When Crystal Santos was incarcerated, she realized her life was not headed in the direction she wanted. Determined to create a better future for herself and her family, she took her first step by enrolling in a carpentry micro-credential course through Kauaʻi Community College in 2024.

“When I got out, I knew I needed to do something for myself,” Santos said. “I was nervous and intimidated. I was 45 years old, and I hadn’t been in school for 29 years. I was afraid because there was this younger generation here. But once I got to Kauaʻi CC, so many doors and opportunities opened for me. Kauaʻi CC helped me through every doubt I had.”

Waiʻaleʻale support

Her connection to the college began through her daughter, who served as a Waiʻaleʻale Peer Mentor. Santos applied to the first-year support program that provides mentorship and guidance to students transitioning into college life.

Through the Waiʻaleʻale program, Santos found encouragement to apply for scholarships, helping her cover most of her educational expenses while building confidence in herself as a student.

“At first, I thought I wasn’t going to be able to learn anything,” she said. “But I pushed myself, and honestly, I learned so much. I gained knowledge, confidence and motivation. I’m ready to get back out there and start over.”

Greater opportunities for women

Construction and masonry have long been part of Santos’ family history, and working with her hands and building things for others feels natural to her.

“I like helping people,” Santos said. “I enjoy going out into the field and building things up.”

When she started in construction in her early twenties, Santos was often the only woman on the job site. Today, she sees greater opportunities and representation for women in traditionally male-dominated careers.

“The female population in these fields is growing,” Santos said. “It’s opening new chapters and new doors for women to say, ‘I can do this too—and it’s fun.’”

Inspiration for the future

Santos will graduate in May with an associate in science degree in carpentry technology, and plans to continue at Kauaʻi CC, where she will pursue another associateʻs degree in entrepreneurial business. Her long-term goal is to earn a commercial driver’s license through Leeward Community College, and eventually open her own heavy hauling business.

She said the civil engineering technology components of the carpentry program had the greatest impact on her professional development and inspired her to continue earning additional certifications in the future.

“I have so much gratitude,” Santos said. “I can’t believe this chapter is coming to an end.”

—By Caitlin B. Fowlkes

The is offering a series of free, week-long training classes in essential carpentry skills to support Lahaina recovery efforts.

The training courses will be led by professional instructors, and participants will receive hands-on experience with carpentry equipment, tools, roofing, siding, quality control and more.

The courses include sessions specifically for high school students.

“High school students can learn the basics of carpentry while helping our community recover from the 2023 wildfires,” said Chancellor Lui Hokoana.

During the training, participants will help build sheds that will be donated to Lahaina wildfire victims to aid in their recovery.

Course schedule:

• Courses open to all: start May 19 and June 9
• Courses for ����Ӱҵ Maui College employees only: start June 2
• Courses for high school students only: start June 16, June 23, July 7, and July 14

Classes will be held at the ����Ӱҵ Maui College carpentry shop, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No prior experience is necessary, and space is limited.

Register for all trainings here:

This semester, first- and second-year carpentry students at Kauaʻi Community College were able to help improve the campus apiary as part of their semester project learning to pour cement. Kauaʻi CC’s hives are one of the few disease-free honeybee sites left in the state.

The carpentry class poured a new cement foundation for the apiary which will allow bee production and queen bee breeding to double in size. Kauaʻi CC will also be able to begin exporting queen bees.

“This project allowed us to give back to our campus,” said Duke Lang, an assistant professor of carpentry. “Pouring the cement is a very small part of the learning process. Much of this project required planning in the classroom. This semester we are learning that proper planning is required for success in this field.”

Student Landon Bukoski has been in the carpenters union for a year and a half. He said he came to Kauaʻi CC to understand the industry holistically, in order to excel.

“Carpentry is like a puzzle,” Bukoski said. “This program has really helped me understand the full process—the math, the formulas, the building, and there’s a lot of hands-on instruction. I really like that Mr. Lang helps turn our weaknesses into strengths.”

Student Crystal Santos has been in construction her whole life, as her family owns a civil engineering company in Honolulu.

