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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
A letter from the editor
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s the campus jumps from our homecoming spirit week and activities all the way to the ending of this school year’s first semester, it’s easy to continue lo oking ahead into the anxieties of next semester and all the trouble it could bring, especially as an upperclassman. Whether it b e spring sports, more tests, or college and scholarship news, the next few months are an oncoming storm of “ what if ?”s. But at the end of the semester and of the concept that was 2021, the staff here at Trojan Times would like to turn briefly from the
storm to glance at the memories and achievements our school has made, which are often bypassed. In this issue, we aimed to approach the students, faculty, and alumni from our school who demonstrated great talent and responsibility to celebrate their actions. From artists to cheerleaders to musicians and lawyers, it is necessary to reflect back on the accomplishments we’ ve made to be here today and appreciate all of the hard work it took. Even surviving studenthood is an achievement on its own, trudging through rainy or
scorching hot days from class to class and possibly balancing sports, clubs, or even a job along with education. Many students here also drive and take care of younger siblings, each of us being leaders in our own lives that affect others. Not featured in this issue are also our stories of the girls soft tennis team who won OIAs, our school’s bowling team which features individuals who earned medals for their achievements, and the Trojan Trading Post which opened up a few weeks ago where business has been booming. Walking around campus, passing dozens of student leaders, artists, scholars, and athletes who are all so talented and bright feels like a special experience each time. Through the school year, we will continue to shine lights on these individuals and groups who so prominently represent our school’s talent. We hope to open up these moments of reflection on all that’s already been done. The Trojan Times staff (seen in photo) wishes you a happy and safe holidays, as well as a restful break from school. Thank you! <3
Trojan Times’ mission is to inform the community of news, people, and issues of concern. Community. Responsibility. Dependability.
Editor-in-Chief Jenna Kim
Head Social Media Shaylee Oshiro
Story Editor Kanako Yonashiro
Head Design Clare Sullivan
Opinions Editor Macallister Graves
Head Photographer Johnathan Escasa
Copy Editors Isabella Makino Akira Pescador
Photo Stylist Brynn Vincent
Digital Editor Alexander Ozawa
Advisor Christopher Sato
Staff Serena Birchard
Dannika Pila
Alexia Cramer
Ken Sakata
Sarah Dittle
Shelby Seu
Anya Hubbard Kiyana Okita-Cagdan
Serenity Shadowens Kalli Tanita
Jacob-Tavini Uelese
Cassie Gamieo:
FEATURE
Encouragement, Effort, and Collaboration
Even while wearing a mask, Cassie Gamieo, a senior varsity cheerleader, continues to smile and burst with energy during her practice. Her fellow teammates and coach have said that her liveliness in drills is always matched when she is cheering on the field. “And I loved how happy and ready she was for... to do anything. And she always like put her 100% and it just pushed me to do... to push myself to go,” said senior varsity cheerleader Martha Whitaker.
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eam player just doesn’t make the cut when describing Mililani High School’s very own Cassie Gamieo, a senior varsity cheerleader diagnosed with down syndrome. Since she has joined the team, Gamieo has been admired by friends, teammates, and her coach for the positive aura she brings. She inspires those around her to do their best, whether it be during performances, school games, or just in daily practices. “From the beginning, when I first met Cassie I knew that she was going to be a great cheerleader. When I first met her, we immediately started talking. And then when we were practicing,” said senior varsity cheerleader Korie Takamoto. “I could see how hard she was working and I could see that she was very motivated. She inspired me to work harder to match her energy and it was really fun.” Gamieo was always interested in sports and stated that before cheerleading, she envisioned herself being involved with groups like football. When picturing her high school career, she always knew cheerleading was going to be a big part of it. In fact, according to Gamieo, she found her passion for cheerleading when watching them perform at football games. Like most clubs and after school activities, cheerleading presented some obstacles for Gamieo. One thing she found challenging was learning certain choreography for her performances. However,
according to Gamieo, she didn’t have any negative feelings towards her struggles, and instead carried on with optimism and perseverance. “The moment that we learned all the cheers in preparation for the cheer season and our cheerleading camp, she was able to really quickly catch on to everything that everybody else did,” said cheer coach Amber Sistoza-Awong. “And if she had trouble, she wouldn’t hold back. She would always ask, but seeing her at the games, so happy, and that was her dream and her goal. Seeing her happy and doing everything like everybody else is probably her best moment.” The Trojan varsity cheerleading team is described by its members as a family, as it takes the encouragement, effort, and collaboration of everyone for the group to perform well together. Takamoto, Awong, and senior varsity cheerleader Martha Whitaker all agree that it’s the social aspect of cheerleading that allows for the feeling of connection to thrive. “I would say the bonds are really strong because you’re with them for about three hours a day, every single day and you have to really trust them. Like
for stunts, you have to really trust them to actually catch you or to work together,” said Whitaker. From making sure to high-five every teammate before practice to providing an atmosphere of encouragement and cheerfulness, Gamieo’s friendliness has always been appreciated by the team. Teammates like Whitaker love to socialize with her and listen to the stories she has to tell. According to her, just being with Gamieo makes many smile. “So, being a part of the cheerleading program at Mililani High School, we always start athletes to be great role models, and provide school spirit. Cassie goes beyond that limit for school spirit, especially because she is proud of being a part of this program being who she is,” said Awong. “And she does not care what anybody else has to say about the pro
Writer Shelby Seu
gram, about her or who she is. She takes it with pride. And she shows everybody that with a positive attitude, you can get through anything.” It was clear to Awong that Gamieo was not just a cheerleader, but an inspiration and a motivator. To Whitaker and Takamoto, she is a friend, a sister, and an important member of the Trojan varsity cheerleading family. “I wanted to showcase Cassie’s story in the newspaper because from day one, she has shown that no matter what challenges come in life, she is able to show us that with some time you can get it done if you work hard,” said Awong. “And I’m hoping that all the readers would be able to listen to her story and use that as motivation that no matter what challenges life gives us as long as you put the time into it you can get through it.” Gamieo, Whitaker, and Takamoto hope everyone can learn from Gamieo’s example that anyone can reach the stars no matter the obstacles. Gamieo hopes that readers will work just as hard as she did when achieving their dreams.
