2016 November Eagle Eye

HAWAII BAPTIST ACADEMY

Happy

T UR K E Y D  ay

VOL 31, NO 2 NOV 2016

Reality Check: Living in the Present → By Kayci Kumashiro (‘17)

EDITORIAL

Cover Graphic

By Paige Oshiro (‘17)

EAGLE EYE Hawaii Baptist Academy 2429 Pali Highway Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 Hawaii Baptist Academy’s Eagle Eye is a student-run and studentcentered publication.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAT NORTHERN LIGHTS MAN / CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE

The technological advances in the past decade have been as revolutionary as the invention of sliced bread. With the creation of the internet and digital devices, our connection with others has reached farther and faster than any letter, telegram, or Pony Express rider could have ever dreamed of.

Nearly every morsel of knowledge is available the instant we click the search button. An endless library of resources is accessible on a device the size of a deck of cards. Friends and family thousands of miles away can have face to face conversations anytime. Technology has expanded the world to unimaginable proportions.

Over the years, technology has transformed the way we live. No longer do we go down to Blockbusters to rent a movie or wait for the only phone in the house to free up. Now, we stream movies online through Netflix and the landline is abandoned as cell phones dominate households. Our TV watching habits have also evolved; instead of being home at a specific time to catch the newest episode, we record shows for later viewing or watch it online.

Unfortunately, the cost of being able to get what we want on demand has made us impatient. The immediacy we are accustomed to with technology has lead us to expect the same timeliness in other aspects of our daily lives. It’s an increasing issue on the roads, as drivers cut off, honk at, or make unflattering hand gestures at others. We see it at the cash register when customers in line glance at their phone every few seconds because they can’t stand being idle. Nearly everyone is guilty of hurling his or her phone in frustration because the internet is taking more than 30 seconds to load. We are so fixated on Continued on Page 4 immediacy that seconds feel like hours.

Submissions The Eagle Eye encourages students, teachers, and staff to submit letters, essays, opinion columns, and artwork on current school and social issues. They must be signed by the author. Letters may be edited, but care will be taken to maintain the writer’s point. Please submit material to room 300B. Opinions expressed in letters and columns are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hawaii Baptist Academy or the Eagle Eye staff.

Advertising Businesses may place ads in the Eagle Eye on a space available basis and for a reasonable fee. Please call the school for more information at 595-6301.

Distribution The Eagle Eye is distributed at no charge to the Hawaii Baptist Academy middle and high school students, faculty, and staff. Mail subscriptions are available for a fee.

HBA Comes Together For All-School Chapel → By Renee’ Galolo ('17) NEWS

EAGLE EYE TEAM CO-EDITORS Kayci Kumashiro (‘17) Joel Lau (‘18) STAFF Jarin Ashimine (‘20) Aimee Clark (‘17) Renee’ Galolo (‘17) Jarred Hee (‘17) Kaycee Nakashima (‘20) Brant Yamamoto (‘18) Adviser Eunice Sim

Freshmen and second graders gathered at the elementary school playground jungle gym for a time of fellowship and fun after the all-school chapel.

On October 19, 2016, middle and high schoolers ventured down Nuuanu Avenue to join the elementary students for the first all-school chapel of the year.

Since this year’s theme is “Transform,” during the chapel, students from the elementary, middle, and high school campuses shared testimonies of how they’ve changed in the past year.

After chapel, the middle and high schoolers joined the elementary students for games and crafts. The senior class was paired with the kindergarteners and first graders. Together, they made leis out of paper and straw and painted rocks for the elementary campus’s new running path. Senior Tiffany Nagasawa said, “My favorite part was being able to worship with the kindergarteners.” The freshman class played various games with the second graders and later sat together to enjoy cool Popsicles. Meanwhile, the sophomores got to know the sixth graders with a questionnaire-style game. Sophomore Shea Yuen said, “The purpose of all school chapel [is] to connect as an entire school and socially and spiritually connect with each other.” The junior class spent time with the seventh and eighth graders playing icebreakers. Junior Cameron Wong said after the chapel, “We got closer to underclassmen and God.”

