In the Limelight!
Just as the Central Theatre Arts Academy debuts their production of Hairspray, many have also taken to the spotlight throughout the community. From competing athletes to aspiring change makers, Mililani High School has set the stage to showcase its gallery of students and community accomplishments.
It all started from a very young age.
Fifth grade to be exact. The year I started listening to musical theatre. All lighthearted joking aside, I’ve always been a fan of drama and theatrics. I believe it was when I was seven when I got in trouble for making my classmates believe that I would catch hypothermia and pass away. It was just Water Day and I was just cold.
I think the silliest fantasy to look back on was also, for all the jokes it’s worth, when I was in fifth grade and listened to my first musical. I was student council president at the time and because of this I spent a lot of time in front of the school, helping to lead assemblies and such.
It also led to a lot of nights spent lying in bed and imagining a dream where I would stand up in front of the school and give a heartfelt speech, Disney Channel style. This is due to the fact that in fifth grade I had also begun going to therapy. Perhaps there is some underlying joke here that becoming a musical theatre fan and going to therapy is somehow correlated.
But I digress; I imagined the day I would go up in front of the entire school and share my story about how through everything I did when it came to student council, choir solos and National History Day, that I was still just a person. I dreamed of speaking about my experiences and becoming a mental health advocate all at the young age of eleven. Or maybe I was listening to too much Dear Evan Hansen.
However, there’s something to take
away from an embarrassing memory. It’s kind of sweet that in my idealizations and fantasies as a young tween, navigating my own mental health experiences and growing into my own person, that I wanted to share my experience. Eleven year old me, despite how starry-eyed they were, simply just wanted to let other people know that the road is never clean and paved and that even someone who seems as if they ‘have it all’ could be pitting wars against themself.
Humans inherently desire connection, desire understanding. In a world where it feels as if battles were meant to be fought alone, a cry feels like it should be stifled. But is this really the case when you have artists who keep culture and tradition alive or athletes who put their all into a winning score, or the emphasis of an actress singing on stage? Our stories, our voices, are heard through the art and craft we create. Even if for me it happens to be theatrics on the stage.
In this issue, we would love to draw back the curtains and introduce the shining stars that make up Mililani High School including all sides of the campus such as the students who take the next step in making their voices heard in politics to the showcase of culture through dance at the ‘We Are Samoa’ ceremony. From the big local stars and martial artists on our field at Aloha Bash to the freshman class who are able to tell their tale in but a few words, our voices are heard all around.
lights dim and the spotlights begin to shine down as our Trojan Times cast and crew take to the stage. We hope you enjoy the show!
Please, relax in your seats as the
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We Are Samoa ‘Ulu Ceremony
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Hairspray
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Aloha Bash Sports Sports
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Student Voices
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Scholarship
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Japan Nengajo
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Bathroom
Closures
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Valentines Award Season
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Word Search
Highlighting the idea of pride in your culture, the We Are Samoa festival, held at the Polynesian Cultural Center, is coming up right around the corner. This year, the festival will be held on May 4th, 2024 and will be the event’s 31st anniversary. The event was aimed to create a space for high school students to embrace, educate, showcase and take pride in their culture. It is a day-long festival filled with traditional Samoan practices that all tell stories of Samoan culture. Traditional dances such as the Siva Samoa, games like basket weaving, firemaking, coconut husking, music and more will be showcased throughout the festival.
“I am most excited for the learning experience, being able to know and learn more about our culture.” Said Polynesian Club president, sophomore, Tayler (Fia) Samatua.
Different high schools across the island spend weeks to months preparing for the festival. Last year, Kapolei, Farrington, Radford and Kahuku High School, along with the ILH, Interscholastic League of Honolulu, Polynesian Club participated in the festival. Each participating school showcases unique traditional practices, which can be seen as a friendly, respectful competition. The Polynesian Club at Mililani High School will be participating this year with their main goal of educating and reaching out to the Samoan community at MHS. Senior Atianna ‘Fuamatu-Ma’afala, one of the members in the MHS Polynesian club, welcomes all ethnic backgrounds to come out.
“This event is special to us because it would be the first time Mililani is participating in over 20 years. It is a
Writer Kayla Hovanian Designer Dannika Pila Photographer Marcus Morifuji
great experience for the club,” said Samatua. “Us officers have been talking to choreographers and other directors who have had experience with the festival to guide our performance. We have practices two to three times a week.”
All cultures have different traditions that tie an individual to their heritage. Though the Samoan culture has various cultural practices and art, dancing is a central part of Samoan culture and history. The festival emphasizes this as the majority of the event is filled with stories and themes that are communicated by dance.
“The main purpose is to educate the Mililani community and to get in tune especially with dance, since it is a big part of our culture,” said Fuamatu-Ma’afala. “It represents who we are
and what we stand for.”
One of the dances Mililani’s Polynesian club will be performing is a Siva Samoa. The graceful dance tells a beautiful story, typically performed by females. For the festival, the Siva Samoa will take around 30 minutes for MHS Polynesian club to perform. Additionally, each school has a female leader that is the Taupou, ceremonial hostess, or if it is a male leader, is referred to as a Manaia, or messenger of the gods. Schools may also have a Fa’aluma, which is the song or group leader. Fuamatu-Ma’afala will be MHS Polynesian club’s Taupou.
“Other people that aren’t Samoan, like Hawaiian, Asian, whatever you are, just come out,” said Fuamatu-Ma’afala. “We have a lot of different people in our club that are gonna
be participating.”
Take a bigger step in learning more about yours or other cultural practices! Living in Hawai’i, you are surrounded by different people that all come from different ethnic backgrounds. Take the time to educate yourself and support MHS Polynesian club, while also experiencing the beauty of the Polynesian culture at We are Samoa!
For more information about MHS Polynesian club or We are Samoa festival, contact club advisors, Mrs. Stephens and Ms. Ross. @Kalina.Stephens@k12.hi.us and @DanielleRoss@ k12.hi.us.
Mililani High School’s Polynesian Cultural Club performed the siva last year for the schools May Day. This year, the club will be performing another siva at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
Eulu e, hu! ha! This line, among several others, were chanted repeatedly during each ‘Ulu Ceremony that was carried out between Jan. 23-24. This particular line of the Hawaiian chant, called an oli, means to grow, inspire, spread, rise/ swell! Breathe/Life/Exhale! The oli also represented an exchange with the plant, where the plant was given carbon dioxide and oxygen was given in return. For each ceremony, a number of classes participated together and each group of class periods planted an ‘ulu tree.
“Ceremony wise, I think it’s the same kind of idea behind the ceremony as what we do. It’s kind of giving that vision to our students and our community as we come together to plant this ‘ulu tree, which you know there’s a lot that goes into it when we’re planting and there’s a whole process, but the idea is that as we’re coming together we’re giving this tree life and we’re granting it, giving it positive energy to feed us one day and so that’s the big idea of creating something bigger than us,” said Marine Science teacher Ciera Santos.
Originally, the ‘Ulu Ceremony was a 50th anniversary gift from the school to last year’s students who were in AP Environmental, Marine Science and Sustainable Food Systems. The events were organized by science teachers Jennifer Kuwahara, Mary Miura-Aguinaldo, John Sandvig, Santos and Bonnie Parker who all took a summer ‘ulu professional development course. It was done in collaboration with two Spanish classes taught by Kehaulani White and Kimberly Tangaro. This
year the ceremony continued with the same classes as before.
“I think the symbolism of planting the ‘ulu tree is the symbolism of the food sovereignty that we’re trying to promote through the different activities that we do. So if we can respect our land and ask it to grow in a productive way and we’re productive it will take care of us and we don’t have to rely on others or imports if we can envision a future where we don’t have to,” said Kuwahara, who teaches both AP Environmental and Marine Science.
