Mililani Times Homecoming Destination: Trojan Nation Get ready to go around the world with MHS — this year’s homecoming features a Thursday pep rally, a Friday parade and dance, with a Saturday football game against rivals Kapolei Hurricanes to end homecoming festivities. The court features Homecoming Queen Kawailani Arasato and Homecoming King Chance Ringor. Along with the celebration, MHS is particapating in a service project to help those in need.
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
A LETTER FROM Chloe Kitsu
Genevieve Mumma
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Mililani Times Mililani Times’ mission is to inform the community of news, people and issues of concern.
omecoming— a time of celebration and unity to honor those who have come before us within our school. Here at MHS, homecoming is one of the major highlights of the year. From voting for the homecoming court to practicing for lip sync, a lot goes into planning this huge event. Hours of hard work go into designing and painting a banner that represents each class. Students running for homecoming court put up posters around the school, campaigning for their chance to be on the court. The homecoming parade not only features MHS, but also includes the elementary schools and different clubs within Mililani. And let’s not forget about the football game that tops off the end of the homecoming festivities. Although homecoming can often get muddled into the idea that it’s just one week work of work, time and effort put into planning this event starts months in advance. As a freshman, I never really appreciated or understood homecoming at all. But as I progressed throughout the years and experienced three homecomings, I
Rain Hashimoto
realized it’s nice to see our school come together as one. One of my favorite memories of homecoming is the assembly. That’s when we get to see all of the hard work the classes have been putting in for the past few months. But through all of this hustle and bustle in preparation for homecoming, many people don’t even know the true meaning behind it. One aspect of homecoming is to celebrate the senior football athletes at the homecoming game. Another aspect is that homecoming is an annual tradition where people, towns, high schools and colleges gather to welcome back alumni and former residents. With this definition in mind and it being my senior year, I have a whole new outlook on homecoming. Before, I used to think it was just about our class winning the school-wide competition and being able to dress up for as many dress-up days as I could. But in reality, it’s a time of reflection and honoring of those who have graduated from MHS. Often times, we get caught up in the chaos of homecoming, but without those who came before us here at MHS, we wouldn’t have one at all. This issue is centered around this year’s homecoming. Not only will you get to see a glimpse of what went into planning homecoming, but you’ll also get to meet this year’s homecoming court. Along with this, we have some amazing student, teacher, sports and culture feature stories as well. From fall fashion trends to learning about Minecraft’s comeback, there’s a story for everyone to enjoy. All in all, I felt that homecoming was a perfect fit for this issue as it has the powerful ability to bring a community together. I hope that this issue gives you, the reader, a glimpse of what goes into putting this event together and some insight into those within Mililani ‘s community.
Discover. Understanding. Together.
Editor-in-Chief Chloe Kitsu
Director of Sales Hope Ishizaka
Feature Editor Daisy Ann Hipolito
Director of Arts Jenna Lee Bundalian
Online Editor Jacob Nakasone
Community Editor Chanelle Camero
Head Illustrator Tai Phaniphon
Social Media Coordinator Alina Fujinaka
Design Editor Joie Agoo
Copy Editor Maya Hirano
Photo Stylist Reese Yamamoto
Adviser Christopher Sato
Head Videographer Tatiana Ala
Head Photographer Genevieve Mumma
Opinions and Blogs Editor Sasha Numazu-Fisher
Staff Leigh Berry Rain Hashimoto McGwire Ishikawa Madison Kelly Emma Lee Faustine Miura Kasandra Morse Bryson Ohtani-Quartero Colbi Ohira Alexander Ozawa
Mina Pecoraro Lauren Ramos Mikal Reese Samuel Sameshima Meagan Tamashiro Kosmo Wojack Danean Wurlitzer Trey Yamamoto Emily Zimmerman
Mililani Times
Seniors Riki Fujimura & Matthew Rutledge Complete Basic Training
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SPORTS NEWS
In the 2019 Polynesian Bowl, only one MHS player participated. The player was Darius Muasau (‘19), Sergio Muasau’s older brother.
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Jacob Nakasone
Reese Yamamoto
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very year, a select few of Hawai’i high school football players are invited to play in the Polynesian Bowl. The fifth annual Polynesian Bowl game will be held on Jan. 18, 2020, and will feature four seniors from the MHS varsity football team: defensive end (#45) Shane Kady, offensive lineman (#66) Sergio Muasau, linebacker (#49) Muelu Iosefa and linebacker (#10) Bam Amina. “I was happy when I heard the news, just knowing about how significant of a game it is. And just to have the honor of playing in (it) to not only represent myself, but represent my family and the rest of the state because it’s not just going to be people in Hawai’i that’s playing. It’s mainland teams too so I’m excited,” said Amina. Despite its name, the Polynesian Bowl is not only limited to those of Polynesian descent. The organizers of the game reach out to roughly 100 football players across the U.S. “To me, (having mainland players) makes it better because if you want to be the best, you got to play with the best. And even now they’re saying the Polynesian Bowl is supposed to be the biggest high school ball game — even bigger than the Adidas and Under Armour (bowl games). So that’s something huge — and to be able to play with the best kids not just in the state, but in the nation,” said Amina. Muasau added, “It’s good to see new competition and see different people from different places instead of just playing the same people every year.” Out of the many players selected to play, only 30 of them are from Hawai’i. Because of the limited amount of Hawai’i players, being invited to play in the bowl game feels even more special for the four players. “I rather have a Polynesian with people from Hawai’i than a Polynesian bowl with people from Wyoming. To me, you have a lot stronger background. You have a lot stronger stance in the game, because you really get to represent where you’re from,” said Amina. Varsity football head coach Rod York added, “Yeah, it was awesome (when I found out). You hardly get one (Mililani player), so to have four in one year is pretty good.” For the players, participating in the bowl game is a milestone in their career. Many of them have played football for over 10 years. “I started when I was young. My first year playing was when I was in first grade and I played every year since then. For me it’s just a family thing,” said Amina. Muasau added, “My dad made me play when I was younger and then my brother was playing when he was in high school. So then yeah, I just wanted to follow him and play football.” Due to the number of high-rated football players at the Polynesian Bowl, many college coaches and scouts will be present at the game. For the players, the game serves as an opportunity for potential offers to play college football. “It’s a huge opportunity when it comes to scouting because there’s so much
As of Sept. 27, 17 Hawai’i players have been invited to play in the Polynesian Bowl.
