20 minute read
SCOUT SALUTE
by Fran Chow Wong ’69
Friday night. Light streams from an open door leading to the basement of Bachelot Hall. Inside there is a clutter of long tables, chairs, and benches. It is a small, modest room. It is the home of Troop 42.
Seventy-five years ago, Brother Moroni, Maryknoller and former wrestler, organized the Scout troop as a way of involving eleven- and twelve-yearold boys in a wholesome activity. Heíd take them camping and teach them a little wrestling on the side. The boys would learn Scouting skills and earn merit badges. That was 1927.
Since then, at least 99 boys have attained the coveted Eagle rank. Records prior to 1954 are not available. No matter. What is on record is Troop 42ís high success rate of graduating Eagles, one that far surpasses the national average of 2%. Hereís why.
Dedicated Scoutmasters who remain with the troop for a lengthy period of time. Brother Venard Ruane, Scoutmaster for 18 years (1952-1970), is one such example. His notable recollections include hiking from Sacred Heart Church to Hanauma Bay where the boys eventually camped on the beach and used sand and ocean water to clean their mess kits. Brother Venard is also remembered for establishing the drum and bugle corps, the nucleus of which were Scouts.
Another long time Scoutmaster is Mr. Francis Mau, who has been with the Troop for 15 years, the last 10 as Scoutmaster (1987-2002). Under his leadership, Troop 42 trekked on Alaskan glaciers and set sail as crew for Catalina Island via the three mast sailing vessel, The American Pride. After orchestrating many lively adventures, Mr. Mau will be retiring at the end of this Scouting year.
Dependable Assistant Leaders. Past and present Scoutmasters have always been able to surround themselves with strong assistant leaders, each enriching the troop in his own special way. In the 1980s, Edward Hoo ’83 was known for always packing black bean sauce, because you just never knew when the boys would bring a fresh catch to the campfire, as they once did in Waihole Valley. The boys dammed the stream and snared shrimp. Tony Laitila ’87, age 16 at this memorable camp, later became an assistant leader himself. Currently serving as Advancement Officer, Laitila is now in his 23rd year of scouting with T42.
Involved Parents. It is well known that the dedication of the parent committee furnishes the support so essential to sustaining Troop 42ís success. Parents provide transportation for outings, profes-
BERT UYENCO í99 Eagle Scout April 13, l998 Receiving the Ad Altare Dei Religious Award (c1950s).
Drum and Bugle Corps with Br. Venard.
Troop 42 backpacking in Alaska (1998).
sional expertise to teach merit badge courses, and undertake fundraisers to pay for operational expenses, supplies, and annual summer camps. Boys who fully participate in troop activities earn the privilege of attending summer camp free ñ even if it is on one of the outer islands: Big Island in 1955; Molokai, highlighted by a 50-mile hike (despite the fact that Molokai is not even 50 miles long) in 1986; Waimea Canyon in 1999; Kalalau, Kauai in 2000Öjust to name a few.
In addition, a number of troop parents have increased their responsibilities by becoming administrators on a district level, including Robert Hann (Kapiolani District Chairman), Herb Leong (former Chair for Council Training Committee), Kevin Saito and Tom Hee (Kapiolani Trainers), and Maryknoll School Board of Trustees Chair Alfred Fernandes, Jr. (Council Commissioner). Their interaction with other Scouting units have enriched Troop 42 as they bring back ideas to share.
Finally, it is important to acknowledge Sacred Heart Church and Maryknoll School, the gracious hosts to Troop 42. Sacred Heart Church is the chartering sponsor for the troop, while the school generously provides water for car washes, classrooms for meetings, and permits the Scouts to use the campus for the Punahou Carnival parking fundraiser, a money-making tradition started by then-13-year-old Laitila. Without church and school support, the troop would not enjoy such a convenient and comfortable meeting place every Friday night.
Active leaders, parents, and Scouts in a nurturing setting. This is what attracts so many youngsters to Troop 42. Word spreads fast and the ranks swell with boys from Maryknoll as well as from the community at large. The troop does not recruit membership.
