taking Chinese,” he says, “and I also speak English and Swahili. I believe multiple languages will help perfect my career ambitions in business.” While the academic work proved challenging due to his educational history, Kabela has persevered with good grades and an eagerness for new people and experiences. “I like very much the diversity we have here at HPA,” he says. “My friends come from Germany, Austria, China, and many U.S. states. I can interact with Asians, Europeans, and Americans all at the same time—I think that’s amazing, and I feel so honored.” •

Rodeo to HIKI NŌ CAPSTONE FILM CHOSEN BY PBS Lia Craven ‘23 has participated in competitive rodeos since sixth grade, focusing on the barrel racing, goat tying, pole bending, ribbon roping, and breakaway events. This year, she brought her ranching roots and her love of horses to bear on her eighth grade capstone course: HIKI NŌ Middle School-Style. Taught by Middle School Humanities Chair Julie Camarillo, the course guides students through the process of creating and submitting two high-quality videos to the HIKI NŌ program at PBS Hawaiʻi. HIKI NŌ is the first and only

weekly student news show with a statewide network of schools. It involves over 80 public, private and charter schools from across the islands to share stories from their communities with Hawaiʻi and the world.

This year, Lia’s video, “How to Saddle a Horse,” was selected by PBS to run on HIKI NŌʻs Season 1010.

To create the winning video, Lia planned her shot sequences, wrote a script, and collaborated with her classmates and teachers to bring the video to life.

Congratulations, Lia! •

Each year in the first grade classroom of Teri Chong ’82, students study and write about the moon, drawing each phase, and learning names for the phases of the moon in English and in Hawaiian. “As students record observations for each lunar phase, they begin to braid a cord of knowledge about their land and their consciousness,” says Chong. “Their moods, their high and low days, all come through their journal keeping, and in the end, they know themselves better.”

FROM THE CLASSROOM

Moon Calendar

11

BIRD TALK

Know Your Nēnē

The name nēnē (pronounced nay-nay) comes from the soft sound these geese make when feeding.

Branta sandvicensus

Due to its remote location, unique ecosystems, and the pressure of human development, Hawai’i is sometimes called the “endangered species capital of the world.”

Hundreds of endemic species (found only in Hawai’i) are close to dying out, including almost all of our islands’ 40+ bird species. Consequently, Hawai’i is a prime laboratory for the study of extinction, wildlife restoration, and sustainable practices that will one day hopefully allow all living things to flourish— on Hawai’i Island and elsewhere.

This spring, Tani Wright Cordova’s biodiversity class supported local efforts to protect the Hawaiian Goose, commonly known as our beloved nēnē. The nēnē is the world’s rarest goose and one of the most threatened of waterfowl. Nēnē have been sighted previously on campus, and this year Cordova’s students launched an online survey through which the HPA ‘ohana could report sightings, paired with an educational campaign to promote proper nēnē safety measures. A nesting pair was observed with eggs, and at press time, it appeared that one gosling may have survived. Nēnē usually return to successful nesting locations, so the long-term goal is to help nēnē coexist and thrive on HPA’s campus.

TOUGH TERRAIN Nēnē like to nest on the slopes of volcanoes, beneath shrubs surrounded by barren lava.

POWERFUL POOP

CLOSEST RELATIVE

Nēnē are herbivores that disperse seeds and play an important role in the life cycle of plant communities.

Some scientists believe nēnē may have evolved from Canada geese that took a wrong turn during migration about half a million years ago.

MATERNAL BLISS? Females go into a hypnotic state when nesting, largely unaware of their surroundings, which is not great for avoiding predators.

SURVIVAL TIPS Many deaths today are still associated with humans. Do not approach. Never feed. Drive carefully and watch for “Nēnē Crossing” signs.

12 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

The Road to Waimea Rowena de Belligny P’29, P’30 and family settle in at Kamuela Cucumbers

Two years ago, Rowena de Belligny pulled up stakes from her office job in Singapore to begin a family adventure. She and her husband, Leo, sold everything, bought a campervan, and toured Europe for six months while homeschooling their children. The ultimate goal? To find a life with greater flexibility, time outside, purposeful work, and a sense of community connection.

Part way through the trip, a former colleague, John Seward P’25, called with an opportunity to manage his cucumber farm on Hawai‘i Island, where he has made a home (on and off) for over 20 years. “I have a background in biological sciences,” de Belligny explains. “The farm made perfect sense,

bringing together my academic and business skills, plus the chance to find the ideal work-life balance on this beautiful island.”

Today, de Belligny runs Kamuela Cucumbers, and the family is enjoying the shift from corporate life to growing healthy food for Hawai‘i. “I find it amazing that Hawai‘i imports 80 percent of its produce,” says de Belligny. “These fruits and vegetables end up ripening in cargo containers instead of under the sun as they should. We produce nearly two million pounds of cucumbers annually, which are available in most grocery stores and many restaurants across the state. Our goal is to expand the farm and make a small contribution to reducing the amount of cargo container produce that is sold in Hawai‘i. Another goal is to shift to an almost fully biodegradable operation.”

Meanwhile, de Belligny’s family has joined the HPA community: Tristan ’29 and Rafael ’30 are both at the Lower School. “John also has a daughter, Taina, who’s in sixth grade at HPA,” she explains.

“We were drawn to the warmth of the people, the breadth of the curriculum, and the wider network of sports teams, performing arts, and community connections. My boys are loving gardening, the Makahiki games, and their ‘nature kingdom’ at the Village Campus.”

Running a farm offers many possibilities for community service and school partnerships, which de Belligny has already started to pursue. “We’ve collaborated with Willie Quayle’s sustainability class at HPA this year and with Dr. Bill, Aaron Schorn, and students in the Energy Lab as well,” she says. “We’re hoping to get more involved with the next Nalukai Academy cohort. We also donate cucumbers to the weekly community meal, and we felt fortunate to be able to give a large amount of cocopeat to help rejuvenate gardens swallowed in the recent lava flow.”

Clearly, the road to Waimea agrees with this adventurous family, and HPA is glad to say “aloha.” •

13

Nani Welch Keli‘iho‘omalu ’14

Behind the Camera

14 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

Nani Welch Keli‘iho‘omalu ’14 graduated from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR in May 2018, with a degree in rhetoric and media studies. Although she planned to work in marketing or fashion on the mainland after college, recent events took her in another direction. This past summer, Keli‘iho‘omalu was offered the chance to photograph a campaign for Sig Zane’s collaboration with Hurley.

The gig turned into a full-time job managing the Sig Zane website and working with its creative design team to photograph and produce content. We talked about the connection between her new role and her Hawaiian roots.

Do you have a specific aesthetic or narrative goals for your visual work?

I try to convey who the subject might be when they aren’t in front of a camera.

I want my photos to depict an authentic person and experience. There’s a long history between Native Hawaiians and photography. In the past, Western photography has portrayed us as many things, such as the exotic other or noble savage, by situating Hawaiians outside of modernity (sitting next to huts, dancing hula, partially nude). This depiction has even been commercialized to push a false and outdated portrayal of Hawaiians in order to advertise Hawai‘i as a tourist destination. My goal when shooting not only Native Hawaiians but anyone is to tell their story and share a narrative that works against past assumptions or that creates a new understanding.

It seems like your work with a local company like Sig Zane is a great platform for doing that.

While I was in college, my identity became way more important to me. I realized not everybody goes over to their friends’ houses and has to bring food, and take off their shoes in front of the house, and give a hug and a kiss to their aunties— things that are so specifically rooted in Hawai‘i that I love so much. Being around a bunch of creative, driven people in Hawai‘i makes me extremely happy— especially being able to work and at the same time learn about my own culture.

I learn things every day from everyone in the office. They all speak Hawaiian, and they’re all very culturally rooted. This job has been fulfilling not only because I do what I love, but I’m also learning a lot about my own personal identity.

Do you draw on your relationship with the Hawaiian landscape as well?

Growing up Hawaiian has a different meaning for everyone, but I think we’re all connected through the land. I grew up in Waimea, but my dad’s family is from Kalapana, and I’ve spent a lot of time there. The lava flow in 1990 was on track to take our home like it had taken so many others, but the moment it got to the edge of our property, across the street from Kaimū Bay, it stopped and began flowing towards the ocean. Though we mourn the loss of Kaimū as it was where my dad and his siblings, as well as our past generations, grew up learning to swim, fish, and surf, the redirection of the lava saved our home and my family’s way of living. My grandpa taught my dad and his seven brothers and three sisters how to live sustainably by only taking what you need, giving back to the land, and gathering in traditional ways like throwing net, creating dry land loʻi, and hunting. These virtues were instilled in me and all of my cousins, and they resonate with me through my photography. • 15

Good Place, Ray Oldenburg writes about the importance of public spaces—cafes,

community centers, general stores, barber shops, and other gathering spots that bring people together. Such places foster a sense of fellowship, encourage the exchange of ideas, and make room for relaxation. In a civil society, he argues, they are as important as the home and workplace.

There are many “great good places” on the HPA campus, such as Ko Kākou Student Union, Anna’s Field, Davies Chapel, and others that HPA is working to sustain or revitalize through the campus master plan. Recently, the Gates Performing Arts Center (GPAC) received a much-needed upgrade courtesy of HPA Trustee Cindy McMackin and her husband, Ron McMackin, parents of Curtis ’16, Riley ’17, Raquel ’21, Roxanne ’23, and Colton ’26.

The McMackins’ gift installed a state-of-the-art surround-sound system, laser projection equipment, and a camera distribution system that enables live streaming of events. Their gift elevates what is already a thriving arts program and promotes continued enrichment. As the school year comes to a close, one thing is clear: the Gates Performing Art Center is now an even more vibrant gathering place for our campus community, as well as for the many outside organizations that hold events at HPA.