The ‘Ulu Ceremony is the first part of an agroforestry plan for the campus that hopes to help feed the students through the cafeteria, with ‘ulu being the center. As a starch, ‘ulu is different from other starches like potatoes as it’s a tree which reduces the amount of ground needed to be dug up, on top of sequestering more carbon. In an agroforestry, unlike the typical idea of rows and rows of the same plant being mass harvested, it more resembles nature with all plants harmonically existing to help one another.
“I think it’s one of the big steps for getting local food into our school lunches and possibly making scratch cooking return into our kitchens,” said junior and AP Environmental student Patrick Yuasa. “There’s a bill that’s telling the DOE to have 30% of school lunches to be supplied with local food so that we’re more sustainable, and it also helps Hawaii’s economy, the farmers and then it just trickles down to the economy. And scratch cooking will push us away from processed foods so it will be more healthy and the lunches
will taste better.”
Before the ceremony, a hole was dug in preparation for the tree. Once dug, everyone gathered around in a circle and placed their transcribed intentions for the tree and community in the hole. A fish gathered by students from last year was then ceremonially wrapped in ti leaf, with the leaves representing Kamapua’a, a figure often associated with the god of fertility, Lono, as well as Lono themselves.
The fish, an invasive species known as Ta’ape, serves as a slow release composter to create a rich and fertile environment for the ‘ulu. The oli, E ‘Ulu Kini, was chanted the entire time in a Kahoahoa style, meaning to go back and forth with a friend, as the chant was chanted together with the science and Spanish classes as a call and response. The tree was then bur -
ied with soil and mulch, and to end the ceremony, ‘awa, a Hawaiian ceremonial beverage made to flush toxins out of the body and soul, was poured over the buried tree. The teachers also gave their students precooked ‘ulu to eat.
“Even though your connection to the school might be temporary, at most four years as a student, you still have that connection long term and leaving that legacy behind,” said Marine and Environmental Science teacher Miura-Aguinaldo.
For more information regarding future ceremonies, see Kuwahara in B214.
Jan. 26 marked the first live performance of the Hairspray musical put together by Mililani High School in collaboration with the Central Theatre Arts Academy (CTAA). Originally produced as a comedy movie directed by John Waters in 1988, Hairspray was later adapted as a broadway musical in 2002 and had 2,642 performances before closing at the start of 2009. The plot is set in the 1960s and follows Tracy Turnblad as she tries to get onto a teenage dance TV show called The Corny Collins Show. As the story progresses, it focuses on Tracy’s efforts to help end
segregation.
“No matter what someone looks like, what color their skin is, they shouldn’t be persecuted in any way. It’s just not fair for someone to be thought of as better than others. But I think watching the show really brings that up,” said senior and Corny Collins’ actor Samuel Laurion.
The musical is split into two acts. In Act I, Tracy, a high school student, auditions for The Corny Collins Show. She is rejected by the bigoted producer of the show, Velma Von Tussle, because of her size. Velma also rejects Little Inez, an African American girl,
because of her skin color. Tracy goes back to school where she is sent to detention and meets an African American dancer named Seaweed J. Stubbs. He teaches Tracy some of his dance moves and she uses them to impress Corny at the Sophomore Hop the next day. Corny lets Tracy onto the show and she becomes a star overnight, even managing to score sponsorships with a plus-size dress shop.
In the second half of Act I Tracy is knocked out by fellow classmate and Corny Collins Show cast member, Amber Von Tussle during a dodgeball game. Seaweed cheers up Tracy by
inviting her and her friends to a record shop his mom, Motormouth Maybelle owns. Tracy then gets everyone to march against the TV station for The Corny Collins Show because they do not let African Americans on unless it is the designated “Negro Day.” Velma calls the police while everyone is protesting and most of them are arrested as Act I comes to a close.
Act II opens with most of the women in jail. Thanks to her planning, Velma is able to get herself and Amber out of jail scot-free. Tracy’s father, Wilbur, bails out all of her friends, but is unable to get Tracy herself out because of Velma’s schemes. While Tracy is waiting alone in solitary confinement, her crush, Link Larkin, visits her and helps her escape prison. Tracy then meets up with her friends and they are all on the verge of giving up on integrating the show, when Motormouth encourages them to continue fighting. They come up with a plan to sneak onto the Miss Teenage Hairspray beauty pageant during a commercial break as it’s being aired on the show as a special. As Amber is about to be crowned winner of the pageant, Tracy and her friends jump out and steal the competition. Tracy wins the vote and is crowned Miss Teenage Hairspray of 1962, when she declares the show is desegregated.
Many students came together to recreate and perform the musical for audiences on O’ahu. Auditions were held by the CTAA on Sep. 11 and Sep. 13 of last year from 3-6 p.m., where those interested showed off their skills in acting, singing and dancing.
Callbacks were sent on Sep. 15 of the same year to those who would be cast in the show.
“During the beginning of every school year, around September, maybe late August, there will be postings and also probably in the morning announcements, they’ll have stuff for the auditions for the musical that year. Then you just fill out the form and you show up on the day that you signed up for. You need a monologue and a song to sing, and if they like you, then they’ll ask you for a callback. Then they cast you and let you know if you got the role they wanted or they can give you a different role,” said Laurion.
Because the musical is coordinated by CTAA, auditions are open to everyone, including those who do not attend Mililani High School. There were about 30 crew members and 40 cast members from as young as 6th grade to as old as 12th grade after the initial screening process working on
have silly and fun personalities that keep the mood light and uplifting.
“[My favorite character] is probably Penny. She’s the happy friend and side character of the main character and she just is really funny. She’s really a whole lot of fun and she has a lot of energy,” said junior and Spotlight Operator Angelo Chip.
Even though the play production crew is almost never seen during performances, they are still hard at work making sure everything goes smoothly behind the scenes. Before showtime, crew members helped the cast with their microphones, making sure that they’re working and set up properly. Crew members also helped to transition between scenes, changing out the backgrounds and helping cast members switch costumes.
“I do the followspot up in the light booth, so I just do the really cool spot thing where I just follow all of the people that are on stage whenever I
need to,” said Chip. “Sometimes they move around a whole lot, so it’s a little bit difficult trying to keep the light on them.”
After these long hours spent practicing, performances were held at Michael D. Nakasone Performing Arts center on Jan. 26 and 27 as well as Feb. 2, 3 and 4. Admission prices for Department of Education students were 10 dollars, while admission for other guests cost 15 dollars. These practices paid off as students were happy with the fruits of their labor.
“I think it’s coming together really well, and I think everyone’s putting effort in and trying really hard. So it’s really nice to see it all come together,” said Tongamoa.
For those interested in future plays and shows hosted by the CTAA and Mililani High School, visit N105 or https://centraltheatreartsacademy. org/.
Hairspray.
Cast and crew members worked together to make sure their performances would succeed, rehearsals began in late September of last year and continued all the way up to the end of January this year. These practices were held from 3-6 p.m. and gradually worked its way up to 10 p.m. as the months passed. Cast members refined their skills in preparation for the performance and the crew put together set pieces and costumes while making sure that the lighting and sound designs were on point.
“I really liked getting to know my cast members and classmates because I got to meet new people that go to my school and outside of school,” said junior and Tracy’s Actress Eva Tongamoa.
On top of forming bonds with each other, students also formed connections with the unique characters of Hairspray. Many of the characters
Through a combination of heartfelt speeches and music, a message of hope and support to individuals struggling with their mental wellbeing was sent out at John Kauinana Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024. The Mililani High School senior class of 2024 hosted a unique experience for the community known as the Mililani Aloha Bash. The event focused on the importance of mental health.
