2019 September Eagle Eye

Unplugged. Untethered. → By Kaycee Nakashima (‘20) EDITORIAL

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During the summer, I attended a church camp in Hilo. We weren’t allowed to use our electronics, which meant we had no access to social media. Toward the end of the five-day camp, one of my leaders challenged me and two other girls to do what she called a “cleanse”—go one month without using social media.

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After a little bit of thought, I decided that I’d take it on. It felt nice not having to worry about Snapchat or Instagram the week while I was at camp, plus it felt a little weird to open up those apps again once the camp ended.

By Kaycee Nakashima (‘20)

The purpose of disconnecting from our electronics was so that we could fully experience God’s presence. Phones, tablets, laptops, and other devices are a constant source of distraction. Disconnecting from social media allows us to live in the present, and challenges us to live our social lives in person rather than behind a screen. While social media has expanded our world, it’s also being blamed for negatively shaping our views on body image (thus lowering our self-confidence), and for encouraging people to conform to peer pressure. It has also become a platform for aggression and outrage because it allows for anonymity and people feel emboldened behind a digital persona. Behind their screens, people are less likely to show restraint.

EAGLE EYE

Three days after the retreat, on July 21, I deleted the social media apps on my phone. To my surprise, it’s been more than a month and I’m still unplugged from social media. However, I had my doubts and concerns upon starting this cleanse. Because social media is one of the main ways I communicate with my friends outside of school, I felt worried that I would lose touch with their lives. I also considered the fact that I’d be missing out on my peers’ lives this last year of high school. “FOMO” (the fear of missing out) is definitely real. I knew that even though the cleanse would only last a month, not being in-the-know makes a month seem a lot longer. As I took these things into account, I decided to participate in the cleanse anyway because there was a chance that the benefits could outweigh the costs.

As soon as I purged my apps, a lot of other things in my life came in better focus. I also felt like a more contented person. I focused on my priorities such as spending time with my family, completing my chores, and finishing my homework. I worked more efficiently, and I wasn’t as distracted as I would have been if social media apps were readily available on my phone. I also noticed that I didn’t compare myself to others as much as I usually did.

We often hear that social media takes a toll on our self-confidence and is sometimes the root cause of depression. I believe that to be true. After 30 days of disconnecting, I noticed a change in my attitude and mindset since I stopped comparing myself to others online and I gained a more positive outlook on my life. I discovered that there is so much more to do than to lay on my bed and scroll through my recommended feed or to tap through people’s Snapchat stories. I thought taking on this cleanse would be a challenge because I’d have nothing to do in my free time, but I found there was no shortage of things to do.

Many of my friends and family know that I am not a bookworm: reading a book is not high on my list of leisurely activities. But being cut off from social media motivated me to pick a book up and start reading. To be clear, I was not completely unplugged from the Continued on Page 3

Cover Photography

By Jarin Ashimine (‘20)

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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Seniors Spend Summer in Internships → By Cameron Chee (‘20) NEWS

(Left to right) Seniors Maya Liao, Kailee ishikawa, Kassidy Trang, Faith Kaminaka, and Victoria Nago spent part of this summer in internships to help themselves figure out what they should pursue in college. PHOTOGRAPH BY CAMERON CHEE (‘20)

Faith Kaminaka, who is interested in orthopedics, volunteered at Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center. She did a variety of tasks around the hospital, including making copies at the copy machine, preparing IV bags, serving tea to hospital staff, observing patients for delirium, and talking to patients. Kaminaka said the internship helped her feel more certain about pursuing a career in the medical field. One of her more memorable moments came from observing a patient with delirium. She said, “We would watch patients over a span of an hour to see how they would act. And I had this one patient from Haiti [who] spoke three languages and he would always switch between English and his native languages.”

EAGLE EYE STAFF Overall all, Kaminaka said that she had a fun experience and learned a lot. Her favorite part of her Kaiser experience was the lollipops. She said, “They had really good organic lollipops that had only 90 calories and I would eat at least four a day.”

Kassidy Trang also volunteered at Kaiser and enjoyed the time she got to interact with her patients in the geriatrics and bariatrics departments, and in the ER. Trang said, “My favorite thing to do there was talk to the patients and just asking how they were doing, and cheering them up if they sad because every time we went to a room they were happy to see volunteers. They were very appreciative and that made me very happy.” Like Kaminaka’s experience, the internship gave Trang more clarity about going into the medical profession. “After volunteering I realized that I actually wanted to go into the medical field and it inspired me to work harder and pursue my dream. It helped me realize what kind of medical career I want to pursue. It helped me gain experience from working with patients and learning from doctors,” she said. Trang’s experience also gave her a new perspective on life in general. “I found this experience extremely humbling. I was humbled once I compared my goals to many of the patient’s wishes. My main goal is to be get into college, but sadly, most of the patients main goal is to survive. This experience has made me realize that when we are at school, we don’t realize and appreciate how many opportunities we have,” she said.

