2023 September Eagle Eye Spike Nite Edition

HAWAII BAPTIST ACADEMY

VOL 38, NO 1 SEP 2023

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Cover Photo

By Taylor Malinger (‘24)

EAGLE EYE Hawaii Baptist Academy 1

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2429 Pali Highway Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 Hawaii Baptist Academy’s Eagle Eye is a studentrun and student-centered publication.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Taylor Malinger (‘24)

STAFF Sophie Chong (‘26) Joseph Giles (‘24) Olivia Kim (‘26) Michelle Lee (‘24) Natali Nomura (‘25) Samuel Ruan (‘25)

ADVISOR Eunice Sim

SPIKE NITE photos by Brendan Aoki (‘24).

Follow us @hbaeagleeye on Instagram www.hbaeagleeye.com

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am not my grades. I am not my hobbies. I am not my relationship status. I am not my future job.

The recent Barbie movie, amid its many laugh-out-loud moments and iconic characters, tackled the prevalent debate about gender roles. In a clash of the brutal real world and fictional Barbie Land, the movie captured the inequality many women face in their everyday lives, acting as a voice for the female community.

Just as Barbie had to discover who she was beyond the beautiful but superficial “Stereotypical Barbie,” and Ken had to discover who he was beyond Barbie’s love interest, I was reminded that my value lies beyond the roles I hold.

I appreciated the thought-provoking ideas the movie brought forth, but I was somewhat unsettled by the moments in the movie that seemed to say that gender equality is only achievable by putting down the majority. While this reasoning has some merit, I believe a woman’s self-worth should stem from being able live out her God-given purposes rather than from a defensive position of being “against” the majority.

For sure, when it comes to power and influence in the world of government, politics, and commerce, equality for women – in the form of equal pay, the right to vote, the number of women in leadership positions – can only be achieved with a shift in the balance of power. When America granted women the right to vote in 1920, women were given a voice in the decisionmaking process for the country. As a result, politics was no longer just men’s domain. Similarly, with women in the Supreme Court or in Congress, there are fewer men in these positions of power. In these cases, gender equality has brought about a change in gender roles—women can now take on jobs that were previously viewed as only for men. However, a woman’s identity needs to come from beyond the fight for equality; it is about being confident in who God made her to be, not what job or position she gets to have.

For example, a woman who chooses to be a stay-at-home mom should be able to do so without judgment that she is settling for less. When a popular couple on social media, Matt and Abby Howard, posted a video mentioning how Abby generally manages all of the household chores and caring for the baby, which she prefers, many viewers, male and female alike, responded with criticism, labeling Abby as a victim of oppressive gender roles.

These critics miss the fact that parenthood is an important, respectable, and noble responsibility, one that is often undervalued it doesn’t pay financially. Stay-at-home parents – women or men – play a crucial role in the development of children because they are the primary caregivers, instilling habits and values in children that carry on into adulthood.

As a young woman entering adulthood, I believe that choosing to play one part in society does not mean I am incapable or unwilling to play another. My choice is based on what I believe will be most effective to carry out my God-given purpose at the time. But flourishing in that purpose, which to me centers on loving God and loving others well, may mean taking on a role of sacrifice and service to the people around me instead of making a decision based on self-fulfillment. And no matter what I do, I can remain secure in my identity by knowing who I am regardless of my career choice or even the lack of one: I will always be a daughter, a friend, a sister, and a believer in Christ. It also means that no matter what I become —a working professional, a mother, a wife, or a fun single aunt —my worth is enduring even when my roles may not be. A societal role is but a label and what matters in the end is how I was able to live out my purpose through the roles given to me.

Variety, Opportunity Showcased at Club Fair → By Olivia Kim (‘26) NEWS

At HBA, the annual club fair is a way for students to discover new interests and hobbies, as well as get to know other students who share their interests.

This year, a total of 37 clubs, both old and new, participated in the club fair, which took place in the high school gym on August 23. High school vice principal Ryan Frontiera, who also oversees club activities, believes that clubs play an important role in the school community. “Clubs are a way for students to meet people on campus, find fun and positive ways to be involved and explore their interests in a lot of different ways— some way more serious, or time involved, and some really casual and rarely.” Frontiera hopes that clubs will help students “make friends, explore their interests, get leadership opportunities, and have fun.”

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“I genuinely want and hope that members of the Art Club can look forward to bonding over something that’s relaxing and worthwhile.

CLUB LEADERS SAY...