Sophomore Shea Yuen

This marks the third year the upper and lower campuses have gathered for an all school fellowship at the elementary campus. Japanese teacher Chie Watanabe said all school chapels are important in confirming that HBA is one school made of many campuses. Watanabe remarked, “Each of us will all probably see a little differently after all school chapel because you get to see elementary students, so after the chapel, we feel like we have a bigger view of the school.” This was also freshman and first-year student Kaycee Nakashima’s first all school chapel. She said, “I think the all school chapel [brings] students closer to God. Several students who hadn’t believed in Christ before and are now followers.. spoke about their walk with Christ… everyone heard their stories, [and] it opened their eyes and hearts to the Lord.”

The next all school chapel has not been scheduled yet, but Campus Minister Robert Lockridge said he plans to discuss the possibility with the school’s administration. “I will be getting together with the Principals to discuss if we want to do another all school chapel this year,” he shared. “I think the Seniors will be going back to visit the kindergarteners on the last day of CEW.”

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COURTESY OF LYNDA POWELL

“The purpose of all school chapel is to connect as an entire school and socially and spiritually connect with each other.”

The Cornucopia of Our Culture → By Brant Yamamoto (‘18)

FEATURE

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Many Americans are familiar with the classic painting of the Thanksgiving table by Norman Rockwell, which shows a plump turkey, roasted to a golden crisp. Though not shown in the painting, images of moist stuffing, deep red cranberry sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, and juicy smoked ham also come to mind when we think about the approaching Thanksgiving holiday.

However, according to History.com, the Pilgrims who celebrated the first Thanksgiving with the Wampanoag tribe would have actually had corn, lobster, fowl, and deer on their dinner table. Although widely celebrated, the American Thanksgiving wasn’t made into a national holiday till President Abraham Lincoln made it one during the Civil War years.

Over the years, the American Thanksgiving table has evolved significantly, going in different directions depending on cultural differences. Eighth grade American History teacher Derek Coryell grew up in south Virginia where he tended to eat traditional "mainland" Thanksgiving fare: turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, pumpkin or pecan pie, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and “whatever salad or other green vegetables is fresh and available.”

Junior Joel Lau, whose parents are Chinese, however, doesn’t have a stereotypical Thanksgiving feast. “My family doesn’t normally have a turkey,” said Lau. “[because] we typically have char siu, roast duck, other Chinese meats, Chinese style soup and other mainly Cantonese foods.” He added, “But [we] also eat American stuff like bread, pumpkin pie, ham, steak, and always sparkling apple cider.”

Just as the food served on Thanksgiving varies from culture to culture, students and faculty, hailing from various cultures, differ in their view on the meaning of Thanksgiving. Journalism teacher Eunice Sim, who grew up in Singapore, was introduced to Thanksgiving after coming to the United States. “Thanksgiving only became a tradition for me as an adult..[but it has]

become one of my favorite holidays because it's about taking time to enjoy your family (or friends that have become like family) and be thankful for them.”

Junior Sihan Ma, who moved to the U.S. with her family from China during her sophomore year, said, “My family doesn't really celebrate Thanksgiving… [but] even though we don't celebrate it, I still think it's a nice holiday because we get to stay with our family and enjoy the fun moments that we have.”

Lau also elaborated on his view of Thanksgiving, saying, “It is a time where friends and family can gather and reflect on the many blessings that God had given us. Also, it's a time for good food.”

For Coryell, Thanksgiving brings with it memories of home. “Thanksgiving for me is deeply connected to Virginia, where I grew up,” he said. “It was the time of year when fall was ending, the trees were bare and the cold was setting in for winter.”

As for senior Keiko Sanders, who moved from Texas to Hawaii in her junior year,

“Opening our house to people who are far from home is what I’ve always associated Thanksgiving with...”