Thirty boys on an average for 75 years. What have so many young men gained from the Troop 42 Scouting experience? Attorney Wes Fong, Eagle at age fourteen in 1957, feels that he was impacted in two ways. First there was comradeship, where he learned to work with people he did not know, to get a job done. Second was goal-setting, whereby he set his sights to become Eagle and made the necessary sacrifices to do so.
Fred Chow ’58, another Scout from the í50s, felt that as a young man he gained the skills of safely treading through the great outdoors. As troop bugler, he sounded morning wake-up reveille at camps, and once played taps at a funeral for a fellow Scout who had died of leukemia. More significantly, he remembers growing up with the Scout Law ñ values that are important to his highly successful adult life. As a Million Dollar Round Table Insurance Provider, he joins the ranks of other highly successful professionals who came from the Troop. These include: doctors Richard Young ’65, Robert Young ’59, and Alex Farm; attorney Wesley Lau ’61; successful businessman and Maryknoll School Board member Darryl Wong; and former Maryknoll Grade School students Dr. Franklin Young, and Hamilton McCubbin, CEO of Kamehameha Schools.
Parents also observe changes in their sons as the boys move up the ranks. Jared Kaufman ’58, involved parent for 22 years, feels that his sons Jared ’96 and Michael ’99 became more independent and self sufficient as they hiked, camped, and traveled off island.
Jack Wong, current Assistant Scoutmaster, acknowledges the strong sense of community service his son Aaron ’02 has developed. Through Scouting and other community service opportunities, Aaron
has performed 400+ hours of service during his high school years. He and Jordan Tanabe ’02, T42ís more recent Eagles, were both part of the 2001 Majuro Mission team, and clearly understand the Scoutís obligation to service, which is also expressed in the Maryknoll motto, Noblesse Oblige (ìto whom much is given, much is expectedî). Al Fernandes, with a 16-year involvement (14 as Pack 42 Leader), recalls the poise demonstrated by his son Alfie ’96 and fellow Scout James Lim ’95 while on a high school hiking excursion. During the outing, a girl slipped and injured her leg. While others in the group stood by helplessly, Alfie and James put their Scouting expertise into action. The boys calmed the girl, tried to assess the injury for broken bones, and bandaged her leg so she could walk out. The boys didnít panic. As Scouts, they were prepared to deal with the emergency. Looking back at “The knowledge is invaluable, that experience and many others, Mary Ann Fernandes, mother of Alfie, firmlythe relationships and believes that Troop 42ís program turns experiences unforgettable, out well-rounded, mature adults with useful life long skills, accompanied by a and the values of a Scout sense of patriotism and religion. will last a lifetime.” Here it should be noted that Troop 42 is one of the few units on the island that promotes Catholic Scouting. Boys earnKENNY KONG í90 religious awards as they strengthen their faith. This unique aspect of the troop is also why parents value their sonís membership in T42. Even in the 1950s when McCubbin was seeking his Eagle rank, the Kamehameha CEO reflects: ìPersonally, Troop 42 gave me the much needed guidance and goal-oriented activities which allowed me to develop as a young boy, to take on challenges with the support and mentoring I needed, and it provided me with a set of boundaries and rules to shape my behavior. It was rooted in a spiritual and religious foundation which shaped me as a person: body, behavior, spirit and mind.î Throughout the colorful 75-year history of the Troop, long time leaders have not only proudly witnessed the growth of individual boys, but also noted changes in the Scouting program. Today there is more emphasis on conservation and environmental issues. There are new merit badges which include mountain climbing, snow sports, aviation, and computers and technology. However, the basic values that produce wholesome, productive, and contributing young men have remained the same. These are proud Scouting traditions, just like Friday nights, 7:30, Bachelot Hall... ìTroop, fall in!î ■ Fran Wong teaches English, religion and public speaking for Maryknollís middle school division. She and her husband Jack are the parents of Anneí97 and Aaron í02. Pack 42, for boys ages 6-10, lines up to march in a Christmas parade.
Maryknoll School has been selected to receive an Arts Excellence Award 2002 for its support of the arts and artsintegrated education at the middle school level. The award, which is accompanied by a $500 prize, will be presented to grade school principal Paul OíBrien and art teacher Cat Iwami at the annual ìCelebrate the ARTS! Alliance Awards 2002î on October 5th at the Hawaii Theatre.