ART CLUB

Members don’t have to be great at art because it’s really about having a space with people you enjoy seeing regardless of skill level. It’s an attractive club for those who are introverted or antisocial; crafting can be quite therapeutic. We also make a lot of food related art. I know everyone likes food, so know that we eat a lot of appetizing (unhealthy) stuff.”

Melia Castillejos (‘25)

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CHESS CLUB

“We plan to provide members of the club the use of better quality chess sets as well as chess clocks.

In addition, we plan to hold fun and competitive chess tournaments.

People should join this club if they want to learn about chess, play for fun, or to play competitively. Not only is playing chess fun, but it also improves memory, deepens focus, increases IQ, elevates creativity, etc.”

Kanoa Gloy (‘25)

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PRE-MED ASSOC.

“The Pre-Medical Association is a low-commitment, casual, engaging club allowing people to expand their medical knowledge.

This year’s purpose is to stimulate interest in medicine among students. Anyone can be a member, even if they aren’t necessarily “pre-med.” As president, I look forward to seeing my and my fellow officers’ ideas come to fruition and inspire passion for the medical field in the school.”

Ellie Pelesky (‘24)

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SURFRIDER CLUB

“I think that people should join this club because it gives them a way to help their community and help keep our environment clean.

People can look forward to beach cleanups and helping our community and bonding with each other.”

Jackie Chow (‘24)

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLUB

“When students walk into club meetings, they will learn business and financial literacy.

From how to get and maintain a job as a high schooler to making a side business (or side hustle), students will learn lessons from reliable books, interviews, and guest speakers. Additionally, with a community with similar goals, they will develop an entrepreneur mindset that emphasizes financial literacy, discipline, patience, perseverance, and communication skills. Finally, students will have time to brainstorm and present ideas for high school level entrepreneurship competitions.”

Ty Koch (‘24)

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“Our club teaches students all the skills and knowledge they need for trading and investing.

INVESTMENT CLUB

Everyone is chill and friendly in the club. And most importantly, our club is free to join, and all our meetings are optional. If you want to know how to get rich, you should join. Each student will receive an account with a $500K start-up fund in a stock market simulation; they can invest freely in the markets on the website, which operates concurrently with the real stock markets.

Students may share accounts and collaborate if they want. In addition, we will also introduce basic and advanced concepts about economics and investment that will help students succeed in trading. We will be meeting every other week if there are no special events.”

Jack Hong (‘24)

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“Students should join this club because our mission is to teach everyone how to do basic cooking so that they can take it with them to college.

COOKING CLUB

Not only is it an important life skill, but it teaches you how to make a good meal out of what you have in your dorm or anywhere really. Not only do you cook, you get to meet and interact with different students who share a common interest for cooking, whether they can actually cook or not. You can look forward to a simple yet tasty menu with some interesting and fun cooks.”

Jadynn Wong (‘24)

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“Ho’omana is a form of worship through sign language to worship songs.

HO’OMANA CLUB

Hannah Cheng (‘24)

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“People should join the Hawai’i Club because we come together to appreciate the state we live in and keep the culture alive by doing activities such as lei making, spam musubi making.

HAWAI’I CLUB

We also want to reach out to our local community by hopefully taking part in a Lo’i (kalo patch) or beach cleanup sometime this year. Joining the Hawai’i Club would be a great way to fellowship with other students while learning more about Hawai’i.”

Samantha Choi (‘24) | Hawai’i Club

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“I believe that people should join the Christian Ministries Team (CMT) because it’s not just about chapel but it’s about serving our community.

We strive to make school days fun and interactive for all students while bringing glory to God. CMT’s goal is to cultivate Christian culture in HBA’s student life and if there are students who want to help cultivate that Christian lifestyle and make a difference then they should definitely join. But you don’t have to be a Christian to join. CMT is for everyone and anyone who wants to make a difference on campus. We welcome anyone with questions about their faith, those seeking to grow deeper in their relationship with God, and even non-Christians who just want to participate on campus. This club is for everyone who wants to be a part of something bigger.”

Randie Lueder (‘25)

CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES TEAM

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People can look forward to a couple of performances we are planning for special chapels throughout the school year. I would encourage people to join this club because it is an amazing outlet to worship God and learn sign language. Many people feel like they shouldn’t perform because they can’t dance or sing, but sign language is something that everyone can learn and use to glorify God.”

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As the transition to college and the anticipation of future careers occupy the minds of juniors and seniors, a handful of them took the opportunity this summer to try out part-time jobs and summer programs. Their experiences allowed them to dive deeper into their areas of interest, while also getting hands-on experience.