“The concert aided mental health through providing a way for students to ease into the second semester and remembering to find a way to enjoy outside of school,” said class of 2024 president, senior Ashlee Acob. “We also provided services where health could be found.”
Planning for the event started back in March 2023 by class of 2024 advisor Micah Turell.
“This idea originated from one of our Class of 2024 council meetings during junior year. I asked my council what is one big event that you guys would want to plan to make up for the lost freshman covid year,” said Turell. “We first had to get this idea approved by Principal Murphy. Once we got the approval, we got connected to Shari Manuel, who had experience putting together concerts on Kauai. She met with me and my officers to discuss all the logistics that goes into putting a concert together.”
Following this, Mr. Turell and his class of 2024 student officers were tasked with determining which artists would perform in the concert. Performing in the concert were local reggae artists such as Rebel Souljahz, Johnny Suite and High Watah Music.
Once the artists for the show were confirmed, the class of 2024 committee then had to look for vendors to put together a stage accompanied with sounds and lighting. While the physical aspects of the concert were being planned, the committee also had to plan selling tickets for the concert, create a timeline of events, look for sponsorships from the community and organize teacher chaperones on the day of the event.
Additionally, the Bash featured mental health booths. The booths were run by Mental Health America of Hawaii, a national nonprofit organization that focuses on aiding mental wellbeing by advocating for support at the Hawaii Legislature. Throughout the night, Mental Health America spoke about statistics regarding mental states including the fact that around 15.5% of adults in Hawaii struggle with any types of mental illness. Mental Health America also provided information on how to receive help and support through their own organization including a mission to reduce the negative stigma regarding mental illness. Their booth included toys for students ranging from fidget spinners, stress balls and more anxiety relieving devices.
Headlining the night was a speech by former professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Angela Lee. “In my life I have experienced incredible victories and devastating losses, in the cage and outside of it as well. We all go through highs and lows and ups and downs, that’s what life is about,” said Lee during her speech. “How we navigate through the lows, when we are in a dark place, how we get
On Saturday, Jan. 20, the John Kauinana Stadium fills its stands with students, families and friends for the first ever Mililani High School Aloha Bash. It showcased numerous local talents from High Watah and Rebel Souljahz to Mililani High School’s very own alumni Johnny Suite. The event, which was planned and executed by the Class of 2024 Council, was created with the intent for its attendees to sing their hearts out and dance the night away.
Mililani High School’s Aloha Bash was not only meant to be a night of music and laughter, but a time to reflect on the importance of mental health. Anegla Lee Pucci, the founder of Fightstory, spoke upon the subject alongside team members Maraya Tomiko Miller and Erin Standage who also shared their personal experiences.
For more information on the non-profit organization, visit fightstory.org or visit their instagram page @ fightstoryofficial.
through that is important.”
As a six-time MMA world champion and Mililani High School Alumni, Lee has fought both physical and mental battles. Lee founded the nonprofit organization known as Fightstory in honor of her late sister, Victoria Lee. Fightstory is composed of many professional MMA fighters who have come together to collectively support the fight for mental health. Fightstory believes that life is a fight and we are all fighters, making the struggles we face our strength.
“She spoke about how incredibly tough life can get and the lonely feeling we can feel, but she also shared ways we can make our own lifestyle,” said Acob. “She shared how we have our support systems and how we can reach out to them.”
Aside from sharing ways to deal with life, Lee also shared how to reach out for help. Through her own experiences dealing with mental illness, Lee conveyed a way to overcome personal struggles in a world in which mental health issues are becoming more and more apparent. A method that Lee believes can help aid in the loneliness that people feel is to connect with other individuals who are also dealing with mental illness. By doing so, Lee believes that sharing personal stories and experiences holds a power that assists the silent battle that each person faces. The most important thing that Lee wanted people to recognize was the fact that no one is alone.
The concert included testimony from artist Johnny Suite who managed to overcome his own struggles with mental health throughout his career. Following the heartfelt speeches given
to the audience, the bands began to play their signature songs. Surprisingly, the audience was let onto the field to get closer to the performers and speakers which added to the concert’s personal approach.
“Last minute students were able to get on the field which I thought was good because they were able to get up close,” said class of 2024 counselor Dane Nishimura. “The concert was super small and intimate and from what I saw the kids enjoyed that experience.”
The Aloha Bash also served as a final way to send off the senior class of 2024, as the last remaining class that has had their time attending Mililani High School affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, this event cemented the impact of the class of 2024 council. Since the idea of hosting a concert was an ambitious goal, the planning of the event had many ups and downs such as ticket sales. Despite the many challenges, Acob and the class of 2024 remained steadfast and believed in the concert’s purpose and direction leading to the concert successfully being carried out.
“As the class of 2024 council are seniors in high school, there are many more ideas we wished we could’ve hosted but only with such a limited amount of time there is only so much we could do,” said Acob, “It’s up to our legacy and the possibility of what our underclassmen have stored for the future.”
For more information about Fightstory and Angela Lee go to https:// fightstory.org/. For more information about Mental Health America go to https://mentalhealthhawaii.org/.
As winter gracefully gives way to the promise of spring, the Mililani Trojans Swimming & Diving team emerges with accomplishments reflecting the shifting tides of dedication and determination. Starting their season at Kalani High School on Nov. 18, 2023, the Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) qualifying meets place a spotlight on swimmers’ season-long base times. These meets would stretch out throughout the month before concluding at the final OIA qualifying meet which unfolded on Dec. 16 at Kalani High School. It featured notable performances, including the team securing first place in both the Women’s 200-Yard Medley Relay and the Men’s 200-Yard Medley Relay. Additionally, senior Belise Swartwood claimed first place in the Women’s 200-Yard Freestyle, and junior Greyson Gough achieved first place in the Men’s 200-Yard Freestyle.
“I feel really confident that we’re going to have a really good end of season for both the girls and boys teams,” said Grant Bramer, head coach of the Mililani Trojans Swimming & Diving team.
“This year, at the very beginning of the season, we knew that our team would be rebuilding. We graduated a lot of seniors last year but we were able to find a lot of new talent,” said Bramer.
Following the conclusion of the OIA qualifying meets, the MHS Swimming & Diving team entered the 46th Dorothy Aki / Kalani Invitational, held at Kalani High School from Dec. 22 - 23, with a 10:00 a.m. start. Employing the Colorado Timing System backed up by manual timing, the event strictly followed federation rules. Throughout the meet, MHS secured first place in
Writer Marcus Morifuji Designer Thomas Kubo Photographer Alastair Domingo
the Girls 200-Yard Medley Relay and claimed third place in the Boys 200Yard Medley Relay. Standout performances featured sophomore Peyton Bitterman securing second place in the Girls 50-Yard Freestyle and senior Luke D’Sena clinching second place in the Boys 50-Yard Freestyle. MHS emerged victorious with a total of 770 points.
“I just want to play right, get my name out there for recognition and have fun with it,” said D’Sena. “I’m trying to prepare everyone to hold the torch next year, really give them a good start and a title to defend. I really want them to keep the name Trojans strong.”
Following the Kalani Invitational, the MHS Swimming & Diving team turned their attention to the Western Divisional Championships at the K. Mark Takai Veterans Memorial Aquatics Complex in Waipahu. This event served as a qualifier for the OIA League Championship. On Jan. 20, notable performances from the boys’ team included Gough’s time of 22.63 seconds in the 50-Yard Freestyle and senior Randen Tadaki’s time of 1:05.11 in the 100-Yard Breaststroke. On the girls’ team, senior Skylar Kaneshiro achieved 25.24 seconds in the 50-Yard Freestyle, and Swartwood achieved 1:08.43 in the 100-Yard Breaststroke. The meet witnessed 29 personal bests, averaging 81.35 points per performance and secured MHS first place with a total of 413 points.