SPORTS NEWS
Colbi Ohira
eyes that are going to be watching the game because of all the big names and all the big players that are going to be coming down. So pretty much I feel every college is going to be watching the game just to see. So if you’re going to play in the game for exposure, I mean, that’s where it’s at,” said Amina. Besides the game itself, the Polynesian Bowl gives players the opportunity to bond and make new friendships. Players spend a week before the game doing team bonding activities. “They haven’t explained exactly what they’re going to do (yet). But from the past years, I’ve seen them go to Polynesian Cultural Center and they do all kinds of other cultural stuff. But I’m just looking forward to being able to play, chill, hang out with new people and meet everybody and just have fun with it,” said Amina. Iosefa added, “I feel excited about meeting new guys — possibly guys that I’ll play with in college.” The players are usually notified of their invitation months before the game through Twitter, Instagram or email. Currently, the players are concentrated on finishing out their last year of high school football. “I’m just focused on season right now,” said Iosefa. “Most importantly, (we want to) win the state championship because it’s all about the team at the end of the day.” After high school, many of the players plan on continuing their football careers. Kady has committed to Oregon State University, Iosefa has verbally committed to University of California, Berkeley, while Amina and Muasau are currently talking with college coaches. Disclaimer: The selection of Polynesian Bowl players and their college commitments are current as of Sept. 27, 2019.
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Trey Yamamoto
Genevieve Mumma
hamili designs mural for jeans warehouse
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or most students, art projects are limited to in-class assignments. However, this past summer, Junior Maile Hamili was able to work on a much larger canvas. Hamili was given the opportunity to design a 12 feet by 7 feet mural for Jeans Warehouse Pearlridge. It took roughly five days to complete, from sketching to the final touches. “The mural I created is something that everyone can enjoy, either just looking at it or taking a picture with it. I wanted to give Jeans Warehouse something that would not only help their business in attracting customers, but to show what I have to offer as an artist,” said Hamili. After seeing a post that Jeans Warehouse was seeking a local artist to create a mural for their Pearlridge location, Hamili was able to get in contact with them through her social media platform. When the company asked for a draft and concept to be sent in, Hamili set up a poll on her social media page, allowing for her followers to have a choice in what she should design. “Because the mural is for the public, I wanted people to voice their opinion so I could make their visions become a reality. I gave options of themes, which came out to be water based, but I wanted to have wings so people could interact with the mural and give the store more publicity,” said Hamili. “Other concept ideas I had in mind was to paint something involving native plants here in Hawai’i, kind of like a garden. Another concept was drawing the ocean and sunset by itself but when I mentioned wings, my platform said I should merge the two together.” Aside from the layout and concept, Hamili also considered how the different types of shading and colors should be implemented into the mural. The use of colors and shading worked towards unifying all aspects of the piece as well as connecting it with the base concept and theme. “This mural has a lot of warm tones and cool tones from all directions, so I had to adjust colors to a pastel or increase the contrast so every color would balance out. I personally enjoy making
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“Find what style fits you best, either from abstract to realistic; your style is what makes your art your own. So whatever makes you happy go for it.” - Maile Hamili
Jenna Lee Bundalian
realistic pieces so I did a lot of shading and highlighting throughout the mural,” said Hamili. With the creation of the mural being a multistep process, Hamili planned and organized the days she’d be working on a specific design. This allowed her to spend an equal amount of time on each step. “The first day of working on the mural was what took the most time in my opinion; I had to transfer my drawing to a 12 by 7 foot wall and draw my layout. On the second, I worked on the ocean and on the third day, I started to work on the sky and the clouds. Then on the fourth and fifth, I worked on the wings and final touches,” said Hamili. Though Hamili designed and created the mural completely on her own, she had the support of her sister as well as her social media followers when it came to preparing. One of the most important parts of the preparation was getting in contact with Jeans Warehouse. “If it wasn’t for my older sister Malia Hamili, I don’t think I would have found out that Jeans Warehouse was looking for an artist. She texted me and told me, ‘You need to do this.’ If she didn’t tell me that, then I wouldn’t have asked my (social media) platform to help me get Jeans Warehouse’s attention,” said Hamili. Alongside prepping for her project through creating concepts and sketching, another key factor that went into the creation of the mural was how she managed her time in planning and scheduling the exact days that she’d be able to work on the mural. Just as how she divided and organized her time when assigning certain days to specific parts of her mural, Hamili needed to find a way to balance her devotion to art with school and other daily life tasks. “Because I’m always so busy with ASMHS, 2021 council, the Mauna Kea movement, church and school, sometimes I have to take a break from art. I do my best to keep my education first and I plan ahead of what my schedule will look like so I can have time for drawing for others,” said Hamili. In regards to her passion for art, Hamili also has an interest for sewing designs, singing, dancing, acting, editing videos for her YouTube channel, modeling and designing tattoos. Her love for all forms of art can be attributed to her uncle that raised her, who is an artist himself. “He used to tell me that I’d sit by him as he paints and I’d try to copy him when I was two. I was surrounded by different forms of art my whole life because my uncle was a designer, carpenter, painter (and so on),” said Hamili. As for upcoming projects, Hamili will be working with Jeans Warehouse again in creating a mural for their Ala Moana Shopping Center location.