Top, left to right: Senior Ryan Wong (left) builds a bevameter— a device used to measure the mechanical properties of soil—with a classmate at the Jesse Sanford Junior Engineering Program at the University of Hawaii, Manoa; Senior Hannah Cheng (bottom) takes a selfie with some of the students in the Ohana Arts program, where she was an assistant stage manager for a performance; Senior Ellie Pelesky (seventh from left) with fellow students at the Rice University Medicine Program.

Left, top: Senior Hannah Cheng prepares for the start of a show with other backstage crew members.

Left, bottom: Senior Ryan Wong (middle), with this parents, received a Certificate of Achievement from the College of Engineering at the end of his summer program at the University of Hawaii, Manoa.

Students Gain Hands-On Experience Through Summer Jobs, Programs → By Michelle Lee (‘24) NEWS

going around the food court asking to trade, and I met one of my best friends at Dairy Queen by just trading a sandwich.” Wong continues to work there even though the school year has started.

Junior Samuel Ruan also learned a lot from working in food service this summer; Ruan’s parents run a restaurant, and while he has helped them occasionally, this summer was the first time he worked there regularly. He learned to be a cashier, to package take-out orders, and to load a truck for deliveries. Ruan said, “During the experience, I learned communication skills and dealing with customers.” Ruan recalled having to deal with a difficult customer over the phone and then later in person. “It taught me how to keep a straight face when someone’s yelling at you because it’s either you start laughing or you’re sad,” he said.

This summer senior Hannah Cheng had the opportunity to work at Ohana Arts, a performing arts program she has been part of since third grade. In her role as a teacher’s assistant this summer, she walked students from class to class, and assisted the teachers and directors.

Cheng learned how to be flexible, communicate well, and problem-solve.

Cheng’s favorite task during her time there was when she was part of the backstage crew for a show. “Watching [the students] perform from backstage was just a really proud moment because I had seen how far they’ve come from the beginning of the program,” she said.

Although these students gave up their summer breaks, they all thought that it was a fruitful experience that would prepare for the years to come.

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Senior Ryan Wong, who is interested in pursuing an engineering degree, attended the Jesse Sanford Junior Engineering Program at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. He learned about manufacturing and fabrication, while also working on CAD software, fusions, and solidworks. Wong said that Science teacher Isaac Duncklee told him about the program, and Wong’s older brother also said it would be a worthwhile experience. One of his favorite moments during the program was when he was able to use a bevameter, a device used to measure the mechanical properties of soil. “I helped create a bevameter that is able to measure the characteristics of soil on Earth compared to other planetary bodies in space. Since soil can be good or bad, the device can discover the strength and pressure of the soil. Eventually [this can help determine] if humans can one day have life on different planets,” he explained. Wong appreciated being able to apply what he learned in theory to an actual project.

Ellie Pelesky, a senior at HBA, attended the National Youth Leadership Forum Medicine Program hosted at Rice University in Houston, Texas, for nine days. She learned a variety of skills in the medical field, heard from different doctors, and toured a medical school. One of her favorite moments from the program emerged from spending time with the other participants. She said, “On the last night, our group sat with each other and just reflected on our time together. It was a really memorable and heartfelt moment.” Reflecting on her experience in the program and looking forward to the future, Pelesky said, “If I had another opportunity that gets me outside my comfort zone, makes me meet new people, stirs a passion of mine, and makes new memories in a similar way, I would totally take it.”

Senior Jadynn Wong worked at Subway this summer as a Sandwich Artist, the official title for counter staff there. In addition to making sandwiches, she learned to deal with irate customers and high-stress situations, and how to make choices on behalf of the workplace and the customers. One of her favorite memories was when she was able to trade food during work. Wong said, “My favorite [experience] was

HBA EXPANDS UNIFORM OPTIONS

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→ By Samuel Ruan (‘25) NEWS

Examples of approved and non-approved outerwear were provided by the school administration to help students understand the uniform changes for the 2023 - 2024 school year. Outerwear must be a solid color (no designs) and in line with the colors of the HBA logo: black, white, gray, and yellow/gold. IMAGE FROM HBA.NET

“Wowza!! Yippee!” exclaimed junior Cayte Akamu after hearing about the changes to HBA’s dress code starting this school year. Over this past summer break, the changes were announced by school administration, providing parents and students with more clothing options. Most notably, for outerwear and bottoms, the school is allowing students to wear non-Lands’ End brands as long as they meet style and color standards.

According to high school vice principal Ryan Frontiera, HBA’s administrators considered “cost, comfort and convenience” when making the latest round of dress code changes. Student and staff feedback were part of the decision-making process, he added. Last year’s student council polled students for dress code change ideas and presented them to school administrators at the end of school year. At the elementary school, second graders wrote opinion essays on the dress code and those were also shared with the school administration.

