March 13, 2014 Ke Alaka'i Issue

MARCH 13, 2014

Volume 106: Issue 9

‘ KE ALAKA I THE LEADER

Finding Schade: Dr. Schade shares Jerusalem stories 4

Price is Right: Ray Banks wins the showcase 6

Two’s a crowd: BYUH’s only two-sport athlete 12

faculty &

student features This is our issYOU

KE ALAKA I

CONTACT

E-mail: ke a l a k a i @byuh . e d u Ad Information: keal aka i a d s@g m a i l . co m Phone: ( 8 0 8 ) 6 7 5 - 3 6 9 4 Fax: ( 8 0 8 ) 6 7 5 - 3 4 9 1 Office: Campu s, A l o h a Ce n te r 1 3 4 PUBLISHER P r i n t S e r v i ce s

March 13, 2014 • Volume 106: Issue 9 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Je f f M c L e o d

Le e an n Lambe r t

COPY EDITORS T u c ke r G r im s h aw A u s t i n M e l d r um A ly s s a Wa l h o o d

ART DIRECTOR Make n zie H e ad

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISTS

INTERNS R ebe cca Gu lde n Gre g Er ick so n

Rebecca Sabalones, Makaila Bergeson, Samone Isom, Matthew Roberts, Samantha Spring, Lauren Steimle, Jeff Facer, Hannah Packard, Emily Halls, Leslie Owusu, Ben Halverson, Braden Wood, Hailey Gardiner, Reid Crickmore ART & GRAPHICS

VIDEOGRAPHERS

M a ke n z ie H e a d M o rga n B o u wh u i s O n K i Wo o M o n i c a R uba lc ava

N i Sh ip e n g K atie Bak Jame s A stle Je f f C o llin s A J Ed dy

PHOTOGRAPHERS Ke l s i e C a rls o n M o n i c a R uba lc ava H a i l ey G a rd i n e r

D r. S c ha d e t a l ks a b ou t Jer u s a l em ex p er i enc e T he p r i c e is r i g ht f or R ay B a nks

[10-11]

K aw ika K a u i ’s b a rb ers hop : K aw iku t z

[12-13]

B Y U H ’s only c u r rent t wo- sp or t a t hl et e

ON THE COVER

Ray Banks jumps for joy as he reminisces about his win on the game show “The Price is Right.”

Photo by Monica Rubalcava

2

KE ALAKA‘I

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CONTENTS [6-7]

Editorial, photo submissions & distrib u t i o n i n q u i r i e s : ke a l a k a i @ by u h . e d u .

To s u b s c r i b e t o t h e R S S F E E D o r t o view additional ar ticles, go t o ke a l a k a i . by u h . e d u .

AD MANAGER Sh aro n Wo n g

Table of

[5]

NE W S CE NT E R BOX 1920 BYUH LAIE, HI 96762

ADVISOR

Please add me in a nice spot.

Share with us your photo of the week and we may feature it in our next issue. e-mail us at kealakai@byuh.edu

Photo of the week: Art Professor Jay Merryweather works in his office. Photo by Monica Rubalcava

MARCH 13

THURS Opening night of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” will be performed in the McKay Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Aloha Center Information Desk or at the Auditorium Box Office 30 minutes before showtime. Tickets are $3 for students, $5 for faculty/ staff and $8 for general admission.

No food or drink allowed in the McKay Auditorium.

NOTE

WORTHY

NEWS HEADLINES

Tension in Ukraine; Russia invades

As tensions in Ukraine rose with riots and protests, Russia invaded the Crimea peninsula with military troops. Crimea is located 14 F R I in eastern Ukraine on the Black Sea. It is a All faculty, staff, and students are invited to meet with President strategic piece of land that Russia has long Wheelwright and the President’s coveted. Eastern Ukraine is notoriously proCouncil to discuss your questions Russian and has now elected a pro-Russian and concerns in the Auditorium prime minister, Sergey Aksyonov. from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Submit your questions anytime to presi According to Aksyonov, Russia dentsqanda@byuh.edu and they will currently has 11,000 troops on the Crimea be address at the next forum, or peninsula. they can be brought to the forum.

Chris Pineda, a junior in peace 15 S A T building from Utah, said, “There are better Come support the women’s softball ways to resolve conflicts other than fighting.” team take on Chaminade in a double

Russian President Vladimir Putin header at 12 and 2 p.m. Admission and parking is free. The game will continues denying sending any Russian be played on the softball field behind troops to Crimea. Putin has also said Crimea hales 3 and 5. will be an “equal subject” of Russia “If the doctor found a Black if it votes to leave Talon bullet inside her head ...