Importance of the arts 16 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

Bravo!

I

n his groundbreaking study, The Great

Thanks to the McMackin ‘ohana, the Gates Performing Arts Center has never sounded better 17

“This technology gives our students more possibilities to shine on stage, making them look and sound better than ever before.”

Importance of the arts

JARED TER PAK , FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT CHAIR

Current brain research confirms what teachers have sensed for generations: the arts are essential for early childhood development and beyond. Within the performing arts, students gain skills that support all other learning—confidence and creative thinking; teamwork and cooperation; public leadership and solitary expression. “I feel that music and the performing arts touch students in a way no other subject of study can do,” says Georgia Poláková, who teaches these disciplines for the Village Campus.

asset. We believe that art, music, and performance avenues significantly enhance the overall education of young people. We are thankful for the opportunities that HPA affords all students to participate in the arts program. From handbells and ‘ukulele to the plays and musicals—HPA does a great job throughout its K-12 programming.”

“They provide an opportunity to celebrate the richness

Excellence on stage

and depth of human expression. They help students

Attend a GPAC event and you’ll notice an immediate

discover their talents and form habits that transcend all

difference since the new systems were installed. Clear,

areas of study.”

high-quality sound reaches every seat in the theater.

As a family, the McMackins have experienced the

Screens in the lobby and speakers throughout the

power of the arts first-hand. “We have five children, and

facility ensure that performers and audience members

all of our kids love the stage,” says Cindy McMackin.

don’t miss a minute of the action. And if you live at a

“But beyond our family, we have a deep appreciation

distance, you may have already experienced the magic

for the arts—as a personal experience and as a public

of a live-stream event from HPA.

18 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

“This technology gives our students more possibilities to shine on stage, making them look and sound better than ever before—here at HPA, and now, with our streaming capabilities, around the world,” says Fine Arts Department Chair Jared Terpak. “This is a custom technical communications system unlike any other in the state and only rarely found in high schools. Our students are now using the same highend technology that industry professionals are using in today’s market. Staying ahead of the tech curve is tough, and we are back on the front line where we belong—thanks to the McMackin family.”

Terpak and the department are excited for how this equipment will expand their design and performance options. “We are experimenting with how the equipment opens up new possibilities for projecting images on the cyclorama at the back of the stage and also some projection mapping on set pieces,” says Terpak. “And we can now mike more areas, like the fly space, in addition to individual performers, which gives us more opportunities for inventive staging. The whole

Community benefit: on campus and beyond GPAC’s new tech capabilities have helped to transform the Upper School Monday assemblies this year, supporting student films, music and dance performances, slide shows, and even mindfulness meditation. These and numerous other gatherings in GPAC all help foster campus unity and allow students and teachers to share their lives and moments of discovery.

Through GPAC, HPA also hosts the local community, whether that be the Waimea Ocean Film Festival or world-renowned astronomers giving Keck Talks sponsored by the W. M. Keck Observatory. “I am always eager to find ways to connect our students with the local community and to share our resources and creativity with a broad audience,” says Musical Director Barbara Kopra. “The updates make GPAC an even better showcase. Through all these activities and more, the Gates Performing Arts Center draws us together in a space of fellowship, curiosity, and wonder.” •

facility feels like it’s wired for creativity now.”

19

Spirit of Service In his four years as head of school, Robert McKendry helped reaffirm our core values, supported curricular innovation and sustainability, and served the school with sincere aloha.

HPA says a hui hou and mahalo to the McKendry family.

20 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

HPA Core Values

excerpts from a flagpole talk delivered

by Robert McKendry May 2016 INTEGRITY

Living honestly and with moral courage Before he officially took office in July 2015, Robert McKendry spent an interim year visiting more than 30 independent schools in Hawai‘i and on the mainland to observe best practices and glean new ideas. Throughout his travels, he noticed a common theme: many schools seemed to do a better job honoring their roots. “I felt like there was a gap for us,” he explains. “Other schools had quotes from founders etched on glass throughout their campuses ... I was looking to strengthen our foundation, to help bring our past and our present closer together.”

“ The purpose of education is to fill your life with satisfaction. ” — B I S H O P K E N N E DY

McKendry combed through the letters and writings of Headmaster James Taylor, reflecting on the men and women who founded HPA and set the school on its early path. He brought his distillation to the wider campus community, and through workshops, surveys, and vision conversations, a clear picture of HPA’s core values emerged. “We found some timeless principles that authentically reflect and underpin what we are trying to do today,” he says. In April 2016, the HPA board officially ratified the core values, and they remain a touchstone for teaching, curriculum, and character development at HPA today.

“Robert’s effort in bringing the core values to light,” recalls long-time board member and former HPA chief financial officer Will Hancock, “was inspirational. I knew James Taylor, and seeing his legacy honored in this way was such an important milestone for our school.”

“Almost every alum I speak with from Mr. Taylor’s years soon mentions integrity. This was among his favorite concepts, and he invariably connected integrity with the benefits to be gained by living honestly and with moral courage.”

RESPECT

Serving with kindness and responsibility “To Taylor and to Bishop Kennedy, the term was not about something to be demanded. Instead, it is to be extended to others. It is about interacting with others in a way that is pono.”

PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE

Striving for the highest and best result “Learning is really about the journey and not the destination. The best we can teach our students is to value the striving more highly than the result. We value perseverance, and learning from failure and doggedly working through the iterative process. In the words of Bishop Kennedy, ‘There is no failure in life except to give up trying.’”

WONDER

Being curious, appreciative, and content “Wonder is about deep human pleasure. It is about joy, and it is about curiosity paired with contentment.

Taylor talked a lot about living a full life, about thriving and looking forward to life as a glorious and rewarding experience.”

21

Watershed moment HPA’s core values work in partnership with another hallmark of the McKendry years: the strategic plan.

This effort began in 2012, when McKendry was chief financial officer; in 2016, the board refined and reaffirmed the school’s strategic vision. McKendry points to 2012 as a “watershed moment” and the plan as a roadmap for much of the progress that has ensued. “We were a pretty traditional program at that point,” he says, “and we acknowledged the need to grow and evolve as a school.”

HPA’s strategic plan embraces the challenges of 21st century education; in particular, the need to prepare young people for careers and opportunities that we can’t yet imagine. Among other things, the plan calls for widespread curricular innovation and placed-based learning; leadership in environmental education; a comprehensive campus plan; and increased financial aid resources.

As a first step, the plan also paved the way for the hiring of a new K-12 dean of academics and the subsequent creation of capstone courses, as well as “instructional leaders” who would spearhead faculty professional development work. Martin Ferrell, who served in the dean’s role from 2012 to 2016, recalls McKendry’s key support for continued evolution: “From the beginning of his tenure as head of school,

22 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

Robert encouraged the ongoing work of developing and implementing curricular changes and improving the level of classroom instruction across all three divisions. He is a man of integrity who cares deeply about the school and the people with whom he works.”

Cathy Grant, Lower School principal, notes: “Robert has worked to support the collaboration and building of a K-12 faculty community both through professional development and in leading the sustainability initiative. We appreciate his support for campus and curricular development, and we especially acknowledge that he strives to embody the core values we hope to instill in our students.

His presence at the Village Campus each week greeting children and their families at the morning drop off, for example, has exhibited a strong sense of care for our youngest children and their families during his tenure.”

Environmental progress Deep ties to the land and respect for the natural world have long been integral parts of our Ka Makani ethic and experience. Thanks in large part to McKendry’s leadership and to a generous grant from Jim Kennedy ’66, HPA launched major sustainability improvements over the past five years, with the installation of photovoltaic panels on five buildings, the erection of solar trees in Kennedy Square, and many other projects. The combined impact of this technology offers a significant return on investment, saving the school roughly $10,000 per month. HPA also now produces enough solar power to reach net energy neutrality for several hours each day, and, perhaps most importantly, the implementation of these improvements contributed invaluable hands-on learning for students.

“Robert has been instrumental in this work of synthesizing all the dedicated efforts that have come before into a clear understanding that taking care of the earth and our community is fundamental in

our mission and values,” says Renee Jenkinson ’98, team leader for HPA’s ambitious sustainability plan, currently in formation.

“By aligning our whole school sustainability plan, our strategic plan, and many other initiatives, we find ourselves with a clarity of direction that, combined with our love of this place, will catalyze our success in inspiring generations of young people to become environmental change agents.”

McKendry recognizes that HPA is uniquely situated to embrace environmental sustainability. The isolation, the associated costs, the heightened awareness of boundaries and limits, and the Hawaiian concept of living in balance with nature all contribute to the urgency of sustainability. “Hawai‘i Island is one of the most ecologically diverse places in the world, with access to sun, wind, and water that is perhaps unsurpassed. HPA is well poised to be a leader and model on this island and in our country,” McKendry says.

Kuleana at the core In many ways, the past five years have been a time of great transition and transformation for the school. When reflecting on both the challenges and rewards of his time at HPA, McKendry says that one word occurs to him: kuleana. It is our duty as a school and as individuals to heed our responsibility to our community and to this place. And in many ways, McKendry has made this call to service a hallmark of his tenure.

“I think this notion of kuleana can transform the world, bit by bit,” he says.

“Change doesn’t happen in everyone’s mind at the same rate, but I have confidence in the values we promote at HPA and within our extended ‘ohana.”

McKendry and his family—Fiona ’89, Malia ’21, and Caleb ’23—are indelibly woven into the fabric of HPA. Ultimately, by bringing the voices of our founders and the spirit of our roots to bear on 21st century learning, the McKendrys helped to fortify HPA’s foundation for the next chapter of our school as it evolves.