Current Student Council President Jadynn Wong, who was the Corresponding Secretary last year, said that the council proposed dress code changes “to let students feel less restricted on their selfexpression.” In addition, the new dress code also makes the uniform more affordable. A Lands’ End girls pleated skort current retails at $49 with the required logo embroidery. By comparison, the Old Navy equivalent runs at about $20. Junior Randie Lueder stated, “I like the fact that we get to wear our own jackets in school now since I didn’t have my own because they were so expensive, and I would be freezing in the morning. I really appreciate the changes in dress code.”

While the general response from students has been positive, the changes led to some confusion in the first few weeks of school. A handful of students, like senior Michelle Lee, were not sure what kind of bottoms were allowed. “The pants policy is a little bit vague,” she said. She added that it was hard to find comfortable pants that fit the dress code. Lee ended up deciding to stick to the old dress code. There was also some confusion about whether students could wear the Lands’ End P.E. bottoms as the uniform bottom on non-PE days. Frontiera has since clarified that P.E. shorts are under the “stretchy/spandex’ category and so are not allowed except during P.E. Teachers and staff have also needed to adjust to the changes, but the overall response to the changes are positive. Frontiera said, “People have made a really good effort to follow along. When they’re not sure, they’ve checked in and when they’ve gotten feedback, everyone’s just responded well.” When asked about any future and potential additions to the dress code changes, Wong stated that while the student council has more ideas concerning the dress code, they have decided to set them aside for now because students seem to be content with the current changes.

In a recent morning announcement video this quarter, high school principal Elton Kinoshita and Frontiera made a guest appearance to commend students for how well the year has gone so far. Frontiera stated in the announcement, “I’d like to commend you on how well you have followed all of our policies, dress code, other rules, and especially your positive attitude. Teachers have noticed this change and we’re very excited.”

To see details on the latest dress code changes and to see examples of what is allowed, students should visit www.hba.net and look under the Student Life, Uniform Policy section.

(Above) Last school year, the 2022-2023 High School Student Council brought a list of proposed dress code changes to school administrators, helping to initiate the round of changes that took effect this school year. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF TAMMY MORI. (Below, left to right) Seniors Joseph Giles, Michelle Lee, and Taylor Malinger are dressed in non-Lands’ End bottoms that are now allowed in the new dress code. PHOTOGRAPH BY SAMUEL RUAN (‘25)

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Use toothpick or metal scribe to drag colored dots into white icing.

Add sprinkles or edible decorating pearls to finish the design.

Three New Classes Added at High School → By Joseph Giles (‘24)

The new school year for Hawaii Baptist Academy has presented new opportunities, experiences as well as a three new classes.

These include CGI (Computer Generated Imagery), AP Pre-Calculus, and AP Physics C. The Visual and Performing Arts Department is offering a CGI course this year, covering the fundamentals of Computer Generated Imagery through modeling, lighting, and film making. The course is taught by department chair Sean Malinger, who also teaches other film making and photography classes. Until this year, CGI was just one unit in Malinger’s film making classes and he is looking forward to being able to devote more time to it in a dedicated course. While a course in CGI is highly technical, Malinger points out that the process of creating CGI should challenge students to think about “Creation and world building.” He explained, “When you start out in the CGI world there is nothing, we artists then form an idea, and create what we imagined.

Because of the nature of computer generated imagery, CGI artists are faced with deep philosophical questions such as: What does it mean to design and create something? I also

(Left) A CGI student works on animating a die . IMAGE FROM

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PHOTOGRAPH BY BRENDAN AOKI (‘24)

(Below) CGI teacher Sean Malinger provides feedback as students work on their assignments.

PHOTOGRAPH BY EUNICE SIM

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think that learning to create a CGI animation can lead a person into being more curious about God—the one who created us and the world in which we inhabit.”

Senior Ryan Wong is one of nineteen students enrolled in this class, and he sees it as an opportunity to understand and appreciate how different figures are made in movies and TV. shows. “I thought it was very interesting and you can learn about how movies are made and the animation of different figures,” he said.

The students in this class are learning a variety of skills that will teach them how to effectively create films and images, including how to use Autodesk Maya, an industry standard software for CGI. Course units will cover a range of disciplines, from storytelling to video editing, giving students a glimpse of what goes into the field of CGI. In the Science Department, teacher Isaac Duncklee is bringing back AP Physics C in response to student demand. Duncklee enjoys teaching this class because he knows that the students in this class are ready to put in the work. He said, “I think one of my favorite things about teaching AP Physics C is it’s always a really driven group of students. Usually students that have asked for this class to run have been very diligent [in] making sure this class gets to be something they get to take. And so it’s really heavy in calculation. Doing calculus makes physics beautiful.”