Photographer Kalli Tanita
Designer Jenna Kim
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NEWS
For the Students, By the Students: Mililani YMCA Revives Youth Leadership Program Writer Akira Pescador
Photographer Johnathan Escasa
Designer Dannika Pila
YMCA teen and aquatics director Eric Tutje, YMCA child care director Brandon Chesebro, and principal Fred Murphy discuss a partnership between Mililani High School and the Mililani YMCA.
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t’s fun to stay at the YMCA, especially following a prolonged period of isolation due to a certain global pandemic. As the world becomes more accustomed to in-person gatherings, the YMCA plans to revive their Youth Leadership Program in the coming weeks, with their first introductory meeting taking place on December 3 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. “So, at first it’s going to be kind of just a comfortable place, making sure that people are willing to come in and hang out. And then over time, kind of getting more into those outreach programs, getting that really valuable experience,” said teen and aquatics director Eric Tutje. “I know a lot of people are interested in working with kids. This is a great opportunity to get those volunteer hours for that, get that experience, see if that’s something they’re really interested in.” Since the creation of the Youth Leadership Program decades ago, the
program has expanded beyond providing set options for service projects and activities, allowing students to create their own options. One purpose of beginning the program with the establishment of a casual and comfortable environment is to encourage the sharing of one’s personal interests and passions, beginning the brainstorming process for future endeavors. For example, those interested in becoming fitness trainers or sports coaches may lead activities in the YMCA weight room. “Yeah, so Shelby Seu was involved in the program as a middle schooler that used to be a club. The reason the program has been going in the past is because of the people involved being very passionate about it, not the people running it as much as the people on the frontlines,” said Tutje. “And her being in high school now seeing the need, seeing people needing something like this, getting away from their phones. Really
connecting again, in person. She’s felt it personally how much she misses a program like this.” Mililani High School sophomore Shelby Seu was commended by Tutje for her involvement in the program’s revival, taking a major part in the planning and advertising of the Youth Leadership Program. While Tutje is officially placed in charge of the program, he emphasizes that the direction of the club is ultimately influenced by the youth involved. In other words, it’s run for the students, by the students. “I was actually born and raised in the program, kind of. I’ve been attending the YMCA since infancy. I’ve been in programs for A+ after school program, the teen program at the time here, which is junior leading, and then became a group leader in A+, and then eventually started working in the teen program,” said childcare director Brandon Chesebro. “And now as a youth director now, I’ve just spent my whole life in the YMCA, and I just like what the
YMCA does for people.” Not only is the Youth Leadership Program about service and leadership, but forming connections as well. In their YMCA experience as teenagers, both Chesebro and Tutje formed lifelong bonds with friends they still talk to in present day. In fact, through the YMCA, Chesebro and Tutje were given opportunities to travel and meet fellow teenagers at YMCAs in Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines, where Chesebro helped rebuild an elementary school. “It’s just harder in my experience to get that outside of the Y. Like, there’s something magical about here that makes you comfortable,” said Chesebro. As of now, the YMCA Youth Leadership Program is only accepting high school students, although middle schoolers will eventually be able to join. For more information about the Youth Leadership Program, email Eric Tutje at etutje@ gmail.com or visit the YMCA located across the street from Mililani High School.
(L-R) Eric Tutje (YMCA teen and aquatics director), Karen Ebato (YMCA board member), Brandon Chesebro (childcare director), Troy Tomita (YMCA Mililani branch executive), and Fred Murphy (Mililani High School principal)
NEWS
15,000 Lines of Code: MHs Coding Club Programs Endangered Species Rescue Protocol Writer Akira Pescador
Photographer Johnathan Escasa
Six years ago, advisor and IT teacher Blaise Hanagami, fond of the phrase “#gitstash,” founded the MHS Coding Club with a few of his students, teaching computer science students how to apply their skills in real-world situations.