Aloha and a hui hou. •

23

KA MAKANI

PRIDE

S H O OTI N G from the Sidelines Hiro Ueno ’14 is living a football dream.

As assistant team photographer for the L.A. Rams, he’s got a front row seat to all the action. Although sitting is not part of the job—if you watch carefully from your screen at home, you might catch a glimpse of him sprinting on the sidelines, seeking the next great shot. Ueno earned his B.F.A. from Chapman University in Orange, CA where he majored in broadcast journalism. During his sophomore year, he landed an internship with Associated Press photographer Jeff Lewis; when Lewis transferred to the Rams, Ueno came along to help the team with their inaugural season during his junior year in 2016. When not on duty with the Rams, he works as a digital assets manager for the National Football League itself, handling NFL imagery of the past decade. We asked Ueno about the Super Bowl and what it takes to be a team photographer.

24 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

You majored in journalism, but when did photography enter the mix, exactly?

Most of what I learned was actually self-taught. My classmate Bo Bleckel ’14 was a big part of how I got started. We spent the summers of our last years at HPA shooting around the island for a variety of different passion projects and commissioned work, and I owe much of the opportunity I have now to him. (See page 48 for a sample of Bo’s work.)

How much Rams activity do you cover?

Everything from practice, to pressers, marketing events, internal corporate assets, and of course gameday action on Sundays.

Have you always been a football fan?

I loved football before I even started working for the team, and now it’s become what I live and breathe.

Have you ever covered a Super Bowl before? What was it like on the sidelines vs. watching on TV? Super Bowl LIII was my first one, and while the outcome wasn’t what I hoped, it was an opportunity that I’m very grateful for. Going to a Super Bowl—let alone shooting one—has been on my bucket list for a while. I’m lucky to cross that off at a very young age. Surprisingly, it felt like any other game from a field perspective as the crowd was relatively tame. Besides the pageantry and scope, the action on the field stays relatively the same.

What does it take to get a really great sports shot? Patience? Luck?

Knowledge of the game?

You need to be able to track fast action and predict the game flow so you can be in the right place at the right time. For example, if we’re driving down the field in a twominute situation, I can elect to stay with the flow of action at the line of scrimmage, grabbing images from each play. The risk there is not being able to get into position for the end zone shot if it were to happen. Or vice versa I could run over to the end zone but risk missing the images leading up to the scoring plays—and that’s if they even get to the end zone. There’s a lot to it, but the only way to develop as a sports photographer in my eyes is to shoot and keep shooting. From pee wee to D3 college ball to the pros, it’s fundamentally all the same when it comes to basic game action coverage.

Recently I’ve focused more on the things in between the action, the little moments on the field between players, coaches, and the moments that very few people get to see outside of a team or staff perspective.

Do you have any advice for aspiring Ka Makani photographers?

Find out which subject of photography you’re passionate about, then keep shooting as much as you can. Whether you want photography as a career choice, a personal hobby, or a weekend side job, the only way to get better at your craft is to do it as much as you possibly can. •

25

KA MAKANI PRIDE

40!

O LY M P I C S T U R N S

Field games. Talent show. Hula. The legendary circle-sit. Three days of crazy glory, thanks to originator and former faculty member Zeke Knight, and all the competitors who’ve kept the tradition alive. In honor of the HPA Olympics’ 40th anniversary, we asked Knight to share some memories from the early years.

The idea began in 1979 on a beautiful spring day, following a few days of Waimea rain. I walked into my senior psychology class in the early afternoon after lunch (always a difficult time for seniors). We were

Zeke Knight 1979

studying group behavior and motivational techniques. My view onto the lower playing fields enticed me to ask the class to assemble outside. While sitting in a circle on the grass, I presented them with a project that they could all work on together. What could we create that would bolster the spirit of the student body, create friendships between classes and loyalty to HPA? The class was immediately excited and began brainstorming. Within two weeks a structure and presentation of a weekend plan were in place.

26 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

I hope that the games are still changing over time and that the spirit of good sportsmanship continues. … Thank you for asking, and Happy 40th Olympics!

I wish I could be with you to cheer!

KA MAKANI PRIDE

Double Trouble SIHKEA JIM ’19 AND EMI HIGGINS ’19 ARE OFF TO THE COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES Under the leadership of coaches like Steve Perry, Rich Braithwaite, and James Berry, Hawai’i Preparatory Academy has grown into a soccer powerhouse in recent years, blessed with many talented players. Two of these players will take their athletic careers to the college level next fall in Golden, CO. Fast friends since kindergarten at HPA, Sihkea Jim and Emi Higgins both signed with the Colorado School of Mines in November and are looking forward to becoming Orediggers together.

“We didn’t plan on going to the same college,” says Higgins. “It’s just a coincidence, and I couldn’t be happier. I know Sihkea being there is going to make college 100 times better. He’s already one of my closest friends.”

Higgins is the daughter of James (Kimo) Higgins ’86, Upper School English teacher and coach of Ka Makani track and field and girls cross country. Jim is the son of Middle School science teacher Laura Jim ’91, and grandson of Marc Rice. “I’ve known Emi so long that I can’t remember when we first met,” says Jim. “But when I see pictures of us as kids, I can remember how she would make everyone around her feel happy.”

Both players share a talent for math and a love of family and friends. Growing up on the HPA campus, they say their feelings of ‘ohana extend to include the larger HPA community. “Growing up on a school campus meant that I had brothers and sisters who could be there to play and teach me what it means to be nice, caring, and optimistic,” says Jim. “I barely knew those words, but looking back now, I see they played key roles in my moral maturity.”

Both HPA soccer teams enjoyed successful seasons again this year, winning their 2019 BIIF titles and proceeding to the HHSAA Division II state tournaments, where the girls won their sixth straight championship. “It makes me so proud to represent Ka Makani,” says Higgins. “Playing for yourself is fun, but playing for your family, school, and really the whole community is so rewarding.” As graduation approaches, Jim and Higgins are keenly aware of the lessons they take with them from teammates, coaches, and HPA. “I think my favorite memory from the season was when we played Kealakehe,” says Jim. “At the end of the game, both teams came together and thanked the fans and coaches. That shows what soccer is truly about.” •

27

‘Ohana News

28 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

Class Notes

Events

Giving

and More

Some of our alumni parents with their Lower and Middle School students gathered at the Village Campus last fall. Pictured from left to right: Lisa Rabinowitz ‘91, Alia Cabrera-Zuke ‘94, Cassandra Quaintance ‘93, Edward Quaintance ‘66, Nicole Vincent ‘90, Christine Tepa Farias ‘95, Alex Woodbury ‘96, Julie ‘97 and Scott Hendricks ‘89, David Knowles ‘94, TJ Kalaniopio ‘94, and Jacob Cordeiro ‘92.

29

A M E S S A G E F R O M T O R I S C H N E I D E R P ’17, P ’19

You’re at home in our ‘ohana.

With my youngest son, Jake, preparing to graduate, our family has been thinking a lot lately about the things we value most at HPA. We’re grateful for talented teachers who love their subject matter. For coaches who care about inspiring character and leadership alongside the highest athletic performance. For the variety of activities and options—from Shakespeare performance to International Day to the outdoor program.

We feel especially fortunate to have been part of the greater HPA ‘ohana. There is such richness to our community. Day students, international students, five-day boarders, kindergarteners, teenagers, athletes and artists, students who are passionate about astronomy and others who love to write or dance or mentor. Together we create such a beautiful mix. We broaden each other’s lives by sharing our different cultures, perspectives, and experiences.

I’ve felt this especially in my work with the HPA ‘Ohana Association.

I started out seeking connection because of my boys, but my interest quickly grew to take in the whole K-12 school, thanks to the amazing parent volunteers who represent every point along that continuum. HPA volunteers have such open arms and welcoming energy for each other, our students, the faculty and administration. It is a pleasure and honor

Tori Schneider and her husband, Jim, are parents to Austin ‘17 and Jake ‘19. This year Schneider served as president of the HPA ‘Ohana Association; prior to that she was OA co-director of student events. She co-coaches HPA cheerleading at the Upper and Middle Schools.

to work alongside them.

If you are interested in volunteering for HPA, I strongly encourage you to give it a try. You can start with a small commitment or a sustainable project, whatever suits your availability. Just email ohana_communications@hpa.edu and let us know of your interest, share an idea, or ask any questions. We’re always eager to connect. Our goal is to help enrich the entire student experience, across all grades as well as to be a supportive liaison between students, parents, and teachers.

Someone asked me recently how I would tell the story of HPA. I think it’s the story of a welcoming school, rich in diversity, offering students a multitude of opportunities to excel. All of this while encouraging a true feeling of ‘ohana. I love being part of this story—and look forward to furthering the connection even after graduation day.

30 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

ALUMNI EVENTS

HPA ‘ohana around the world

OAKLAND AND SAN FRANCISCO Hello Stranger was the venue for a regional gathering hosted by Janet Melton and Zaheva Knowles in Oakland on September 18. The celebration continued in San Francisco the next day at Americano.

SAN DIEGO HPA’s admissions team hosted a regional gathering for the HPA ‘ohana at Punch Bowl Social on September 13.

TOKYO Big mahalo to Kosuke Shimamura ’16 and Michael Ho ’15 for selecting the cool venue—Spain Club Gourmeteria y Bodega—and helping to make the HPA regional gathering on November 17 so special.

SEATTLE Hannah Candelario ’01 and Zaheva Knowles hosted the regional gathering at Optimism Brewing Company on January 29. Board member Nona Hasegawa ’78 made a special appearance, and Cecily Kimura ’08 from Joule graciously provided the food. (See page 39 for more on Cecily.)