Duncklee believes the course is especially beneficial for students who are interested in majoring in a science or math-related field. He explained, “I think one appeal for students is that AP Physics C offers college credit for students that want science or engineering specific majors. If you pass an AP Physics C exam, engineering colleges or colleges that run science, chemistry, physics majors might give you credit, whereas passing an AP Physics 1 exam is good for most majors, but not for science and engineering majors.”

Even though AP Physics C is one of the hardest science classes that HBA offers, senior Andrew Young welcomes the challenge after having taken AP Physics 1 last year. “As a student, I think it’s pushed me to work harder and study more,” he said.

In the Math Department, department chair Ross Mukai is teaching a new course this year, AP Pre-Calculus. Mukai has always seen Pre-Calculus as a college level course, and he is excited for this year’s AP Pre-Calculus cohort. He said, “It was a class that we always felt needed to happen. PreCalculus in our minds was always a college level course. So, when it came up, we realized, this is a way for the students to actually see that as well as gain credit for it.”

According to Mukai, since AP Pre-Calculus is a College-board course, it is going to prepare students “super well” for AP Calculus courses more so than a regular Pre-Calculus class.

Junior Samuel Fujimoto, who is taking AP Pre-Calculus this year, is planning to take AP Calculus BC next year, and he believes that AP Pre-Calculus is a way for him to gain a greater understanding on the subject. Fujimoto said, “I want to get a better understanding of math so that it can prep me for calculus BC.” Fujimoto also sees this course as a way to better his study habits. He said, “There’s a higher workload so I’m definitely gonna have to be more diligent.”

(Left to right) Seniors Ryan Wong, Kyle Siu, and Andrew Young power a light bulb with a battery and two alligator clips in AP Physics C class. PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSEPH GILES (‘24)

NEW COURSE IDEAS? The high school is currently

accepting new course ideas form students for next school year.

The deadline is September 30

and ideas can be submitted via

an online form that provided to

students via the weekly bulletin email.

Fun and Fitness Makes a Team → By Natali Nomura (‘25) SPORTS NEWS

This summer, the cross country team hosted its second Cross Country Camp just before the start of the new school year.

It was held over four days with an on-campus sleepover on the last day.

(Left to right) Sophomore Beth Ragain, junior Natali Nomura, and freshman Zoe Lim participated in the cross country summer camp. Ragain and Lim are new to the team while Nomura has been running since middle school.

The camp was an opportunity for both new and old runners to get to know each other.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY SHELBY TANAKA

(Top) Coach Thatcher King (left) and sophomore Beth Ragain enjoy shave ice from Shimazu’s at the end of camp.

(Bottom) Coaches Shelby Tanaka and Ian Doi get ready with glow sticks for a night Run-A-Thon (a half-mile team relay competition), which was the main event of the cross country camp.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SHELBY TANAKA

For the first three days, students arrived at 8:00am and started with strength training for the first hour. Next was snack and presentation time where one of the coaches gave a presentation on a Cross Country related topic. After eating lunch around noon, students headed back to D201 for a team activity. Near 3:30, the group headed out for their run and ended the day at 6pm.

The idea to have a camp came from head girls coach Shelby Tanaka. “A long time ago, we had done a cross country camp in the summer on the Big Island. But because of COVID, we were definitely not going to be able to go back. And Coach Shelby had the idea of maybe having a week-long camp here at HBA over the summer,” said head boys’ coach Aaron Kondo. Tanaka explained, “As coaches, we know how important summer training is, so we always have our pre-season training from then, but wanted to incorporate a way that we could introduce the importance of training, team bonding, and having fun!”

This year, close to 30 students attended the camp, a handful more than last year.

“Some of [the students] had been to last year’s camp and enjoyed it, so they may have told other kids to come this year as well,” remarked Tanaka. One of the students who attended, senior Callie Kubota, said her favorite part was the team activities played in between workouts. The activities consisted of Coach Trivia, Blind Taste Test Pictionary, and other teamwork activities that would count towards their teams total points. “I felt that it really brought me closer with some of my teammates,” Kubota said. New sophomore Beth Ragain decided to try the camp this year to

(Top & Middle) Teams Red and Green prepare for the Run-A-Thon by putting on their glow-in-thedark apparel.

(Bottom) Campers celebrate the end of camp with cold treats at Shimazu’s Shave Ice. PHOTOGRAPHS BY SHELBY TANAKA

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“get to know people before the season and school started.” She added, “I’m looking forward to seeing how much I’m going to improve over the season.”