Senior Keiko Sanders Thanksgiving in Texas was about hospitality. “The people we had over were usually aunts and uncles, church members, family friends, and random people from Hawaii that we would meet along the way,” she said. “I was surprised by how many people from Hawaii we came across in Texas who were without family to spend with during the holidays. Opening our house to people who are far from home is what I've always associated Thanksgiving with and I hope I continue

there is always someone checking his or her phone mid conversation and only half listening. When we constantly switch our attention from others to our devices, we sacrifice making connections and miss the full meaning of what is happening in the moment around us.

It is true that technology has improved our lives significantly and has helped us connect and communicate in more ways than we’ve ever dreamt of. Ironically, though, it can also rob us of patience and the ability to listen, which are essential to connecting with people around us. When we subject ourselves to such attention absorbing devices, we lose touch with our immediate world. Therefore, how do we remain connected in a world where technology keeps us disconnected? The answer isn’t a matter of giving up technology completely, but finding a balance between when to use it and when to leave it aside. As technology plays an increasing role in our lives, we need to practice more discipline when wielding it. Our devices shouldn’t control how we live or replace our relationships with others. Convenience shouldn’t make us lazy. Digital media was intended to help us communicate, create, and learn, but it is also just a tool. We must learn how to use and master such tools before we become slaves to them.

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Technology has also found its way into every aspect of daily life. From the instant our hands sluggishly slam the snooze button on the alarms on our phones to the bedtime ritual of scrolling through hours of Instagram and Snapchat posts, it is clear how electronic devices have become entrenched in our daily routine.

According to research conducted by Common Sense Media, teenagers spend an average of nine hours on digital media daily, excluding time spent for school or homework. That’s more time than an average teen sleeps. We view videos and photos on Instagram and Snapchat that only last a few seconds. We continuously click on YouTube video after YouTube video in the suggested column. We spend hours playing addictive, free apps. When we are surrounded by screens vying for our attention, it’s easy to be consumed by the onslaught of online content.

With the increase in visual stimulation, we often forgo another sensory skill: listening. In class, it has become difficult to pay attention to the teacher when an iPad lies inches from our fingertips. Lectures are boring and hard to follow if there isn’t a video clip in the lessons.

We skim through posts and videos rather than grasp the entirety of them. Even during lunch when friends recount an issue they’re facing, REALITY CHECK from Page 1

to carry on that same spirit of hospitality in the future.”

When comparing the Thanksgiving the Pilgrims experienced with our modern day Thanksgiving, there is plenty to be thankful for. After landing at Plymouth, Massachusetts, the Pilgrims endured a hard first year in the New World. Their crops didn’t grow, and they buckled down for a harsh winter where many died. However, the Pilgrims were helped by the English-speaking Indian, Squanto, in the spring who taught them how to farm and hunt. The Settlers invited Wampanoag to have a celebratory harvest feast, which eventually became remembered as the Thanksgiving feast. Today, even though Thanksgiving is celebrated with big parades, football games, and even turkey eating contests, Americans will always sit down at a table in harmony, remembering to be thankful for the things we have.

ILLUSTRATION BY KAYCI KUMASHIRO (‘17)

N IHON GO! → By Kayci Kumashiro (‘17)

FEATURE

From September 26 to October 6, a group of 66 HBA Japanese language students headed west to the land of the rising sun, Japan. The purpose of this trip was to allow students the opportunity to explore a foreign country, immerse themselves in a new culture, and practice their Japanese. The students visited many places including the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, various temples and shrines, and had a free day in Tokyo.

Continued on next page

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On the first day of the trip, students visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, a site dedicated to preserving the memory of those affected by the atomic bombing over 70 years ago. “What happened there was something valuable for us to learn and important for us to see, rather than just learning it from textbooks or in class,” said senior Ty Minatoya. The students had the rare opportunity of meeting Keiko Ogura, a bombing survivor who was eight years old at the time of the bombing.