O‘AHU Hannah Candelario ’01 and Zaheva Knowles hosted the HPA ‘ohana at the Surfjack Hotel on October 25.

BOSTON Alumni and other members of the HPA ‘ohana gathered at Earl’s Kitchen & Bar Prudential Center for the HPA regional gathering on July 26, 2018.

PORTLAND On January 31, the HPA ‘ohana gathered at EastBurn for an event hosted by Hannah Candelario ’01 and Zaheva Knowles.

31

CLASS NOTES

Class Notes 60s: Lee Jette ’60 has been retired since 2002 and is teaching stained glass classes and traveling extensively worldwide. He also restored an 1890s building for use as a community theatre in Virginia. Before his retirement, Lee wrote the FBI training manual for conducting wiretaps, was CFO of a non-profit organization that grows food for food banks, was webmaster for the democratic party of Marion County Florida, and a communications officer for a veterans group in Florida.

Sam Wallis ’62 and his wife, Sandy, became great-grandparents to Sandra Ann Herkomer, daughter of Sam and Lizzie Herkomer of Round Rock, TX, born December 7, 2018. Sam Herkomer is the grandson of Sam and Sandy, and nephew of Sarah Wallis Shurley ’91. In March, the Wallises of Hilo celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Bill Jardine ’63 writes, “the Class of ’63 has been blessed with general good health, and at a time in our lives that we expect bad news, the news has all been good.” In response to a request from Bill to submit reflections on HPA, Frank Palmer ’63 shared the following: “Two personalities stood out: Mr. Taylor and Mr. Solmssen. The former clearly occupied the summit of Mount Olympus and was a power greater than any I had previously encountered. The latter possessed a personal magnetism of charismatic voltage and simultaneously was untouchable. Both men evidenced character that I had never known but

Please submit your notes and photos to alumni@hpa.edu by June 29 for the next issue of Ma Ke Kula.

32 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

instantly admired and coveted. ...Football would not have been on my resume had I gone to high school anywhere other than HPA, and what an experience it was! Four varsity years. Pete L’Orange, Mr. Chalfont, Dave Fowler — dedicated and capable coaches all. The concept of ‘teammate’ was new and exciting, because here for a little while I fit and belonged. Henry Pelfrey ’63 comes by my home every winter now for sushi and musubi… a teammate. Tioni Judd ’62 and an unfortunate marlin in Kona… a teammate. Peter Cannon ’64 and many adventures… a teammate. Recent deep conversations with the incomparably learned Steve Stearns ’63… a teammate. I recall a memorable night, ALL of it, spent discussing my tobacco addiction with Mr. Ed Van Gorder, who ultimately decided not to request my expulsion. I owe him a lot. (Believed for quite a while as a result that I should pursue a career in the law.

Real estate was a lot easier. ) Educational achievement has not been my strength.

Yet without a doubt the entirety of the four years at HPA educated me broadly and developed character traits that took me through the Army’s Officer Candidate School, a year in northern Greece at a nuke warhead base learning the language and hunting perdika, a year in Vietnam commanding an artillery battery, two years at Colorado State University, and ultimately membership in a sobriety fellowship that has endured for 40 years.”

And Joe “Nick” Pacific ’63 responded by saying, in part, “My HPA experience nurtured in me a desire to teach at HPA and I was able to teach middle school science for two years in the mid 1980’s at the school. I am now retired from teaching high school science for 25 years at St Andrew’s Priory. I attended HPA from grades 7-12. In 7th and 8th grade we lived

in the old part (vintage!) of what is now called Robertson dorm. At the end of our dorm, there lived an HPA Middle School science teacher named Peter Ogilby.

He was a super nice guy—very patient and sparked my interest in science. He left HPA after my 8th grade year, and I obviously did not know where he went.

When I started to teach at the Priory, I ran into Mr. Ogilby now retired on campus.

After leaving HPA, Mr. Ogilby served as Dean of Students at the Priory for many years! He and Father Kennedy were good friends and they both attended the same college, Trinity College. Mr. Ogilby passed away years ago and is buried in the small cemetery next to St Andrew’s Cathedral in Honolulu.”

Mark Hubbard ’64 wrote that Eugene Hamamoto ’64 is “busy working on a video for our 55th reunion and keeping in touch with classmates, looking for birthdates for some reason. We are learning things I am not sure we ever knew, like Richard Sylva ’64 was born on the day of the big tsunami in Hawai‘i, and Peter Cannon ’64’s mother, while pregnant with Peter, narrowly escaped that tsunami by ditching her car in Spreckelsville and swimming for her life. We always figured Rodney West ’64 was the oldest as he was shaving long before the rest of us. Rodney is busy volunteering for the Spokane Sheriff’s Department and patrols regularly—keep an eye out for his patrol car. Jerome Judd ’64 retired recently after 18 years with the DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.”

Dirk von Guenthner ’65 reports that he and his wife, Jane, “are living and building our dream on Hawai‘i Island on our 5-acre farm above Hilo with six new buildings done and three to go. Still going strong doing forensic accounting expert (continued on page 34)

Q

A ALUMNI NEWS

Q

A

Jane Taylor ’68

Daughter, mother, teacher, and artist Jane Taylor ’68 has taught Middle School art at HPA since 1988. The only child of legendary HPA Headmaster James Taylor and Lower School founder Lynn Taylor, Jane has a unique perspective on the school through time, and from her various roles as a student, alumna, teacher, and parent.

This year, Jane took on yet another role as her grandson Kanoa entered kindergarten at HPA. We asked Jane to reflect on her parents and on the life of the school.

Your father, Headmaster James Taylor, came to HPA in 1954 from Choate. What are your earliest memories of the school?

I was four when we moved to Waimea. The school was on the St. James Episcopal church campus and we lived in the house on the corner (second as you go in). The roof leaked, and my earliest memory is of raincoats and cooking pots on my bed catching the noisy drips! In those days there were 21 students and it seemed as though it rained all the time. My parents would bring the students into the living room and feed them hot chocolate.

Your mother, Lynn Taylor, was responsible for starting HPA’s elementary school. Do you know why she was interested in that project?

My mother and father wanted to stay here, and Mother felt it was either start an elementary school or move back to the mainland. They also realized they needed to have the school to help retain good teachers who came here with their families.

What do you like most about being a teacher yourself?

I love helping somebody discover a talent or an excitement about art that they didn’t know they had. When that moment of discovery lights up in a student, it is a reason to keep teaching.

Growing up in a family of educators, I saw it as a stressful and thankless job. I was an artist working on Kaua‘i and just beginning to become successful when I put my oldest son into Island School. I really wanted my children to have art and I kept bugging the school about providing it. I believe I became quite annoying. Eventually they asked me to teach and I said “only for a little while until you can find someone.” I taught there for two years and discovered that perhaps all those family members had been right; I loved teaching after all. I still keep my hand in art, in spite of having become, over the course of 30 years, more of a teacher who does art than an artist who teaches.

How do you hope your grandson will experience HPA? The combination of the HPA core values, which I love, the place, which is unique, the rich friendships that develop in such an environment, and the exceptional support and learning opportunities make HPA a wonderful place to be. I have already seen him blossom in this environment. •

33

CLASS NOTES

(continued from page 32) services. Drop by Jane’s Garden on the old Saddle Road at the 7-mile mark.” Paul Rod Johnstone ’65 is married to Claudia Johnstone, father to Chris and Doug Johnstone, and grandfather of three. He’s currently a self-employed real estate broker at Johnstone & Associates.

Jim Dahlberg ’65 writes, “My ‘ohana will be heading to the ‘Land of Smiles’ for June and July for our annual stay at our home in Bangkok and our small resort in Isan. We have a large home, so come stay with us and enjoy Thailand. Please save the date, March 23 for our annual Helen and James Lee’s Hauoli La Hanau at www. blacksandsbeach.com. Music begins at 11:00 and pua’a out of imu at noon. Stay well, malama pono and a hui hou.”

Jim Klopp ’65 reports that he and his wife, Karen, are doing fine: “I’m in pretty good condition for the condition I’m in…

I see Mike Nelson ’65 on occasion as he’s about an hour away on the ocean in Newport, OR. He’s also in good shape— still golfing, etc. I bought an old (‘93) diesel pusher Motor Home (bus-like). We have traveled about 4,000 miles in it. Ugly as sin on the outside and brand new inside.

Great fun and cheaper to run than my VW!! Spare bedrooms for classmates etc. That’s about it from sunny Salem, OR.” Monty Brown ’65 recently returned from a three-month assignment with AMAN in the Dominican Republic. “But for family news,” he writes, “I’m enjoying three grandchildren in Kala’e, Kawailani, and Ki‘iwai. Malia ’15 will be finishing up studies at the University of Auckland next June. Kiki and I are still based in Waimea but do travel often for work with the AMAN group.”

William Koch ’65 writes: “Debby and I have had a busy 2018. After being elected president of the American Inns of Court, we spent a week in London attending the Opening of the Legal Year at Westminister and the investiture of a friend as a member of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. In October, we hosted representatives of the four English Inns of Court for a Conversation of Civility at the Library of Congress and then a celebratory dinner at the United States Supreme Court.”

Mike Spalding ’66 says that “forty years married to a most wonderful woman, Jill, and six grandchildren make me feel

As evidenced by our cover photo, Kaikea Nakachi ’11 has an eye for underwater photography. After earning his undergraduate degree in biological oceanography from the Florida Institute of Technology, Nakachi returned to Hawai’i where he has partnered with The Nature Conservancy, the Polynesian Voyaging Society, and other groups on both research and conservation projects. An advocate for tiger sharks in particular, Nakachi has now made these noble (and too-often misunderstood) creatures the center of his M.A. research at the University of Hawai’i, Hilo.