According to the coaches, the camp seemed to go smoothly for the most part. “It’s good to have some people that were new to the team and some people that had already been on the team for a while to be able to meet each other and to get to know each other a little bit better, and be able to work out together in different groups that we normally would,” said Kondo.

The most memorable moment for Kondo was the run-a-thon. The Run-a-thon is a team relay that is held at night. Each member runs half a mile dressed up in their team colors. The teammates who weren’t running earned points for their team by playing games set up by the coaches. “It’s always good to see groups working together and pushing hard just to do well together,” Kondo said.

Many students said the camp felt fruitful for them. “I was able to build new relationships with not only the underclassmen but also the middle schoolers and am really looking forward to watching everyone compete and seeing how well they do,” said Kubota. Eighth grader Noah Pfeiffer also enjoyed the team bonding.

“I think it’s great to really connect as a team because we typically don’t get that time in practice,” he said.

Since then, the team has participated in four meets: the first unofficial meet of the season at Hanalani, an Iolani season opener at Bellows Air Force Base, the first ILH meet at Mid-Pacific, and an Iolani Invitational at Hawaii Country Club. “It has been very nice seeing the work pay off for those who have been putting in the time and miles over the summer,” said Kondo. “As a team, we always want to focus on running closer together as a pack during races, even for our nonvarsity athletes. We practice in specific groups for that reason... we’ve seen a lot of those groups find each other and stick together throughout their races.”

Life Lessons Learned From Faith in Action → Sophie Chong (‘26) NEWS

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This past summer, a handful of HBA high school students went on mission trips and faith-based camps. They traveled to a variety of places, including the Philippines, Kona, and Moloka’i. While each trip had different goals, they all provided opportunities for students to put their faith into action in communities outside of Hawaii.

MISSION TO THE PHILIPPINES Senior Andrew Young traveled to the Philippines for the first time this past June with 12 members of his youth group from Bluewater Mission church. The group was made up of juniors, seniors, and college students, and was led by their youth pastor, Connor Hendrix. The trip lasted a week and for most of the youth, it was their first time visiting the Philippines.

Young shared that the purpose of the trip was to connect with the locals there and provide an opportunity for the youth group members to share the Gospel abroad. During the trip, Young and his team spent time with local children, performing skits and dances for them, and also played games with them. The team also brought gifts with them, which included backpacks, clothes, school supplies.

The trip challenged the youth to get out of their comfort zones by leading group discussions, giving sermons, and going door to door to ask if families wanted prayer. “I think a moment on a trip that stood out to me was probably how enthusiastic [the local kids] were…it’s something that you just wouldn’t see here in the United States. So it’s cool to see that,” said Young.

Young was struck by the friendliness of the people he met and was encouraged by their faith. “Their faith is a lot higher than it is here, even though they have a lot less. So even though they have less, they’re able to still put in more energy and time and really just maximize whatever they do,” he explained.

The experience has inspired Young to think about future missions trips and changed his view on a number of things.

Top right: Senior Andrew Young (blue shirt) with the Bluewater Mission youth group in the Philippines.

Middle right: Children in the Philippines welcome the Bluewater Mission group.

Bottom right: Junior Sam Fujimoto with his youth group friends at the YWAM Commission Camp in Kona.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ANDREW YOUNG (‘24) and SAMUEL FUJIMOTO (‘25).

Attendees of the YWAM Commission Camp in Kona gather in a worship service. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SAMUEL FUJIMOTO (‘25).

YWAM COMMISSION CAMP IN KONA The Bluewater Mission youth group also organized a trip to Hawaii Island for YWAM’s Youth Commission Camp, which is focused on equipping high school students for the Jesus’ Great Commission to his disciples.

The camp was held at The University of Nations, Kona and lasted a week. This was junior Sam Fujimoto’s second time going to Kona. “A year ago I barely knew anyone at this church, and had never actually been there, but my friend invited me to go to this youth camp on the Big Island with their church. I really liked it, and really liked their church as well and ever since I’ve been going to their youth group,” he said. Fujimoto wanted to return to the camp this year because of the amazing experience he had. “Since last year I’ve been reading my bible and praying every day and my relationship with God has been growing a lot. I knew it was going to be a lot of fun and that it would boost my faith even more than last time,” he said In addition to fun activities, the camp featured teaching sessions and musical worship. “Camp was really good. There were a lot of fun moments that I’ll remember and I also learned a lot about God,” said Fujimoto. He recalled sessions that covered life purpose, how to sustain a good spiritual life and read the bible. One memorable moment for Fujimoto was seeing how many people were visibly impacted during

the camp. ”Tons of people had encounters from God, and were touched in many ways. People were laughing, crying, falling down, and it was really cool to see how present God still is today,” he recalled.