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he Mililani High School Coding Club is making a name for itself by winning this year’s Hawaii Annual Code Challenge. The HACC ran virtually from October 23 until November 20, the later date being the day that the team presented their final product and received scoring. “Oh, I kind of got up from my chair and screamed,” said senior and veteran club member Ethan Ibanez, noting his initial reaction to winning the competition. For the HACC, each competing high school team had to choose between five organization-based challenges to base their project off of. This year, the Mililani team chose to work with the Hawaii Marine Animal Response organization in their effort to preserve the populations of native endangered species. In addition to supporting the cause, HMAR was chosen due to the team’s belief that their skill set would best be applied to assist in their situation. “This application, which we named MARS, enabled beach goers to report live sightings of animals, provide key data about said animals, through an
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Designer Dannika Pila
efficient and streamlined user interface,” said advisor and IT teacher Blaise Hanagami. While HMAR already had a preexisting phone line to report endangered animal sightings, the Marine Animal Rescue Service—often shortened to MARS—was created to make the process more automated and user-friendly. One major feature of MARS is its ability to use the GPS coordinates of a user’s phone to search through a database on every documented beach on Oahu, Maui, and Lana’i to find the exact location. Once the information is sent through, an HMAR agent will be sent on-site to do whatever is necessary to help. In its current state, Hanagami estimates that MARS is 90 percent functional, although future improvements can always be made. “But then after that, when we started putting this stuff together, we didn’t have a day where we left before the sun went down. And Hanagami, I mean, he jokes that he has a life, but he stuck it out with us, he would stay here with us until we had to leave,” said Ibanez. Whether online or in the classroom, the coding team worked tirelessly on MARS throughout the school day until as late as 11 p.m., with each student working on their own area of the project. As a senior member, Ibanez was appointed as the unofficial project manager, distributing work and assigning deadlines while also coding the front-end and back-end processes of MARS. “I kind of just made sure that everything was clean, there were no duplicates of things, there were no errors. And no one destroyed our project by uploading something wrong, like they almost did. So that was definitely a big part,” said senior Katie Kimura, the unofficial high level subject matter expert of the team.
Kimura also took on many responsibilities as a senior member, such as figuring out how to make MARS accessible online, ensuring that the code written by different students was compatible, and bringing together the framework of MARS. However, despite the great emphasis on coding, students can still contribute to the team without knowing how to code. For example, the team included two graphic designers whose creative direction was needed to determine the color scheme of the interface, create virtual backgrounds, design the logo, and anything else to do with visuals. Even with no knowledge of technology whatsoever, one can still help by testing out their projects to determine effectiveness and comprehensibility from an outside perspective. “Coming in with no knowledge is not an issue, you have people that are willing to teach you. And we saw a lot of people putting in a lot of time, a lot of effort. That’s all that it took for them to learn a lot and be able to produce some
really amazing things,” said Ibanez. Aside from expanding their technical knowledge, both Ibanez and Kimura have acquired invaluable life skills from their participation in the HACC. Having been in a leadership-oriented role since junior year, Ibanez is continuously improving his ability to keep the team focused under pressure, among other general management and leadership skills. Through her experience with trying to simultaneously balance her school workload and HACC workload, Kimura has learned how to gauge herself and take time off to mentally recover. “I am so proud of every member of the HACC team. I want them to know that they made something to be proud of through their own blood, sweat and tears. There is not a single person who can take that away from them,” said Hanagami. For those interested in joining the Coding Club or participating in the HACC, meetings are held in G202 each Thursday at 3 p.m.
(Left Column) Courtney Hisamoto (10), Daryn Miura (11), Katie Kimura (12), Emily Lavers (12), Daisy Zu (11), Kiana Merez (10), Cassidy Ibanez (10). (Right Column) Blaise Hanagami, Micah Nishihara (12), Ethan Ibanez (12), Alexis Buted (12), Caleb Zerbe (10), Payton Ikeda (12). Not pictured: Belise Swartwood (10)
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FEATURE
Senior Annabelle Ink has a tight schedule and balances a multitude of activities. From DECA to her own online business, Ink has many accomplishments that have helped her establish herself in life. Through these experiences, Ink believes that she gained important skills, like confidence, that can be used forever.
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FEATURE
An abundance of activity!