(Lto R) Celebrating Maryknollís award for second place overall in the 2002 Physics Olympics is faculty advisor Consuelo Rogers, Lynn Chikasuye í02, Aaron Wong í02, TraciAnn Harada í02 and Jordan Tanabe í02. Not pictured is team member Ben Dunn í02. (Lto R) Aaron Wong í02, Kerianne Pascua í02, Ashley Labasan í02 and Maryknoll math team advisor Lance Suzuki.
Lynell Uyeda (left) and Chanel Casamina receive their essay and poster contest awards from Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo.
Two teams of Maryknoll seniors competed in the 2002 Physics Olympics, held at Leeward Community College, at which high school students compete in six events based on physics concepts such as electrostatics, vectors, and particle reflection.
One of Maryknollís teams ñ whose members were Ben Dunn, Jordan Tanabe and Aaron Wong from the AP(advanced placement) Physics Class; and TraciAnn Harada and Lynn Chikasuye from the APChemistry class ñ won first place in the electrostatics event, and took second place overall. Also competing were APPhysics students Rena Chock, Maria Sakata, Tracey Lew, John Kwong and Edward Wong.
The event is sponsored by the Hawaii chapter of the American Association of Physics Teachers.
In the annual Language Arts Showcase Writing Competition, sponsored by the Hawaii Council of Teachers of English, two awards (ìwinnerî and ìhonorable mentionî) are given in each of five writing categories to students in grades four through eight. This year, nine students at the grade school received awards: Lia Cornair ’10 (honorable mention ñ short story), David Polansky ’10 (honorable mention ñ short story and poetry), Ann Macarayan ’10 (honorable mention ñ poetry), Chelsea Fortuna ’09 (honorable mention ñ essay), Brent Koki ’09 (honorable mention ñ giving information), Andrew Garcia ’09 (honorable mention ñ personal narrative), Jake Sangren ’08 (honorable mention ñ short story), Mia Omori ’07 (honorable mention ñ poetry; winner ñ essay), and Benjamin Lee ’07 (winner ñ giving information).
Ashley Labasan ’02, Kerianne Pascua ’02 and Aaron Wong ’02 represented the Maryknoll Math Team at the 24th Annual State Math Bowl and were crowned the Division Astate runners-up. The entire Maryknoll Math Team, which consists of more than a dozen talented and dedicated students, was also awarded a trophy as the Most Improved Team in the monthly Oahu Math League competitions.
In the recent ìWe Can End Poverty If We Work Togetherî Essay and Poster contest sponsored by the Diocese of Honoluluís Office for Social Ministry, eighth grader Lynell Uyeda ’06 was awarded first place in the essay category, and sixth grader Chanel Casamina ’08 was awarded first place in the grade 3-6 division of the poster contest. Shana Campos Tong ’83 is Uyedaís teacher. Chris Mattos ’85 is Casaminaís teacher.
All of Maryknollís APChemistry students participated in the Chemistry Olympiad, which consisted of 60 multiple choice questions. The two highest scores were sent for consideration at the local level of competition. Aaron Wong ’02 scored among the top eight in the state.
Kelsie Lau ’12 was the 2nd place winner in the kindergarten to grade four category of the City and County of Honoluluís ì2002 Sew ALei for Memorial Dayî poster contest. She received a certificate of achievement from Mayor Jeremy Harris, along with two interisland roundtrip tickets via Aloha Airlines.
Maryknollís grade school students and their families gave generously to support the widows and children of New Yorkís firefighters after 9/11.
Thanks to the generosity of Maryknollís grade school students and their families, the school was able to donate $2,263.50 to New Yorkís Uniformed Firefighters Association Widowsíand Childrenís Fund. In his note of thanks, UFAPresident Kevin Gallagher wrote, ìThe September 11 tragedy affected the entire world, but was particularly devastating to the New York City Fire Department. We lost 343 of our brothers and are still trying our best to deal with that horrible reality. The care and concern shown by you and so many others will enable us to provide a significant measure of financial help for the families they have left behind. I can assure you that firefighters never forget their fallen brothers and your contribution assists us in that worthy effort. God bless you.î
TraciAnn Harada ’02, Shannon Riley ’02 and Jennifer Sterlacci ’02 entered the 2002 Hawaii State Science Fair with a project entitled ìAttempting to Bioremediate the Maryknoll High School Cooling Tower Wastewater.î Their team effort was recognized with an award for resource conservation from the Hawaii State Dept. of Business, Economic Development and Tourism - Energy Division, and an award from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply for Water Conservation.