CO-EDITORS TJ Halemano-Reed (‘20) Kaycee Nakashima (‘20) STAFF Jarin Ashimine (‘20) Cameron Chee (‘20) Timothy Dixon (‘20) Michael Garces (20) Daniel Jurek (‘21) Brent Low (‘20) Johanna Seng (‘21) Lance Tasaka (‘20) Advisor Eunice Sim

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As the Class of 2020 gets closer to going to college and having to focus on future jobs, some of them took time in the summer to join a college program or internships to get some hands-on experience with their areas of interest.

Kailee Ishikawa worked as an intern at Straub Medical Center in the ER. In addition to shadowing doctors and observing surgeries, Ishikawa gained some hands-on experience through turning over beds for new patients, taking patient vitals, and removing intravenous lines from patients. Her favorite part was getting to visit different departments and seeing how they worked together to effectively care for patients. Looking back at her experience, she said, “This humbling experience helped me to have more realistic expectations for the healthcare field. It also encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone. Through the internship, I was able to network and build friendships with other interns”.

Victoria Nago, who wants to be a Civil or Mechanical Engineer, went to Honolulu Community College for the Summer Engineer Learning Academy.

There she attended three different sessions, covering electrical, civil/ mechanical, and general engineering. One of her projects included building a working hovercraft. Her favorite part was going on a field trip to the University of Hawaii and checking out different labs there.

In one of the labs, she got to sit in race cars that mechanics made for a competition. Nago said, “The Summer Engineering Academy was beneficial to me because the teachers were able to help me gain a better understanding of the three main disciplines of engineering. At first, I wasn’t very enthusiastic about attending, but the field trips and visitors’ presentations helped me to map out the next few steps in my career. So in the end, I’m glad I went.”

Maya Liao worked at the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific where she helped out with their creative arts program. Her work involved training new volunteers and transporting patients. One of her more memorable moments from the experience came from training two foreign students.

“There were two Korean interns who were college students who came to Hawaii for a study abroad program. I got to teach them a lot about volunteering but I also got to teach them about Hawaii traditions and how we speak. I taught them how to speak some slang,” she said.

All of these students reported that they not only learned a lot from their experiences but had a lot of fun doing it. Liao said, “It’s a choice that I’m happy I made because it opened a lot of doors that I didn’t expect. I thought it was just going to teach me about physical therapy but it taught me so much more, like people skills, listening to people and realizing that there are so many more stories than just my own.”

Students who want to gain work experience like these seniors should begin researching options online well ahead of next summer. Most of these programs and internships have a lot of prerequisites so students should plan ahead to make sure they can meet the requirements of the programs they’re interested in.

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UNPLUGGED, UNTETHERED from Page 1 internet. I did spend some of my free time on Netflix and YouTube. Some might say that YouTube is a social media platform but, I don’t consider it so because I’m not interacting and socializing with others on the site.

When we’re online, social media feeds us what it wants us to see. We don’t actually choose what shows up on our feed. Without my social media feed, I got to decide what information I wanted to take in and this allowed me to truly enjoy what I was feeding my brain.

Some of the things I’ve been choosing to watch are Ted Talks and Ted-ed videos. As nerdy as it sounds, it helped me understand the scientific reasoning behind many human phenomena. I also learned how my brain functions under stress, what we should ask ourselves to get motivated, and so much more. By curating my media, I was able to take the steps to better myself, and gained new insight into a variety of things. I became more able to see the world from a different, and less narrow perspective.

Although this cleanse may sound daunting, I would recommend it to anyone who spends a lot of time on social media. Why not see what it can do for you? It may be a little weird and difficult at first, but I challenge you to give it a shot. If not for a month, go without it for a week or two. I’m not sure if I will stay off social

media permanently, but if and when I choose to get back on, I’ll be sure to limit myself and spend as little screen time as possible so that I don’t fall back into my old habits.

Also, instead of mindlessly taking in what social media feeds me, I’m going to decide what I want to consume for the betterment of my health.

Hawaii High Schools Form eSports League → By Daniel Jurek (‘21) NEWS

A screenshot of a League of Legends game in play. In this online, multi-player game, players form teams that compete against each other to complete various objectives. there are 15 states (including Hawaii) where the states’ official high school sports associations are awarding state championship titles.