“I have learned a lot from these past few meets. Swimming is a tough sport. You have to put in a lot of work and make a lot of sacrifices, and even then, you don’t always get the results that you want,” said Bitterman. “The most important thing to remember is that the road to success is long and you
have to trust the process.”
After clinching the Western Division Championship, the MHS Swimming & Diving team shifted their focus to the OIA Championship at Waipahu, a crucial qualifier for the Hawaiian High School Athletics Association (HHSAA). During the event on Jan. 26 - 27, standout moments from the boys’ team featured senior Jerusalem “Moku” Jackson clocking 22.61 seconds in the 50-Yard Freestyle and senior Tyler Komoda securing a gold medal with 16 points in the 1 Meter Dive. On the girls’ team, senior Kyla Ellison claimed gold in the 100-Yard Back Preliminaries with a time of 1:01.21, while Swartwood set a new OIA record in both the 200-Yard Freestyle and 100-Yard Butterfly. The competition witnessed 22 personal bests, averaging 91.4 points per performance, ultimately securing MHS their third consecutive first place in the OIA championship.
“I feel very good about this team.
We have a very good team where we all cheer each other on,” said junior swim captain Logan Riehle. “It is super fun to be around them and I have enjoyed my season a lot.”
After securing a victory in the OIA Championship, the MHS Swimming and Diving team advanced to the HHSAA State Championship. The meet will be located on Maui at the Kihei Aquatic Center from Feb. 9 - Feb. 10.
“We are looking forward to the state championship in Maui. Our team has some pretty lofty goals,” said Bramer. “If they can pull off getting a top three finish as a team, it will be the first time in Mililani history that a high school team from us has accomplished a state trophy in aquatic sports.”
For more information on the Mililani Trojans Swimming and Diving team, you can contact Coach Bramer at grant.bramer@k12.hi.us or visit him in P33.
Belise Swartwood’s journey in swimming began at the tender age of 5, fueled by her mother’s desire for her to be proficient in the water. Surrounded by two older siblings who served as role models, she embraced the family tradition and developed a profound passion for the sport. In her dedication to enhancing her skills, Belise actively participates in two distinct swim teams.
Mililani High School Swim Athletics is where Swartwood showcases her talents, engaging in rigorous training sessions from 3:15 to 5:00 p.m., spanning the end of October to mid-February. These practices, held at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic
Center (VMAC), encompass a range of exercises, from distance swims to intensity-based drills, preparing the team for the challenges leading up to the state competitions. Even during the off-season, she diligently trains with the Kamehameha Swim Team.
“Find a reason to come to training for yourself. If you can find a reason that’s just for you, a reason to come to the hard training every day, that will keep you here,” said Swartwood, a senior.
Mililani High School’s swimming and diving team recently celebrated their third consecutive OIA Championship victory. The girls’ team emerged triumphant with a 300-point lead over
their competitors with special acknowledgement given to Diving Coach Shannon Beeler for her contributions. The success extended beyond the OIA’s as two divers qualified for the state championships.
Swartwood stood out as a critical contributor to the team’s achievements, making waves by breaking the OIA record in both the 200-yard Freestyle and the 100-yard Butterfly. This feat earned her the esteemed title of the fastest woman in OIA History in the 200-yard Freestyle. The team’s prowess in both swimming and diving sets stage for the upcoming State Championship in Kihei, Maui, just two weeks away. As they gear up for this
prestigious event, the MHS swimming and diving team demonstrates dedication, skill and a shared commitment to excellence.
“I just wanna keep swimming, keep dropping time and keep doing well,” said Swartwood.
Additionally, Belise has made the decision to commit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to further pursue her love for swimming at the DIII level. For more information on Mililani’s swim team, check out the athletics page on mililanihs.org.
Hovanian
Kicking the ball to victory, the Trojans boys varsity soccer team wins another game in their undefeated season of 2024.
On Jan. 27, at Kapolei High School’s Alvin Nagasato Sports Complex, teams from Mililani and Campbell faced off for the Division I League Championship match, a game that determined the fate of the Trojans’ undefeated streak and Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) legacy. With a final score of 2-0, the Trojans claimed yet another OIA championship title for the third time in a row.
“In the beginning of the game, I wasn’t really nervous and had full confidence in the team,” said senior Justin Tilton. “Towards the latter part of the game, as soon as we scored our first goal I knew that we were bound to win already so I was not only confident but happy.”
Having already competed against the Campbell Sabers earlier in the season, the Trojans were familiar with the way the opposing team
played. Stepping foot onto the field at Kapolei High, players like Tilton felt confident that the title for OIAs was well within reach. As the game began, Campbell held steady for the first half until Mililani switched tactics and hit their opponents with a shift in formation. To secure their win against the Sabers, junior Caleb Ishizaka scored a goal and then crossed a ball for the second and final goal of the game.
“The game was really competitive and fast moving, but I felt pretty good,” said Ishizaka. “The team was also pretty good during the whole game.”
Leading up to the event, the soccer team trained almost every day, drilling in tactical training and watching plays of other teams. To prepare for situations such as a dead ball, or when the ball would go out of bounds and is no longer in play, the team practiced throw-ins, goal kicks and corner kicks to restart gameplay. Other skills such as ball
possession, penalty shoot-outs (PKs) and teamwork in general were built up throughout practices as they prepared for the final game that would lead them to the state competition.
“We took a lot of PKs just in case we got to that point,” said senior Maddox Flanders. “[We did that] so that we could capitalize if we had another chance, like taking a free kick, and then crossing a general heading, which is how we got our second goal, so that proved to be pretty effective.”
A formidable team who stayed undefeated with their consecutive wins, the Trojans boys soccer team blazed through this year’s season. To further pursue their success this season, the team will be competing against other high schools statewide for the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) tournament. For more information, please reach out to Coach Steven McGehee at steven.mcgehee@k12.hi.us.
In soccer, the role of a goalkeeper can be overlooked at times. However, without the assistance of this crucial role, the game would fare to be a lot more difficult and less exciting for both the players and the audience. On Jan. 20, 2024, the Miliani varsity girls soccer team competed against Campbell for their OIA D1 championship game, in which senior goalkeeper Jordyn Labajo-Cleaver was awarded as “Impact Player” by Spectrum OC16.
“I was kind of shocked because of my position as a goalkeeper, it’s really hard to get,” said Labajo-Cleaver.
An “Impact Player,” as the name implies, is a player in a sport who has made significant contributions
to their team while their game was being televised. Usually in soccer, the title of “Impact Player” is given to players who are seen actively running and kicking the ball, so rarely is it seen for a goalkeeper to receive the title. However, due to the game being difficult for both teams, Labajo-Cleaver was able to obtain more playing time from the goal, having the chance to grab the spotlight and ultimately win the award.
“It was a really great game,” said Labajo-Cleaver. “Honestly, it was a really fought out game and I think that both teams really worked hard on both ends.”
Starting soccer from the age of seven, Labajo-Cleaver had always been passionate about the sport, being in both club and high school soccer teams. During her sophomore year, the soccer player had the opportunity to play with the varsity team, further pursuing her soccer career. However, during junior year, Labajo-Cleaver was unable to play with the varsity team due to an injury during her sophomore year. For this reason, joining back in the team her senior year had been an important next step for her future in soccer.
“It’s not like I came back the same or scared or less than that. But I came back stronger and ready to really show everyone to not underestimate me. Yeah, I went through this, so I think that’s probably the biggest thing that I experienced,” said Labajo-Cleaver.
Due to this being her last year in high school, Labajo-Cleaver hopes to continue soccer at Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Washington.