Ogura recounted her experience on that fateful day and the horrors that followed. She explained the different ways people were victimized and the prejudices against those affected by the bomb’s radiation. However, despite the trauma she experienced as a child, Ogura spoke of peace and her hope that the suffering the victims endured would help prevent further nuclear warfare.

Another favorite among the students was staying at the ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. Each room of the ryokan was lined with tatami or “straw mats”, and instead of beds, futons or “quilted mattresses” are rolled out on the floor each night. Students were also given a yukata, a casual summer kimono, to wear around the hotel. At the ryokan, a traditional, multicourse dinner of various seafoods, meats, pickled vegetables, tofu, and soup was served. After dinner, students had the freedom to explore the tranquil gardens or take a dip in the onsen, a natural hot springs and public bath.

"When we were going to all these places and meeting

different people, having that mindset [about experiences] is very important because you know you’re not going to see them again, so the experience you have, that moment, is something you can treasure."

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Social Studies teacher Robert Weismantel

HBA students pose for a group picture with the Doshisha Kori High School students. HBA students spent the day touring the high school and experiencing various cultural activities.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DOSHISHA KORI HIGH SCHOOL

In Japanese culture, public bathing is a common practice and is often seen as a bonding experience.

Before participants enter the onsen, they are required to take off all their clothes and store it in a locker area. Then they must wash and rinse their body completely using the provided shower facilities. “The onsen is not that bad once you get over the whole bathing with other people part,” stated senior Kacie Yoshida. One visit to the onsen was not enough for most students, as many chose to go multiple times.

Tokyo was another favorite destination of the trip. Utilizing the local NIHON GO! from previous page

trains, the students were given the entire day to explore and shop in the vast city with their chaperone groups. Many students visited multiple districts within Tokyo such as Harajuku, Shibuya, and Shinjuku. Senior Nicholas Kanno stated, “My favorite city was Harajuku because it had so many shops and a lot of different things for us to do.” Robert Weismantel’s chaperone group visited a fish therapy center, where patients placed their feet in a tank as fish ate off dead skin. Other groups visited a hedgehog-themed cafe that allowed guests one hour of playtime with the prickly critters.

The day in Tokyo gave the HBA students valuable practice in Japanese

Junior Cody Sugai strikes a pose behind a cutout in Hakone. In Hakone, the students shopped and walked through a wooden puzzle museum.

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HBA seniors, Science teacher Michael Hu (center), and high school principal Marsha Hirae (on Hu’s left) decorate their own Cup Noodle bowls at the Cup Noodle Factory Museum.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELENA YOO

transportation and currency. “I learned I should get a coin purse,” stated senior Joshua Joo. “The coins here are not like the ones in America where they have small values. There’s like a 500 coin and a 100 coin which is like five dollars and one dollar, which in America we have bills for. I always had to go through my ziploc bag of coins and it was really annoying. I guess the lesson is to study about the place before you go.”

While the students visited numerous places, the highlight of the trip was Doshisha Kori high school. At the school, students spent the day participating in cultural activities such as calligraphy, kendo or “Japanese sword fighting”, and a tea ceremony. “It’s not just drinking tea; it’s the experience,” said Weismantel. “When

we were going to all these places and meeting different people, having that mindset [about experiences] is very important because you know you’re not going to see them again, so the experience you have, that moment, is something you can treasure.”

The students then attended class with a fellow Japanese student. “It surprised me how well they spoke English,” said junior Dru Pang. “Some of the students were almost fluent in English, and when I was trying to tell them something in Japanese, it was not close to fluent.” The day at Doshisha Kori ended with enichi activities, or summer festival games, such as spinning tops, shooting cork guns, and fishing for water balloon yoyos. The Doshisha Kori students wrapped up the day

with a surprise performance from the school’s student led band. “Doshisha Kori did so much for us this year,” said Japanese teacher and Japan trip organizer Chie Watanabe.