In March, the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) launched an eSports program, which included 23 schools, both public and private from across the state. Damien Memorial School, James Campbell High School, Leilehua High School, Pacific Buddhist Academy, President Theodore Roosevelt High School, Waialua High and Intermediate School, and President William McKinley High School were among this inaugural group. Though the selection of games— just League of Legends, SMITE, and Rocket League—in this league is a fraction of those in professional or collegiate eSports leagues, it still provides a unique opportunity to Hawaii high school gamers.

Many HBA gamers are excited at the prospect of eSports at HBA. Sophomore Reese Yoshikawa said, “As someone who plays, I definitely think that the opportunity to play League of Legends as more than just a game, and to represent our school in a team would be amazing.

Athletic kids get their volleyball and soccer so why can’t we get our eSports too?” Junior Ryder Sumi likes the idea of being able to be a spectator in eSports. “I’m for it,” he said, “I’d gain the chance to witness my friends compete in eSports.”

With this news, many video gamers at HBA are curious as to whether the school is going to offer eSports in the future. Addressing this question, Athletic Director Deren Oshiro said, “There are some concerns (both locally and nationally) about the for-profit nature of those individuals or companies who are overseeing and promoting the eSports platforms that are currently being utilized. HBA, like most private schools, is simply doing our due diligence before diving into the program.”

Oshiro said schools also have to figure out logisitcal and technical requirements before they can host an eSports team. He pointed out that the Interscholastic League of Honolulu (ILH), the league HBA falls under, has not yet officially recognized eSports as a sport.

The Hawaii high school eSports league is a partnership between HHSAA and PlayVs, a startup whose goal is to “[bring] esports to high schools across North America.” The startup has raised US$96 million thus far, according to an article this month on TechCrunch.com. This fall season,

Junior Malama Fujimoto believes an eSports league will add more diversity to the school’s competitive extracurricular offerings. “Some kids can’t always compete physically and this also helps those who don’t have the same confidence as those who are in athletic sports.

I believe that making an eSports league will allow for a wide range of people to build their analytical thinking,” he said.

Oshiro emphasized that HBA is still in the process of evaluating whether or not eSports is something the school wants to offer. He said that students are welcome to submit a petition to his office as that would help the school gauge the level of student interest for eSports. He clarified, “I would prefer a sign up (of students who are interested in actively participating in eSports) to an ‘everyone please sign’ petition.

A sign-up would be more helpful in gauging interest.”

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Last spring, eSports made its way into the Hawaii high school sports circuit.

Japanese Wizards Win Trip to Japan → By Trinity Halemano-Reed (20’) NEWS

What is the name of a famous children’s story from Japan that is about a grateful crane called?

What year did King Kalakaua visit Japan? What is the name of a sushi dish that has variety of sashimi over a bowl of rice?*

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Ask seniors Summer Mae, Jessica Matsuda or Alyssa Mayeshiro and they will have the answers without skipping a beat. The trio represented HBA this February at the 16th Annual Japanese Wizards competition and won themselves a free summer trip to Japan. This was the second time in a row that HBA has won a trip from the competition.

This year, the HBA team won the trip through a raffle for the top 20 teams at the competition. Before the announcer picked the winning raffle from the jar, Matsuda recalls telling Mae, “Just imagine we win.”

To their surprise, the announcer called out “Hawaii Baptist Academy”.

Japanese teacher Elena Yoo, faculty adviser to the team, believes that God really wanted them to go to Japan considering the slim chances of winning two years in a row.

took. An interesting fact that Mae learned while on her trip was that after lunch, Japanese students spend time cleaning up the school, while the broadcasting committee plays different songs during this time period.

The only requirement that the competition organizers—the Japan-America Society of Hawaii —gave the team was that they needed to visit the Ehime Prefecture International Center during their trip to Japan. This is because Ehime and Hawaii have an official sister-state relationship.

Other than that, the team was free to plan the rest of their intinerary.

Yoo, who lived in Japan for 20 years and who has led HBA Japan trips, put together a trip incorporating places the students wanted to visit and some key sites that she felt were important for them to see.

Matsuda described the trip as “an amazing cultural experience.”

She said, “Traveling to Japan with such a small group of people and immersing ourselves in Japanese culture was truly a unique experience, one that I’ll never forget.” Yoo also took some inspiration from the trip and said, “I wish we had more time to experience this amazing country. This trip also gave me so much inspiration for our next school trip in the fall of 2020.”