Senior Annabelle Ink’s many extracurriculars Writer Macallister Graves
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Photographer Brynn Vincent
enior Annabelle Ink is no stranger to extracurricular activities. In fact, her schedule is a blend between school work and a multitude of clubs, both in school and out. Ink, recognized for her efforts in business coursework, also participates in many activities on and off campus, ranging from personal projects to volunteer efforts. “This school year, honestly, I’d like to rearrange my priorities a little bit, so things like piano and my business that are more of my own terms,” Ink said. “I just kind of take breaks when I need to focus on school and school organizations, and things that I have official positions in that I actually have obligations for and that other people are affected by.” One of Ink’s biggest commitments is DECA, a non-profit organization with clubs in many high schools throughout different countries. The organization aims to teach upcoming business students skills needed to overcome challenges and get ahead in their careers. Ink, who joined as a freshman, currently holds the position of chapter president and the Hawaii state vice president. DECA related responsibilities are particularly time-consuming for Ink, especially during competition season, which lasts December through February. In 2019, Ink and her partner won first place overall in the Financial Services category, qualifying them for the International Career and Development Conference, which was canceled due to COVID. Ink also received the highest written exam score for the Financial Services category. The next year, Ink and her partner won first place and qualified for the international conference again. Ink also received the highest written exam score. Along with DECA, Ink is also currently interning with the Trojan
Designer Kiyana Okita-Cagdan
Trading Post. The Business Core Pathway class advisor offered her the opportunity to work under the school alongside other contributors to the event. As an intern, Ink does inventory and helps with preparations for the upcoming store. “Honestly, when I first entered high school my dream was to open a bakery, that was like my dream job, so I decided to just do it, which is why I have a home bakery now,” Ink said. In her junior year, Ink opened an online baking business called MySweetestTooth, where she sells custom iced cookies and other desserts. Before MySweetestTooth became an official business, it began as a blog for her to write about her recipes and creations, although her unfamiliarity with search engine optimization garnered little attention toward the website. Ink originally sold baked goods casually before officially registering her business as a sole proprietorship in December 2020. Nevertheless, she still enjoyed the writing process behind her blog posts, finding it even more satisfying than baking her products. Currently, she is taking a break from her business to focus on college applications instead. “I don’t love it, a lot of my extracurriculars are based around business, and I do enjoy it and think it’s useful, but I actually also really enjoy writing, and so, I’m thinking I’m going to pursue English after high school, so I regret not doing journalism,” Ink said. Ink is a content creator and tutor for Empowering Youth in Business, an online organization she found while looking for intern opportunities. Empowering Youth in Business is student-led and founded by high schoolers to promote a way for kids to learn about the field of business. As a
part of this organization, Ink occasionally creates lesson plans, focusing mostly on marketing and entrepreneurship for kids all throughout the US, ranging from kindergarten through eighth grade. A similar activity Ink is involved in is Live Your Dream, a non-profit and mainland-based organization that she writes lifestyle articles for. The blog is run by advisors who send emails to staff or volunteer writers roughly each month regarding certain topics the advisors need help writing with. As a volunteer writer, Ink has written about teenagers in quarantine and what they can do to be productive, as well as the quarantine itself. Ink, also a co-president of the girl advisor panel with the Girl Scouts, meets once a month to plan service projects and other activities for girls across the state. Under the Girl Scouts program, Ink created an online platform called Girl Business Network, where she connects with teenage entrepreneurs around the world and provides advice from knowledge of her business courses during high school. Currently, the Girl Scouts are planning a service project with a humane society to work with their ownerless cats, hoping to get girls to volunteer and help out with the animals. “I focus on business, so I am interested in entrepreneurship more than the rest of business and I think business skills overall can be applied to a lot of different fields, which is why I’m interested in studying it now and learning more about it,” Ink said. Ink also serves as the vice president and co-founder of the Feminist Club. The club, created this year, focuses on promoting a space for students to discuss various topics related to feminism and women in the workforce.
She also plays piano, though recreationally now. Ink used to test for national exams from eighth grade through sophomore year. Because she does not test anymore, and never competed, Ink said she figured her time would be better spent on other extracurricular activities she felt were more significant. “I do kind of regret doing that, because I think the main reason I stopped was because I thought it wouldn’t look good on my resume, but then I realized, it doesn’t really matter if it looks good on your resume, it was just something I enjoyed, so I should have pursued it more,” Ink said. Ink believes that her extracurriculars have contributed heavily to her confidence in her ability to speak in public, and helping her gain other important skills. She thinks they have helped her grow as both a leader and a person. “I’m still a shy person, I’ve always been kinda shy, but when I was a freshman I was very shy, and I did not speak at all, ever, and I was just always very nervous and afraid to put myself in leadership positions, but now I still don’t really like public speaking, but I do like to lead other people, and to help, that aspect,” Ink said.
Ink’s business, MySweetestTooth, can be found through https://mysweetesttooth583480148.wordpress.com/. Girl Business Network has a youtube channel, https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCZxpN-A8oIKPvV_JUJdBrbw, and a website, https://www. girlbusinessnetwork.org/home. The Feminist Club can be reached at P-15, and the advisor can be contacted through email at Kimberly.Lauzon@ k12.hi.us.