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Before, Hamili was only creating murals for schools or plays. This was her first time working for a business.
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FALL TRENDS
Fall Trends
Emily Zimmerman
Bucket Hats: If you were to look back at old childhood photos, you might see yourself wearing a bucket hat. Now, it is considered a very fashionable statement.
Faustine Miura
Rain Hashimoto Joie Agoo
Tank Top: Simple tank tops with minimal to no designs are perfect for Hawai’i’s high temperatures. The style of these tanks are very 90s esque and add a vintage vibe to your outfit.
Thrasher Shirts: The company Thrasher Magazine has a very iconic logo. Skaters and non-skaters alike seem to love wearing the logo. Belt Chains: Made popular by the TikTok “e-girl,” belt chains give a very unique look. While providing no real purpose other than being an accessory, chains set an edgy tone for the rest of your ensemble. Fanny Packs: They’re convenient, they’re practical and now they’re fashionable.
Cuffed Ripped Jeans: Although ripped jeans have been popular for a while now, the cuffing of them has been trendy as of lately. The high-waisted “mom jean” style is also back, making it feel like the 90’s all over again.
Scrunchies: Scrunchies may have originated in the 1980s but they are currently more popular than ever. The trend of the “VSCO girl” is partially responsible for this. They are a nice addition to any outfit. While guys can wear scrunchies as an accessory, it now it signifies being in a relationship. It is the equivalent to girls wearing their boyfriends’ hoodies.
Checkered Vans: These slip-on shoes add a simple statement to every outfit.
Pictured: Junior Micah Yamane and Junior Maile Mccall
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TROJAN DIRECTORS SAY
Action M
HS is known to be a school that offers many opportunities for their students through different clubs and extracurricular programs that are available. Play Production, an accredited after school class, allows interested students to explore their passion for the arts including: costume design, acting, set building and directing. This semester, Seniors Jonathan Chow, Devin Garcia and Dylan Nakashima took on the challenge of directing a 10 minute play as a way to further develop their skills and gain directing experience. “It’s not graded or anything, it’s really an opportunity to learn more about directing. We wanted to test our skills and see how well we could do as a director. We couldn’t create our own play per se, but we were able to choose to do this project,” said Nakashima. The project itself was only open to interested seniors that wanted the opportunity to work in directing. Each student had three possible plays that they could choose from: “Hole,” “La Mouche” and “Mime in a Box.” “So all of the plays are actually given to us and I was the last pick, but I love my play so much. I also did make a lot of adjustments since my play was a little weird,” said Chow. Chow’s play, which is called “Hole,” focuses on a group of miners who are isolated underneath 700 feet of rubble. Although he had chosen his play last, Chow had originally wanted to direct it as he was was intrigued by the concept from the beginning. “I’m looking forward to performing a show that will hopefully really open people’s minds up and I’m also excited to work with the cast,” said Chow. When directing, there are many elements to take into consideration such as casting, sound, light and tech. Each of these components are necessary in order to run a successful play. “Some struggles that I’ve dealt with is actually having my actors use their body flow, which means they need to get comfortable in the scene and not be so stiff. I also expect maybe just a couple of tech problems but it’s quite an easy show tech wise,” said Garcia.
STUDENT NEWS
TO STUDENT PLAYS
On Nov. 1, International Thespian Society will also be hosting an open mic before the performances.
Garcia and Chow are both a part of the sound crew for Play Production; they have worked on shows such as “Beauty and the Beast” and “Rent.”
Sasha Numazu-Fisher Sasha Numazu-Fisher
Lauren Ramos Lauren Ramos
MadisonMadison Kelly Kelly
Garcia’s play is called “Mime in a Box,” and it takes a comical approach as it focuses on two people who are teasing a mime. Garcia chose to work on this show due to the unique humor that the play had. “I’m looking forward to putting together a crazy play, to make it really good between all different sorts of elements such as with sounds or lights,” said Garcia. The three seniors have each been a part of Play Production for over a year now. Through programs such as this one, students are allowed the opportunity to gain exposure to different shows and productions that are put on by the school. “I have not directed before but I was in ‘Almost Maine’ and ‘Twelve Angry Men’ and in those two, I had played as characters. I also helped set build for ‘The Little Mermaid,’ ‘Almost Maine,’ ‘James and the Giant Peach,’ ‘Rent,’ ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and now ‘Once on this Island,’” said Nakashima. The current play that Nakashima is directing is called “La Mouche”; a comedic play that centers around a customer’s soup having a fly in it. Nakashima chose to direct this play amongst the other choices since he completely fell in love with its humor. “I am looking forward to everyone enjoying the play, my cast having fun and my audience laughing during the experience,” said Nakashima The directors themselves all have a deep appreciation for Play Production. The program not only provided a basis of theatrical knowledge for them, but it also helped the students create long lasting friendships. “This is my second year in Play Production — the community and people around it has always drawn me in. Play Production is sort of a niche hobby so to have the opportunity to find people who are like you and to be able to join your own community feels very reassuring” said Chow. After high school, the seniors hope to continue to work within the realm of directing or acting in college. They anticipate that this play will be the first of many more directing opportunities to come. “One day, I would want to pursue voice acting or directing. Even acting and being a part of shows would also be fun too,” said Nakashima. The student plays will be shown on Nov. 1 at the school cafeteria. The show times have yet to be announced.