This July, they landed in Osaka and walked around the vibrant Dotonbori area, where the students ate traditional street food like takoyaki, and visited a hedgehog cafe where they were able to play with live hedgehogs. Continuing their cultural tour, the students stood on the crowded streets of Kyoto and watched the famous Gion Matsuri, which is considered the largest religious and cultural festival in Japan, featuring parades, floats and street food. Later on in the trip, the group also went to Matsuyama Higashi High School and participated in their English, Biology and Calligraphy classes. The students also stopped at Universal Studios, shopped in Harajuku and Shinjuku, and sang in a karaoke box on their last night in Japan.

Mayeshiro and Matsuda said their favorite part of the trip was visiting the high school and meeting the students there. Mayeshiro said, “The students were very welcoming and genuine, and I had a lot of fun talking to them in Japanese.” Mae’s favorite parts came from the journeys they

This year, HBA’s Japanese Wizards have added a second team to the club, comprising sophomores Kaitlyn Hasegawa, Kaylee Tani, and Sarah Kawakami-Williams. Yoo plans to have both teams compete next February, and hopes to have both teams win the grand prize for trips to Japan.

* Answers: “Tsuru no on gaeshi”; 1881; Chirashi zushi PHOTOGRAPH BY TIMOTHY DIXON (‘20)

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ALOHA! Welcome to the HBA Ohana → By Lance Tasaka (‘20)

NEWS

This school year has brought new changes and faces to HBA. At the high school, five new staff started this fall, including new vice principal Jeroldine Tsuha, and new high school Christian Ministries coordinator David Green. Over the summer, three current HBA staff added new members to their family: Teachers Sean Shiroma and Claire Mitchell welcomed children into their families, and guidance counselor Jennifer Marshall got married and became Mrs. Jennifer Garriss.

MRS. JEROLDINE TSUHA | Vice Principal Previous job: Librarian at Farrington High School Family/pets: Mrs. Tsuha has a daughter in the 7th grade and a three-year old German Shepherd named Lulu.

Hobbies: Golfing, playing tennis, watching movies and musicals.

Fun Fact: Right out of college, Mrs. Tsuha’s first job was at HBA. She taught in HBA’s summer school.

MR. DAVID GREEN | Christian Ministries Coordinator Previous job: First Baptist Church Athens, AL as the Associate Pastor of Preaching/College and Student Minister.

Family/pets: Mr. Green and his wife, Robyn, have two children: Bo (3) and Bridgette (9 months) Hobbies: Outdoor activities, especially fishing and hunting.

Fun Fact: Mr. Green has visited over 200 American National Parks and monuments with his wife since 2007.

MR. ZACHARY MARKWITH | Social Studies Teacher Title: Social studies teacher Previous work: Assistant baseball coach at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, Minn.

Family/pets: Mr. Markwith is married to Mari. They are expecting a child at the end of September.

Hobbies: All things sports, going to the beach, and traveling.

Fun Fact: Mr. Markwith played both baseball and basketball throughout his high school and college career. He now coaches at Saint Louis school.

MRS. MARIKO SHIRAISHI | Japanese Teacher Previous job: Lived in New York for 12 years working as a career consultant and Japanese teacher to college students and business people.

Family/Pets: Mrs. Shiraishi and her husband, Yoshi, have two children. She has a dog named Happy.

Hobbies: Hiking, yoga, traveling, swimming, watching movies, and dining out.

Fun Fact: Mrs. Shiraishi met three U.S. presidents while living in New York: Clinton, Obama and Trump.

MR. DAVID WHITE | Science Teacher (Mr. White is the long term substitute teacher for Mrs. Claire Mitchell, who is on maternity leave.)

Previous job: Taught Science and Math in Arizona.

Family: Mr. White’s family lives in Idaho.

Hobbies: Hiking and going to the gym.

Fun Fact: Mr. White spends his summers helping out on his aunt’s ranch. Since moving to Hawaii, Mr. White wants to spend more time at the beach.

SLOANE LANEA MITCHELL | Daughter to Mrs. Claire Mitchell Current job: Eat, sleep, smile, cry Baby girl Sloane Mitchell was born on July 13 to Science teacher Claire Mitchell and her husband.

“I had no idea I would spend the majority of my days with a new baby trying to get her to go to sleep and how much work that really is,” said Mitchell. “This squishy, floppy, cute-as-a-button, 11 pound 1 month old calls all the shots now.”

Mrs. Mitchell is on maternity leave and will return in the second semester.

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ENOCH ELIJAH ISAMAI SHIROMA | Son to Mr. Sean Shiroma Current job: Eat, sleep, smile, cry Baby boy Enoch Shiroma was born on June 26 to Science teacher Sean Shiroma and his wife.