Ukraine in a vote she would have died, I would planned for March say, not in seconds but in mil16. liseconds” Ukraine has THEWEEK -JC de Klerk, a forensic ballistic specialbeen in an uprising IN QUOTES ist, said in a telephone interview with to overthrow the The Associated Press about the bullets current government fired by Oscar Pistorius which killed his “Consumers have been girlfriend, Reeva Steenkap. after deals were in looking for greater variety and the works with the customization…this is something west and not with many fast-food restaurants have figured Russia. out but McDonald’s is just starting.”

President Barack Obama has been -Andy Brennan, an analyst with IBISWorld, said in unsuccessful talks with President Vladimir concerning the changes McDonald’s is taking to Putin on backing out of Ukraine. There is allow more customization with their burgers. still no word on who will replace former “Work will win when wishy washy President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych wishing won’t.” after being removed from office by the Ukrai-Thomas S. Monson, president of the LDS Church, said during a conference in February 1985. nian Parliament in February of this year.

People leave flowers to remember those who died fighting in Ukraine. Photo by AP

Troops have successfully taken over at least one Ukrainian military base by crashing a truck through the gates and a hospital.

There were no casualties or shots fired in the takeovers.

Coney Pulla, a recent graduate in political science from India, said, “Everyone needs to let Ukraine deal with their own internal problems, including Russia. Ukraine started this uprising and Ukraine needs to work out their own political issues. Russia doesn’t need to get involved.”

Vladimir Tropnikov, a sophomore in ICS and peace building from Moscow, Russia, said, “We can’t trust what we see and read in the media because we aren’t seeing the core of the problem in Ukraine.

Half of Ukraine speaks Ukrainian and the other half speaks Russian. Crimea falls in the Russian-speaking half and they feel like the pro-western Ukrainian speaking government is misrepresenting them. They feel like they would be better off under Russia.”

- REID C R ICKMORE AND AP

MARCH 13, 2014

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Teaching in the Holy Land

Dr. Schade shares BYU Jerusalem experience with his family

A

aron Schade, a religion professor at BYU Hawaii, had a year-long adventure in Jerusalem, teaching and gaining a unique love for the places of Christ’s ministry. After receiving an invitation to teach at the BYU Jerusalem Center, Schade took his family on the once-ina-lifetime experience.

Leaving their home in the United States, the Schade family moved to the Jerusalem campus built on the Mount of Olives. “That was home for a year,” said Schade as he looked back on old photos.

The campus is one enormous building where school, church, and living quarters are housed. The campus generally holds 80 students for a semester, said Dr. Schade.

Among Schade’s responsibilities at the Jerusalem campus was teaching the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. In addition to his courses, he would make weekly field trips to different sites and places that Jerusalem and the areas round about have to offer.

“It was a lot of work and was really busy to take the classes on weekly field trips,” Schade explained. Although it was hard work, the places he saw and the experiences he had were “unforgettable.”

He recounted, “We traveled from the north to the south and everywhere in between.” Some noted places Schade and his students traveled to were Turkey, Jordan, and Galilee, where they spent 11 days.

“We would try to coordinate our lessons with the sites that we were going to visit that week,” Schade said, referring to himself and the other professors.

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Along with weekly field trips to landmarks read about in the Bible, Palestinian and Jewish politicians visited weekly to give lectures and talk to students. The professors and students gained a better understanding of the history around them, Schade explained. In addition to the difficult classes like Israeli and Palestinian history, there are required language classes like Arabic and Hebrew. Students who go to Jerusalem are tested rigorously. “We are told to give grades, and we do,” Schade said. “We work our students hard. It’s hard, rigorous, and academically challenging but worth it.”

While the stresses of testing and teaching were daunting, time consuming, and exhausting, Schade said he was still able to find moments to appreciate his surroundings. “It was sobering to first think of and then see the places that you had always read about,” he explained. As Schade thought on the struggles of the past and Christ’s ministry in the land so long ago, he was able to gain a new perspective, he said. Being in Jerusalem, there are people from around the world of different cultures, heritages, and faiths, and despite all of the outward differences, they had all come for one purpose-to worship God. “It changed my attitude” towards other people, said Schade.

At the end of his year in Jerusalem, Schade had a life-changing experiences. Schade ordained his oldest son to the office of a deacon and baptized his youngest child in the River Jordan, the same river where Christ was baptized. “As parents, it was very fulfilling,” said Schade.