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Mikal Reese Leigh Berry
Genevieve Mumma
Joie Agoo
Chance Ringor is this year’s Homecoming King for the Senior class of 2020. He decided to run for the position because he wanted to be as involved as possible for his senior year. Kawailani Arasato is this year’s Homecoming Queen for the Senior class of 2020. She ran for the position to represent her class well and put herself outside of her comfort zone in her final year at Mililani.
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Devin Uyeda is the class of 2020’s Senior Prince. He always wanted to be in the homecoming court and finally did it this year. His favorite subject is english. Sasha Numazu-Fisher is the 2020 Senior Princess. Since it’s her last year of high school, she wanted to participate more in school activities. She is looking forward to spirit week, the homecoming game and the dance.
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Payton Ikeda is the Sophomore class Homecoming Prince this year. He ran for this position to have fun and to represent the class of 2022. Nalei Annastas is this year’s Homecoming Princess for the Sophomore class of 2022. She decided to run for the position for fun and because she thought it would be a good experience.
Xander Balinbin is the Junior Homecoming Prince for class of 2021. He’s never ran for homecoming before and wanted to try something new. His favorite subjects in school are math and PE.
Neliya Omalza is this year’s Homecoming Princess for the Freshman class of 2023. She ran for the position in order to bring the community together and for the experience of being on the homecoming court for her first year of high school.
Krislyn Miyamoto is this year’s Homecoming Princess for the Junior class of 2021. She ran for the position in order to gain a new experience and represent her class well.
The class of 2023’s Freshman class Prince is Eddie Miller. To him, homecoming is a time to bring the school together. His favorite school subject is math.
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Chloe Kitsu Chanelle Camero
Joie Agoo
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omecoming has been a pivotal part of MHS culture — every year students look forward to participating in the numerous events that the Associated Students of Mililani High School (ASMHS) and the class councils organize such as: lipsync, banner building, running for homecoming court and walking in the homecoming parade. This year’s homecoming theme is “Destination: Trojan Nation,” combining numerous concepts like “adventure,” “road trip” and “travel” into one. Planning for homecoming starts all the way in April when student body officers begin to coordinate with the OIA football schedule to set a date. Then ASMHS starts to plan out the year settling on homecoming rules, timelines, deadlines and point breakdown of the week’s events. “Whether it be through banner building, lipsyncs, parade camaraderie or simply participating in spirit week events, homecoming allows students and staff to make memories and represent Mililani with pride,” said Student Activities Coordinator Leilani Ward-Riehle. “They put in hundreds of hours to prepare for homecoming week. The behind the scenes work often goes unnoticed, so getting to watch them launch their idea not just in homecoming week but throughout the school year is amazing.” The common idea All Council Executives (ACE) found while brainstorming this year’s homecoming theme was choosing their own adventure and remembering where they came from. It serves as a reminder of what homecoming is all about: a celebration of Mililani
Oct. 3 homecominG PEP RALLY 9:15-10:10 a.m.
Whether it be through banner building, lipsyncs, parade camaraderie or simply participating in spirit week events, homecoming allows students and staff to make memories and represent Mililani with pride,” -Leilani WardRiehle
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pride with the community, alumni and students. “With our now adventure and travel inspired theme, we were then able to brainstorm more specific details, like decorations, the spirit dress-ups, and titles for our other homecoming activities, like the dance and service project,” said ASMHS President Senior Sasha Arreola. “A big part of the discussion was about making sure that everyone will feel included throughout the week. As leaders of this school, we know that we represent our peers and our community. We made sure that the decisions we were making were on behalf of the school and not solely based on personal interest.” With a lot of brainstorming and creative thinking, ACE was able to incorporate their homecoming theme into every activity planned for homecoming week. Along with the activities, the theme was incorporated into things such as the word choice in the morning bulletins and pep rally scripts. “We often looked online for inspiration and whenever we found something that we really liked, we tried to twist it to make it our own. ACE worked together to make sure that we established a complete theme, where we all understood exactly what it meant to us. With our theme, we implemented into everything homecoming - titles, dress ups, decorations — all inspired by adventure and travel,” said Arreola. During the homecoming planning process, ACE made sure to make decisions with their peers and community in mind. One of the goals is to provide everyone with many opportunities to get involved and show their spirit. “The Mililani Complex-area schools are joining together to give back to the Institute for Human Services (IHS). IHS does a lot for our homeless population in Hawai’i. I am proud that along with our homecoming festivities we participate in the tradition of ‘Trojans Give Back,’ allowing our students to not only celebrate school spirit and pride but to make a difference to those who are in need,” said Ward-Riehle. They decided to call the service project “PACK WITH LOVE” to connect to the homecoming theme. Each school will be doing their own IHS drive. “Homecoming is a community event, so doing this project together brings to Mililani a sense of unity. Together, we are giving back to the community we grew up in,” said Arreola. “It’s about realizing what we have and what we should be grateful for. It also shows the importance of helping others and giving back.” This year, the homecoming parade will be on a Friday instead of a Saturday. A few years ago, it was suggested to be moved to the weekend in order to be more community inclusive. “Historically the parade was on a school day. This allowed the area elementary schools (Kipapa and Waena) to be able to watch the parade,” said Ward-Riehle. “We are going back to the Friday parade and have modified the schedule to accommodate.” Homecoming festivities will take place on the week of Sept. 30 to Oct. 5. The homecoming pep rally will be on Oct. 3, the parade and dance will be on Oct. 4 with the game to follow on the night of Oct. 5.