“I only knew the old school way, not the new school way,” Santos said. “I want to get my contractor’s license and need to know the math and the formulas. My brother is doing the same thing by apprenticeship, but I wanted to get an education.”

Lang, who was awarded a Board of Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching in 2022, added that he is always looking for ways for his students to give back to the community with service projects, such as working with the Habitat for Humanity.

Seats are available in a free eight-week carpentry pre-apprenticeship training program offered by for residents interested in pursuing career pathways in the skilled trades as carpenters, drywallers and millwrights starting October 10, 2022.

The successful completion of this intensive, hands-on course serves as a direct pathway to becoming a registered apprentice with the Hawaii Carpenters apprenticeship program. Training starts with carpentry fundamentals and basic tool use, construction math, basic print reading and applied carpentry skills. It culminates with a two-week paid internship at an active construction site.

Tuition for Oʻahu residents will be sponsored by , a statewide program offering short-term trainings that lead to industry credentials and registered apprenticeship programs.

Students will also be offered paid internship and employment opportunities.

Classes are held at the Hawaii Carpenters and Drywall Training Fund Center in Kapolei from October 10 to November 21, Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Required internship placements will be scheduled for November 28–December 9.

Visit to learn more and .

Financial support is provided by U.S. Department of Education federal grant #V425G200038, Reimagining Workforce Preparation: Hana Career Pathways, in the amount of $13,370,383.58 for the period of October 1, 2020–September 29, 2023.

Free short-term training classes leading to industry credentials in the resilient sectors of healthcare, technology and the skilled trades are being offered this summer at through the program. Hundreds of people will be eligible for these trainings, but those interested should apply now through the .

Trainings being offered this summer include certified nurse aide in the healthcare sector, CompTIA industry certifications for IT-related jobs, and carpentry pre-apprenticeship, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and commercial driver license prep in the skilled trades—all leading to employment and apprenticeship pathways.

“While our state continues to revitalize its economy, we must focus on educating our own residents to fill the high-demand jobs in our communities,” said ����Ӱҵ President David Lassner. “These fast-track trainings being offered by our ����Ӱҵ Community Colleges are an opportunity to build a quality workforce pipeline for our local employers and to help our communities return back to work.”

Employment and a better future

The Hana Career Pathways program prepares students to apply for registered apprenticeships and related degree programs, and connects students with work-based learning opportunities such as paid internships and guaranteed interviews with local employers.

“I was a stay-at-home mom and thought this program would be perfect for me,” said Sammilyn Pule-Kaahanui, of Molokaʻi, a recent graduate from the pharmacy technician training program at ����Ӱҵ Maui College. “I completed the course and I am now a certified pharmacy technician. I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to learn and increase their employment paths and overall better their future.”

$2 million for tuition

More than $2 million in Hana Career Pathways funding from the U.S. Department of Education is available for tuition this year. Eligible applicants receive tuition assistance for courses and other training costs such as books and industry certification exam fees. The program is free for most eligible participants, since many of the trainings provide a 100% tuition subsidy to cover all costs. Wrap-around services are also offered to students including college and career advising, referrals to community partners with supportive services, and other financial assistance.

“This free summer program provides a new opportunity for graduating high school students to be trained for the world of work, and to earn industry certifications that will help them succeed both in the workforce and in their educational pursuits,” said Stephen Schatz, executive director, Hawaiʻi P–20 Partnerships for Education. Graduating high school seniors are encouraged to .

Financial support for the Hana Career Pathways was provided by the U.S. Department of Education federal grant #V425G200038, Reimagining Workforce Preparation: Hana Career Pathways, in the amount of $13,370,383.58 for the period of October 1, 2020–September 29, 2023. Grants from the Ascendium Education Group, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation support the ����Ӱҵ Community Colleges’ coordination with industry partners in targeted sectors identified as recession-resilient in , issued by the Hawaiʻi Executive Collaborative.

Construction workers in Hawaiʻi have been working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, having been deemed “essential workers.” is offering unemployed Oʻahu residents a chance to get their foot into this industry with a free Carpenter Pre-Apprenticeship course that starts on October 4.