Writer Jullia Young Kayla Designer Dane Terukina Photographer Shelby Seu Madison Choo The Trojans boys varsity soccer team wins their final game for the OIAs, securing the title of OIA Champions for the third year in a row. After each game, the players would often play music and sing along on the bus ride back as a way for the team to bond.
After 14 wins against various teams throughout their season, the Mililani Trojans girls volleyball team fought against the Moanalua Menehunes on Nov. 1 to attain the OIA title, one that has not been won since 2019. To make their comeback this year, the team prepared themselves extensively for their championship game at the McKinley Student Council Gymnasium, in which they won with a final score of 3-0.
“I think being able to communicate with our setter, with the hitters, with our passers in the row- just having that communication, and definitely when we make a mistake, to help each other get out of that funk was really important for us,” said senior Alexis Rodriguez. “We definitely had a very strong friendship and our coaches actually wanted to make sure that we had a strong unit this year and I think that’s definitely what had a good part of our undefeated season.”
Every practice, the volleyball team ran different plays and strategies to be fully prepared for their final game. Through Moanalua’s previous games, the team watched how their opponent played and became acquainted with their strengths and weaknesses in order to raise their chances of winning. Knowing that the Menehunes had big hitters and blocks, the Trojans volleyball coaches gave feedback to the players at practice based on the way Moanalua strategized on the court.
“The whole experience of playing high school volleyball, bonding with the team and winning basically all of our games, just basically having a successful season [was something positive about the season],” said senior Alaina Valdez. “I feel like as the team got closer, we played a lot more smoothly and had less errors.”
For more information about the MHS sports teams and any future sport events, visit the MHS Athletic News page at www.mililanihs.org.
Erica Roberts #4, Alaina Valdez #9, Rylie Kaopuiki-Kaikaina #13, Alexis Rodriguez #17, Anae Asuncion #6 and Lylah Worsley #11 celebrate after winning a point in the OIA championship game. Trojans girls varsity volleyball team sweeps Moanalua in 3 sets. Photo courtesy of Lori McKeown.
OWriter Sarah Dittle Designer Briana Diggs
n Jan. 5th, 2024, Mililani High School was recognized as one of the first-ever Hawai’i Schools of Democracy alongside Maui High School. The moniker comes from the Commission to Promote and Advance Civic Education (PACE), which was established by the Hawai’i Supreme Court in 2021. PACE works in tandem with state civic organizations such as the Hawai’i State Bar Association, the University of Hawai’i William S. Richardson School of Law, and the Hawai’i Department of Education (DOE).
“I am very proud of our department and all the teachers in our department,” said National History Day (NHD) Coordinator Amy Boehning, who teaches US History, Asian Studies and Humanities. “It shows that together as a group we have established a curriculum that provides students an opportunity to understand and participate in citizenship in our state.”
Mililani has several courses and extracurriculars in social studies, including but not limited to the three AP social studies classes (AP World History: Modern, AP United States History, AP United States Government and Politics), the Mock Trial team, the Model United Nations (MUN) club, as well as in-class opportunities to participate in programs such as National History Day, We The People and the ongoing NHD offshoot of Silent Heroes. The student body is also active in class councils, the Hawai’i State Student Council and many individuals have internships at the state legisla-
ture.
The Mock Trial team is a unique opportunity only a few public schools offer, and Model UN delegates often win at least a few awards every year. Mililani always sends students to the NHD state competition and even a few to the national level. We The People, an especially niche program which is primarily offered to students in the AP US Government and Politics class, has been to nationals as well. The Associated Students of Mililani High School (ASMHS) was this year recognized for the ninth time as a Gold Council of Excellence by the National Student Council.
All of these and more contribute to why Mililani was recognized for its continuing excellence in civic education. This extends to non-traditionally civic-minded classes such as the Environmental, AP Environmental and Marine Science classes, where students get involved in local environmental politics.
In the past months, the Mililani Mock Trial club has been gearing up for their upcoming competitions with both public and private schools. Their results in the upcoming weeks will determine whether or not they move onto the national level.
Mock Trial is exactly what it sounds like: a mock trial. Students pose as lawyers and witnesses in a prepared case and argue their sides in front of a real practicing judge. They learn just
how the law works in a court trial and how to best work within the rules to make their argument the best argument. Students study their cases for a lengthy amount of time so that lawyers can ask appropriate questions and witnesses can answer them as if they were the real witness.
“I have to know my affidavit, so I’ve had to go over my lines over and over again to make sure that I know my answers, like from front to back, upside down, every which way,” said junior Valerie Tracy. “Your answers are not guaranteed that you get to say them verbatim, because you don’t get a script, so I have spent a lot of time making sure I know every possible detail.”
Tracy plays Lee Fletcher, a witness for the prosecution. At the state level, cases are tailored for their respective states. For Hawai’i, this year’s case
revolves around the fictional parties of the Pahala Chapter of Friends of the ‘Alala v. ZenoPharma. Friends of the ‘Alala is a local group looking to maintain and protect the habitat of the ‘Alala, a rare endemic species of Hawaiian crow. They are suing ZenoPharma, a medical company, for their production plant of SutureSticks, their most profitable product, on land Friends of the ‘Alala allege is vital to the protection of the ‘Alala.
“We do learn a lot of specifics on the law - how it works and how to actually do all of the nitty-gritty of going through an actual trial,” said Mock Trial President and senior Courtney Hisamoto. “No matter which role you do, you’re gonna have to stand up present, present well and present loud.”
Mock Trial is characterized by its attention to detail, extensive preparation and personal responsibility. Its 17
members prepare for this by running through their cases over and over with a volunteer attorney, Eileen Nims.
“You perform as if you are in court against another school’s team,” said Tracy. “With a real judge, like, a judge who it’s their profession to be a judge. And then they judge you. You don’t necessarily have to win the case to win the competition. Points are given based on your performance and so even if you technically lose the case - plaintiff is the hardest to win, I’ve heard - but you could still win the competition based on your performance.”
Points are awarded based on the students’ ability to ask and answer questions. Not just the ones they ask and answer from the opposing side, but the ones they prepare for themselves. All of this is the result of long preparation and an investment in their cases. Last year, the Mock Trial team placed third in the state semi-finals. They hope to repeat that success and go even further than last year.
For more information on the Mock Trial club and their upcoming competitions, please visit the Hawaii State Bar Association website at https://hsba. org/.
On Feb. 3, 2024, Mililani High School hosted the Mililani Model United Nations Conference (MiliMUN). Several schools attended, ranging from public schools like Waipahu High School to private schools like Punahou. Preceded by Pacific Model UN (PacMUN), MiliMUN is one of the few local conferences for Hawaii students to participate in. The general competition was hosted in H building, while the closing ceremony was carried out in the library.
“[Model UN is] a simulation of the United Nations,” said Nassau Flying Gang crisis co-director and senior Lyizel Gutierrez. “You learn a lot just from being on a committee, whether it’s beginner, intermediate or advanced. I’ve learned so many new things in these committees and honestly if that’s how the UN works I would wanna go for it.”
Model UN revolves around the real-life work of the United Nations. Students are assigned committees and placements based on pre-selected cases, write position papers on those topics and then discuss and debate at conferences such as MiliMUN. This year’s committees were; UNESCO: Access to Education, DISEC: Adaptive Security - Predict, Prevent, Respond, and the crisis committee of the Nassau Flying Gang. These were chaired and directed by Mililani students.
“I’d say that there’s kind of like an unspoken bond between the other public schools like Waipahu and Moanalua and Kalani, I feel like we have an unspoken friendship just because we are the only public schools and for a while Mililani High School was the only public school,” said UNESCO Co-Chair junior Madeline Mintz. “You can definitely feel the disparity between private schools and public schools sometimes and it just makes me feel really proud to be part of a public school that is doing so many great things.”