Oct. 4 homecoming parade 1:00 p.m. homecoming dance 6:30-9:00 p.m. Doors open 6:30 doors close 7:30
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Oct. 5 homecoming game 6:30 p.m. jv at 4:00 Varsity at 6:30 admission: $8
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STUDENT FEATURE STUDENT FEATURE
I decided that I wanted to make content that people could either relate to or that would make them smile. -Ciarra Paresa
Daisy Ann Hipolito
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Faustine Miura
Joie Agoo
ikTok, a short video sharing social media platform, has taken the world by storm — and MHS is no exception. Ever since the app was launched in 2014 under the original name of Musical.ly, it quickly became a common platform for iOS and Android users to make short lip sync, comedy and talent videos. In 2016, the application name changed to what it is known as now: TikTok. With 9 million downloads in the United States and 500 million worldwide, the increase of the app’s users and their own social media following is no surprise, some of which are MHS Trojans themselves. Sophomore Myra Delle Espulgar, Junior Sulia Su’a and Senior Ciarra Paresa all run their own TikTok accounts, with follower counts as high as 62,000 and views as high as 6 million. “It’s just a bunch of random comedy things. When you’re alone and you’re not hanging out with anybody, you just go on the app and it’s just a form of entertainment. We’ve had Instagram for a long time, now TikTok is here to give us more,” said Delle Espulgar. Though heavily varying in video genre and type, TikTok is most popularly known for its comedy videos. The three students focus mostly on entertaining their audiences through humorous content. “I wanted to start TikTok because I’d see a lot of funny videos on other social media such as Instagram and Twitter and I thought it would be fun to make some funny videos of my own to share with my friends,” said Su’a. Paresa added, “I started making TikToks this summer in July as a joke just for me and my family to laugh at.” Most commonly, TikTok accounts get their recognition off of one viral video. Delle Espulgar got about 1.4 million likes on a video of her staring at her baby brother, Su’a got about 290,000 likes on a video of herself displaying typical stereotypes of locals in Hawai’i in a humorous fashion and Paresa got about 390,000 likes on a video of her playing embarrassing music as she picked up her brother from school. “After making the video and uploading it, I didn’t think much of it and hours later, I came to find that it had thousands of views. It was very unexpected for me and I was glued to my phone the whole night, constantly refreshing my account. Honestly, I was tripping out on how much recognition I got.” said Su’a. Though TikTok begins as a feed of short videos, it does more than just provide its users with a platform to post on. Some users use TikTok as a place to expand their horizons and learn more about themselves in the process. “I think TikTok gave me more confidence. Before, I used to hide how my jokes were and hide how loud and chaotic I was, but on TikTok, I feel like I can express myself in the weirdest ways and people wouldn’t judge,” said Delle Espulgar. Su’a added, “I’ve noticed that after receiving a large following on this
TikTok users spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app.
platform, I have gained more recognition from my community.” For many, TikTok is an easily accessible way to express themselves. Not only can influencers entertain, but they can also encourage and inspire others to give the social media app a shot. “I encourage others to participate in TikTok because it’s something that is genuinely fun to do, especially when you’re bored or with your friends,” said Su’a. “I think TikTok can uplift its audience by providing fun and humorous content. It also has the potential to bring its users together.” TikTok makes gaining popularity and getting “internet famous” fairly accessible for everyone. For these Trojans, they choose to use their platforms in positive lights. “What I hope to accomplish from making TikToks is to provide fun entertainment for my peers and hopefully put a smile on their face and make them laugh,” said Su’a. Paresa added, “I decided that I wanted to make content that people could either relate to or that would make them smile.” Everyone’s experience on the application is different, varying from both the good and the bad. Some influencers must face obstacles that affect both their lives in and outside of TikTok. “People are really judgmental. You know how the Asian stereotype — like you eat dog and stuff like that? There’s a bunch of that and a bunch of racist things. People like hating a lot,” said Delle Espulgar. However, this has not stopped them from spreading positivity and doing what they enjoy. The three girls continue to make content on TikTok for people to enjoy not only locally, but globally. What started out as something just for fun is now something that allows them to communicate their own messages to their own platform following. “I found that there were a lot of people who go through things like me that need to know that they’re not alone. From that I tagged my Instagram and asked of anyone who needed someone to talk to, to DM (Direct Message) me and surprisingly a lot of people reached out,” said Paresa. “My hope is to make at least some people smile and help more people be happy because that’s what TikTok originally did for me.” You can find Delle Espulgar on TikTok as @mairuhh_, Su’a as @liakooks and Paresa as @makana_lani_.