Training will start with instruction in carpentry fundamentals and basic tool use, construction math, basic blueprint reading and culminate with a two-week paid internship at an active construction site. Tuition and textbooks are free and in-person training at the Hawaii Carpenters and Drywall Training Fund Center in Kapolei will run Monday–Friday from 7 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

“We encourage prospective students who enjoy working with their hands to explore this opportunity to have a career in the construction industry, which has historically been an important contributor to economic growth in our state,” said April Acquavella, training coordinator for the . “The deadline to apply is Wednesday, September 29, so interested candidates should go to register at as soon as possible.”

Pay for a carpenter apprentice in the Hawaii Carpenters Apprenticeship Program starts at $20.50 an hour. Apprentices earn raises every 1,000 hours reported as they work towards their journeyworker’s certificate.

The Carpenter Pre-Apprenticeship class is one of about 50 in the fields of business and technology, healthcare, human services and trades being offered at through Oʻahu Back to Work, a rapid response employment training program that runs through December 17. About 400 training seats have already been filled. The free classes for Oʻahu residents struggling to find employment are sponsored by the City and County of Honolulu.

The built several solar-powered charging stations over the summer complete with seating, USB ports, wi-fi access and a unique roof and gutter system to keep students dry during �ᾱ����’s rainy weather.

The projects were completed through a collaboration between the carpentry program and the ����Ӱҵ �ᾱ����’s administrative affairs team.

Cost efficiency was key for the project to fit within the allocated summer project budget. Hawaiʻi CC carpentry students prepared and installed the concrete pads for the shelters and then constructed the 10 picnic tables. ����Ӱҵ �ᾱ����’s information technology specialists designed the solar infrastructure to charge electronic devices and installed wi-fi access points at each of the stations.

The team, which included ����Ӱҵ �ᾱ����’s Dave Baptiste and Shannon Asejo and Hawaiʻi CC’s Gene Harada and Darryl Vierra and the Hawaiʻi CC carpentry students, built and installed the tables at a fraction of the cost of purchasing and shipping tables with solar-powered charging stations to Hawaiʻi. The estimate to ship a 4-seat solar powered charging station table to Hawaiʻi was $17,946 per table. The material and supply cost to construct the 8-seat (or wheelchair accessible 6-seat) wood picnic table with a metal roof and gutter was $2,592 per table and extra solar panels from a previous project were used to keep costs down. The projects were initiated by Interim Vice Chancellor for Administrative Affairs Kalei Rapoza and Interim Chancellor Marcia Sakai.

The design of the stations includes solar panels mounted on the roofs to produce efficient renewable solar energy stored in a battery until students access the USB ports and outlets to charge electronic devices. A timing mechanism conserves the stored solar energy when the ports and outlets are not in use. The timer activates the USB ports and 110V outlets in 30-minute intervals to charge electronic devices and can be reactivated for subsequent 30-minute intervals.

The stations are in response to student requests for more covered outdoor spaces to sit, eat, talk story and study.

.

—By Susan Enright

10×12 foot tiny house rests in lush greenery just above a flume of clean flowing water built by Grove Farm and the campus’ loʻi.

“The house framing is up, the side panels are up and most of the roof is up as well,” said Carpentry Instructor Justin Carvalho, who has been working with students in the carpentry and facilities engineering, and electrical installation and maintenance programs to build a house based on renewable energy and sustainability using alternative materials.

Carvalho and his students are striving to build a home that would be affordable to construct and would promote healthy green living in communities. They applied basic construction skills to reuse local and abundant materials and integrate compactness with multi-functional living.

Carvalho said he wanted to “challenge the public to to think about how we can live with more sustainability in the future.“ He assembled sustainability-minded members from the County of Kauaʻi, Kauaʻi CC and construction industry professionals to design the unique project. “Kauaʻi is our home and we are committed to protecting and nourishing it for now and the future,” he said.

Tiny and efficient

The roof of the tiny house will be a green garden and the house will have a pond to grow local plants. It will be a “no maintenance garden,” said Carvalho. It will also have a compost toilet system with a full bath, shower and kitchen, and the top floor will contain beds and storage.