34 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

very blessed. We live in Kula in a family compound with four dogs, two cats, and a big veggie garden. Every year Robby Hind ’66 and I join Jim Kennedy ’66 to hunt. We love to reminisce about the good old days. Appreciate all HPA did for us.”

Lawrence Mugg ’66 shared the following list of updates: “1) I might be over to see the Merrie Monarch in February. 2) I was in Alaska in 2018. 3) I am still on Ford Island working for DOD. 4) I am trying to make it to one of the class reunions for 2020/2021, but most likely, not mine (retiring or doing DOD things).

5) Please support your Veterans; many of them have died recently.”

David Thomen ’67 recently visited his daughter, who is a Major in the Army, and was stationed in Morocco. “We took a three day hiking trip in the Atlas Mountains, and climbed Jbel Toubkal, the second highest peak on the African continent at 13,671 feet.”

Kit Coleman ‘69 retired in August 2018.

His last job was operating the congenital birth defect program for the state of Alaska. Steven Muni ‘69 recently became the Supervising Deputy Attorney General for the Health Quality Enforcement Section in Sacramento, leading a team of lawyers and paralegals representing the California Medical Board and other related professional medical boards in disciplinary actions against their licensed professionals.

Tom Sofos ’69 wrote in with an update for this summer’s 50th reunion: “The 50th reunion team includes A.D. Ackerman ’69, Peter Morgan ’69, Joan Anderson ’69, and Tom Sofos ’69. It will be on May 31, 2019 at the Energy Lab at 5 pm. 50 years?

Time flies when you’re having fun and still going. Paul Cleghorn ’69 is grandfather for the second time. Steve Muni ’69 is conducting wine tastings and has become quite the oenologist. Lew Ross ’69 is enjoying quiet retirement in Boise, ID, after years of being a mediator for the (continued on page 39)

CLASS NOTES

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

10. Steve Garvey ‘72 and Roger Hamada ‘72 at the home of Greg Rand ’72.

2. Russ Aguilar ’09 is a civil rights activist and operations and development associate for a ministry that serves the needy in the San Francisco Bay Area.

11. John Harriman ‘79 is Vice President and a mechanical engineer at SmithGroup Architectural Engineering Firm.

3. Erin Bergin Parker ’81 shared this photo of her brother Holi Bergin ’88 and his teammates.

12. Eli Hart ’09 is living in Chicago and working remotely for Airbnb.

4. Carolyn Birchill ’85 had a wonderful winter break on O‘ahu and Hawai’i Island.

13. Robby Hind ’66, Mike Spalding ’66, and Jim Kennedy ’66 on a recent hunting trip.

5. Bonnie Bogue Wedemeyer ’86 sent a photo of her sister, Eva Bogue (longtime HPA teacher) visiting family on O‘ahu.

14. Tito Jankowski ’04 was recently married in Half Moon Bay, CA.

6. Sydney Budde ’12 and Dr. Mark Ravaglia at the HURT100 Race.

15. Brian Jenkins ‘71 and Lisa Jenkins with their adopted Kona Nightingales.

7. Lori Carlson ’89 has been working as a kumu at Kamehameha Schools for 20 years.

16. Gary Karr ’72 and his family at a Steelers-Broncos game at Mile High Stadium.

8. Kit Coleman ’69 retired in August 2018.

17. Sissy Kerr-White ’88 is enjoying being both a mother and a nurse.

9. Eaman Sarwar Sait ’11 married Aamir Sait in September on the Big Island.

14

15

1. Serena Trowbridge Aguila ’12 is managing a multi-million dollar store in Lynnwood, WA.

16

17

18. Morgan Levi ’94 and her family.

18

35

PHILANTHROPY

A Teacher’s Vision

For nearly 20 years, the scholarship conceived by Bill Davis has supported Hawai‘i Island students

B

ill Davis, a northern California native, was introduced to HPA and to Hawai‘i by Holi Bergin ’88, his college friend and rugby teammate at the University of Colorado, Boulder. After Holi passed away in 1995, Davis moved to Waimea and cemented what has now been a decades-long relationship with Hawai‘i. He also landed in HPA’s English department, where he soon got, as he puts it, “very invested in the place.” He was still finishing up his dissertation on Anglo-American narratives of Polynesia at Claremont Graduate University, but he nevertheless found time during his four years at HPA not only to teach but also to coach soccer and start a rugby program, which is still thriving today.

His true legacy, however, is the HPA Faculty Big Island Scholarship Fund, which he started in 2001 with a generous gift and the backing of other major donors. “I really got interested in doing the fund because a lot of my friends who had gone to HPA and who were still on island were having kids—people like Bill Bergin ’84, who’d become a firefighter, or Chris Ka’aua ‘84, who was working as a cowboy for Parker Ranch,” Davis explains. “I was thinking, ‘There’s no way these guys can afford to send their

36 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

kids there anymore.’ And so, as a teacher, I really wanted to try to ensure that economic diversity at the school could continue, along with a genuine local and community connection.”

The HPA Faculty Big Island Scholarship is almost entirely administered and funded by faculty, many of whom continue to make regular gifts to the fund via payroll deductions. Also according to Davis and the other donors’ wishes, the selection of recipients is made exclusively by a faculty committee who reviews scholarship application essays. “In my experience,” Davis says, “faculty are exceptionally good judges of who’s going to enrich the community beyond just rote criteria. My idea was that having teachers intimately involved in those decisions would allow people to attend the school who heretofore had not been able to attend.” As a lifelong teacher himself—he’s now an English professor at West Valley College in Saratoga, CA—Davis admits to having a certain bias, but it’s one that’s hard to disagree with: “Faculty are really the lifeblood of an institution. You don’t fondly remember a classroom or a structure. It’s about the people who are there.”

The HPA Faculty Big Island Scholarship is

“

AS A TEACHER, I REALLY WANTED TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT ECONOMIC DIVERSITY AT THE SCHOOL COULD CONTINUE, ALONG WITH A GENUINE LOCAL AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION.

”

37

PHILANTHROPY

awarded to applicants who have lived on Hawai‘i Island for at least two years, and in the state of Hawai‘i for ten years.

They also must demonstrate at least 50 percent financial need as determined by the school’s standard financial aid process, which is administered by the NAIS School and Student Services (SSS) system. Here, too, Davis sees faculty as a key factor in determining how to keep the student body diverse. “I think faculty are always interested in having really deserving students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend,” he says. The scholarship, once awarded, typically extends through a student’s Upper School years, which is one more indicator of the faculty review committee’s faith in a recipient’s potential.

Indeed, potential is one of the overarching qualities that has always drawn Davis to HPA, and that led him to establish the fund in the first place. “There’s a sense that you can actually make a difference in shaping a positive vision of what HPA can be,” he explains. “It’s one of the things you always find when you talk to people who have been here for a little while—they’re really invested in the possibility that this place engenders.”

Davis’ vision includes making sure that in times of change and cultural shift, HPA remains a place for all kinds of students.

“We face larger economic disparities than we’ve ever faced before, not only nationally but on the Big Island even more than we used to see. I don’t want HPA to reflect that division. I want to make sure that the community I found when I first showed up on island continues to be welcome and taken care of at HPA.” •

38 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

THE SCHOL ARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Kacen Hamada ’22

Mako Yamamoto ’19

This year, two of the HPA Faculty Big Island Scholarship recipients are Mako Yamamoto ’19 and Kacen Hamada ’22. Mako, who grew up in Kona, is currently attempting to sequence the DNA of carnivorous caterpillars native to the Big Island in her biotechnology capstone course. “Since no one has ever tried to sequence this species before,” she says, “I have come across a few difficulties when it comes to figuring out the best procedure and materials. But I still love working in the lab and problem solving in order to try to see some results.” Her passions center around musical theater and dance; this year, she played Alice in HPA’s Alice: A Wonderland Musical. Among her favorite academic subjects are English and Psychology: “I love studying anything that has to do with the human experience; I think that’s what draws me into theatre.”

Kacen was born in Hilo, and grew up in Kona. He aspires to one day pursue a degree in engineering, but for now, he’s focusing on balancing the demands of academics and athletics at HPA. A veteran football player, Kacen branched out to try paddling this year in the off-season, and was a part of the best paddling team in HPA’s history with a BIIF Championship and two medals at the state championship.

Last year, his capstone project monitoring coral reefs measured multiple components of reef dynamics including fish abundance and coral health. “HPA gives students countless opportunities—not just limited to learning within the walls of a classroom,” Kacen says. “The programs and projects here give us a chance to deepen our connection to our community and our island.”

CLASS NOTES

(continued from page 34) federal courts. Kathy James Green ’69 lives in Blaine, Washington with husband Brady. Thane Pratt ’69 travels the world as a renowned ornithologist.”

70s: Ricky Cassiday ’70 is a self-employed residential development consultant and also “co-trustee of the Mary N. Lucas Estate, set up by my great-grandmother to hold her lands on Kaua‘i. Per my day job, I just finished a long-term O‘ahu housing demand study for Kamehameha Schools, am doing an affordable rental housing study for the redevelopment of Palama Settlement, and am starting one for the Mandarin Hotel’s for-sale units. Per my night job, the family trust plans to pay for fixing the Kaloko Reservoir dam by selling some ag lots to finance it.” Terry Ra Zor ’70 retired from the military and aerospace industry.

Denice Sheffer ’72 helped to gather notes from her class, and wrote: “Class of ’72. What a great group of people!

My husband Marty and I bought a home in Portland, OR, and life is good. I have retired, but Marty is the catering sous chef at a large hospital in the area. We still play music, travel and are raising AKC Chow Chow pups. Come visit us anytime!”