Delle Espulgar downloaded the app around March 2019 but started making videos of her own around June 2019.
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Su’a started making TikToks in March 2019; she has 460.8k likes on her page.
Besides TikTok, Delle Espulgar enjoys singing and dancing; she has been in choir since grade 4 and sometimes takes dance classes and workshops.
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Soundtrack Release on Spotify
Reminder of Groundbreaking Musical
Danean Wurlitzer
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Lauren Ramos
n Aug. 28, the official soundtrack for the musical “Peace On Your Wings” was released on Spotify. “Peace On Your Wings” (POYW), an original musical written by directors Jennifer Taira and Laurie Rubin, created the opportunity for Hawai’i kids to perform in a play that had never been done before. For Junior Kara Eto, who played the character Setsuko, it Reminder of Groundbreaking MusicalPOYW was was an experience she will never forget. one of the only “Performing in an original musical was definitely fun and exciting but at the musicals in the same time, it was a little scary. We (the cast) got to create and personify the country that was characters the way we wanted to, but at the same time, we had to figure out specifically created ways to portray these new characters,” said Eto. for youth actors. POYW was inspired by the life of Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who died of leukemia from radiation following the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The musical shares a touching message: all life is met by fate and chance. “POYW’s message is ‘Ichigo Ichie’ which means: ‘one chance, one meeting,’ or that a moment will never be repeated. The message of the show is that you can’t take anything for granted because you never know when you’re going to get an opportunity like that again,” said Eto. Musicals like POYW are a big aspect of the careers of Hawai’i youth actors, as they provide a chance to build a character that is unique to themselves with no influence from previous portrayals. For Eto, who has been performing since she was six years old, she had to develop her character Setsuko with no model or inspiration. “(In all) the other shows I’ve done, there’s already an actor that played that character and I’ll typically watch their performances as character study. But with (POYW), there’s no actor who’s played this character before. We really had to take what was given to us and start from scratch,” said Eto. One of the major parts of the musical was the unique music. The original In the musical, soundtrack is not like anything heard before. “Since the show takes place in Sadako follows an 1950s Japan, it’s heavily rock influenced because that was like the pop music of ancient Japanese that time period. But next to these rock numbers, you have some ballad songs, legend that states taiko drums and traditional Japanese Obon melodies. It’s a really cool array of that anyone who songs and for anyone who listens to it, my personal favorite is ‘Someday.’” folds 1000 paper It is not typical for a youth theatre group to get their own soundtrack, cranes will be especially one from Hawai’i. Most of the students, including Eto, were not used granted eternal to the professional recording process. “The recording process was really cool happiness and because (the) majority, if not all of us, had ever recorded in a professional studio good luck. before. It’s a very stop-and-go process where we’d sing the song, then the directors would listen to it in the booth and tell us precisely what to fix. We’d spend hours on end just recording harmonies and perfecting certain parts of the song,” said Eto. The musical not only provided an opportunity for the students to pursue their acting careers, but it also allowed them to create friends, make memories and enjoy their time doing what they love. For Eto, theatre allows her to become Reminder of Groundbreaking Musical
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Soundtrack Release on Spotify:
Alina Fujinaka
closer to her peers and make connections with people she may not have met anywhere else. “Through theatre, I’ve gotten some of my closest friends and I feel like a lot of fellow actors can relate to this as well. I have friends from POYW that I’ve kept in touch with all these years even if I haven’t done a show with them since and we go to different schools,” said Eto. In addition, theatre allows actors to relieve life’s pressures and take on a new persona outside of their own. For Eto, involvement in her character is something that she enjoys and looks forward to in performing. “You get to turn off anything bothering you or stressing you out and lose yourself in a character and their world,” said Eto. POYW became a great success after it premiered in August of 2015. The show traveled around the state of Hawai’i and then to California, where it was also a success. Throughout this time, the crew worked on the soundtrack, making adjustments until its official release. “The POYW we have now is very different from the POYW we originally debuted with. Multiple songs were cut, added and edited and it just took a while for everything to finally fall into place,” said Eto. POYW is preparing to travel to Japan in the summer of 2020 to share their take on the story with the place it originated from. The auditions begin in December of this year. In regards to local theatre, the Central Theatre Arts Academy will be putting on a production of “Once On This Island” in January at the Pearl City Cultural Center and plans to travel to Hilo the following month. For more information, visit their website at ohanaarts.org.
Reminder of Groundbreaking Musical
Sou
Reminder of Groundbreaking Musical
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Reminder of Groundbreaking Musical
Junior Kara Eto portrayed the character Setsuko in the 2015 original cast of POYW.