The Kauaʻi CC tiny house will be powered by the campus hydro-electric station that produces DC energy, which will charge the battery bank to use an inverter to convert DC to AC energy. Leading this phase is Daniel Erickson, the instructor who teaches the sustainable science management course in basic energy production, wastewater management and culinary sustainability. “I am very excitied about what we are doing,” Erickson said. “We are making one micro self-contained grid.”

James Andrews, Kauaʻi CC instructor and his electrical installation and maintenance technician program students will be installing the electrical utility and house wiring. “The best thing our students are learning is to work together with other trades to successfully complete a project,” Andrews said.

The tiny house project is supported by generous donations to the college to promote a healthy Kauaʻi. Construction is slated to be completed fall 2017.

“Anything we can do to enhance a healthy and robust lifestyle on Kauaʻi is part of our mission,“ said Kauaʻi CC Chancellor Helen Cox. “Our tiny house project is a perfect fit,“ she said.

—By Camilla Matsumoto

Impromptu hula generated sunny smiles, as dedicated the college’s 50th built by students and handed the keys to the new homeowner, Luana Dang and her family.

“�Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ�� Community College is nō ka ʻoi,” said Dang. “I hope my grandchildren come here.”

Students in five �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ�� CC programs built the home. More than 4,000 students have participated since the Model Home project was established in 1965, to give students in construction trade programs a hands-on learning experience.

• Related: �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ�� CC reunion celebrates 50 years of model homes, April 13, 2017

“You just learn so many world experiences,” said student Keoki Baily. “After this you can go outside and build your own house.”

“This project has meant a lot to me because it helps us to get ready for the outside field of work,” said student Tyson Ah Puck.

The acts as the developer, while �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ�� CC provides the skilled labor at no cost, resulting in an affordable home for a local family.

Carpentry Professor Gene Harada, who built model homes as a student and graduated from �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ�� CC in 1975, is a shining example of how the program continues to give back to the community.

“We’ve been very fortunate that so far I have 15 past graduates since 1991 that have gotten their contractors license and they are coming back to hire our students,” said Harada.

Here’s to the next 50 years, �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ�� Community College!

See at the �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ�� CC flickr.

—By Kelli Trifonovitch

Alumni and Friends will be celebrating with a reunion on April 28, 5:30–9 p.m. at the University of Hawaiʻi Hilo Campus Center Dining Room. The reunion is a chance for alumni and friends to reconnect with classmates, instructors and others in the construction industry.

The was established in 1965, and the first home was completed in 1966. Nearly every year since, students in construction trade programs have designed and built a custom home for a local family. Since the program’s inception, the Model Home Project has provided more than 4,000 Hawaiʻi CC students with valuable hands-on experience.

, or contact Lori Medeiros at lmedeiro@hawaii.edu or (808) 934-2518 for tickets and sponsorship options.

University faculty members Tommylynn Benavente, Dean Crowell, Lisette Marie Flanary, Michael Furuto, David Gordon Garmire, Mazen Hamad, Thomas K. Hussey, Robert D. Joseph, Ann Y. Kennedy, Davin Kubota, Mari Matsuda, Jessica Nishikawa, Maile M. Taualii and Lance Uyeda were honored with the Board of Regents’ Medal for Excellence. The award is a tribute to faculty members who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject level mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness, and creativity and personal values that benefit students.

2016 honorees

Tommylynn Benavente
Professor, ,

Tommylynn Benavente began as a lecturer at Leeward Community College in 1984. For more than 30 years, Benavente has set the bar high for her students, while providing the guidance and encouragement for them to succeed. Her work as a teacher exhibits a relentless dedication to curricular improvement and a tireless enthusiasm for creating enriching opportunities for her students, the program and the college. In 2010, Benavente was honored with the Masaki and Momoe Kunimoto Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions to Vocational Education.

Benavente worked with island chefs and developed externships for her students that have become an integral part of the culinary arts program, enabling students to work along side some of Hawaiʻi’s best known chefs. Over the years, Benavente has built strong community connections, exemplified by the hugely successful Annual Scholarship Brunch, which attracts more than 1,000 people each year and raises more than $10,000 for scholarships.