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FEATURE
Charlery, Hoopai, and Sull A
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nother student on campus who has a passion for art is senior Skye Hoopai, creating both digital and traditional drawings to share with her follower She is also the Art Club president, leading her m bers in new projects every Friday after school. “I just wanted a place where I could put what I ma there, and show it to people,” said Hoopai. “I always w that, to show people what I do. And maybe growing [th could benefit me later in the future.” She was inspired by her mother’s high school and colle books. Starting out with original content, Hoopai began to s acter and design concepts on her account to understand the p hrough the internet’s increasing prevalence types of art. Similar to Charlery, Hoopai hopes to generate an i in the last century, social media has evolved account in the future, using her skills to create for other peo into a melting pot of ideas and personalities, “I want to go to college and study it, and I want to get goo allowing users to find others who share their own special want to keep drawing- because you never know what cou interests and band together to form online communities. One you’ve got to keep going, and trying, and creating,” she s of these special interests is art—from comics, paintings, animaHoopai’s account can be found on Instagram @noog tions, fan art, original characters, and everything in between. Many doodles, with a collection of 3,200 followers. Her acc artists use forums like Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube to showcase their features character designs as well as work she has d talents and grow a following from those who are inspired by their works, and for projects like Onigiri Action 2021, creating pos some of these talented creators come straight from Mililani High School. for the Japanese National Honor Society (JNHS) “It’s just something I like to do, I like to post things and I like attention,” said Mililani High School. junior Eoghan Charlery. On his Instagram account, Charlery posts original works for his 1,300 followers each day. Charlery started out with 50 to 100 followers and was amazed to see his account grow when many gave attention to his fan art of the TV show “Clone High.” In addition to his pieces on originally created characters, fan art has helped Charlery’s account to nurture a larger following, as many people can relate to their shared interest in the show. Charlery, like many media artists, is also open to commissions, selling drawings that his followers request for $10-$15 a piece. For many artists, these commissions have the capability of becoming sources of income to pay bills or put into college savings. Full-time artists can be seen charging up to $50 to $80 for the time and effort they put into their creations. In addition to his account acting as a source of income, Charlery has utilized Instagram’s archives to chronologize his works and view his own progress over time. In the future, Charlery would like to become a historian focusing on the American 1950s, continuously pursuing art on the side as a freelance job.
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FEATURE
livan Take Instagram by Storm
Writer Jenna Kim
Designer Clare Sullivan
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ege sketchshift into charophomore Grace Sullivan, posting principles of these content on her Instagram account income from her @graceoartyo, is yet another promople. inent example of a student on campus whose od because I pursuit of art has been presented clearly through uld happen, her work online. In addition to @graceoartyo, she can said. be found on YouTube at Graceo Cakeo, which includes anglesimations all drawn by Sullivan. Her main art account hit 2,000 count followers in the fall, continuing to grow with daily story and main done grid posts. sters “It was because I started making fanart for a brand new show that at was getting a lot of hype,” Sullivan said, in reference to her recent gain in followers. “But, those people stuck around after I stopped making that fanart and it was just, really cool. Like, I wasn’t as small as I used to be anymore.” Her account features drawings from shows like “My Life as a Teenage nline forums have conRobot,” “Amphibia,” and “Wander Over Yonder,” ranging from pieces that sistently been present to focus on character design to scenery. In addition to her main account, provide a platform for anyone her comics display an original storyboard and are drawn both tradi- to express their thoughts, feelings, and tionally and digitally by Sullivan. creations. The exposure these forums give to She also plans on pursuing a career in art in the future, but creators have often shown to be beneficial if used currently does not take commissions. Sullivan has considcorrectly and can even provide a stable job to those who ered participating in both the animation and storywere able to find a way to use their art to help or provide boarding industry, but for now will continue to cre- for others. Our students at Mililani also use their talents to ate for her accounts on Instagram and YouTube. share with others what they are able to do and even provide for some of them. Aside from financial gain, these artists continue to draw, paint, and create due to their own personal passion and interest. “I think that art is literally the ace of everything. Like, everything that you see here was drawn by an artist,” said Charlery. “People need to be able to visualize things for things to come to life. So, I feel like people who have that school to draw the things that are on their minds, especially since the brain is such an abstract confusing thing, it’s really important and should be encouraged.”