-J E FF FACE R

KE ALAKA‘I

faculty spotlight Left. Dr. Aaron Schade and his son stand beside the River Jordan. Below: The Schade family took this picture on Palm Sunday in the Holy Land. Far Left: Dr. and Sis. Karla Schade pose in front of ruins. Photos courtesy of the Schade family blog.

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5

Q: Do you watch “The Price is Right” often? Do you think that helped you win if you do?

A: I actually hardly ever watched it before, but once I knew I had tickets to go watch the show live I started to watch it as much as I could so I would be ready when I got called down. (I went into it planning on being called down because we had a good story and it’s always best to assume you’ll win.)

Q: What part of the show did you win?

Q&A With Ray Banks Our Very Own ‘The Price is Right’ Winner

R Utah, majoring in marketing, won “The ay Banks, a senior from St. George,

Price is Right” on Sept. 10, 2013. Banks recently answered a few questions and gave BYU Hawaii the inside scoop on how to win “The Price is Right.”

Q: What is the story behind you going on the show?

A: One of the cool things about “The Price is Right” is that anyone can get online and reserve a priority ticket that will guarantee you a seat in the audience, and it’s all free.

Somehow my dad randomly saw that there was going to be a “grandparent’s special” episode on Sept. 10 of last year, and so he thought my grandpa and I would be perfect for it! We have the same birthday, Sept. 11, the same name, and we both love things like being on T.V. 6

KE ALAKA‘I

Q: How did you end up getting picked to participate in “The Price is Right?”

A: I think the key to getting picked is all in the quick interview they give you as you’re going into the show. Basically they line you up with about 15 people at a time, and then just go down the line asking each person a couple quick questions like ‘Are you a student? What do you study? Where are you from? What do you like to do? What’s your job?’

I can’t even remember the questions that they asked me, but they asked my grandpa “What’s your favorite game on the show?” And he said, “The one where you win a new car!”

When they were talking to me I made sure to mention that my grandpa and I have the same name and birthday, because they love things that make people unique.

A: Every part. It was awesome. Contestant’s row, the first game, and spinning the wheel, and then we even won the showcase showdown!

Q: What prizes did you win?

A: I won an iPad, iPad mini, Trip to London, Trip to Waikiki, two cameras, and a Mediterranean Cruise.

Q: What do you plan to do with the prizes?

A: Surprisingly they actually let us get “cash in lieu” for the iPads, and the cameras my grandpa and I are going to split, and then he let me take the two trips to Europe and he’ll take the one to come to Hawaii.

Q: What were you feeling as you won? Was it surreal?

A: I was so stoked. It all happened super fast so I didn’t have a chance to really process everything that was happening. I actually expected it to be more surreal than it was though. I definitely want to go do it again in 10 years. (If you’re chosen you can only go be on the show again after 10 years).

Q: What was your technique for winning?

A: I actually did a little research before going on. There are definitely some basic

things that are good to know, like the first prizes are generally $500-1500. Another big one was knowing about what the showcases are usually worth. When I made my guess I actually had no idea what the cost was, but I remembered reading somewhere that typical showcases are worth around $19000-23,000. I guessed $20,550 and it ended up being worth $21,771!!

Q: What’s your advice to people if they make it on the show?

A: Don’t hold back your excitement. I was jumping up and down like crazy and having a great time. You’ll probably only get a chance like this once in your life, so might as well have a blast!

Q: Any last words or shout outs?

Student spotlight Ray Banks and his grandfather, Ray Banks, teamed up on “The Price is Right” and shared the spoils of their victory.

Photos courtesy of the Banks family.

A: I’d just like to give a shout out to Ikaria Kim. He loves “The Price is Right” and I even gave him a shout out when I was actually on the show. I’d also like to give a shout out to my sister, Lia. I totally forgot to give her a shout out when I was on the show.

Visit Ray’s blog: todaywithray.blogspot.com to see more of his experience on “The Price is Right.”

- RE ID CRICKMORE

J M E R RY W E AT H E R

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KE ALAKA‘I KE ALAKA‘I

faculty spotlight Jay Merryweather said that getting involved with something you are passionate about is the best route to success. He has since taken his own advice and watched his love of the arts take him to unexpected places. Photo

by Monica Rubalcava

m e r ry w e at h e r

Serving & learning leads to success

F

ine Arts Professor Jay Merryweather, a graphic designer and educator, firmly believes that nothing will help someone more than putting themselves in a position to serve and learn. “If you put yourself out there and are open to volunteer your time and get involved, then you’ll be more successful,” said Merryweather. “You have to get out of your own way and go.”