For the past six years, Doshisha Kori and HBA have partnered together in a pen pal program.

After the trip, HBA Japanese language students were paired with Doshisha Kori students, and for a few weeks, they will exchange emails to get to know one another in preparation for when the Doshisha Kori students visit HBA in the spring. “We can teach them [about our] culture, like making leis, teaching hula, and making Spam musubi,” said Watanabe. “I hope that [our] students will continue using Japanese. Our trip [hasn’t really] finished yet.”

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JAPAN TRIP GALLERY

(Clockwise from top left) HBA students wash their hands at the chozuya before they enter a temple on Miyajima island; HBA juniors customize their own bowls at the Cup Noodle Factory; HBA seniors, dressed in yukatas, enjoy a traditional Japanese dinner at the ryokan; The entire HBA group gathers for a picture at the Miyajima Shrine; HBA seniors and sensei Chie Watanabe pose in front of the Princess Jasmine attraction at Tokyo Disneysea.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF CHIE WATANABE, ELENA YOO & EVAN EBESU (‘17)

Hopping Back To The ‘50s → By Kaycee Nakashima (‘20) FEATURE

Lights and ribbons hung from across the whole gym and tables were decorated with Fifties themed decorations, while the center of the gym was designated as the dance floor. However, students not in the mood to dance were not left out, as various games and activities such as a Fifties themed photo booth were available for students to enjoy. Freshman and student council representative Jenna Serikaku led one such game: “I was able to host the trivia game with Kellen Takatsuka,” she said. “Other than that, I ate lots of the food, danced with my friends, and got to know some people who went.”

This year, Sock Hop replaced the annually held Skatie Hawkins.

However, girls were still encouraged to ask the guys out to the Sock Hop as they did for Skatie Hawkins in previous years. Senior student and student council corresponding secretary Makenzie Cammack explained the reason for the switch: “We decided to do a Sock Hop so that we could not only have the culture of the Fifties exposed to all the students, but [so] we could also have a fun time in a different way that people normally can’t have in other high schools,” she said.

Students follow Recording Secretary Keiko Sanders and Corresponding Secretary Makenzie Cammack’s lead while learning the Hand Jive, Twist, and Cha Cha on the dance floor.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAYCEE NAKASHIMA(‘20)

Student council members Makenzie Cammack and Keiko Sanders began the evening by teaching people how to do the Hand Jive, a dance popular in the 1950s and demonstrated in the popular musical Grease.

The Hand Jive consists of a series of complicated hand movements performed to the beat of a drum. Attendees then participated in a Hand Jive dance off, where a group of students competed to see who could dance the longest. If a student stopped dancing or didn’t have enough energy, he or she would be eliminated and asked to leave the floor. The last two students left were the champions and received a crown and a prize.

A highlight for many was seeing their friends in their Fifties style costumes. Freshman student Maya Liao enjoyed “arriving to the event and seeing all [her] friends dressed like the cast of Grease.... and seeing how adorable everything looked.” Serikaku did not enjoy every aspect of the night, however. “The thing that I enjoyed least was that it was only for two hours,” she said. “I wish that it could have been longer. Time really flies when you’re having fun!”

Overall, Liao enjoyed the Sock Hop immensely: “I just enjoyed spending a night out with friends. But having a [Fifties themed] spin on that... just added to the experience... I would [definitely] go to the Fifties event again,” she said.

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On Friday, October 26, Hawaii Baptist Academy held its first ever Sock Hop. That evening, approximately 100 students from grades 9 through 12 participated in a 1950s themed dance in the gym. Dressed in era-appropriate costumes and hairstyles, attendees enjoyed burgers, hot dogs, and potato wedges for dinner, and then hopped onto the dance floor with their socks on for a night of Fifties style music and dancing.

Eye in the Sky 11

→ By Jarin Ashimine (‘20)

FEATURE

Camera drones have become very popular over the last few years, thanks to its portability and accessibility—entry level drones start around $20.