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FEATURE
Mindset, Determ A look at Eugene Kim’s artistry
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h i l e there are some musicians that aim to be proficient at a single instrument, junior Eugene Kim, a multi-instrumentalist, has the goal of being able to play all of the components in a symphony and concert band. Kim is able to play the piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass, electric bass, guitar, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, tuba, trombone, euphonium, percussion, ukulele, and is currently learning how to play the flute and clarinet. He hopes to also learn how to play more woodwind and double reed instruments. Aside from piano, violin, and alto saxophone, Kim taught himself to play all of these instruments. “There is always something to learn about music and I think that’s the beauty of being a musician, knowing that you can’t ever be the master of it and you can only be as good as the amount of practice you put into it. I guess it’s that humble state of mind where you are able to learn and focus on commitment rather than becoming the best,” said Kim. Kim began by learning how to play the piano at seven years old, then eventually began taking lessons for violin. However, because he found the violin lessons too frustrating, he chose to drop the instrument for a few months, instead choosing to study the viola and cello simultaneously on his own. While this allowed him to play more instruments of the string family, Kim learned how to
play band instruments through his middle school experience in Korea. “When I went to Korea, I went to Camp Humfrey because my family is in the military in middle school and it was a new institution so the classes were very bare. They didn’t have a lot of funding, especially in the music program and they also did not have a string orchestra so I had to join the band in order to be in any kind of music elective,” said Kim. “That’s where I kind of took off because the teacher was kind of lax and there was a lot of instruments in the storage room and I just loved rummaging around and messing around.” In hopes to become a future composer, Kim intends to learn as many instruments as possible, as he feels that this makes composing music a lot easier. He also enjoys filling in empty roles when playing in an ensemble, taking on the responsibility of being the backup musician. For example, when Kim joined the concert band in his first year at MHS, he chose to play the tuba because there were no tuba players, despite not knowing how to play the instrument. Kim’s favorite part about learning how to play new instruments is the skills that he develops from it. “It gives me a sense of new beginnings while still retaining the skill set. It is like restarting a game but with prior knowledge and you go a lot faster and smoother. Trial and error is the reason why I like it so much because there is new troubles but I have prior experiece
mination, and Standard: and skill
Writer Kanako Yonashiro
and knowledge to tackle these challenges,” said Kim. As a part of the MHS chamber ensemble, Kim has the opportunity and freedom to learn and practice a wide variety of instruments. However, due to the fact that he is unable to take any of these instruments outside of school, Kim fears that he will not retain much of his musical knowledge upon moving. “Just knowing that I will probably lose all these skills and knowledge along the way and go to college, I feel like it’s such a waste of such hobbies because there is value in being a multi-instrumentalist,” said Kim.
It is about m i n d s e t , determination, and your standard. What is your standard? What level are you going to b e a t ? ”
Photographer Johnathan Escasa
Besides learning new instruments, Kim actively composes music in his free time. On September 15, Kim submitted a composition to the Music Teachers National Association Composition Contest and passed the senior division at the state level.
Designer Jenna Kim
His submission is currently being evaluated at the national level and the results will be announced on February 1.
FEATURE
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FEATURE
An Interview with MHS Seniors: Memories and Advice on Surviving High School Writer Jenna Kim
Photographer Brynn Vincent
Designer Ken Sakata
Name: Katrina King Favorite color: Mint Green Favorite place to eat lunch: Cafeteria, they have AC & comfy seats. Favorite senior year memory: Homecoming, it was really emotional (I was emotional). Advice for underclassmen: Enjoy your time and get involved. If you ever find yourself wondering, “do I want to join?” Do it.
Name: Saraya Okazaki Favorite color: Lavender Favorite place to eat lunch: In front of the bandroom!! Favorite senior year memory: This year’s bandfest! It was so nice to perform for a crowd for one last time. :) Advice for underclassmen: NEVER GIVE UP!! Keep trying even if it seems to be for nothing. You’ll thank yourself four years from now. Also drink water. <3
Name: Isabel Barroga Favorite color: Blue Favorite place to eat lunch: McDonald’s. Favorite senior year memory: Winning the homecoming trophy. Advice for underclassmen: Don’t procrastinate, and organize by taking notes or writing in your planner.
Name: Seth Uson Favorite color: Neon Yellow & Pink Favorite place to eat lunch: I love to eat at Times. Favorite senior year memory: All the memories I get to make this senior year. Advice for underclassmen: My best advice would be to “live each and every day as if it was your last.”
Name: Caden Chang Favorite color: Pink Favorite place to eat lunch: Taco Bell. Favorite senior year memory: Staying at school late for homecoming. Advice for underclassmen: HAVE FUN!! It’s super important to remember that you’re still a kid and great memories should be made!
Name: Kylie Arai Favorite color: Forest Green Favorite place to eat lunch: I like to eat at home, nothing beats mom’s cooking. Favorite senior year memory: My first bowling match! Advice for underclassmen: Be yourself, it might seem cheesy but it’s how you end up making the best memories.
FEATURE
Name: Andrew Diago Favorite color: Blue Favorite place to eat lunch: Spaghetti in Haleiwa. Favorite senior year memory: Becoming the Battalion Commander of the JROTC Trojan Battalion. Advice for underclassmen: Participate in as many opportunities that come your way.
Name: Jazlyne Nitta Favorite color: Emerald Green Favorite place to eat lunch: Ninja Sushi. Favorite senior year memory: Winning homecoming. Advice for underclassmen: Take advantage of every opportunity & don’t be scared to put yourself out there.
Name: Breanne Acoba Favorite color: Pastel Blue Favorite place to eat lunch: Anywhere, but if I had to pick a place Zippy’s or anywhere that sells boba. Favorite senior year memory: At the hoco dance, when everyone came together to form a giant train/conga line. Advice for underclassmen: Keep an open mind, it’s never too late to get involved. Join a new club or try something new whenever possible! And also be nice to everyone because you never know what someone may be going through.
Name: Jenai Redoble Favorite color: Red & Green Favorite place to eat lunch: Cafeteria. Favorite senior year memory: During yearbook class when we would go and take pictures at games. Advice for underclassmen: Enjoy high school and don’t stress. Losing sleep to school sucks.