“Life has been hectic but good. Having and raising a child is hard work and takes sacrifice. But at the end of the day, it is fulfilling and brings me much joy,” said Shiroma.

MR. & MRS. BRIAN GARRISS High school guidance counselor Jennifer Marshall got married this summer to Brian Garriss. The wedding was held at a friend’s house in Laie, right on the shoreline. She said, “Although it was a small ceremony, it was beautiful and meaningful.” Mrs. Garriss says she is still getting used to her name change.

Surviving the College Application Process → By Timothy Dixon (‘20)

FEATURE

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PHOTOGRAPH BY TIMOTHY DIXON (‘20)

For seniors at HBA, the college application process is a rite of passage as they head toward graduation. College applications aren’t easy as it involves commitment, essay writing, and making decisions where the stakes feel high. This process happens alongside a full school schedule, complete with homework and extracurricular activities.

Senior TJ Halamano-Reed, like many of her classmates, is beginning to feel the pressure that comes with the application process. She said, “It’s an added stress to my life. I have more important things to think about outside of class now and I know it will affect my future.”

Classmate Ryder Watanabe agreed, saying, “ A lot more [has been] added to my plate of high school stress.” Reese Haly, on the other hand, already feels resigned to how things are going to be. “It’s a little bit of stress,” he explained, “but [the thought of] knowing that I could have made my resume better makes me sad.”

HBA seniors are currently working on their college essays in English class. This month, they will begin filling out online applications and assembling essential documents like resumes and financial aid papers.

Even though seniors have the tools to complete the application, HBA college counselor Tara Gruspe cautioned, “Make sure you read the instructions carefully.” Gruspe explained that sometimes colleges

may ask for additional information that is specific to their college.

Students should also be conscious of when they use local terms. For example, Gruspe noted that paddling in Hawaii, which is used to refer to canoe paddling, does not mean the same thing on the mainland.

Another reminder she wanted seniors to remember is to make sure they proofread their applications.

Recent high school graduates are good resources for tips on how to navigate the college application process. Drew Yoshida, who just graduated with the Class of 2019, is headed to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for his freshman year of college. He described the college application process as “undoubtedly stressful and hard” and offered this tip: “Stay organized and prioritize college deadlines.” Counselors and graduates agree that a lot of stress can be avoided if students don’t leave things to the last minute.

The college application process isn’t simple, but the HBA Counseling Department provides seniors with resources and help along the way. When it comes to staying on track with deadlines, Gruspe has this advice: “Seniors, to keep you from procrastinating, you should schedule in times when you will work on your college applications. A good guideline is to have your applications completed and ready to submit one or two weeks before your college deadline. This will give you time to thoroughly review your application and it will give you some leeway in case unexpected circumstances arise.”

FROM THE COLLEGE COUNSELOR: MASTER COLLEGE APP JARGON

EARLY DECISION This is a binding application. If a student is accepted, he’s committed to going to that school. The deadline most commonly occurs in early fall of a student’s senior year.

EARLY ACTION Similar to early decision, with the major difference being that students have until May 1 to decide whether or not to enroll.

GET AHEAD ON DEADLINES

Check college websites for their admissions application and financial aid deadlines.

Submit an electronic college application packet (eCAP) for each college or scholarship that requires HBA to submit documents on a student’s behalf.

Request ACT or SAT scores from the testing agency at least two weeks prior to their deadlines.

TIPS FOR FILLING OUT YOUR COLLEGE APP 1. Read instructions carefully.

2. Keep track of your login/password for each application.

REGULAR DECISION The standard application deadline, typically occurring in January of a student’s senior year.

4. Explain local terms. For example, “paddling” in Hawaii, which is used to refer to canoe paddling, does not refer to the same thing on the mainland.

ROLLING ADMISSION This allows students to apply any time up to a certain date. The application will remain open and students are admitted until the institution fills its class.

PRIORITY DEADLINES If you apply before this deadline, you have a higher chance of getting admitted and/or receiving a scholarship to a public university. Many state and/ or public universities use priority deadlines to encourage early applications.

3. Proofread your application and have one or two others proofread it as well.

5. Give a descriptive but brief description of your extracurricular activities.

6. Do not handwrite your applications if possible.

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RESTRICTIVE EARLY ACTION Also like early action, REA is non-binding, but students may only apply to one private school REA. They can usually apply EA to public schools, however.