Benevente is a master in building confidence in her students and improving their abilities in communication, problem solving, organization and adaptability. She is the ultimate role model for all her students.

She obtained her master’s degree in educational technology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Dean Crowell
Assistant professor, ,

It is not often that the committee receives a nomination from the entire graduating class. Students describe this year’s awardee Dean Crowell as a skilled craftsman and talented educator. He uses a variety of techniques and draws from his own personal experience to teach and inspire students to succeed. Students say he is a motivational force in their academic experience.

Crowell’s lectures are clear and informative, incorporating a variety of media including visual displays, videos and hands-on demonstrations. His classes are disciplined and structured and he expects high levels of achievement from students. Beyond daily coursework, Crowell uses projects and activities to teach students leadership skills, and the importance of hard work and dependability. Indeed, service learning projects are a hallmark of each student’s education.

His concern for students extends to their success after graduation. He brings speakers to talk about different parts of the trade and works with employers and union representatives to provide job opportunities to students.

Always encouraging, years from now, students will remember his motto, “Perceive, believe, and you will achieve!”

Assistant professor, ,

Lisette Flanary brings 20 years of experience to the ����Ӱҵ Mānoa Academy for Creative Media in the fields of producing, directing and writing for film and television. At the core of her teaching practices is a dedication to the university’s commitment to creating a Hawaiian place of learning that highlights indigenous scholarship concurrent with valuing local identity, community and diversity.

She has developed courses that ensure student filmmakers will receive rigorous educational experiences to well equip them professionally upon graduation.

One student writes of a pivotal moment in her education when she realized that Professor Flanary believed more in her project than the student did herself. A colleague explains her teaching success as a combination of exuding tremendous respect for students with maintaining high academic standards.

Michael Furuto
Assistant professor, ,

Michael Furuto is a dynamic educator who is passionate about his students, their learning, and working together to achieve overarching goals. He is a strong proponent of using a variety of pedagogical approaches to optimize student learning and strives to exemplify the saying “Give a man a fish; and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish; and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Furuto endeavors to help students succeed both in-and-out of the classroom, and emphasizes real-world application problems to assist students in connecting math to their everyday lives. He has mentored students from all over the state.

“Michael Furuto is the best professor I have ever had,” said a ����Ӱҵ West Oʻahu student. “He goes out of his way to make sure his students fully understand the material. He’s always available when we need him and he always greets us with a friendly smile.”

A ����Ӱҵ West Oʻahu faculty member commented, “Michael’s dedication and support for his students is outstanding. I’ve been teaching for 40 years and he’s one of the best teachers I’ve ever known.”

Associate professor, ,

David Garmire of the Department of Electrical Engineering is considered by colleagues to be one of the most accomplished faculty in his college. He has pursued excellence in teaching to simultaneously accelerate his own innovation and inspire students to achieve their life goals.

He merges engaged face-to-face pedagogy with unique uses of technology to create high levels of performance by students working with advanced material. He was involved in the development of the new ����Ӱҵ iLab in Building 37, a space considered to be an “innovation incubator” because it allows students to collaborate and create inventive solutions to challenging problems.

Rather than retreating to his office, he can often be found at a desk in the lab, and is fully present while students work.

Mazen Hamad
Associate professor, ,

Mazen Hamad received his PhD in chemistry from the University of Washington and worked for four years as a research chemist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration prior to joining ����Ӱҵ Hilo in 2008. He specializes in teaching the analytical chemistry classes but also enjoys teaching general and organic chemistry.

In analytical chemistry, Hamad teaches students to use modern instrumentation to analyze real world samples. These skills will help students excel in the workforce after graduation or will give them a running start in graduate school.

In general and organic chemistry, his goal is to help students like chemistry. Students should see that chemistry is interesting, important and useful, but this perception can be clouded when they feel frustrated. By keeping students engaged and working hard, students can overcome the challenges and focus on how chemistry can be beneficial to their lives.