Name: Brielle Acoba Favorite color: Pink/Magenta/Fuchsia Favorite place to eat lunch: The cafe because free food. Favorite senior year memory: Going to the homecoming game! I loved watching the marching band / color guard perform and seeing the court do their 50 yard line walk. Advice for underclassmen: Surround yourself with good people that make you laugh and who support you. High school is hard enough, but being with uplifting and positive people makes it a lot easier. Also, on the topic of sunshine, never forget to bring an umbrella because you never know when it’ll rain (and trust me, you do not want to get stuck in the rain on our campus).
Name: Brycen Yadao Favorite color: Light Blue Favorite place to eat lunch: Cafe b/c get AC. Favorite senior year memory: Seeing all my friends at their senior nights for sports. Advice for underclassmen: To join/get interactive w/ the school. Putting yourself out there will help obtain a more “high school experience.”
Name: Kasandra Morse Favorite color: Forest Green Favorite place to eat lunch: Infinitea b/c I work there. <3 Favorite senior year memory: I really like AP Lit because the class is super engaging and I learn a lot. Advice for underclassmen: Have all the fun you can during the senior year! Spend time with the people you love.
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HOLIDAY FEATURE
Helping the Community Writer Kanako Yonashiro
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Photographer Brynn Vincent
hile the holiday season is the time where you’re able to spend time with loved ones, for some families, the holidays is a time that adds greater financial challenges. As there are some parents that are unable to afford buying Christmas gifts for their children, one way to help is by supporting the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Campaign. This program is an annual holiday giving campaign which aims to provide Christmas gifts such as toys or new clothes to children, seniors, or families in need. Donors participate by picking an angel tag, purchasing the requested gift for the corresponding person, then returning the gift to the same angel tree location. The angel trees are located in all of the Central Pacific Bank branches as well as Kahala Mall, Pearlridge Center, and Windward Mall. Salvation Army Hawaii also offers an online angel tree where you can either create a fundraiser to raise angel tree funds or donate money directly. For this year’s winter spirit week, the Associated Students of Mililani High School (ASMHS) chose to raise funds for an online angel tree through a coin war. This is a fundraising competition where the freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors compete against each other by trying to receive the most coins possible. Students gain points for their class by donating coins, while donating dollar bills sabotages other classes. Similarly to the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Campaign, the Red Kettle fundraising campaign also aims to provide holiday gifts to families in need through the Adopt A Family program and The Salvation Army Angel Tree. The program encourages people to donate to the cause. The Red Kettles are located at Walmart (Kapolei, Mililani, Pearl City, Royal Kunia), Tamura’s (Wahiawa), Times Supermarket (Mililani, Aiea), and Don Quijote (Pearl City, Waipahu). While the Red Kettles will only remain until December 24, donations are still accepted for the Virtual Red Kettle from September 16 2021 to January 31 2022, at www.hawaii. salvationarmy.org/hawaii_2/red-kettle. For those who are interested in donating or want to learn more information, visit hawaii.salvationarmy.org.
Winter
Winter in Hawaii isn’t something that can r the rain falls and the wind blows, people ar assume that people would stay in their boa weather, and for more reasons than one. Fi breezy, was made for the summer
Leather jackets are always an option. Popular in the 40s and 50s, this item can be used with any outfit. Like the weather, it gives off a cool aura, giving its wearer confidence while making their way through school.
Fuzzy socks. That’s it. A must for any movie night, house party, or holiday celebration, fuzzy socks are warm, comfortable, stylish, and an overall cute addition to any outfit.
r Fashion in Hawaii
really be differentiated from any other season. However, one thing that does change with the seasons is fashion. As re putting away their slippers in exchange for boots. On an island surrounded by miles and miles of ocean, one would ard shorts and tank tops. On the contrary, those who live in Hawaii still change their clothes along with the changing irst off, the materials in clothes are specifically utilized to adapt to certain weather changes. Cotton, being more heat, and is able to absorb sweat. Wool, on the other hand, would be more suited for winter, with the material being able to contain heat and keep people warm. Another major reason for changing wardrobes is simply because it looks good. On that note, here’s several of our favorite winter staple items.
Plain or extravagant, a cardigan can go over any “base” outfit. It’s a nice addition, completed with the warm element we are looking for this winter. It’s been getting colder, and even in Hawaii, a little bit of warmth is appreciated. So, why not go with a wool sweater? With a knitted one, it’ll keep you warm and stylish through the breezy weather.
Caps and bucket hats are always cute, but for winter, why not try a beanie? It’s comfortable, warm, and the cherry-on-top to any complete outfit.
HOLIDAY FEATURE
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Writer Shaylee Oshiro
Photographer Johnathan Escasa Photographer Brynn Vincent Designer Clare Sullivan
Doc Martens have been on the rise recently, and rightfully so. Boots are a must-have for the fall and winter seasons, and Docs are no ordinary boots. Walking around campus has never been so comfortable and fashionable.
Accessories bring an outfit together and provide a little touch of personalization. Even if an outfit isn’t outwardly Christmas themed, adding a little bit of joy with a pair of earrings is a must.