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FEATURE
FEATURE
20
STUDENT NEWS
MAKING A COMEBACK Emma Lee
Madison Kelly
Genevieve Mumma
R
eaching its tenth anniversary this year, Minecraft has come back in trend with swarms of players returning to their favorite childhood game. The sandbox-style video game lets players freely build and explore in a virtual world and it has reemerged as a top gaming trend. “One day it just happened. I saw a lot of Minecraft stuff on my Explore page and ever since then, it’s all I see on Instagram. And Minecraft is back in my life,” said Senior Malia Boksanski. Despite its initial peak in 2012 and 2013, the game had slunk in recent years with the rise of Epic Games’ Fortnite, which has amassed nearly 250 million players. This year, data from Google Trends shows Minecraft spiking in online searches above the popular battle royale game. “To be completely honest, I think it’s because people don’t like Fortnite,” said Boksanski. “But I feel like it’s one of those games that it’ll get popular for a little bit, but then kind of — you’ll forget about it and you won’t play it,” said Boksanski. The decade-old game’s reclamation of the throne was as sudden as it was unexpected. The change was greatly helped by a burst in Minecraft’s media presence. Twitch streamer Ph1lza recently lost his five-year survival streak in Minecraft Hardcore, a mode where players must survive in the hardest difficulty settings. The loss, along with YouTubers like Minecraft let Yiu and Felix Kjellberg (PewDiePie) making new Minecraft videos, has generated a lot of attention Yang keep in touch for the game this year. “I guess some people might’ve lost some interest as time went on. with friends outside of But then as more creators or I guess, YouTubers started putting their attention to Minecraft, Hawai’i. it regained popularity with the public,” said Senior Louie Yang. Minecraft’s unprecedented resurgence is in large part due to nostalgia. Most are returning to the game they knew as kids, which gives it a different appeal compared to Minecraft newer games. “There’s a lot of other games like Fortnite that you’llhas play112 andmillion they’re popular Minecraft was originally for a little bit. But I feel like Minecraft is very nostalgic and (I) justplayers remember monthly as all of the good called “Cave Game” before it times we had. It reminds me of being a little kid,” said Boksanski. was renamed. September 2019. Like most trends, a ripple effect took place. Boksanski, who was first introduced to the game in 2011, kept the app on her phone even when Minecraft declined in popularity. “But
Minecraft has 112 million monthly players as of September 2019. Minecraft has 112 million monthly players as of September 2019.
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I hid it in a folder because I was always scared that people were gonna like judge me if they saw it on my phone,” said Boksanski. “No one thought it was cool anymore.” With the return of Minecraft on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, as well as other peers talking about the game again, that fear dissipated. This summer, Boksanski started playing Minecraft with friends again. “We made a group chat for it and everything and we would play together. And then slowly, more people would talk about it. Like ‘Wow, it’s not just a small amount of people. Everyone really likes Minecraft,’” Boksanski said. For many players, the fun comes from all the different options the game offers. At its base is Survival mode and Creative mode, where players can survive by eating, mining and killing monsters, or freely build with unlimited materials. There is also the option to play with friends on servers, as well. “There’s so many things that people have made within the game that are superb to the actual base game and like mods,” said Senior Sheung-Yee Yiu. “A lot of people make data packs for it so that it enhances the game and more of a community can form through that, so I guess it’s versatility that makes it enjoyable.” Yiu first played Minecraft in 2015. Regardless of trends, he stuck with the game all four years. “It was just really fun to play and even though a lot of it is time-consuming and you have to mine to get where you are, it’s just really fun. It doesn’t get old that quick, so yeah, it’s a really fun game to play,” said Yiu. With a generation of players reconnecting with old memories of the Minecraft Minecraft was created by game, Thousands Minecraftofhas risen inmods theexist charts fortenth free download. are has again. At its birthday, These the game Swedish game developer created by users and modify stood the test of time. Markus Persson. the original video game.
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Minecraft was created by Swedish game developer Markus Persson.
Minecraft was created by Swedish game developer Markus Persson.
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STUDENT NEWS
Senior Louie Yang
Senior Malia Boksanski Senior Sheung-Yee Yiu
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SPORTS NEWS
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Maya Hirano
F
Samuel Sameshima
ormerly from Illinois, Social Studies teacher Grant Bramer is the new MHS varsity swimming and diving coach. Bramer had developed a passion for swimming at a very young age, attending swimming lessons at a local YMCA in Sterling, Illinois around the age of five. He swam competitively through high school and college, with his main events being the 50 meter and 100 meter freestyle. His love for the sport continued to manifest as he eventually became a lifeguard, swim instructor for club and high school swimming, a certified USA Swimming coach member as well as a level three certified member of the American Swim Coaches Association. Additionally, he won the title of Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Sectional Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013 and 2017. With the start of the season right around the corner, he has big goals for the swim program at MHS. “I really just enjoy the water, period,” said Bramer. “Being my first year, I don’t want to be overly zealous and promise a championship in my first year. However, that will be the goal with my tenure here in Mililani — to deliver (an) OIA championship. And so far, my wife and I are really happy here in Hawai’i and Mililani, so (we’re) planning on being here for a long time.” While he was born in San Diego, Bramer had moved to Illinois at the age of three, living away from the ocean for most of his life. The atmosphere and geology of Oahu brings a unique change for him and his wife, whose job offer in Waikiki had prompted the move. “I really like it. Pretty much every day has been a positive experience being here in Hawai’i so far — the kids are great, the food’s great, the school is awesome. I just love the weather and the ability to drive to the ocean within an hour in any direction is fantastic,” said Bramer. Another change accommodated by the move to Oahu is a greater amount of leisure time. In Illinois, Bramer was used to “doubles”: having one practice in the morning and one practice in the afternoon for high school season. In Hawai’i, this is against the rules, as two practices in one day requires the student athletes