Merryweather lives his own advice, having earned multiple degrees in studies that he is passionate about. Merryweather has a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing, and one in graphic design to go along with his Master’s of Fine Arts degree in painting and installation design. His detailed résumé is the result of his belief in developing personal talents–especially ones that he is passionate about. Merryweather also encourages people to have more than one area to fall back on and said having a contingency plan is very important. “I’ve always had a contingency plan. When I was working as a designer, I was still showing my paintings in galleries and selling my work.

When I was in graduate school, I was trying to cultivate my graphic design business,” he said.

Merryweather was born and raised in the high desert of Southern California. He studied for five years at California State University–San Bernardino before working as a full-time graphic designer for two years. He then went back to school to receive his master’s at Claremont Graduate University.

After graduating from Claremont, Merryweather started working as a graphic design professor at the University of South-

ern California. “I knew if I started teaching graphic design as my first job after my master’s then I’d probably be teaching for the rest of my life,” said Merryweather, but the two-hour commute each way from work to home became burdensome. It was then, Merryweather said, he decided to make a change and relocate to Cedar City, Utah. There, he was able to teach full-time at Southern Utah University and reduce his daily four-hour commute down to a quick four-minute trip.

Teaching at SUU, Merryweather said, was the best decision he has made in his career. “There, Jeff Hansen taught me about how designers should run, and he gave me a lot of autonomy,” said Merryweather. “He created a situation where I could learn how to be a good designer and a good teacher and find a good balance in my life.”

In 2012, Merryweather came to BYU-Hawaii after what he said was a spiritual decision. He now teaches his graphic design students to be “tastemakers” meaning that they have the ability to create tastes and influence trends.

Merryweather spends his spare time being with his family and composing music but still tries to be adventurous. “I tried kite surfing but I’m not as coordinated as I’d like to be, but that’s probably because I sit on my butt all day.” He frequently will remix popular songs for children but edits them to be appropriate for their age. “My daughter Brenna is 8 and her favorite song is ‘California Girls.’” There are sketchy parts of that song so I remixed the whole thing, so all those parts are out of the song and now it’s Brenna’s version.”

LAUREN STE IMLE

MARCH 13, 2014

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K aw i k u t z

Q: What’s the most popular cut right now?

A: The comb over (laughs) with hard parts

Cutting hair was one of the skills Kawika Kaui, a BYU-Hawaii alumnus, attained while serving a mission. He runs his own barbershop called Kawikutz in his house.

He has big plans to one day reinvent the classic barbershop. Kawika cuts men’s and boy’s hair and trims girls hair. To schedule an appointment, call or text 808-651-5768.

Q: Have you ever messed up on someone’s

Catching up with Kawika Kaui, a self-taught stylist turned master barber Q: How long have you been cutting hair?

A: I have been cutting hair since 2009. I started on my mission.

Q: What got you into it?

A: Initially, cutting hair was really casual.

When I was on my mission, I knew I always had to get my hair cut and I didn’t always want to have to pay for it the whole two years. So I just got clippers and started cutting my own hair. Then I saw this New Zealand missionary with a super fresh hair cut and he kind of gave me the desire to cut hair because he cut his own hair. So I cut my own hair and then I felt confident enough to cut my companions hair and then I cut everyone’s in the mission except two or three. Then I started cutting investigators and the members.

Q: Is it something you will continue doing?

A: Yeah, in fact, it first became a hobby and

then I got really into it and started watching a lot of YouTube videos. I started looking at everyone’s hair and making sense of different fades I would see and different trends. I like clothes and styles and fashion, as I experimented different haircuts I kind of mastered a few so that gave me a desire to pursue it a little bit more. But my whole plan is to actually have a barber shop, bringing back the old-school barber shop as a place to hang out but with new school techniques.

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KE ALAKA‘I

Q: Would you ever want to go to barber

school?

A: Yeah, this year I’m planning on getting my barbers license at Hawaii Academy. My mom said she’ll sponsor me. My parents are solid in supporting me in any passion I have.

And in the long run, I wouldn’t mind going to cosmetology school to get the whole full circle of cutting hair.

Q: Do you cut girls hair too?

A: I love cutting guys hair just cause that’s

my bread and butter, but I can trim girl’s hair. But I think girls are just way too emotional and it’s scary to be cutting. So I focus on guys.