These little machines can take aerial pictures and videos at heights of up to 400 feet high and speeds up to 45 mph. Equipped with 4K resolution cameras, drones can capture all the fine details on the ground from a few hundred feet up. These drones provide an efficient way to take pictures and videos from different angles in the sky, and are an alternative to getting on an airplane or helicopter to film from the sky.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY COBI PIMENTAL (‘20)

Cobi Pimental, a freshman at HBA, has a drone called the DJI Phantom 3 Professional.

Pimental said, “I use my drone to film HBA camps in Waianae, film recreationally, and overall just to have fun to play with.” He also said, “I have flown my drone a half a mile away from me and I couldn't even see it. If anything it might have looked like a speck in the distance.

But technically you are supposed to fly your drone in line of sight with you, which means that you have to be able to see it at all times when you fly. But in this case I was just playing around with it to see how far it could go.” At his uncle's house in Kailua, near the Kailua Rec Center, Pimental wanted to check if any tennis courts were available there so he took it up 400 feet high and flew it a half mile away to the tennis courts where he could not see the drone anymore. “Luckily my drone has a return-to-home feature, so at the press of a button, it comes back to you and lands in the exact same spot where you took off from without hitting anything on the way back,” he said. “I could see that there were courts available so we played tennis later on that day. But other than that you should always fly your drone in line of sight.”

Drones are available in a variety of sizes and recently, DJI released the Mavic Pro, which is small enough to fit into a large pants pocket.

It has all of the same features as its older brother, the DJI Phantom 4, such as a 4K camera, gyros, GPS stabilization, obstacle avoiding sensors and a lot more. The Mavic Pro has all the same functions as the Phantom, but is made a whole lot smaller by being foldable, the arms folding into the body of the drone. This all happens without sacrificing the quality of the drone. Portability has always been a downside of drones, but with this new advancement in drone technology, it's as easy as throwing a drone in your pocket to take stunning shots of the world below.

Evan Yamashiro, a junior, has the DJI Phantom 3 Professional, which is the same drone that Pimental has. Yamashiro said, “I use my drone to take videos and pictures from different angles in the sky. It puts a whole new perspective on things we see every day. Places and things that might have been boring before, look different and cool from the drone's view.” He also said, “I have crashed my drone in my friend's attic because the GPS signal to the drone was weak in the house. So it immediately started drifting around and it hit the wall.” Evan uses all the footage from his drone to make movies and short edits to post on his Instagram and Facebook Feed.

With all the capabilities of drones, learning to use them isn't very hard. The technology in the latest drones makes them almost impossible to crash. For example, the new DJI Mavic Pro has Flight Autonomy technology that can sense obstacles up to 49 feet away.

This is possible due to the five onboard vision cameras that actively

sense and scan its environment. It also can connect with up to 24 working satellites that all work together to keep the drone steady.

Even in 20mph winds it will keep its altitude and position still. Some drones have an auto takeoff and land mode in which the drone will takeoff and land automatically without the controller doing the work.

Drones with a return-to-home feature will fly up to a preset high altitude and then return to where it took off from. Some drones have an active track feature that can lock onto a subject and continuously track it as it moves around.

Casey Neistat, a popular YouTuber and filmmaker, has been obsessed with drones ever since they became popular. He has bought many drones and has a reputation of crashing quite a lot of them. He is quite famous for what he calls his “Drone Cemetery” which at this moment consists of 5 DJI Phantom 4 drones valued at $1,400 a pop.

Casey may not seem to be the best drone pilot, but he does capture some of the best aerial cinematography footage there is. His YouTube channel named Casey Neistat has over 5.5 million subscribers. Since he started daily vlogging 2 years ago, Casey has gained over 3 million subscribers. He uses his drones just about every day to capture footage to use in his daily vlogs and movies.

In 2006, DJI made their first aerial photography drone for the consumer.