A Hill To Die On? WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH TMT AND MAUNA KEA? → By Jarin Ashimine (‘20) & Michael Garces (‘20)

FEATURE

Plans to build Hawaii’s largest telescope—the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT)—came to another halt this July as protesters blocked the access road to the Mauna Kea summit just as construction was to begin. News reports and social media showed images of protesters who had chained themselves to a cattle grate on the access road. Since then, protesters have continued their stand on the mountain and TMT’s future on Mauna Kea is again uncertain.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JARIN ASHIMINE (‘20)

The conflict over TMT centers on how best Hawaii should manage the ‘aina, or land.

Mauna a Wakea, what native Hawaiians called Mauna Kea on Hawaii Island, has long been a sacred site, and is named after the god Wakea, the “sky father”. It is believed to be the home of the goddess Poli’ahu and some regard the summit as kapu (forbidden).

In the past, only ali‘i (royalty) were allowed to make the long trek up the mountain.

Currently, there are 13 observation facilities near the summit of the mountain, and the proposed telescope, when completed, will be one of the largest telescopes in the world, standing at 18 stories high.

Painted during this year’s POW! WOW! Hawaii event in Kakaako, a mural by @artofjaque features hashtags in support of TMT protesters.

THE KIA‘I SAY NO “Ku kia’i mauna” (meaning “protector of the mountain” or “guardians of the mountain”) has been adopted as a slogan by TMT protestors and is also the name of the group organizing the protests. Disputes over land development between Hawaiians and foreign interests mark the state’s history, beginning with Queen Lili‘uokalani’s overthrow in 1893 by a group of businessmen and sugar planters. In more recent history, controversial land use decisions by the federal government or the state include the building of the H-3 on Oahu, the digging of wells for the geothermal plant in Puna on Hawaii Island, and the use of Kaho‘olawe as a military target practice site from World War II to 1990. The use of Mauna Kea as a site for telescopes has seen opposition since the first telescope was built in the late 60s. In a July interview on Hawaii News Now, Hawaiian activist and attorney Mililani Trask said, “I really feel that with Mauna Kea, we have come to the crescendo of our own political strategy,” referring to the fight against the state’s use and development of sacred land and resources.

SUPPORT FOR TMT With a number of celebrities, including Jason Momoa and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, voicing their support for TMT protesters, anti-TMT sentiments dominate TMT-related posts on social media. However, TMT supporters point to a 2018 Honolulu Star Advertiser poll that showed that 77 percent of Hawaii residents from across the state supported the building of the telescope, while 15 percent oppose it and 8 percent were undecided. The poll included 800 randomly

selected registered voters. More recently, in August, a Honolulu Civil Beat poll of more than 1300 registered voters statewide found that 64% of them were in favor of building the telescope while 31% were against. The remaining respondents were either undecided or chose “did not matter” as their response.

TMT supporter Gordon Takaki, in an interview with Hawaii News Now, feels that the telescope will be an invaluable resource for schools. “You look at today’s schools,” he said, “a lot of elementary schools are having STEM-related programs, not just high school, and college opens the door for teachers that can reach our kids about technology.” Supporters are enthused about having a world-class high-tech telescope that will bring new scientific discoveries to the world. Another TMT supporter, native Hawaiian and Kamehameha Schools alum Oliver Crowell, was quoted saying on Hawaii News Now, “Some of us who look back at our lives and our careers and see the opportunities that lie ahead for these young students and children today, and what they can have, what we never got, I wouldn’t want them to miss out on that.”

TMT is a non-profit collaboration between a number of international organizations and nations: University of California, the California Institute of Technology, the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the countries of Canada, India, and Japan. On its website, TMT leaders published a letter on August 9, stating that “TMT is a bystander in that larger conversation that has been going on for many years. And whether or not TMT is built in Hawaii will not bring closure to it.”

WHERE THINGS STAND As TMT protesters make clear that they are not giving up their stand on Mauna Kea, Ige has extended the construction permit for the TMT for up to two years. On August 28, Hawaii News Now reported that Governor Ige and Hawaii Island mayor Harry Kim stated that they have been meeting with protesters, but that a resolution has not been found.

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The first TMT protest took place in 2014 at a groundbreaking event for the telescope. A year later, another protest halted construction crews near the visitor center by blocking access to the road to the summit. As a result, Hawaii Governor David Ige announced that the TMT project would be halted temporarily while legal issues were worked out. In December 2015, the Supreme Court of Hawaii ruled that proper steps were not followed in the TMT building permit approval process and required TMT to remove all construction equipment and vehicles from the mountain.

Three years later, the Supreme Court of Hawaii relooked at the issue and approved a new construction permit. However, TMT has not been able to resume construction due to the latest blockade at Mauna Kea.