Q: What kind of tools do you use?

A: I have thinning sheers, mid-sized trim-

ming sheers, different kinds of brushes and clippers and straight razors.

Q: What’s the process when someone comes

in to get a haircut?

A: Usually, I like to see how their day is going. Even before I put the apron on them, I like to shake their hand, make them feel warm and welcome. The way I actually cut hair is unorthodox. I don’t have them face the mirror, I have them face away from the mirror so it allows them to have a nice conversation without them to be too focused on their hair and it allows me to be more relaxed so I can perform to my best.

and lineups. The hard part is taking it beyond the natural part and etching it in.

hair?

A: Well the reason that I continued to pursue cutting hair on my mission was one of my companions. His journal was open on the side and I could see that it said, “Day was great but my companion screwed up on my hair.” And I was like, “No!” I wasn’t too cut but I was like I got to get this down. That got me really motivated to master it.

Q: So that didn’t get you down?

A: No, I like proving people wrong. It’s kind of my thing. I like proving myself wrong.

Part of the reason I went on a mission, of course we are called to serve, but for me it was such a challenge that I knew I had to do it. I kind of like being uncomfortable. Anything that pushes me that is new or different, I get really into it to try and master it. It’s the OCD part of me.

Q: What’s the craziest hair style you’ve ever

had?

A: The craziest thing I’ve ever had was probably sophomore year of high school.

My friend and I made this thing called a mo-jock. Well my hair was long and blonde and we decided to do the jock look so we have the sides shaved at like a number one and the thick strip in the middle long all the way to the back. It was the nastiest hair. The middle was gelled-back and the sides shaved.

I rocked it super hair, for a couple weeks.

Then I did a subtle mohawk.

Q: How much do you charge for a haircut?

A: I charge a straight $7 and then I can free style designs and that would be $12.

-LAU RE N STE IMLE

Alumnus spotlight business Spencer Kekauoha gets his hair cut by Kawika Kaui at Kawikutz Barbershop. Kaui wants to revive the old-school barbershop where style and hanging out go hand-in-hand. Photo by Monica Rubalcava.

Photo by Monica Rubalcava MARCH 13, 2014 MARCH 13, 2014

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KE ALAKA‘I

Sports SPOTLIGHT Left: No.33 Brydgette Tatupu-Leopoldo celebrates with the volleyball team last fall.

Left bottom: Serving during a volleyball game. Far left bottom: She also wears No. 22 as she drives the ball down the court on the basketball team. Photo courtesy BYUH Sports Information

Life on the Hardwood BYU-Hawaii’s only two-sport athlete finds success on the court

P

erhaps no one at BYU-Hawaii understands the rigors and demands of life as a college student-athlete more than Brydgette TatupuLeopoldo, BYUH’s only current two-sport athlete.

Playing a college sport is time consuming. Student-athletes have practices, training, and road trips almost year around, on top of their academic activities.

“It is a struggle since I have to miss classes, make up tests, and travel so much,” said Tatupu-Leopoldo, a junior from Honolulu. “The transition from one sport to another and getting into the rhythm of the game is difficult.”

Tatupu-Leopoldo is a member of both the women’s volleyball and basketball teams. But Tatupu-Leopoldo is much more than just a member of the teams. She is the starting guard and leading scorer on the women’s basketball team. She recently earned PacWest Final Five honors and was named

to the 2014 All-PacWest Third Team. On the volleyball team, Tatupu-Leopoldo is a key player, providing some added depth off the bench.

Tatupu-Leopoldo transferred from Dixie State College in St. George, Utah, wanting initially to play basketball at BYUHawaii. However, due to some struggles with basketball, Tatupu-Leopoldo decided to play volleyball instead. “I’ve played both sports throughout my life, and since things didn’t turn out the way I thought, I decided to look for another option so I joined the volleyball team,” said Tatupu-Leopoldo.

Since making that decision, TatupuLeopoldo has joined the basketball team and become a critical member of both squads. As a setter for the 2013-2014 conference champion and national championship runner-up volleyball team, Tatupu-Leopoldo played in 26 matches and was an integral part of the Lady Seasider’s defense averaging 3.37 digs a game, the second highest on the team.

“She’s an extremely hard worker, she is super fun to play with and having her presence on the court is calming,” said teammate, Kathy Colette, a sophomore studying exercise and sport science from Idaho Falls, Idaho.