Mick Mathewson ’72 sent a note. His mom, Alice (Peasley’s secretary 71-72) passed away comfortably and peacefully January 1, 2017. He writes: “She was just shy of 98 and I was blessed to be with her.

Our classmate Christi Morgan ’72 has been such a great friend in my transition and a patient ear. I flew two more months, greased the landing in Anchorage, and said ‘Not going to do any better than that!’

I called the chief pilot, told him to buy me a ticket home, and I just retired. I have been so busy doing all the stuff that comes with age 65, like enrolling in Medicare and finding who gives senior citizen discounts and which places have the biggest Bingo

payouts. Fortunately Greg Rand ’72 has been helping me navigate these waters (albeit slowly) as he has been 65 for 5 years now... I tell you I have no clue how I had time to hold a job. There are bike rides to take, early morning gym workouts, and Pau Hana (well, not pau hana as not working so pau nada?) happy hours. I’m scaling down all of life’s collected stuff... knick-knacks from 30 years in Africa and the Middle East... 196 countries visited in my flying career. I’m looking for a 20’ van to go holo holo and explore the USA. Have seen it and the world from 37,000 feet and now want to view at 6’2”. I did some flying

Cecily Kimura ’08 was recently

named among Seattle’s next hot chefs in Seattle Met’s annual profile.

This inventive sous chef runs Joule’s rotating brunch buffet, where she embraces a new culinary theme each month. Kimura earned her bachelor’s degree in food science from the University of California, Davis, then headed north to join the Emerald City’s vibrant food scene. She started as a line cook at Joule and became sous chef in 2016. The New York Times also took note of Kimura last April in a piece about “expediters,” the air traffic controllers who pace each meal and keep their restaurants flowing in a smooth, unified rhythm.

Which means Kimura has been cited for both the art and science of her culinary skills. Double yum!

with a friend in a little airplane recently. I am used to moving at 600 miles an hour, but this thing went 90. I was looking at the same group below me in a field picking lettuce fooooorever. I just finished my book: “What I Learned about Life.” Both pages came out well. Not really much else to tell. If anyone has suggestions on places to see or go let me know. Aloha, Mick.”

Kelly Beal ’72 writes: “Chrys and I are blessed with three daughters and their husbands and eight grandchildren. Each one is truly a blessing! We spend most of our time in Texas... Midland, Ft Worth, and Houston. All our family have spent some time at Makaha and the aloha of Hawai‘i is in their blood and I am thankful! My HPA ‘ohana is lifelong! May God be with all of you and yours! Love to all!”

Greg Rand ’72 is married!

Congratulations! He sent a lovely picture of both of them. He said Laurie Smith ’72 “was true in spilling the beans that my 1972-78 sweetheart Janiece Jenkins re-entered my life, moved back to the islands, and married me this year. I’ve never been more in love as in these last three years! Moved closer to property management work in the North Shore O‘ahu countryside.” Ripper ’72 and Kate Graham Bartholomew ’72 are enjoying 42 years of marriage and counting! They have four grown children and two grandchildren and live in Dana Point, CA. Check them out in our Ka Makani Sweethearts Feature on page 44.

David Galland ’72 has a travel blog called Miles from Nowhere: senderoblog. com/miles-from-nowhere. He writes: “Today’s edition is a compendium of vignettes, including, in no particular order, an impromptu visit to the PC hotspot of Portland, a drive-by visit to Lima, Peru, an operation in a local hospital from which I am now recovering, and an epic five day ride into the Andes to celebrate my officially stepping over the line into old age. Hope all is well. Abrazos, David.” (continued on page 41)

39

CLASS NOTES

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

19. Teddy Lederer ’10 and partner Haley Quinn are engaged!

20. Alan Siemer ’72 and his fiancée, Melanie, visited the Big Island in December.

21. Lawrence Mugg ’66 visited Alaska last year.

22. Steve Muni ’69 is living and working in Sacramento.

23. Meimei (Megan) Nakahara ’12 is a Finance and Operations Executive in Mountain View, CA.

31

24. Erin Bergin Parker ’81 and Phil Pe‘a ’78 at a Broncos game.

25. Luke Powers ’15 attended UH Manoa and is now an Infantryman in the United States Army.

26. Greg Rand ’72 recently married his sweetheart Janiece Jenkins.

27. Ian Rassman ’88 is an entrepreneur, inventor, and payments specialist in Marina del Rey, CA. 28. Jan McCormick ’72 and his daughter Haley Grace.

29. Denice Sheffer ’72 and her husband, Marty, with their Chow Chow.

30. Doug Sims ’74 is retired and living in Alaska.

31. Mike Spalding ’66 and his wife, Jill, have been married for 40 years.

32. Jan Taniguchi ’72 and his wife, Rebecca, are enjoying traveling.

33. David Thomen ’67 recently visited his daughter in Morrocco.

34. Ashley Wilken ’06 leads The Rice Partnership’s office in San Luis Obispo, CA. 35. Nichole Raymond Wilkinson ’92 is now a realtor in Boise, Idaho.

36. Rob and Mary Elbogen Garland ’77 and TJ ‘77 and Carole Woosley at the Woosley cabin in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming.

32

33

40 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

34

35

36

CLASS NOTES

(continued from page 39) Alan Siemer ’72 wrote that he is retired but still very active. “I started volunteering with Rocklin International Schools and we plant American schools, with US credentialing, in foreign countries. We cater mostly to children of diplomats, missionary kids, and locals seeking to attend US colleges. My most recent trip took me to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cambodia, where we will be opening a school in January. I sold my property on the Big Island and bought an apartment complex here in Susanville. I am now the dreaded ‘slumlord. Not really—they are fully furnished units and have the best view of any apartments here. I still spend as much time as possible at my summer cabin in the mountains hiking, boating, and relaxing. My fiancée, Melanie, and I went to the Big Island in December. While we mostly played tourist, we did get to visit with members of the ’72 ‘ohana.

We stayed at Loring Warner Howell ’72 and Lloyd’s guest cottage and they were wonderful hosts. We also had dinner with Andy Perala ’72 and Neil Morriss ’72. As

I said, we mostly played tourist and hiked into Green Beach and Pololu. Melanie hikes around Lake Tahoe quite a bit, so she flat kicked my butt on our ventures.

We also visited Waipi‘o, went snorkeling at Puako, had drinks and dinner at the Mauna Kea and Lava Lava (Waikoloa), and did some condo shopping—no, we didn’t buy anything yet. All in all, it was a fun and relaxing week. We’ll be headed back again in 2019, so I hope we get to see more members of our ‘ohana. We are going on an educational tour of Israel in February. We are both looking forward to it and getting dunked in the same spot where John baptized Jesus. We are also looking into a possible cruise through the Inward Passage, so if anyone has any recommendations, please shoot them this way. -Big Al.” Jan McCormick ’72 said that “the hotels in Knoxville I am currently running will be sold in January. Although I have not accepted a new position yet, it looks like Angel, Haley Grace, and yours truly will be moving to Florida. My company, Benchmark Hospitality, is closing on two

After graduating from USC film school, Alison Teal ’03 created her own film series called Alison’s Adventures: “I travel the world seeking out the greatest myths, mysteries, and legends on earth on a quest to share ancient wisdom

hotel properties in St. Pete’s at the end of December, and I have the opportunity of running both as they undergo a $24 million renovation and transformation. Should be hectic few years for the McCormick family, but what else is new. Haley Grace is 16 years old now and took her first ACT test last week… they grow up fast!

I recently had dinner with a business associate who I learned over dinner is married to Rod Kehl’s daughter… what a small world. He told me that after Rod left HPA, he continued his teaching career and eventually took on a Headmaster’s position running a private school funded by none other than Jack Nicklaus. For those of you who took Kehl’s physics class or played basketball for him, I’m sure you would agree… Mr. Kehl was one of the best teachers we ever had at HPA. Anyway… that’s the news on the McCormick front. I trust and pray everyone reading this message is doing well. I miss you all and hope one day our paths will cross again.

HPA will forever be part of my DNA… I hope you feel the same way.“ (continued on page 42)

before it’s lost forever,” she says. “A lifelong explorer and professional filmmaker, I share my films and photos through my Alison’s Adventures YouTube and social media. With a mission to educate through entertainment, Alison’s Adventures inspires millions across the globe with storytelling and humor that captivates audiences of all ages.” Most recently, Teal has been on a quest to highlight the global ocean plastics crisis. “My films and viral content have been instrumental in changing multiple laws, including the banning of the plastic bag in California, the instigation of cleaning up trash island, and the banning of toxic sunscreen in Hawai‘i in July.” Teal was recently named the Female Indiana Jones by Time Magazine and Oprah of Adventure by Oprah Magazine and Huffington Post. At press time, she was home in Hawai‘i prepping for her first TED Talk. “My goal is to spread aloha across the world—and hopefully it creates waves of change to protect our beautiful planet for future generations to enjoy!”

41

CLASS NOTES

(continued from page 41) Jan Taniguchi ’72 has completed his first year of retirement from his architectural firm, STR Partners. “When I began in ‘89 we had three people, and when I left in January 2018, we were up to 50. We specialized in school architecture.

Much as I enjoyed most of what I was doing, I thought it was time for me to do things for myself and my wife, Rebecca, instead of clients, while I was still in good health. I spend my days working on our house on improvements that I’ve put off for the past 10 years. Also, we spent two and a half relaxing weeks driving around in Italy, mostly sampling fine wines and foods, viewing architecture, and enjoying la dolce vita. The highlight of our trip was our visit to the Alba region for the annual white truffle festival and having the best meal of our lives at Guido Restaurante in Fontanafredda, on an estate that was King Vittorio Emanuele II’s rendezvous location with his mistress. We also visited Padova, Venice, Ravenna, Bologna, Ferrara, Montepulciano, Assisi, and finally Rome.