SPORTS NEWS
Kosmo Wojack Jenna Lee Bundalian
to have the next day off. “Before, I would coach high school morning practice, teach all day, coach high school afternoon practice, then coach club practice, then go home and grade so that was a lot. So my days were 15 hour days. Here, it’s just teach, coach high school practice, then I get to go home,” said Bramer. “I haven’t decided if I want to get into club coaching here, not yet. I kind of like having a little extra free time.” Throughout the course of the season, Bramer hopes to help the student athletes achieve the goals that they set for themselves. In his 16 years of coaching experience, he has helped develop swimmers of various skill levels. “I also like swimmers that have never swam competitively before, teaching them the different techniques and drills and skills to get them to be confident with all four strokes and then being able to really compete on a level that is the same caliber as varsity. So watching that process of growth over time with athletes regardless of ability level and then helping them with that process — that’s incredibly rewarding,” said Bramer. With the official start of the season being on Nov. 4, Bramer has developed his expectations for the athletes. He has included suggestions for nutritional and sleep guidelines to maximize performance and keep the swimmers healthy, as well as general team rules and regulations. “My expectations for the athletes are that they attend 95 percent of the practices. That they have respect for themselves, their teammates and their coach and their school. They abide by all athletic code guidelines, as defined by the school district and try to bring a positive attitude to each and every practice and that if they if they give me the effort, I promise they’ll be faster than they’ve ever been,” said Bramer. Along with leading the Trojans to OIAs, Bramer hopes to get more kids to come out regardless of starting ability. He hopes to eventually plan training trips for the swimmers that would give them the opportunity to compete against mainland schools. “I think it’s going to be a fantastic season. We’re hoping to really grow the sport. We have a lot of exciting things planned for the team this year,” said Bramer. More information on joining the MHS swim team will be available after fall break. There will be no tryouts and any prospective swimmers are encouraged to participate.
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FEATURE
Seniors
Riki Fujimura & Matthew Rutledge Complete Basic Training Mina Pecoraro
B
asic training, also called recruit training for the military is designed to be a mentally, physically and emotionally intensive process that prepares incoming military personnel for employment by teaching them the skills they need. Normally, adults who are interested in serving are put through this training, but for Seniors Riki Fujimura and Matthew Rutledge, the call to action was earlier than most. Through the military’s Split Option program, they were able to take part in basic military recruitment training during summer break between their junior and senior years of high school. “I wanted to join the Army, probably back when I was in eigth grade. It was either the Army or joining the police department — I was always an active guy. My father’s a police officer; when he tells me the story of what he do(es), I kind of want to do something adventurous and cool. Once I got to freshman year, I took the JROTC class and they gave me an insight view of what the Army is like. So that’s when my brain clicked and (I decided that) I’m joining the Army.” said Fujimura. For the two boys, this experience was a big opportunity to get a headstart on their futures. Both were inspired by their families to strive for a career in public service. “It’s easier to start your career when you start your basic, because you can already start getting paid, because you’re actually a member of the program now,” said Fujimura. Rutledge added, “My mother and my father were both in the military and I wanted to join so I could have benefits for my family.” Their training took place at Fort Sill, Okla. and lasted two and a half months. For both boys, it was their first time traveling and living without their families. The isolation that came with their new environment was a major mental challenge. “For me, the most challenging (aspect of training) was being away from home,
Reese Yamamoto
Fujimura and Rutledge are the only students from MHS to partake in early basic training this year.
Alina Fujinaka
“
ON MY LAST PHYSICAL TRAINING TEST, I WAS RUNNING WITH THE U.S. ARMY PATCH. I WAS RUNNING BEING LIKE ‘I NEED THIS, I WANT THIS FOR MY FUTURE AND FOR MY FAMILY.’ SO DOING IT FOR THOSE GUYS WAS MY MOTIVATION. -MATTHEW RUTLEDGE
”
Even though they are both done with basic training, they have lots of rules and regulations to follow in their normal lives now that they are soldiers and not civilians.
especially when you go to a place that you’ve never been before,” said Fujimura. “You start having all these emotional breakdowns inside, like, ‘what if I come home and I don’t pass?’ ‘What if I let down my family?’ The emotion keeps on adding up and it’s gonna affect your physical capability of doing all these other exercises that they plan for you.” As they trained through the summer, the seniors not only gained skills necessary for their new lives as military personnel but also many life skills. Their mentality was a major part of helping them push through the rigorous training. “In basic training, I learned to be more disciplined, I learned to eat better food (and) make my health style better. I learned to appreciate what I had before I left, and you learn to make more friends that you never thought you’d make.” said Fujimura. Rutledge added, “(I learned about) being a leader and successfully being a leader, and not just a boss, by being there for them and being there to guide them through everything. Not just telling them (orders) and having them drown when they don’t know what to do.” Both boys felt pressure to do well, and this helped them to push through the two and a half months of strenuous training. To help motivate the boys, they thought of their families at home to increase their drive and stamina and help them finish their last phase, the “blue phase,” of training. “On my last physical training test, I was running with the US Army patch — I was running being like ‘I need this, I want this for my future and for my family.’ So doing it for those guys was my motivation,” said Rutledge. Fujimura added, “By then, as soon as you finish blue phase, you’re known as a soldier and not a trainee anymore. So the fact that the drill sergeant treats you as a person, I think that’s the best part of basic training.” As they completed their last day of training at Fort Sill, the boys were no longer trainees — they were now soldiers of the US Army. Fujimura is a Mortuary Affairs Specialist (92m) while Rutledge is working to complete Advanced Individual Training and become a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic (91b).