LAYING THE GROUNDWORK PRESEASON TRAINING FOR CROSS COUNTRY AND GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL → By Johanna Seng (‘21)

SPORTS

A cowbell clangs as a horde of runners— including numerous gold HBA jerseys—round a corner, sprinting towards the finish line at the Seabury Hall Cross Country invitational. A volleyball slams into the corner of a court, and applause resounds from one side of the gym as the Lady Eagles score a point against Maryknoll. These are the sights and sounds of HBA fall sports in full swing.

These are the moments that propel spectators off their seats and onto their feet, cheering.

Both the HBA cross country and girls volleyball teams kicked off their seasons with zeal. On August 24, at the Maui Seabury Hall Cross Country invitational, the HBA girls team took first, and the boys team took second. A few days later, the girls varsity volleyball team won their first Division 1 game since 2006 against Maryknoll.

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This sort of victory doesn’t come without dedication and preparation. Being a great athlete means training not only when it’s time to compete, but before the season even starts. For cross country and girls volleyball, two of HBA’s fall sports, pre-season summer training is considered vital.

Girls cross country coach Derek Coryell attributes the team’s success thus far to dedicated summer training. He illustrated this by comparing a basketball athlete to a cross country athlete: “Take a great basketball player and have her go eight weeks without even touching a ball, and when she returns to playing she’s still a great basketball player. A little rusty? Sure. But she’s lost very little. But do the same with a great runner who goes eight weeks without so much as a mile of training, and when she returns she has a veritable mountain of work to do.”

(Top) Junior Caden Weaver (left) and senior Kacie Kwan (right) enjoy popsicles after a practice at Central Oahu Regional Park.

(Bottom) Alumna Jada Inouye (‘19) (left) and senior Lindsay Sasaki (right) collect their medals after a Fourth of July 5K.

Coryell takes a calm, methodical approach to pre-season preparation. “What this looks like in practice,” he said, “is running lots of easy miles, spending time together in a variety of fun settings, and cultivating an attitude of quiet excitement about the coming season.” HBA runners logged up to 200 miles this summer, completed various strength workouts, and also spent time doing fun runs and alternative activities like games and scavenger hunts. Though cross country is regarded as a low profile sport in Hawaii, Coryell possesses a reverence for the sport. “If you want to see [an athlete’s] heart, her brave spirit out there for all to see, come to a race. All of these endeavors, at their best, are beautiful to behold,” he said.

He added that watching a race is like witnessing a “beauty of the soul.” Coryell lists three main goals for this season: “Win a first ever ILH varsity championship; defend our 2018 state championship, and compete admirably as a varsity team at the Nike Regional in Boise Idaho.”

HBA cross country athletes share the same love for their sport, whether it be because of team camaraderie between both veteran athletes and new ones

The Ann Kang Volleyball Invitational in August is a key part of the girls varsity volleyball team’s preseason training. The tournament is an opportunity for coach Myles Shioji to try out different positions for his players. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF JAMES MIURA.

In contrast, junior Ethan Aimoto values the strenuous process of building mileage during the pre-season. He fondly remembers summer practices at Central Oahu Regional Park, where the team did all their longest summer runs. Aimoto was able to stretch the distance of his runs longer and longer each week. He appreciates the gradual nature of summer training because it enabled his body to grow stronger without being overwhelmed. This slow buildup is a chief reason why runners value the pre-season, along with perfecting their running form, staying healthy, and avoiding injury.

Though volleyball differs greatly from cross country, the girls volleyball athletes also dedicate much of their summer to pre-season training, which consists of technique practice, weight training, conditioning, and competition in pre-season tournaments. The team began their season at one such tournament, the Ann Kang invitational, where they faced off against various Hawai’i and mainland teams. Junior middle blocker and opposite hitter Amber Loo values these tournaments as they allow her to get a feel in various playing positions and also helps her team bond. Team unity is highly valued in the volleyball community.

This season, the HBA girl’s volleyball team is set to encounter a myriad of new challenges as they dip their feet into the pool of Division 1 competition. The team will be forced to step up and play at a higher level, which is one reason why Loo encourages spectators to keep an eye on girls volleyball. “Instead of limiting our opponents to a few schools, we are now stepping out of our comfort zones and are given

the chance to compete against larger schools,” she said. Despite this new development, Loo favors a mental strategy of staying calm and not overthinking her challenges.

Similarly, sophomore outside hitter Julia Sakamoto tries to mentally prepare for the season by “having a good attitude and having faith that [the team] will learn and grow through [their] mistakes.” Varsity coach Myles Shioji, hoping to reduce unnecessary stress and pressure, encourages his players to “focus on what they need to do to be successful each day at a time.”