We had been to most of the places before, so we avoided the touristy stuff and just took time to ‘absorb’ Italy. We look forward to our 50th reunion in 2022. How time flies!”

Gary Karr ’72 wrote: “As for the Karrs, only a few things to mention.

Elise and I are both busy working away at our respective jobs. Elise continues to make small improvements with fine motor skills on her right side and gets more independent every day. And sassy too! But that’s another story. This past Thanksgiving we visited our son, Hayden, and his family in Colorado Springs. It was really nice to reconnect with our three grandchildren, Hayden, and his wife, Dani.

The grandkids are growing up fast; already 12, 10, and 6 years old. The visit was our first time in Colorado. The weather was cold and even snowed one night, but otherwise was nice. The trip gave us an opportunity to take in a Steelers-Broncos game at Mile High Stadium, too. Wonderful 42 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

Kosuke Shimamura ’16

is entering the art world with a new venture, Tokyo International Gallery (TIG). After HPA graduation, he began working with his father, Takashi Shimamura, who owns Gallery Shimamura in Giza. TIG will represent younger artists of great potential, including Michael Ho ’15, who the gallery recently presented at Art Central Hong Kong, one of the world’s top art fairs. (See page 3.) “Michael was a great artist in high school, but when I saw his work after UCLA in the summer of 2017, I felt sure he could become an artist that shapes the contemporary art world. My goal through TIG is to find and support many other young talents who will eventually do the same.”

experience despite the Steelers losing.

The trip was nice and we loved Colorado, but Hawai‘i no ka oi! Things are quiet for us this Xmas and New Year but will be ramping up soon. Our youngest son, Ryan, is getting married at the end of January with lots of family coming in to celebrate.

All our best to everyone and here’s to 2019 being better than 2018! Me ke aloha pumehana!”

Hans Peter L’Orange ’73 writes: “The older I get, the more I realize John Lennon was right: ‘Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.’

Last year I experienced the loss of my spouse and partner of almost 45 years followed by the passing of my father just a month later. I moved from caregiver

and semi-retirement to full time early retirement; I highly recommend the retirement part. The ensuing ‘what now’ situation has resulted in the purchase of a second home in Mauna Lani. I also recommend the kind of therapeutic ‘vitamin sea’ that comes with this kind of move. Part-time or full-time? Who knows.

We’ll see what tomorrow brings but I look forward to seeing folks when I’m onisland.”

Doug Sims ’74 is three years into retirement after a career in community planning/floodplain administration. Now he enjoys a pottery studio, a camper van, and a kayak in Alaska.

Michael Tavares ’75 says, “Joni and I are working on making our new house our home. Lots of honey dos! We plan to travel more in the upcoming years. I plan to remain active as a Shriner and Freemason.

I even joined Aloha Shriners in Hawai‘i.

The Shriners Hospital for Children in Honolulu is one of the crown jewels of the Shriners Hospital System. I invite all of you to visit the hospital and see the medical miracles our doctors and caregivers provide to children without regard to their financial means. The address is 1310 Punahou Street Honolulu, HI 968261099. If you do not have time to visit, their website is shrinershospitalsforchildren. org/honolulu. Just so I don’t get bored, I am studying for my Certified Investment Advisor’s exam (Series 65). I have agreed to do investment research for a small company. The good news is—I can do this work from anywhere as long as I have a computer and internet connection. I am now in my ninth month of retirement.”

David Albachten ’76 continues his second career as an ELT (English Language Teacher) at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul. Last year, David was voted by his students as one of the school’s outstanding teachers and received an honorable mention from the head of the School of Foreign Languages. Additionally, David presented new results from his (continued on page 45)

ALUMNI NEWS

Olivier Heuchenne ’86

Re-defining luxury Born in Morocco to Belgian parents, raised in 14 countries around the world, Olivier Heuchenne ’86 once dreamed of becoming a tourist for a living. From a young age, he considered himself a global citizen, embracing new places, people, and experiences. Serendipity brought him to his launch pad, HPA. “My father was being transferred from Bangladesh to Laos,” Heuchenne explains. “My parents wanted to find a boarding school that could prepare us for university. They somehow connected with Tony Bruggemans, who was Belgian and the general manager of the Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka, and his wife Joanne, who had worked at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel—they created magic for us! He was sending his daughter (Terry) to the Academy. Four days later, my brother [Patrick ’85] and I were on a plane to Hawai‘i with our dad.”

Despite his international upbringing, Heuchenne credits HPA with introducing him to students from all walks of life.

“Kids from the Middle East, Asia, the east and west coast of the United States—it was an exceptional experience,” he says.

“We were all different, but everybody was on the same level, even-steven. We had chores, we did sports, and we studied with the same amazing teachers who gave us one-on-one guidance.”

From HPA, Heuchenne went on to study hospitality at the University of Denver in pursuit of his childhood dream.

“Although HPA was a school, it was also a place where we

ended up learning how to care for each other,” he says.

“Maybe because hospitality is such a strong part of Hawaiian culture. I always knew that I wanted to be in the hotel business, and I left HPA with an even stronger sense of that mission.”

After college, Heuchenne returned temporarily to his roots in Hawai‘i for an internship at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Ritz-Carlton. From there, he launched a career that includes the management of high-profile hotels in locales such as Dubai, Hong Kong, Seychelles, and Tel Aviv. In 2015, he and his wife, Anna Bauge (also an experienced hotelier), realized a long-standing dream of settling in Mallorca, Spain, where they have established a boutique hospitality consultancy.

Their business, aptly named Heuchenne Bauge, provides a range of advisory and development services to both hotel investors and companies. The practice focuses especially on defining luxury service for a new generation. “Millennials don’t want the classic hotel business,” says Heuchenne. “They want the experience to be smart and tech-savvy; simple, yet different and clever. Luxury is not about the bling anymore.”

With in-depth knowledge of Mallorca, this hospitality power couple introduces clients to exquisite villas and authentic local experiences. “It’s taken us the better part of our careers to get to this level,” says Heuchenne,” because the industry didn’t think this way 20 or 30 years ago. Today, we’re creating magic, and that’s what it’s all about.” • 43

CLASS NOTES

Ka Makani Sweethearts We’re sending aloha to alumni across the generations who share common Ka Makani ground.

“ We never spoke in high school—not even a ‘hi’ which is hard to do at a small school. Then one night in November 2003, Kim Giffin Pickard ’94 got a bunch of alums together on O‘ahu when Alia Cabrera-Zuke ’94 was in town. We got engaged three months later.”

—STARR DODS C

D

E

A

A. Ripper ’72 and Kate Graham Bartholomew ’72 B. Eric ’94 and Jessica Opdycke Bollinger ‘96 C. Chris ’94 and Starr Wedemeyer Dods ’94 D. Ryan ’03 and Sheri Wilhelm Salmon ’03 E. Keith ’75 and Cynda Salley Unger ’75 B

44 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

F. Scott ’89 and Julie Hendricks ’97 (See page 29.)

CLASS NOTES

(continued from page 42) massive 1,000 second language (L2) student English academic writing study to the 2018 PAMLA (Pacific Ancient and Modern Languages Association) Conference in Bellingham, Washington in November 2018.

Marguerita Rolph Kelley ’78 retired from Occupational Therapy Home Health in 2017 and is living in Reno, Nevada.

80s:

Erin Bergin Parker ’81 shared the following update: “This past fall was especially meaningful as I had the good fortune of spending time with HPA alumni who either live here in Colorado or were visiting. We started the season with Keawe Liu ’89 (classmate of our brother Holi Bergin ’88 at HPA and then at University of Colorado). Keawe and the crew make an annual trek back to Boulder for the CU Rugby players Alumni game. We always look forward to spending time at most home CU games with Eric Cadwallader ’82, his wife, Daphne, and their family. We were also able to hook up with Phil Pe’a ’78 and his family during a Broncos game.

Lastly, we got the Hawaiians to fly up to Mankato, Minnesota to watch my step-son play for CSU Pueblo. Brady Bergin ’95 and Tiffany Bergin ’95 were kind enough to drive from Minneapolis for the game as well. We had a little reunion with Brady, Tiff, their sons Rylan and Kellan who spent time with their cousins Lori and Bill Bergin ’84 (Bill was recently promoted to Battalion Captain) with their sons Keli‘i (senior at Kamehameha Schools) and Holi Bergin (19) who is a sophomore at Grand Canyon State in Arizona. As for myself, still in Colorado. We have five in college and two still in high school, so it is a little crazy, but fun! Jimmy Wallace (22) CU Denver, Bevin Wallace ’17 (19) University of Mississippi. Sammy Wallace (14) Cherry Creek High School, James Parker (21) plays Center for CSU Pueblo, Sarah Parker (20) University of Texas, Emily Parker (18) CSU Fort Collins, Daniel Parker (16),

Cherry Creek High School.”

Carolyn Birchill ’85 writes, “I had a wonderful Christmas/New Year break on O‘ahu and Hawai’i with my Mum and son, spending time with Cherie Jardine O’Connor ’85, Debbie Burnett Klett ’85, Marguerite Nogues Heap ’85, Bernard Nogues, and Mary-Alice Nogues ’74.

What was a last minute trip turned into an impromptu reunion. Sharing stories, memories, life journeys, and experiencing what a small world it is. We also met and hung out with partners, nephews, nieces, children, and grandchildren!! We leave with hearts full, friendships renewed, and plans for future meet-ups. A fabulous way to kick off 2019.”