The YWAM Camp was attended by people from all over the world and Fujimoto enjoyed the camaraderie even though the campers did not all know each other. “[I remember] how friendly everyone was. After one sermon about the Gospel, this guy was so hype about accepting Christ [that] he just came up to me and a whole bunch of guys and just hugged [us] all,” he said. Reflecting on what he took away from the week in Kona, Fujimoto said, “God is more important than what others think about me. The camp environment is really crazy, like everybody is on fire for God, and that makes it really easy to be bold for God. But that’s not how life works. When the environment isn’t like that and I don’t fit in as a Christian, that is the true test of my faith.

And if God isn’t first in my life, then it’s easy to compromise and not show my faith.”

MISSION TO MOLOKAI Over on another Hawaiian island this summer, Molokai, sophomores Joelle Lum and Anika Chang visited a small church and helped lead a youth camp there. The trip was organized by Christian Youth In Action (CYIA) and comprised people from different churches. As veterans on the trip, Lum and Chang were given leadership positions. Their job was to teach kids about the Gospel in a fun and enthusiastic way. “ [We got to] learn how to lead people and teach people and help them to learn,” said Chang. Lum said the experience challenged her teaching skills. “Even if it is in front of little kids, you have enough courage to be enthusiastic and sing songs and dance in front of kids. Even if the kids don’t want to dance, you have to dance,” she said.

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One takeway he had was that “no matter where people are from, they are all a part of God’s family.” Young also pointed out that living out his faith daily—not just during a mission trip— is going to be a challenge but he is motivated to work on that. “Just having an attitude of gratitude each day, and being able to say that I am thankful for all these things and knowing that you got to keep the same level of faith here [even when you’re not a trip,]” he explained.

Lum also recalled a particularly memorable moment, saying, “When we do bible lessons, there’s an invitation to [respond to] the gospel for the kids. And one of them actually went with one of the leaders and accepted Jesus.”

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UPCOMING HBA TRIP TO MEXICO High school Spanish Language students at HBA have an upcoming mission trip opportunity to Puebla, Mexico next Spring Break. Spanish teacher Grey Spainhour and high school Christian Ministries coordinator Charles Poore are leading the trip in partnership with Mexico missionaries Tom and Sandy Faasil, who spoke at one of last year’s high school chapels. The trip will focus on serving children at local churches, including one at San Nicolas. Poore said, “We want our students to have the opportunity to serve and to serve others.

And then the secondary goals would be to see the place that Mr. Spainhour and I visited before, and understand a little bit about a different culture.”

More information about the trip is forthcoming, according to Poore. Spainhour added, “And of course another major goal would be that our students are exposed to the Spanish language and local culture, and engage with the people of Puebla and put what they’re learning in the classroom to use.”

Sophomore Joelle Lum teaches a bible story to children in Moloka’i.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF JOELLE LUM (‘26).

FALL SPIKE NITE 2023 Tonight’s food and drinks are sponsored by the Hawaii Baptist Academy Athletic Booster Club.

A big mahalo goes out to these Athletic Booster Club sponsors: DIAMOND SPONSORS

PLATINUM SPONSORS

2023-2024 HBA GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL

FRONT (L-R): Emerson Sisco, Lauren Okuda, Callie Kam, Jackie Miyazawa, Rhyan Cobb-Dumlao, Katelyn Albano, Makena Lincoln, Kylie Ancheta

BACK (L-R): Leina Chu, Kate Iida, Marisa Nakata, Caroline Fisher, Makana Doane, Caitlin Wong, Brooke Brennan, Asia De La Cruz, Tablytha Yee

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GIRLS VOLLE HAWAII BAPTIST ACADEMY GIRLS VARSIT Y

“Volleyball has taught me a lot of confidence. If you are not confident and are hesitant, you will make more mistakes. I also learned a lot of teamwork because volleyball is a team sport and to win you need to work well with your teammates.”

“Volleyball has taught me to not dwell on my mistakes, to move pass them and to always be my best self off and on the court.”

“Thank you to my family for all the years of support, my coaches here at HBA and from club, and thank you Jesus for this opportunity to bring glory to you!”

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JACKIE MIYAZAWA Freshman • DS/Libero • 5’ 1”

“I am thankful for my parents for always driving me to all my practices and games.”