Model UN as a club at Mililani is actually a very recent establishment. Prior to COVID-19, class of 2022 alumnus Arman Needles would attend local Model UN conferences all on his own without the normal teacher and school support that official clubs have. Needles continued his work and eventually students and teachers real-
ized how much of an opportunity was missed with the absence of a Mililani Model UN club. Model UN was finally made an official club for the 20222023 school year. It was extremely popular, and despite the club’s young age, many delegates won awards at PacMUN and the Punahou Model UN conference (PunaMUN) that very first year.
The Mililani Model UN club is excited to attend LeMUN in the spring. For more information on the club, see the Mililani Model UN’s Instagram @ mililanihsmun.
Mililani’s involvement in civic education has expanded outside of the traditional social studies pathway. Several of the Environmental, AP Environmental and Marine Science classes take closer looks into how their studies are relevant in the “real world.” Similar to how math students do word problems to see the real-life implementations of their studies, science students have been looking at topics such as overfishing and, especially relevant to Hawaii’s current state, sustainable food systems.
“Our goal is to create a better future for Hawai’i,” said senior Jade McMillan-Chau. “And that starts with food security.”
Students like McMillan-Chau from Jennifer Kuwahara’s period five Environmental Science class recently worked with State Representative Trish La Chica to introduce HB2083, a house bill that would make it so that 30% of Hawai’i’s school lunches would be locally grown, compared to Mililani High School’s current 6%. Funding is an issue, but Kuwahara and her students say that this goal is
a necessary stepping stone towards becoming self-sustainable as 90% of Hawaii’s food is imported, something many view as dangerous.
“I learned that we actually have power,” said junior Patrick Yuasa. “Especially younger people like us, to sway the actions of what our representatives do, like creating or hearing a bill. So if we want to be more sustainable, cut GHG emissions or tackle invasive species, we can email, mail, call or go to a town hall meeting with our legislators and representatives and give them your opinion and make sure they know what we want and that they know what we are talking about.”
Recently, students in various natural science classes were given an assignment geared towards similar sentiments. Students were instructed to write a letter to their state representative on their opinions of changes to Chapter 4-72, Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), entitled “Plant and Non-Domestic Animal Quarantine Plant Intrastate Rules.” Through the assignment, students who hadn’t yet participated in Kuwahara’s initiative also learned about the political relevance of their studies and that they too had the power to make real change in our local legislature.
On Feb. 7, students who worked and were affiliated with the bill testified to the state House committee on Agriculture, and was passed on to the State House committee on education. For more information on HB2083, please visit Kuwahara at B214.
Writer Jaylenn Jay-Abe Designer Elena Kano
To represent Japanese culture, students specifically in the Japanese language courses were given the opportunity to express their creativity in different categories for this year’s New Year’s Nengajo Contest. Not only were students able to participate and make nengajo cards, but were also able to learn about the holiday by learning different kanji, greetings, the 12 zodiac animals and more. Out of the 12 animals, this year’s nengajo revolved around the year of the dragon.
“I’m always just surprised at the talent of the students here at the high school and also the creativity. The contest itself is not necessarily an art contest, even though there’s an artistic category, but it’s not an artistic contest per say, so it’s nice to see other peoples creative ideas that students
have and how they express it through their nengajos. I enjoy looking through the nengajos every year seeing every piece the students make and for these contests, we’ve been very successful for Mililani High School and we’ve had many students place. For this year, when I saw the art, I was very happy and of course even more so that we heard we had some students place in the contest,” said Japanese teacher Corey Zukeran.
“Nengajos,” a well known Japanese tradition carried out to celebrate New Years, are cards that are given out to family and friends as a way to express gratitude and to wish them a prosperous year. As a way for students to participate in this well known tradition, students in the Japanese courses got to make their own nengajos corresponding to this year’s zodiac animal; the
dragon. After the process of creating the nengajos, a few were selected to enter in a statewide contest.
In this contest, there were four categories that students got to focus their nengajos on and also place in. The categories included Artistic, Comical, Food and Hawaii. For Mililani High School’s success this year, students Sara Tanioka, Mia Hamamoto, Emilee Chun, Norah Koerte, Alexis Molina and Shelby Seu managed to place in all four of the categories.
“I think the thing that made my nengajo stand out was definitely the sunset behind the mountains. It is
my interpretation of Hatsuhinode happening in Hawaii, which is viewing the first sunrise of the new year,” said senior Alexis Molina.
Students started out by first learning about the importance of New Years and the traditions being held out. Some of the students got their inspiration for their nengajos from these lessons, while some students included a sunrise to represent watching the first sunrise of the year. Some incorporated food into their nengajos like soba noodles, some incorporated Mt. Fuji as a symbol to represent good luck to see it in the first dream of the year
For the Hawaii category, placing second place is senior Shelby Seu. Seu not only incorporated a cute style into her nengajo but also a landscape that Hawaii was specifically known for.
Representing the artistic category win is senior Sara Tanioka placing in first place. Tanioka used inspiration for her dragon from the character “Haku” from Spirited Away.
and others included other aspects of the Japanese culture like kotatsu with kagami mochi. Students also got the opportunity to express their creativity by making their own unique views on what a dragon looked like to them.
. Some students went the traditional route of a Japanese dragon while some did doodles on what they thought a dragon would look like to them or dragons that would fit the category they entered.
“Something that made the experience fun was being able to express your creativity or being able to put whatever on a card and design it,” said
junior Mia Hamamoto.
While students were free to draw whatever they thought of, students also had to include specific elements into their nengajos. Included in every nengajo were the students name, the character for the year of the dragon, a New Year’s greeting and the date of Jan. 1st.
“My reaction when I found out I was placed was shocking, that’s for sure. There’s so many other talented artists from all different schools in Hawaii participating in Nengajo, that I find it hard to believe I made it into the top few. I’m very grateful for it,” said senior
Sara Tanioka.
As a way to sort out the nengajos from every class, Zukeran holds a contest within each of his periods where he has his students vote on which nengajo is their favorite. Since Zukeran has to pick two nengajos for each category, he reserves the second selection for himself to make it more fair.
“I was interested in the artistic category because I wanted to compete with other artists like myself. Art is my hobby and I wanted to do my best,” said Tanioka.
All the students had different interests to why they wanted to enter into the category they won in. For some students, they wanted to express their creativity and have fun doing art. Other students wanted to have fun with it and draw within their comfortable art style and some students just wanted to do it for fun and see where it got them.
As a reward, students who won in the contest recieved gift cards and some even got extra credit in their classes for making it out to the contest and winning.
For more information about the contest and also a view of the wall of fame for this year’s winners, visit
https://www.aatj.org/students/nengajo-contest/.
Taking second place in the cartoon category is senior Norah Koerte. Koerte incorporated her own creativity of what a dragon looked like to her and also a kagami mochi, a Japanese New Years decoration/food.
For the second year in a row, junior Mia Hamamoto placed as one of the winners for the nengajo contest but this year won third place in the food category. Hamamoto made her nengajo stand out with her popping and vibrant use of colors and her own image of what a dragon looked like to her.
Why are the bathrooms always closed? Bathrooms have been a prevailing topic of conversation at Mililani High School. Frequent problems have driven administration and security to implement a system with more monitoring, which is done through the bathroom rotations where only certain bathrooms are available for use while the rest are closed. It’s a trade off between convenience and safety for students.
“We have kids vaping, sometimes we have kids just hanging out, they’re loitering, that’s always potential for problems, and then we have at times we may have altercations, it’s not always safe when that happens and there are no adults so we can’t intervene,” said Assistant Principal Kevin Matsuba.