Spanning several classes, the five Bogue girls can often be found visiting Waimea.

Bonnie Bogue Wedemeyer ’86 and Farris Bogue James ’91 live with their families on O‘ahu, and Ginger Bogue ’93, Emerald Bogue Walker ’98, and Endi Bogue Hartiman ’88 all live in Portland, OR. Sissy Kerr-White ’88 writes: “I’m enjoying being a Mom to our amazing 8 year old daughter. Watching her and helping her learn and grow is a daily joy for me. I love being a nurse as well. I’m not at the bedside anymore but I’m an advocate for roughly 7,000 humans. It’s a rewarding job even when it’s tough.”

Joseph Thill ’89 was married to Cheri in August 2018. He is the Director of Security and Emergency Management at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). He writes, “we are looking forward to my 30th Class Reunion in June 2019!” Lori Carlson ’89 says, “I’m looking forward to our 30th class reunion in 2019.

Otherwise, it’s life as usual. Work and play here on the Big Island.”

Ka‘ai Lincoln ’89 is flying full-time with Hawai‘i Life Flight in an Airbus EC-135P2+ as a Single Pilot IFR MEDEVAC Captain out of Kona, part-time with the Hawai‘i Army National Guard in a UH-60M Blackhawk as the Standardization Instructor Pilot/ Instrument Examiner, and part-time with Paradise Helicopters as a contract pilot in

an MD-500E. Scott Hendricks ’89 and Julie Snow Hendricks ’97 moved to Kohala 11 years ago after almost a decade on O‘ahu. “We enjoy the country pace of Kohala and are thrilled to have our children experience being students at HPA. Our son, Luke, is a seventh grader and our daughter, Dylan, is in fourth grade. Scott is looking forward to seeing friends this summer at his 30th class reunion.” (See them on p. 29.)

90s:

Jaisy Jardine ’94 writes: “After 11 years in the hospitality industry, I have started my own Public Relations and Communication Consulting company.

Jaisy Communications, LLC offers public relations, strategic communication and marketing consulting services to small businesses and non-profit organizations.

To be able to do what I love, in a place that I love (Kamuela, HI) is a blessing! Looking forward to seeing everyone at our 25th (gulp) class reunion!”

Chris ‘94 and Starr Wedemeyer Dods ’94 live on O‘ahu and have three children: Dylan (10), Sawyer (7) and Finley (4). “We love traveling with the kids whenever we get the chance.” Check them out in our Ka Makani Sweethearts Feature on page 44.

Morgan Levi ’94 writes: “my husband Javier and I have three beautiful kids, ages 6, 4, and 2. We have six hotels in the Caribbean, in and around Tulum, Mexico, with plans for Costa Rica. We are enjoying our time here in a beautiful location!”

Mari Matsumoto Tibbetts ’97 has moved to Boston with the ASICS America team and is getting used to East Coast living.

She is gearing up for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and writes that “getting involved in designing an apparel line has been super exciting! Hope you will watch the Olympics and like what you see!”

After two years living in Kona, James Melrose ‘98 and family—Heather, Joseph (9), and Benjamin (6)—moved back to Denver, CO, where James recently (continued on page 42) 45

CLASS NOTES

(continued from page 45) started a new job as Development Manager for Bayswater E&P, an oil and gas investment company with operations in Colorado and Texas.

00s:

Mikela Yarawamai ’03 attended Amherst College and the John Burns School of Medicine at UH Manoa, and now works at the Straub Clinic and Hospital. Tito Jankowski ’04 had a beautiful wedding in November in Grey Whale Cove, Half Moon Bay, CA. “It was my wife Shova Ale Magar, her grandparents, and my parents from Kohala. Our friend Eri was the officiant with her husband Arion and their dog Ender. Orchids were flown in from Honolulu by the Hawaiian Lei Company and roses from Fifty Flowers. Shova is originally from Kathmandu, Nepal, and visited HPA last year. A Nepali astrologer picked the wedding date — how cool!”

Ashley Ogden Wilken ’06 leads The Rice Partnership’s office in San Luis Obispo, CA. She graduated from Cal Poly in 2011, where she earned an MBA and a degree in Agribusiness. She is also a certified financial planner. Steven Philp ’06 writes: “I am in my final year at the Rabbinical School of the Jewish Theological Seminary. Ordination is May 23, 2020! I am serving as the senior rabbinic intern at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the LGBTQ synagogue of New York.”

Leilani Powers Wells ’09 graduated from Pacific University in 2013 in Business Administration (Marketing and International Business Concentrations) with a minor in Japanese. She is now working as a Supply Chain Operations Manager for Vestas American Wind Technology, a Wind Turbine manufacturer.

Samantha Johnson ’09 will be my maid of honor (as was I for her wedding this past

summer!) I have been working for a large non-profit here in Washington, DC focused on anti-poverty measures for the last three years and have been loving living on the East Coast (though dream of Hawai‘i often!)”

Russ Aguilar ’09 graduated cum laude from Carleton College in 2013 with a B.A. in Environmental and Technological Studies, concentrating in Conservation and Development. He “I have also been mentoring and enjoying California! I am further involved in research and some writing and editing.”

Eli Hart ’09 graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 2013. “However, I had a focus in software, and ended up working in software engineering instead of hardware. I am currently in my fifth year of employment with Airbnb, working on their Android application as a software engineer. I’ve built parts of the Airbnb search and booking flow over the past few years, and now build Android infrastructure to support the rest of the company. After four years of living in San Francisco, my wife and I recently moved to Chicago so that she could start at Northwestern for graduate school. She is in a dual degree program for both a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Master of Public Health, so we will be in Chicago for a few years while she completes those programs. I continue to work for Airbnb as a remote engineer, and travel back to San Francisco for work frequently.”

Teddy Lederer ’10 writes: “I am so excited to announce my engagement to my partner Haley Quinn over the Thanksgiving holidays. We are currently planning a fall 2020 wedding in Annapolis, Maryland.

Meimei (Megan) Nakahara ’12 graduated from the University of San Diego in 2016 with a B.A. in Business Administration

We want to hear from you! Please submit your notes and photos to alumni@hpa.edu by June 29, 2019 for the next issue of Ma Ke Kula.

46 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

and a minor in Environmental Studies. She is now a Finance and Operations Executive at Vasper Systems in Mountain View, CA. Becca Barrett ’12 writes: “I graduated from Wagner College in 2016 with a BA in Theatre and Speech: Performance Concentration and a minor in Gender Studies. I also received my M.A. with Distinction from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, Wales in 2017. I am going to be an Adjunct Professor in the Theatre Department at Wagner College come fall (in addition to auditioning and continuing to pursue creative endeavors)... going to be channelling some HPA teachers! I also had the honor to perform a solo in my choir at Carnegie Hall this past November.”

Sydney Budde ’12 studied Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems at UC Davis and UH West O‘ahu, and is now working in ‘aina based learning and sustainable farming to localize the food system. “I recently ran into Dr. R [Mark Ravaglia] as he finished the HURT100 Race that my Dad helped to create 30 years ago (Hawaii Ultra Running Team).”

Bhillie Luciani ’13 received a B.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan and is currently working on a Master’s in Kinesiology, focusing on Biomechanics. “My thesis work is looking at the effects of pectoralis major fatigue on upper extremity function.” Kenneth Christie ’14 received a B.S. in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in Victimology, and a Minor in Political Science from Bemidji State University in 2018. He is now working for an M.S. in Criminal Justice from St Cloud State University.

Hannah Twigg-Smith ’14 graduated from Olin College of Engineering with a degree in Engineering with Computing, and started a Ph.D. at the University of Washington where she joined the Human Centered Design and Engineering department to study computational tools for fabrication. Bianca Shropshire ’18 is studying biomedical sciences at the University of Arizona.

TOGETHER FOR HPA.

Exercise your power of participation.

A warm aloha and mahalo to everyone who has made a gift to the HPA Fund so far this year.

Our movement of support is growing by leaps and bounds! Now we’re on a mission to contact as many Ka Makani as possible to invite their participation before the fund closes on May 31.

Because there really is power in numbers.

When you make a gift to the HPA Fund, you help create a level of education beyond the ordinary. Think HPA Olympics and Ukulele Festival. Community service projects and astronomical investigations of the Milky Way. And countless learning moments in the arts, school gardens, sports teams, Hawaiian studies, Energy Lab, and the list goes on.

Thousands of us in Hawai’i and around the world love HPA. This is our opportunity to translate aloha into action. Every great school needs a network of passionate alumni, parents, and friends. Let’s be that network for today’s students and each other. Please join in with a gift: Together for HPA. Thank you!

TO MAKE A GIFT, HELP US SAVE PAPER RESOURCES BY GIVING ONLINE AT WWW.HPA.EDU/GIVE.

If you have already made your gift, please accept our thanks.

47

Omnipresent in the views from campus and the tallest mountain in the world, Mauna Kea offers a unique gate to the cosmos.

I took this photograph in the summer of 2014 when I spent dozens of nights with fellow alumni taking in views from the summit. This particular night, we were focused on the Milky Way’s movement across the sky with a homemade time-lapse setup. For one minute I turned my camera opposite the heart of the Milky Way, looking northwest in the direction of Waimea.

This image represents 30 seconds of light hitting the camera sensor. The northern side of the Milky Way extends down the right side of the image. You can see lights from Kona, Maui, and Honolulu glowing on the left side of the image, and Waimea and HPA at the end of the stream of stars.

— Bo Bleckel ‘14

48 // S P R I N G 2 0 19

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED 65-1692 Kohala Mountain Road Kamuela, HI 96743 www.hpa.edu

Want more info on HPA? Application inquiries: admissions@hpa.edu All other questions: connect@hpa.edu