As a starting guard for the women’s basketball team, Tatupu-Leopoldo led her team at 15.7 points a game, putting her at No. 7 in the conference rankings. Tatupu-Leopoldo highlighted the season with an impressive 32-point game against Azusa Pacific in which she hit seven three-pointers to propel her to No. 3 in the conference for threepointers scored a game. She has led the Seasiders for two years in three-point field goal percentage.

Seasider fans will be able to watch Tatupu-Leopoldo for one more year, as she will finish out an already impressive career here at BYU-Hawaii.

- M ATTHE W ROBE RTS MARCH 13, 2014

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Aaron Jessee Equilibrium on the North Shore

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KE ALAKA‘I

surf spotlight Aaron Jessee, sponsored surfer and BYUH student, busts an aerial maneuver in the waves of the North Shore. Photo courtesy Aaron Jessee.

A

lthough he attends his classes, works at Turtle Bay Golf Course, and enjoys surfing, Aaron Jessee still finds a way to make his presence known. His blond curls, “Soccer Mom” van, and blasting of Michael Bublé on the stereo make him unique.

The platitude, “I love to surf” does not seem to express his passion for the sport as much as his feelings do. Jessee, a junior in business at BYU-Hawaii, has found love and equilibrium in his balance of school, work and of course, surfing.

Jessee began surfing at the age of 11. After moving around and living in South Carolina, Brazil and Michigan, Jessee’s family finally settled in San Clemente, Calif., which is known for surfing and producing many pro surfers.

Studying business management and living in the “Mecca” of surfing, Jessee has been able to stabilize his priorities with school as the focal point in his life. “School always comes first and that’s what I decided when I got to BYUH. It gets hard at times, especially when the waves are good and I

have a lot of schoolwork to do, but I make it work”, Jessee explained.

His love for surfing outweighs his love for school, but he is able to realize how many doors remain open for his future as he continues his scholastic endeavors. His lifestyle seems a little duplicitous, but it works for Jessee.

Jessee’s surfing took a hiatus for two years while he served a mission in Russia. After his service, he came to BYUH ready to get into the water.

“It’s kind of like riding a bike,” he said. “I was kind of rusty when I first started to surf again but after a couple months I was progressing enough and was surfing even better than I was before my mission.”

Jessee said he is grateful for the mission he served and the responsibility it taught him, which he believes contributes to his ability to juggle school and surfing.

Jessee has been recognized for his surfing abilities and is sponsored by Zeal Optics, Sunbum Sunscreen, Lost Surfboards, and other companies.

His humility surpasses his skill as he will paddle out with whoever, whenever, wherever and has the patience to help and teach other surfers out in the water with him.

He is almost impossible to miss out in the water or on campus with his blond, curly hair and smile.

With his life of surfing and school on different paths, they eventually will meet up and take the same course, according to Jessee.

“I would love for surfing to be my career. It’s my dream. But I also like to have the security of a college degree.”

Jessee’s responsible personality goes against the stigma of the laid back, carefree surf bum that often follows surfers like the leash of their board. It is easy to foresee Jessee’s success in life as he continues his journey through life; whether it be as a surfer or businessman.

-BE N HALVE RSON

MARCH 13, 2014

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What’s In Your Backpack?

A backpack says a lot about a student: Where they have been, what they are doing and where they are going. Kasha Coombs, a senior majoring in ICS and peace building communications from Monterey, Calif., emptied out her backpack and shared stories about the contents.

Dove chocolate wrapper quote

Penny whistle and sheet music

I am president of a club called Peace by Music. We work in war-torn countries and help traumatized children find peace through music.

It says, “Happiness is in the heart, not in the circumstances.” I find it important for to find happiness in ever moment. This wrapper constantly reminds me of that.

Hi-Chew candy

These are delicious. I fell in love with these while in Taiwan.

Three Cups of Tea book

This is for a class, but it’s a really cool book. It’s about a man that built schools for women in Pakistan. It was on the New York Times Best Sellers list.

PCC map, discount card, and I.D.

I am a tour guide at the PCC. Every day people remind me I’m not Polynesian.

Pandanas leaf flower

I was taught how to make this at work. These leaves are used for so many different things in the Polynesian culture.

DaKine backpack

There’s really not a cool story about the backpack. I bought it at Ross after my other bag ripped. I’ve had this one for a year.

Apple Macbook

I just got this computer after not having one for a year. I use it for everything. It’s safe to say, I’m addicted.

Returned missionary dating application

I have a friend on his mission in Paris, France. He sent this to me as a joke.

-RE ID CRICKMORE

16

KE ALAKA‘I

Photo by Monica Rubalcava