The system is put into use when concerns arise in the bathrooms due to a lack of available monitoring. Although the system closes about half of the bathrooms on campus, the location of which bathrooms are closed is taken into consideration. If the C, L and O Building bathrooms are kept open, they’re meant to be close enough to all classes, enough time to allow people to still go to the bathroom.
“When you have a campus of about 55 acres, which is the largest campus acreage wise in the state of Hawaii, it’s very hard to monitor everything that’s going on, whether it’s your restrooms or your entire campus, or the parkouts,” said Matsuba. “So to have a system like we do for restrooms, to rotate them, opening and closing them I think it’s a good thing, it works well.”
The lack of supervision could be prevented by assigning more security guards to the bathrooms. But in doing
so, many other areas of the campus like the cafeteria or lanais would be lacking instead. There’s a limited amount of golf carts available that can watch over just the bathrooms.
“It’s not an official request or obligation to those teachers, but any teachers that happen to have classes right next to the bathroom, automatically, inadvertently end up being the first line of defense,” said English teacher Curtis Ogi. “If you’re in the classroom right next door you almost have the obligation to call security or to intervene directly if need to.”
Teachers having to act as security also came as a result of not enough supervision over some of the bathrooms like the L building bathroom. Multiple incidents in the bathroom not only bother the classes nearby, but also gave them an unnecessary duty.
“[The system] gives us the ability to monitor the bathrooms. So I think, you know, as much as we would like to see all the problems go away, all the concerns. I don’t know if that’s a realistic thought, I think for the most part we’ve curbed a lot of those concerns quite a bit,” said Matsuba. “When we rotate restrooms and open up some but not the others, [the custodians] team up and then they clean together, so I think it gets cleaned quicker and more efficiently so I think it’s kind of a good thing all around.”
Although closing the bathrooms helps in relieving the issues of monitoring, and even helps clean more efficiently, it also brings more problems for students not involved in any of the reasons for the closings in the first place.
“It’s just annoying when the bathroom closest to your class is closed so
you have to walk to another one,” said junior Liam Yuasa.
Issues regarding the bathroom closest to you or your class being closed often happen during passing. Although given seven minutes, students may have to move faster or be concerned with how much time they have because they have to take a longer path.
“All the stalls are taken up most of the time during our breaks and then I have to hear the teachers ask why I didn’t go to the bathroom during recess,” said junior Aiden Pilar.
More problems with the lack of bathrooms arise during the breaks like recess when all the students are released at once. All with the same expectations to use the bathroom during these breaks, often leading to overcrowding.
“I guess the L building bathroom is better than G because it’s more spa cious, so even if there were big groups of people in there you could kind of get around. Plus, most of the locks are on the stalls,” said Yuasa.
In closing certain bathrooms, students may also be forced to use an outright worse bathroom than they’d like.
“I think [reopening all of the bathrooms] is always part of the plan, I think we will and we do when the concerns are minimized,” said Matsuba.
For more information regarding the issue contact Matsuba on the Mililani High School staff directory at Staff Directory | Mililani High School (milil anihs.org).
Writer Averey Jim Designer Alastair Domingo Photographer Ericka Duran
Are you a senior? Do you want an early start? The Trojan Times worked with the College and Career Counseling Center to give you a few tips on how to find scholarships.
Finding Scholarships in Hawaii:
- Go to mililanihs.org
- Go to Academics
- Click COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER
- Click SCHOLARSHIPS
- Scroll down and click Hawaii Community Foundation
? ?
Finding Scholarships Nationwide:
- Go to your browser
- Type bold.org
- Click down on Scholarships to show menu
- Click View all Scholarships
- Continue to find a scholarship that you’re most interested in
Make an appointment with your College and Career Counselor:
- Go to H107, the College and Career Center classroom
- Ask one of the counselors for a form to make an appointment
- On the form, add your name, grade and schedule
- Then on the form circle the scholarships option so your counselor is aware of what you are coming in for
- Bring a notebook, resume and an idea of what you want to do in the future to your appointment
As we’re now in the season of love, you may see stores garnished with hearts and boxes of chocolates lined up against the shelves. As you spot couples asking one another to be their Valentine, you might ask yourself, “What should I do on Feb. 14?” Whether it be with your friends, family or significant others, the best way to spend Valentine’s Day, in my honest opinion, is to kick back and enjoy romantic comedy movies. The rom-com is a popular movie genre full of cheesy cliches, humorous plot lines and of course, romance. These sorts of movies are perfect for Valentine’s Day no matter your age or relationship status, however, it can be difficult to pick out the good, the bad and the outright awful. For this reason, here are five rom-com movies that I rated based on the plot, characters and my overall enjoyment of the film.
outcasts. Furthermore, the plot and dialogue in the film was so fun, and I never failed to laugh at the witty jokes delivered by the characters. Usually I would cringe at these sorts of unrealistic highschool romance movies, but when watching 10 Things I Hate About You, my eyes were completely glued to the screen and I have to appreciate how well made this film was.
When Cameron attends the first day at his new high school, he crosses paths with popular beauty, Bianca Stratford, and immediately falls head over heels. Unfortunately, she isn’t allowed to date until her cynical and antisocial sister, Kat, gets a boyfriend. To win the heart of Bianca, Cameron pulls a few strings to set her sister up on a date with typical bad boy, Patrick Verona. This movie is one that I believe encaptures the true meaning of romantic comedy. Maybe I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers romance, but the dynamic between Kat and Patrick was something that I ate up like candy. It was very satisfying to watch their romance bloom amidst the chaos and havoc of high school life, creating a wonderful love story between two
Rio
Blu, a domesticated hyacinth macaw, never learned how to fly and has never stepped outside of the comfort of his home in Minnesota. Linda, his owner, is informed by Brazilian ornithologist, Tulio, that he is the last of his kind and is convinced to travel to Brazil in hopes of getting Blu to mate with a female macaw just like him. When
Blu and his potential mate, Jewel, get captured by smugglers and escape, they encounter a wild adventure full of self discovery, friendship and love. This is not what people would have in mind when hearing the term ‘rom-com,’ but in all honesty, this movie hits all the elements that makes it a romantic comedy. Not only does the film have fun, comical characters and an exciting plot, but it also conveys a beautiful message of how love can bring a person, or bird, to achieve what they may have initially believed to be impossible. Rio was also created with the intention of bringing awareness of the Hyacinth macaws, a species of macaws that are still on the verge of extinction. I believe that the amount of effort and heart that was put into this movie not just for our enjoyment, but for the concern of an endangered species is admirable in itself. But with most movies, they come with flaws. Because Rio, at its nature, is an animated kids movie, the dialogue occasionally gives me second-hand embarrassment and some characters aren’t well rounded. This does not, however, make me like the movie any less. The dynamic between the two macaws, as well as the sparking romance between Linda and Brazilian ornithologist, Tulio, further elevates this masterpiece of a children’s film. It would also be a crime not to mention the soundtrack of this movie, because that is what made me fall in love with it in the first place. As a bossa nova enjoyer, being able to watch this whimsical film while hearing
Writer Jullia Young Designer Camryn Okinaka Photo courtesy of Disney Movies. Photo courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes.
“Mas Que Nada” by Sergio Mendes in the background truly put me into tears. This movie as a whole has a special place in my heart and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who asks for a good rom-com.
the main character is LGBTQ, which is really refreshing to see. The representation shown in the film felt natural and not at all forced, fleshing out Ellie as a character even more. Her witty and thoughtful nature, along with Paul’s sweet and awkward personality, creates an endearing dynamic duo as they both pursue the heart of the same girl. While the film might not have the typical feel of a rom-com, with its almost gloomy atmosphere and a bittersweet ending, I believe that the story nonetheless shows the reality of true romance and how through it all, each character grew and discovered a part of themselves they never knew existed.