Except for the Kualoa Ranch invitational (which included top runners from across the country), the cross country varsity teams have so far finished within the top three spots for all their races this season. The girls team has three team wins under their belt while the boys team earned their first team win at the last ILH race at CORP. There are four more races to go and just a bit more than a month before they can tackle the Seabury course once again for the state championships.

Sasaki is cautiously optimistic about her team’s chances at the state championship, but points to her teammates’ “unprecedented potential” as good reason to stay hopeful. Sasaki’s immediate goals are to keep improving and to continue “giving all the glory to God.” The girls varsity volleyball team is more than halfway through their season with a 3–5 league record. Loo says game mentality is the chief focus for the team as they navigate a challenging season. “It is critical for us to focus on the positive pointers and goals for the game rather than worry about the possible mistakes, because it allows our mind to zero in on what to do instead of what not to do,” she said. Senior setter Rachel Nakata is proud of how her teammates have stuck by each other.

“I did not expect such a close bond between the players, but I’m really glad we are close. It really showed during the games that we had built teamwork and support for each other,” she said. The Lady Eagles face Le Jardin this week at HBA’s Spike Nite.

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after a playful practice or because of a sweaty sense of success after grinding through an intense workout. Senior Lindsay Sasaki mentions water play at Kapiolani Park as one of her favorite summer activities.

The practice helped her to bond with some of her younger teammates, as the coaches “let their wild side emerge.” Likewise, junior Shayli Maruya cites a lighthearted scavenger hunt-themed practice as her favorite summer memory. “We ran all around the park while Coach Kondo and Sean [Hirano, alumnus,] chased us around because they both really wanted to hit me,” Maruya recalled.

New Friends, New Perspectives REFLECTIONS ON SUMMER SCHOOL IN JAPAN → By Brent Low (‘20)

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This summer was one of the best summers I have ever had. On July 31, I got on a flight from Hawaii to Japan for the Temple University High School Summer Program.

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As this trip was my parents’ idea, I had initially thought that it would be a waste of my time and that I would be forced to hang out with a bunch of nerds keen on learning about subjects I wasn’t interested in.

I also learned that even though they come from different cultures, the friends I made from the Philippines and China (who attend international schools in their countries) were learning the same things as me at HBA. I also discovered that those who live in countries that censor social media and the news have ways around those restrictions. These students have managed to keep up with current world events and pop culture in America.

But I was wrong. When I landed at the airport in Narita, I didn’t meet the one-dimensional stereotypes I had imagined in my head; everyone proved to be great company. And when we arrived at the hotel, I met even more students­that would soon become great friends—folks from Guam, China, Taiwan, and the Phillippines. I quickly realized that no matter what people’s interests or nationalities are, they are always interesting, and that my expectations are not always accurate when it comes to trying out something new. I began to feel that it was going to be an amazing trip.

As part of the program, we attended Japanese language classes and electives such as film, business, and international affairs at Temple University’s campus in Azabu. Along with a few of my new friends, I chose the filmmaking class where we made comical oneminute videos with special effects. As these classes only took up half a day, we spent the rest of of our days exploring the Tokyo area, including Akihabara, Asakusa, and Harajuku. From playing in massive arcades with any type of game imaginable with my new friends to shopping in huge department stores with several stories of pretty much anything you desire, these trips were the highlight of my time in Japan.

As the our time in Japan was coming to an end, we went to Tokyo Disney Sea, making sure to go on all the rides and to enjoy the food there. Even though I enjoyed the things we learned in class, the richest part of my trip was spending time with my new friends outside of the classroom. Before this summer, if you had asked me whether or not I would want to spend my summer in Japan with people I didn’t know or stay in Hawaii with my HBA friends, I would have chosen the latter.

In retrospect, I’m so glad I didn’t get to make that choice.

I was surprised by how easy it was for me to be myself with my new friends. Even though they were not from America, they shared my interests and we laughed at the same jokes. It was like I gained a second family in the short time I was in Japan.

This visit also made me realize that Hawaii is not as diverse as it seems, even though the state is often viewed as a melting pot of culture. Almost all of the non-American students I met spoke multiple languages and were knowledgeable about many cultures. I think that Americans like to stereotype people based on their race, culture or nationality. The people that I met in Japan broke all the stereotypes I knew. I learned that people have unique strengths and weaknesses, and stereotypes blind us to seeing what they are.

I was also humbled by the emphasis on etiquette and respect in Japanese culture. A number of us were surprised by the number of social rules and manners we had to learn and this made me realize how culturally blind Americans are to the rest of the world.