Ever since then, the world has become filled with drones available to the regular person. Before, you would need a commercial license to be able to use a drone for a certain purpose. But now, drones are readily available to the consumer at a relative low cost. But with new advances in drone technology, they are getting more portable with the same technology. Someday in the future we could see a drone that can fit in the palm of our hand even with a 4K camera, GPS, and vision sensors. That day will come soon thanks to the developing technology.

But all drones come with a price tag. For example, the DJI Mavic Pro retails around $1000. With $1,200, you can buy the DJI Phantom 4, and if you’re willing to shell out $300 more, you can get the Phantom 4 Pro. Professionals will want to check out the DJI Inspire 2 ($3,000), which is larger (providing more stability), is capable of faster speeds, and has a more powerful camera than the lower models.

Behind the Scenes → By Jarred Hee (‘17)

FEATURE

Holding a Kodak 8mm movie camera that he purchased for $4 at a swap meet as a high school freshman, film studies teacher Sean Malinger has seen how technology can transform the art of filmmaking.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JARRED HEE (‘17)

Since 2002, HBA’s film program has grown steadily thanks to advanced technology, a new art building, and a growing interest among students.

above all, problem solving,” he said.

Along with Malinger’s Documentary Film, Art & History of Film, and Advanced Filmmaking classes, HBA’s film program also offers an animation course taught by Art and Animation teacher Garrett Omoto. “[We use an] animation program called Harmony which is produced

by Toonboom,” Omoto said. “I teach students how to use the program and how to make the characters they design walk, run and talk.”

Before coming to HBA, Omoto worked as a professional animator in California. “My favorite cartoon I worked on was a show called Bravestarr,” he said. “It was a sci-fi western

“I like the thought of pouring into people’s lives and being able to continue to do something that you love over and over again.” produced by Filmation. This cowboy in outer space had the powers of a puma, hawk, wolf and bear. He had a sidekick which was a robot horse that carried a big gun and could transform into a bipedal character.” Omoto also worked on an animated movie during his time in California. “I had the privilege of working on a movie from Don Bluth Studios called All Dogs Go to Heaven. Movie animation was more difficult because the movie screen was so much larger than TV screens back in the ‘80’s. Because the screen was magnified, the necessity to be precise made drawing very tedious,” he explained.

As the film department continues to grow with increasing enrollment, Malinger had this advice for aspiring filmmakers and photographers: “Refine your craft. There is so much out there that you have access to, the equipment isn’t an excuse. You can tell a good story with your phone. But you have to put in the investment of time. You have to commit to the time it’s going to take to tell a good story, surround yourself with people who want to tell the story as well. And work at it. There is so much out there that is either free or fairly accessible when it comes to software or when it comes to hardware. So the limit not only would be your imagination, but your grit. So if you’re interested in it, go for it with all your might because that is what it takes, not only in filmmaking but in any discipline. There are so many opportunities out there. If you’re interested, go for it.”

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However, the new equipment and space dedicated to the film department can’t outshine the passion that film teacher Sean Malinger first brought to HBA 15 years ago and continues to bring every year after. Describing his perspective on his role as a teacher, Malinger said, “I like the thought of pouring into people’s lives and being able to continue to do something that you love over and over again...especially to bring in the amateur and have them love what you are passionate about.”

Before teaching at HBA, Malinger served in the United States Navy as a photographer. “I did that right out of high school,” he said, “I was sent to a naval school of photography in Pensacola, Florida, [then] to another school where I learned about air reconnaissance and a camera system for the F-14 and then stationed on an aircraft carrier out in Japan. [I] traveled throughout Asia, around the Pacific, toured through the Persian Gulf and then came to Hawaii and worked in Intelligence for about three years.”

As a Navy photographer, Malinger was always fascinated with the places he explored, which included Japan, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, and Iwo Jima. “I liked the travel,” he said, “and I liked being able to capture my travels with a camera. Being able to just grab my camera bag and go out [to] explore was [one] of my favorite experiences.”