RHYAN COBB DUMLAO Soph • Libero • 4’ 10”

“Volleyball has taught me how to be a good teammate.”

“Volleyball has taught me the importance of teamwork and how to communicate with one another. I’ve also learned how to persevere through mentally and physically challenging times.”

“I would like to thank all of the coaches for helping me grow these past few years. I would also like to thank my parents for always supporting me and pushing me to do my best. ”

“I want to give a big thank you to my family for coming to all my games and supporting me.

Thank you for all of your encouragement and for always cheering me on. I love you guys!”

BROOKE BRENNAN Junior • MB • 5’ 6”

CAITLIN WONG Senior • OH • 5’ 7”

“Volleyball has taught me the importance of teamwork.”

“Volleyball has taught me hard work, teamwork and commitment.”

“I am grateful for both of parents always being by my side and constantly supporting me. I know I can always count on them to be my biggest fans.”

“I want to thank my parents and my brother for supporting me always. And my club coaches for investing in me as a player and a person.”

EMERSON SISCO Soph • Setter • 5’ 3”

MAKENA LINCOLN Junior • DS • 5’ 4”

“I want to thank my coaches for pushing and challenging me to improve and become the best that I can be.”

KYLIE ANCHETA Soph • OH • 5’ 4”

“Since 7th grade, volleyball has taught me how to be mentally tough. When you need the next point you learn how to be mentally tough and locked into your goal.”

“I would like to thank my dad for taking me to all of my sports practices and dealing with my crazy volleyball schedules on top of soccer. I love you dad.”

CALLIE KAM Freshman • OH • 5’ 3”

“Volleyball has taught me how to be strong mentally.”

“Volleyball has taught me how to keep on persevering through our mistakes and to keep working hard no matter what. Volleyball has also taught me how to play as a team.”

“I am grateful for my mom and dad for putting in their time and money to help me grow as a stronger player and for always believing in me and being my biggest fans. I would also like to thank my coaches for always helping me and pushing me to be the best. And of course my teammates for always cheering me on and making volleyball memorable and fun.”

ASIA DE LA CRUZ Junior • MB • 5’ 7”

EYBALL “Volleyball has taught me that as a team we need to work together if we want to reach our goals for the season. We need to stick together through adversity and persevere through it so we can strive to be our best.”

“Thank you to my family and Hala’i for always being my biggest supporters and pushing me to be the best version of myself. I would also like to thank my siblings for always buying me food and letting me use their cars.”

“I would really like to thank my parents and especially my brother because they are my biggest supporters. And I definitely wouldn’t be playing volleyball if it weren’t for the many sacrifices they have made to let me play. I also thank my coaches who believe in me and push me to be the best of my ability. ”

KATELYNN ALBANO Junior • Libero • 5’ 2”

MARISA NAKATA Junior • OH • 5’ 7”

“Volleyball has taught me hard work and perseverance.”

“Through volleyball, I’ve learned lessons like teamwork and the importance of working with and supporting others.”

“I would like to thank God, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends for supporting me throughout my volleyball career. This sport wouldn’t be the same without you guys!!”

LAUREN OKUDA Soph • Middle• 5’ 3”

CAROLINE FISHER Junior • MH • 5’ 9”

“Volleyball has taught me how to play hard for my teammates instead of for myself.”

“Volleyball has taught me to be dedicated.”

“I would like to thank my parents for all of the time and money they have put towards my volleyball career, as well as the rest of my family for being my number one supporters. I would also like to thank Coach Taryn for being a female role model in my life who always gives me confidence when I start to doubt myself on the court.”

“I am grateful for all my club and school coaches, my teammates, friends and especially my family. All of these people have given me great support, and I am very thankful!”

MAKANA DOANE Junior • OPP • 5’ 3”

“Volleyball has taught me discipline and respect.

Respect for my mentors, respect for my teammates, and respect for the game.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank God for the opportunity to play this game that I love. And my family, friends, teammates, and coaches for always supporting me and getting me to where I am today.

But most importantly for my mom because she’s always been my #1 supporter and best friend.”

KATE IIDA Soph • Setter • 5’ 5”

“Volleyball has taught me to move on from mistakes and focus on the right now.”

“I am grateful for my parents and support system who constantly motivate me and being there for me no matter what.”

TABLYTHA YEE Junior • Setter/RS • 5’ 5”

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“I would like to thank my family for always supporting me and coming to all my games no matter what. I would also like to thank my coaches for challenging and pushing me to be the best volleyball player and person I can be. ”

LEINA CHU Senior• Setter • 5’ 5”

“Volleyball has taught me to play as a team and not an individual.”

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