When not in the classroom, Hamad enjoys working with various university governance committees, supporting science education at local elementary schools, mentoring students in undergraduate research, updating chemistry curricula, reviewing articles for scientific journals and contributing to community science events.

Thomas K. Hussey
Associate professor, ,

A graduate of Maui Community College, Thomas Hussey worked as an automotive master technician in both the private and public sectors. He has more than 20 years in the automotive industry and 24 years at ����Ӱҵ Maui College.

Hussey’s involvement in community activities includes work with Keiki Fest and DARE. At the Holoholo Ka’a event on the ����Ӱҵ Maui College campus, Thomas brings his drag race car and a customized golf cart with life-size action figures for keiki photo opportunities.

His primary joy is when he explains the theories behind the operation of vehicle parts and hears students say, “I get it now,” as he watches their confidence and competence develop. Hussey’s commitment to excellence is visible in his encouraging students to “challenge themselves” while paying close attention to safety because “they are responsible for the lives in the vehicle they service.” One of his greatest joys is when he can place a student in employment.

Hussey keeps current with the latest technology so he can pass this on to his students. He plans to expand the automotive shop, gain additional instructional faculty and create a hybrid and an alternative fuel degree. A colleague said, “Thomas is THE go-to guy in emergencies and friendships.”

Ann Y. Kennedy
Instructor, ,

Ann Y. Kennedy serves as the accounting program coordinator and is a licensed CPA in Hawaiʻi. Her drive for teaching comes from seeing students aim high with their educational, career and personal goals, and helping them achieve what they may not have dreamed possible.

She was selected as the Kauaʻi campus representative for the 2014–2015 Community College Leadership Champions and 2015–2016 President’s Emerging Leaders Program. Kennedy also served as lead advisor of Alpha Pi Xi, Kauaʻi’s Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society 2013–2015. During that time, the chapter was recognized as a Top 100 Chapter out of 1,285 total chapters and received numerous awards including Horizon Advisor and Distinguished Honors in Action Project.

One student’s thank you note stated, “Thank you for believing in me more than I believe in myself.” These acknowledgements inspire Kennedy to continue helping students realize that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to do. She also aims high with her own learning, by constantly seeking new outlets for ideas and teaching approaches.

Davin Kubota
Associate professor, English,

Davin Kubota, associate professor and coordinator of writing intensive courses, believes that his role as a teacher is to “allow students to develop agency by making them take pride in their words, making them stand by these words with critical thinking, passion, then fostering a desire to bring about academic, soft-skills and real-world change to the diverse worlds which they impact.”

He is constantly progressing in terms of his teaching methods. In recent semesters he has utilized a flipped classroom technique to better involve students with their learning.

One of his students shared this about him, “I read the quote at the beginning of the email notification, and it read “…a great teacher inspires.” Simply put, that is exactly what Professor Kubota does; he inspires you as a student, and he does not inhibit creativity. In fact, his assignments and methods promote effective self-expression through uninhibited creativity.”

Kubota has collaborated at the Study Hub at Kapiʻolani CC, judged at Hawaiʻi Speech League contests, participated in the ESU Shakespearean Monologue Competition, International Café Club and the Gaming Club, enhancing his rapport with students and colleagues.

Astronomer, ,

Robert Joseph has the exceptional ability to teach a range of astronomy courses in a way that facilitates students to learn to think like researchers and to feel comfortable to ask questions in their own fields of interest.

A unique course of his own design is Astronomy 140, the historical and conceptual development within astronomy and its influence on intellectual history and other disciplines.

His service to ����Ӱҵ Mānoa students is exemplified through the Institute for Astronomy and the Honors Program, yet he manages to make time to teach the subject to inmates at the Women’s Correctional Center in Olomana and to elder students attending the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. At the heart of his teaching philosophy is that astronomy is a human enterprise.

Editor’s note: Robert Joseph passed away on May 9, 2016.

Professor, ,

Mari Matsuda had two great influences on her teaching life: her mother, a teacher of teachers in the community college system, and former Chief Justice William S. Richardson, namesake of the law school. Both taught her to value what each student brings to the table—an ability to learn and an instinct for justice.