90s lingo and the costume designs that really captured the feel of the era, it’s a fun film that I come back to time and time again. The main character, although a bit ‘clueless,’ is very likable and has good intentions when making questionable decisions. This can also go for the rest of the characters, with lighthearted dialogue that really makes a rom-com a rom-com. I also thought that, though not really memorable, the dynamic that was portrayed between Cher and her step brother was kind of sweet. And yes I said it correctly, step-brother. That is the only true issue that I had with the film. I could not watch the film without getting weirded out every so often by the fact that they were step-siblings. Sure, it would’ve been worse if they were actually blood-related, but nonetheless, I cannot appreciate the romantic aspect of this movie if I do not think that two people, much less step-siblings, belong together. But I digress.
The Half of It
Ellie Chu is a straight-A student at her high school, who is also not so straight. Living with her single father and making money off of writing other people’s essays, she eventually encounters a goofy dork in need of someone to write a love letter to his crush. Reluctantly, Ellie agrees, leading her to fall for the girl she was paid to write to. Although this film is classified as a rom-com, it really isn’t all what the movie is about. It’s really only ‘the half of it.’ The movie does not fall into the typical stereotype or follow the usual formula of a regular rom-com, as the ending is left up to interpretation for the viewers. This decision, however, is one that I think is necessary to convey how the pursuit of love does not always give you what you want. The Half of It is also one of the first movies I’ve ever seen where
Clueless
Rich, fashionable and a little bit shallow, Cher has it all while on the top of the hierarchy in Beverly Hills High School. After playing matchmaking with her two teachers and succeeding, Cher is encouraged to give the new girl, Tai, a makeover. This iconic chick flick is a modern rendition of the Jane Austen novel, Emma, and I must admit, this is one of the classic turned modern types of movies that I really enjoyed. With the characters’ use of
ters to each of her past crushes, never intending to send them out. However, when they somehow get mailed one day, Lara Jean’s life in highschool gets completely turned upside down. I know that this movie has always been popular, but personally, I’ve never really been a fan. Originally written by Jenny Han, the same author who wrote The Summer I Turned Pretty, the characters come off as unlikeable and a little flat to me. I also don’t enjoy love triangles so this was a bit of a hard watch. Technically speaking, the dialogue felt plain and the acting wasn’t superb. There really was no genuine connection that I felt to any of the characters, making it difficult for me to care if the main character got together with the male lead or not. Although I love the Asian representation shown in the film, there are some scenes that I think waters down said representation. In one instance, both Lara Jean and Kitty, who are both Korean, excuse the racist portrayal of an Asian man in Sixteen Candles because the white male lead is hot. This film, especially when compared to Crazy Rich Asians which was released around the same time, presents a lack of care that was put into the cultural aspect of the main character. Culture shapes people’s identities, so neglecting and whitewashing a character who was purposely written to be Asian is quite offensive and insensitive. That is not to say that I completely disliked the film, as I am quite entertained by plots where fake relationships are created to stir up jealous exes. I’d also admit that this film is on the long list of bad romance movies that I watch as a guilty pleasure.
Quiet highschool girl Lara Jean pours all her heart out on five love let-
Photo courtesy of Paramount Movies.
Photo courtesy of IMDb.
Photo courtesy of IMDb.
TWriter Arie Yamasaki Designer Arie Yamasaki
here’s nothing that sets the internet abuzz more so than award season. Shifting out of the first half of winter that’s all holiday cheer and the second half that is seasonal depression, this month has been all about red carpet looks, nominees robbed and pop culture discourse galore. It’s a guilty pleasure to admit that I adore the lights, camera and certainly the action of it all.
Although big award shows such as the Oscars and the Tonys haven’t aired yet, it does not mean that we cannot discuss what has already taken place on the center stage.
The Golden Globes and the Emmys made it clear which television shows stood on top this year, Succession
created by Lee Sung Jin and The Bear by Christopher Storer. They all dom inated the award categories for best show, actors and more.
Beef has also received incredible acclaim as a limited series on Netflix centering around two strangers whose road rage incident leads into acts of petty revenge to get back to each other as the stakes and intensity of each act of revenge gets higher and higher. It’s an expertly written show about anger, toxic coping skills, Asian-American experiences and ultimately how we handle and control our feelings.
The show took home all three awards it was nominated for at the Golden Globes specifically for the work of lead actor Steven Yeun and lead actress Ali Wong. At the Emmys, Beef took home eight out of thirteen awards highlighting Yeun, Wong and writer and director Lee Sung Jin. It would be a lie to say seeing two Asian-American actors win a show focused on the experience of being Asian-American, written and directed by someone Korean-American isn’t something meaningful to me. It brightens my day seeing a show like Beef garner so much success.
each in hugs and embraces as soon as they walk up onto the stage.
My personal favorite in this lineup of shows is The Bear. The show follows Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, globally recognized chef de cuisine of his time, who returns back to his hometown of Chicago to upkeep his deceased brother’s sandwich shop. Now Carmy works to manage and organize the chaos of the shop with the
The Grammys were the most recent award show to happen, having aired Feb 4. There’s a lot I could talk about with the Grammys, from ‘Flowers’ by Miley Cyrus taking home two awards to Taylor Swift receiving Album of the Year for the fourth time in her career. But the categories I especially had my eyes on were the ones in Rock, Metal and Alternative, as those are the genres I tend to lean towards. While I can play the role of uppity rock fan and complain about the lack of awards given to bands such as Arctic Monkeys
tric genre was something that made me giddy to see.
Boygenius consists of the three singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus. Their music is less hard rock and more folk rock, and the trio took home awards for their album The Record and their song Not Strong Enough. The group is indefinitely on hiatus, announced Feb 2, as an opportunity for all three singers to explore their solo careers, but at the Grammys it was obvious the three are still incredibly close from their interactions and their dashing matching suits for the night.
On the topic of women paving the way in rock, Paramore’s 2023 come-
back album This is Why and their song following the same name as the album, took home two awards. Paramore won their first Grammy in 2015 for their song, ‘Ain’t it Fun’, making them the first rock band with a female frontman, Hayley Williams, to win an award from the Academy.
However, the Grammys also introduced new opportunities this year, one of which being Best African Music Performance. This category came from previous backlash around having all “global” music contained in one category although the sounds are all vastly different from each other as well as the rise of African music in the United States. Taking home the award was singer-songwriter Tyla for her
Yet, this also raised more conver sation on how the only artists within the category came from either Nigeria or South Africa and how the majority of the songs were considered under the genre of ‘Afrobeat’. As it just also happened to be Black History Month, it’s important to consider precon ceived notions seeing Africa as less of a collective idea and a few standout countries and more so an array of diverse nations, people and culture.
Despite this, it was also rewarding to see African-American singer-song writer Victoria Monet take home the award for Best New Artist even amongst names such as Gracie Ab brams and Ice Spice. The R&B artist has worked alongside big names in the music industry such as Ariana Grande but only recently began making an individual name for herself.
This is the part where I get to crack my knuckles and get ready to delve into one of my favorite geeky topics, film. As the Oscars didn’t happen yet I’ll only be talking about the nomina tions as well as the Golden Globes.
Creating as much of a stir as it did
back in the summer of 2023, Barbie has been the topic on everyone’s tongue. There’s conversation on distasteful comments made by Golden Globes host Jo Koy, the lack of an Oscar nomination for Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie despite being the
heart and so I will not go without mentioning the winner of the Best Motion Picture – Animated category which was Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron. The film has also been nominated for an Oscar and if it does win it would be director Hayao Miyazaki’s
she-said of award season. Nothing is more fun than scrolling through the latest pop culture drama or seeing if your favorite won.
But ultimately, when it comes down to it, art no matter in the form of show, music or film is about stories. From
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