Pre-College Summer Institutes 2022

“COOKING WITH CHEMISTRY”

“THINK LIKE A CHAMPION”

“PSYCHOLOGY OF HAPPINESS”

THOSE MIGHT SOUND LIKE GREAT

READS—OR FASCINATING TED

TALKS. BUT THEY WERE ACTUALLY

SOME OF THE ENGAGING AND

HANDS-ON COURSES OFFERED

AT CHAMINADE UNIVERSITY

OVER THE SUMMER TO GROUPS

OF HAWAI'I HIGH SCHOOLERS.

Assistant Professor of Education, Dr. Travis Mukina, unteaches some bad habits during his Creating Number Sense to Increase Love of Math course. Above and right: Dr. Francis Sakai-Kawada leads students in a Cooking with Chemistry course.

The students were participants in Chaminade’s Summer Institutes, made possible at the university thanks to a partnership with the federal GEAR UP, an acronym for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.

The workshops were designed to give high school students a taste of college—and get them hooked.

Participants this year for the seven, two-week sessions included ninth to 12th graders from Farrington, Kaimukī, Ānuenue and McKinley high schools. And in addition to going on field trips and tackling fun projects, they also got the chance to attend co-curricular sessions on college readiness. The topics covered everything you would need to know as you prepare to graduate from high school and plan for college, including applying for financial aid, navigating admissions and student life.

PURE IMAGINATION

Aaron Williamson, assistant professor of Accounting, taught a session called, “The Successes of Pure Imagination: Business Development and Entrepreneurial Mentorship.” He said the course was designed as an immersion into the world of entrepreneurship—from business plan development, brainstorming sessions, strategic thinking skills-building and the application of “principles of success” in daily life.

“The entire process of teaching the course was memorable—from idea inception to business plan presentations,” he said. “Having a small part in assisting students to see how an idea can impact the world, and developing theoretical businesses that will be on the streets of tomorrow is so enjoyable.”

COOKING WITH CHEMISTRY

In Dr. Francis Sakai-Kawada’s “Cooking with Chemistry,” students tie-dyed their lab coats to better understand the chemistry of dyes, made their own bars of soap as they explored the properties of saponification, and took chemistry into the kitchen to make butter, mayonnaise, boba and ice cream.

“The goal was to develop activities that were hands-on and engaging,” he said. “We had the creative license and flexibility to tie underlying scientific and chemistry concepts to every activity. Our priority was to incorporate an element of fun. We wanted our students to see that so much of what we deal with in our daily life can be related to chemistry, from food to household cleaning products.”

Kawada added that students started the course a little shy, but slowly opened up.

And the highlight of the session: visiting the IL Gelato Factory to talk story with owner Dr. Dirk Koeppenkastrop (a fellow chemist), who discussed his path from a chemistry lab to studying the art and science of gelato in Italy, and the “perfect ratio of ingredients” that goes into the sweet treat.

Students participate in guided meditation in the Psychology of Happiness course.

PSYCHOLOGY OF HAPPINESS

Dr. Abby Halston, an assistant professor of psychology at Chaminade and clinical director of the university’s Marriage and Family Counseling program, taught “Psychology of Happiness”—which incorporated everything from guided meditation and breathing to personal journaling.

Students also put together personal stress management plans, worked to identify their hopes and dreams for college and beyond, and participated in mock career development interviews. The group also got to go on a field trip to Beyond Monet, an immersive experience into the artist’s works.

“I wanted to create a fun and life-changing institute where high school students could gain deep personal insight into their psychological wellbeing while learning personal management skills that could be utilized throughout their lifespan,” Halston said. “We focused on understanding the keys to happiness … and the power of our mindset to achieving our hopes and dreams.”

She added, “I cannot wait until next summer’s institute!”

FOR THE LOVE OF MATH

For the Summer Institutes course on “Creating Number Sense to Increase Love of Math,” Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Travis Mukina wasn’t just teaching math fundamentals but unteaching some bad math habits. “Most days consisted of mental math activities that forced students to view numbers in ways their elementary school teachers did not allow,” Mukina said. “We broke numbers apart, changed their values and accommodated for the change at the end of the problem.”

LIVING PONO

For the “Living Pono” institute, School of Nursing and Health Professions Professors, Jennifer Nafarrete and Edna Magpantay-Monroe covered a wide range of health topics—from nutrition to human anatomy and physiology to reproductive health. Along the way, students tried their hand at cooking, engaged in some friendly competition and put together presentations to tackle big topics.

Magpantay-Monroe said students really enjoyed the concepts of emotional intelligence and mindfulness, and especially loved their field trip to Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden—where they were challenged to strengthen their ability to “notice” and “be with nature.”

“I really enjoyed being a source of information for these students—helping them realize self-care is important, but they also need to be self-aware of what is happening around them,” she said. “Being with nature helped increase their capacity to be mindful and reduce their stressors.”

“Hands-on manipulatives were also used daily to allow students to visually see how the numbers were working with each other in multiple different strategies," Mukina added. "Every activity ensured the students were learning from each other rather than from me. It was amazing to witness!”

He said one of the big takeaways for students was that math isn’t a set of rules and procedures to memorize but about creativity and flexibility. Mukina also wanted participants to see how math can be used seamlessly in everyday life—and how even complicated things can be broken down.

“I feel so honored to be part of this summer institute,” he said.

Living Pono institute with Dr. Edna Magpantay-Monroe