After completing his time in the Navy in 1998, Malinger attended college for the next four years studying literature before teaching at HBA. When Malinger began teaching back in 2002, the film department was confined to room A104, one of the smallest rooms on campus. Supplies were archaic compared to what the department has now. Malinger recalled, “When I first got here in the fall of 2002, the only thing we had was a one semester course in film. [Back then] we would use a VHS camera, take the VHS tape and convert it in the computer to digitally edit it and then put it back on the VHS tape. We had just a few cameras, no lighting equipment, and no sound equipment.” The course did not run the next year, but Curriculum Director Pat Ota and Malinger decided to offer the course the following year as a one-year course to meet visual and performing arts program entry

requirements for some California universities.

This transition began the gradual and steady expansion of the film program. Malinger said, “We slowly would get a little bit of equipment.

We moved from VHS to Digital 8, then from Digital 8 to mini DV, then to SD card type cameras, [then] from standard definition to high definition, and now we are shooting in 4K. Even our classroom size initially was half a classroom and now my class, including the studio, is five times the size of my old classroom.”

As a testament to the maturity of the film program, HBA film students have produced a number of films that have been recognized by outside organizations.

Most recently, class of 2016 graduates Gavin Arucan, Isabel Wiemken, and Sam Nishimiya had their films selected for the student showcase at the 2016 Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF). An animated film by students in the Animation class was also selected.

Arucan’s science fiction film, 13 Minutes, which features a Mars landing, was a product of the Art and History of Film class. The film debuted at HBA’s Arts and Film festival this past April and was showcased at HIFF this month alongside 15 other student-produced films.

Arucan said, “I’m very nervous to have our film shown again in front of so many people, but I am still very proud that I actually made a film and got it into a film festival.”

Wiemken’s film Taking Notes: Tips For Aspiring Musicians was produced during her semester as an Advanced Filmmaking student, and is a documentary on her uncle’s jazz band.

Nishimiya’s film, RAYNOR, also an Advanced Filmmaking class project, is a documentary on North Shore surfboard shaper Matty Raynor.

Coe Snyder, an official HIFF blogger, had high praise for Nishimiya’s film. “RAYNOR is what a short film documentary should be,” wrote Snyder on the HIFF blog. “It was beautifully and clearly shot, the purpose was clear, and there were no awkward transitions.” The blogger also complemented Nishimiya on perfectly capturing Raynor’s purpose and process for shaping each surfboard.

While learning filmmaking techniques is the main reason why students sign up for film classes, Arucan points out that what he learned from his film studies goes beyond camera and post-production work. “Even if you’re not a huge film buff or not planning to become a filmmaker, the hands-on process of making a film teaches many important lessons of teamwork, organization, responsibility, and

Holiday Spice Cake → By Aimee Clark (‘17)

The holiday season has finally arrived and food is on everyone’s mind. Personally, I start dreaming about buttery mashed potatoes, juicy turkey, candied yams, but after that Thanksgiving feast, I can never forget about dessert. For the past 10 years, my dad and I have been making spice cake for the

PREP: 20 minutes

BAKE: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS ¼ cup butter 2 eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour 1-½ teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ cup shortening 1-½ cups sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla 1-¼ cups buttermilk or sour milk

COOL: 1 hour

RECIPE

holidays. The Spice Cake is a holiday tradition originating in England and is popular in both the U.K. and America. It tastes like a gingerbread cookie but with extra spices and without molasses. The cake commonly contains fruits and nuts, but tastes just as delicious without them.

STAND: 1 hour

DIRECTIONS 1—Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour two 8x1-1/2- inch round cake pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan(s) aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger; set aside.

2—Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.

3—Add sugar and vanilla to the butter mixture; beat until well combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour into prepared pan(s).

4—Bake for 30 to 35 minutes for the round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for the 13x9x2-inch pan, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

5—Cool cake layers on wire racks for 10 minutes.

Remove cake layers from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or, place 13 x 9 x 2-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with desired frosting.

Makes 12 servings.