Because face masks are required now, people are testing out new patterns and styles. A printed face mask is always a popular option, especially with Christmas or holiday-themed prints.
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NEWS
Giving back with a lesson: Mililani High School alumni returns to educate students on law Writer & Photographer Shelby Seu
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tudents in the Debate of Democracy course at Mililani High School received interactive lectures from guest speakers on certain topics regarding the law. One guest speaker was MHS’s own Sarah Nishioka, who graduated as a part of the 2010 class. Nishioka is a government attorney with the Office of the Public Defender. She and her colleagues represent indigenous people of the State of Hawaii who have been charged with crimes and cannot afford a lawyer. “So law is what we use in our society to manage disputes, and prevent violence by giving people ways to solve their problems,” said Nishioka. “And I was always very interested in helping people solve problems, and trying to improve their lives through essentially coming to agreements with others, right, resolving conflict in nonviolent ways.” Nishioka has been working with the organization for three years, allowing her to represent numerous people in her community. Nishioka’s position has exposed her to many different people from a variety of backgrounds, each going through a challenging period of their lives. From clients to colleagues, diversity is prominent in the field of law, allowing her to expand her views and knowledge to improve her skills as a public defense attorney. “I think personally, working as a public defender has exposed me to many different types of people. And it’s given me a greater understanding of the people who live in my community, and given me more compassion to the people around me, because I can see the things that they’re going through,” said Nishioka. “But looking at my colleagues, I can see that they come from all walks of life. They come from every different high school on the island, every different background, and we all still managed to become attorneys and work successfully. So it just really impressed upon me the idea that anybody can practice law, and anybody can have a
Designer Ken Sakata benefit to their community.” Upon returning to MHS to give a lecture, Nishioka educated the students about law using a court case they had studied prior to the visit. The Massie Case, which began in 1931 and closed in 1932, consisted of two criminal cases. The first case was in regards to allegations of sexual assault, while the second held accusations of murder. “It’s a historical event that highlights some really important problems in Hawaii as Hawaii developed into what it is today. Cross racial bias was a major issue in both Massie cases, there are issues of politics and corruption,” said Nishioka. “More than just the individual people involved in the case, the case represented a lot of conflicts that we’re having happening in Hawaii as a society and in the United States as a whole.” As students dissected the Massie Case, issues such as cross-racial bias appeared to play a part in the final verdict. They were encouraged to speak their opinions and feelings on the Massie case and how it was handled. Some expressed their feelings of disappointment and frustration, while others came up with alternative techniques investigators or prosecutors could have utilized during the case. “Everyone I talked to today, talked about the fact very respectfully for everyone involved. But you know, they were honest. And they were thinking deeply about the injustices in the case, whether the outcomes were right or wrong,” said Nishioka. Discussing one’s own opinions and views seemed to be too large of a hurdle to overcome for some students during the lecture. As someone who described themselves as a quiet student during their high school career, Nishioka believes that it becomes difficult to express yourself nowadays because everybody is very concerned about how others perceive them. However, she encourages those individuals to speak up. Nishioka understands that
During the lecture on the Massie Case, Sarah Nishioka, a Mililani High School alumni and government attorney for Hawaii, asks students for their opinion on the fairness of this case. Others were questioned on whether more measures of investigation should have been conducted by the police, whether witnesses should be allowed to testify, and if they were sure the defendants in the rape case were innocent. “If somebody asks you your opinion, there’s no shame in saying what you think, and speaking your mind,” said Nishioka. “And like I said, Everybody did so in a very respectful manner.”
there may be fears and concerns stopping one from doing so, but she believes everyone has a right to speak their own minds and be heard. “When you share an opinion, you always kind of have to weigh not only your right to freedom of speech, but also the potential consequences of your speech. You know, you guys are young folks. So you’re still kind of figuring out what is or is not okay. And, honestly, you’re still figuring out what you really think about things,” said Nishioka. “But I think expressing yourself is an important way to figure that stuff out. Practice makes perfect, even when it comes to your own personal thoughts and opinions. And you can’t think about things and revise your positions or grow as a person, unless you put yourself out there a little bit.” For those who are interested in pursuing a career in law, Nishioka lists a few important skills that should be developed beforehand. According to Nishioka, every lawyer must be skillful in reading, writing, and public speaking. However, above all else, a lawyer must have a passion for
what they do. Some tend to question going into law because their passion may not align with what they believe law to be. However, law covers a variety of areas from the marketing industry to criminal defense. “There are laws about everything under the sun. So no matter what you’re interested in, there’s a type of law or an area of law that you can get into,” said Nishioka. “Whether it be science, or sports, or entertainment or beauty. There are lawyers out there helping people in those industries every single day. So if you’re interested in a subject matter, that doesn’t seem very legal, it could be so don’t count yourself out.” She also believes that listening carefully to others is a very important skill because everyone has something to say. Part of being a lawyer or in the field of justice is deciding whether one’s words are truthful or helpful. According to Nishioka, before you even speak, listening is the way you get information about your world.