The Junior Class Commitment Ceremony (formerly known as the Ring Ceremony) was held at Sacred Heart Church on February 11, 2002 with Fr. Gary Secor ’69 presiding. As part of this ceremony, the Paschal candle, which symbolizes the light of Christ, is lit. The Class of 2003 committed themselves, in the presence of the Maryknoll community and their parents, to continue the Maryknoll tradition of being ìLight to the World,î and to do so by following our schoolís motto, Noblesse Oblige (ìto whom much is given, much is expectedî). The ceremony marks the formal recognition of the juniors as upperclassmen.
The Class of 2003 receives a special blessing from faculty members during the Junior Class Commitment Ceremony.
Annual AP Art Show
ON AND ABOUTCAMPUS
Maryknoll School Receives Accreditation From Three Agencies
by Chris Mattos ’85
On March 11, 2002, the WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) Accreditation Team arrived on the grade school campus bright and early. The team was led by chairperson Jeanne Register from Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, California. Other members of the visitation team were Deacon LeRoy Andrews, principal of St. Josephís Junior-Senior High School in Hilo; Timothy Cantley of Sacred Hearts Academy; Betty Hart of Aiea High School; Carol Iacovelli of Punahou School; Valerie Koide of St. Patrickís School; Joseph Schmidt, headmaster of Seabury Hall on Maui; Michael Weaver, principal of Damien Memorial High School; and Carole West, principal of St. Catherine School on Kauai.
For three days, the team visited classrooms, and met with teachers, administrators, board members, students, and parents. Maryknoll was reviewed ñ and accredited for six years ñ by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC), the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA), and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools (HAIS). The school received many commendations and a few recommendations to assist with future planning of programs and facilities. ■ Chris Mattos í85, who teaches 6th grade, served as co-chair of the WASC Accreditation Committee along with Frankie Lucas of the high school faculty.
High School Students Respond to Tragedy with Generosity
by Stacey Wong ’03
When the September 11 tragedy occurred, it caused the originally scheduled ìWelcome Back [to school] Danceî to be postponed one week to September 21. In rescheduling the dance, we saw an opportunity to take action and do what we could as a school to make a difference. In advertising and promoting our rescheduled dance, Maryknoll High School pledged to donate all profits made from the dance to a charity fund relating to the tragedy.
Possibly the largest turnout ever for a Maryknoll dance attended our benefit/welcome back dance. With gates open to both OIAand ILH students, no one was turned away. By the end of the night, we had netted approximately $1,700 for donation.
Student body president Vanessa Sim ’02 and vice president Melissa Orozco ’02 and the rest of the Maryknoll Student Senate presented the proceeds to the Aloha United Way. We trust that the money will be put to good use in whatever way deemed necessary. Furthermore, we are glad to contribute and do what we can to express our sympathy for the victims of the attacks, and the pride, loyalty and spirit that we have for our country. ■ Stacey Wong í03 served as junior class vice president and will be vice president of the student body in 2002-2003. He is also a 2001 Sylva Scholar.
A Thousand Wishes for Global Peace
In Spring 2001, Lynell Uyeda, then a 7th grader at Maryknoll School, inspired her peers and teachers to fold 1,000 paper cranes after she presented her MPD (Music, PE, Drama) project to her class.
For her project, Lynell researched the story of Sadako, a young Japanese girl who lived in Hiroshima during World War II. After being exposed to nuclear fallout, Sadako developed leukemia at age 12. In the hospital, a friend told her that if she made 1,000 paper cranes, her wish to get well would be granted. Sadako died before she reached 700 cranes. Her friends finished the 1,000 cranes and placed them at her side for her funeral. Several years later, a memorial to Sadako was erected in Hiroshima as a symbol of peace. Children from all over the world send their cranes to the memorial as part of the international prayers for peace.
Lynell Uyeda invited all students, teachers and staff at Maryknoll School to fold cranes in memory of Sadako. The cranes were mailed to Japan, to be included in the celebration of Peace Day on August 6.
In January 2002, Masafumi Okamoto from the city of Hiroshima, sent a letter of thanks, saying, ìI would like to express my gratitude for the broad understanding of peace you expressed by sending senbazuru (folded paper cranes) to our city. Your paper cranes were placed in Peace Memorial Park at the foot of the Childrenís Peace Monument, a statue created with the spirit of peace in mind and to comfort the souls of those who were taken from us by the atomic bombing. Together with you, we wish for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the establishment of global peace so that a tragic event such as this will never be repeated.î
ALUMNAPROFILE
Bidding Aloha after 35 Years at Maryknoll
Keala Wong Cupp ‘69 was a 13-year student at Maryknoll. She attended Seattle University and Central Washington University, earning a degree in Elementary Education/Language Arts. She returned home to earn her professional diploma (5th year) and complete other continuing education courses at the University of Hawaii.
Keala taught 2nd grade at Holy Family School for three years, did job sharing at Waikiki School in a 5th grade class, and substituted for the DOE and Star of the Sea School. Then Keala came home to Maryknoll, where she has taught for the past 22 years. When not busy teaching, her hobbies have included being an enthusiastic fan at ILH games, doing needlework, and reading. She also started a craft business called ìFun Bowlsî with her friend, Lilah Amoy.
In Spring 2002, Keala accepted a position with the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, NV. As the school year ended and she prepared for her move to the mainland, Keala reflected on her career at Maryknoll School and shared her thoughts about the future.
YOUíVE SPENT MOST OF YOUR LIFE AT MARYKNOLL! WHATHASTHATMEANTTOYOU?
Being at Maryknoll has always seemed like my ìsecond home.î Many think of home as being a place filled with love, support, and a sense of connectedness. This has always been true at Maryknoll. It has been a place where you can always count on seeing ìfriends and families.î It has been a pleasure to reconnect with former classmates and even teach their children, as well as meet and work with so many other wonderful families. No matter where Iíve traveled, there always seems to be someone with a link to Maryknoll.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR CAREERASANEDUCATORAT MARYKNOLL?
The highlights of my career as an educator at Maryknoll are those special moments when you know that a student has achieved that ìAha! ExperienceîÖor the notes slipped on my desk that say, ìThank you for the study session,î or others saying, ìIím glad you believed in me, when I didnít.î The greatest highlights are those students who come back to visit just to say hi. Iíd like to think I made a little difference in their lives.
I have been so blessed to have many students who were all individuals and have left me with lasting impressions. There are too many to mention, but I hope sixth grade will always bring memories to make them smile. It is truly a pleasure to have any one of them come back to visit, to get email, to receive long distance calls from a student in college, or just bump into them after so many years.
The students who are moving into 7th or 8th grades, or are beginning high school and college certainly hold a special place in my heart. For those students who have become parents and/or moved into careers that have utilized their unique talents, I can say that they have all enriched my life.
WHATMEMORIESOF MARYKNOLLAND HAWAIIWILLYOU KEEPWITHYOUINYOURMOVETOANEWSCHOOLANDA NEWSTATE?
Hawaii and Maryknoll will always be my home. I know I will truly miss the professionalism and care of our faculty and staff, as well as the spirit of our students. I will miss my family, many friends, and so many students that have enriched and been so much a part of my life.
My memories will include being with family and friends, going on picnics, parades, cool trade winds, beautiful mountains and beaches.
WHATAREYOULOOKINGFORWARDTOINTHEFUTURE?
I hope to live closer to where I am teaching, have more quality time to spend with my husband and family, and take advantage of the many traveling opportunities that living in Las Vegas will allow. I hope to see some great shows that I never had time to see on previous visits to Las Vegas.
I hope that family and the many friends we have made will always keep in touch and come to visit us. Of course, I hope to come back home to Hawaii and be able to enjoy all the things that make Hawaii a great place to be.
Keala and her husband Don will celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary in August. Their eldest son, Brad, lives in Colorado and is a computer consultant. Their son Chris will graduate from the University of Hawaii in August 2002, and hopes to go into pilot training in the fall. Katie í01 attends Seattle University and hopes to become a pediatric nurse.
Many blessings and best wishes to Keala and her family as they embark on this new adventure.