Her seminar, Organizing for Social Change, is taught in a workshop format so students can become resources for one another in problem-solving while completing projects. Many of her students have gone on to become full-time change agents in Hawaiʻi and beyond.

This gifted professor has written extensively on legal education and intersections with other fields, and her inspiring work is widely read due to her ardor for the subject matter.

Assistant professor, ,

Jessica Nishikawa is an engaging teacher and expert clinician with a focus on geriatrics. She instructs many of the school’s foundational graduate courses and is described by students as the best professor they’ve ever had.

Because she believes that effective teaching involves adaptation based on reflection and student feedback, her courses continually evolve. A colleague says she sets up students for success by being organized, approachable, having a great sense of humor, providing clear instructions, setting high expectations and giving thorough and timely feedback.

She has extended her teaching into the community through the career and technical education program for public high schools and, in doing so, helped raise the quality of education in the health services pathway.

Assistant professor, ,

When Maile Taualii arrived in the Department of Public Health Sciences, she was tasked with establishing the world’s first and only accredited Indigenous master of public health specialization with no textbooks, models, competencies or guides. By working with people to define what would be of greatest use to their communities, she developed and grew the Native Hawaiian and indigenous health specialization. This pathway celebrates the strengths of native peoples and educates decision-makers.

Said one of her students, “Sometimes I feel I do not have the support of everyone in my family, but Dr. Taualii has been there to make sure I succeed. She has pushed me to become stronger and taught me to believe in myself, something I could not have achieved on my own.”

Assistant professor, ,

Lance Uyeda constantly strives for excellence in the classroom and inspires students to achieve.

His students say he impacted their college experience in a positive way—he is always prepared for class, delivers creative instruction and sets them up for success. With Uyeda ’s help, students are able to set goals, explore current and real-life problems around the world and strive to be, not only good students, but good citizens as well.

One colleague commented, “As a teacher, Lance paints in vivid colors with his heart. Working with him in an IS 103 learning community was the single most transformative experience of my career as an educator. I literally learned something priceless about our craft every Tuesday and Thursday.”

A Native Hawaiian family in Hilo received keys to a new home today that was custom built from the ground up by students during the past academic year. The college, the family and community partners dedicated the home in the Keaukaha area of Hilo on Thursday, May 12.

The home was built as part of Hawaiʻi Community College’s . The Model Home Project was established in 1965, and this year students completed the 49th home constructed through the project.

It takes a team

Hawaiʻi CC students in a variety of construction trades programs receive valuable hands-on experience each year by designing, building and landscaping the home.

Students in the college’s design the home; students build the home; students in the install the photovoltaic system; students provide equipment maintenance; students landscape the lot; and members of the conduct the blessing ceremony.

The homes are built with many green features in keeping with the college’s commitment to sustainability. The homes comes with a solar water heater system, a photovoltaic system and many other features such as Energy Star qualified appliances, low v.o.c. paints and more.

Photos from the dedication

View more photos on the .

More about the Model Home Project

The Model Home Project is a partnership with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands acts as the developer and Hawaiʻi CC provides the skilled labor force while educating students.

Since the program was founded, more than 3,960 students in Hawaiʻi CC construction trades programs have benefited from hands-on experience through the Model Home Project.

����Ӱҵ News video on 46th model home

, May 10, 2013

—By Thatcher Moats

Preparing high school students for the workforce was the theme of a special recognition ceremony that honored 53 high school students entering grades 10-12 and recent 2015 graduates from 21 Oʻahu high schools who successfully completed the Summer Program.

“The goal of our summer program is to ultimately give our students the chance to experience a little bit of the college campus,” explains Kenton Short, Construction Academy Program coordinator. “Students get the opportunity to get hands on training in various trades, giving them the opportunity to make informed choices, so that they can steer their own futures.”

The students were admitted into Honolulu CC for the four-week summer program. First-time students were exposed to four different career industries (carpentry, welding, sheet metal, and architectural, engineering and CAD technologies). Sixteen students are returning for their second, and in some cases, third summer with the program. These students participated in an advanced curriculum featuring carpentry and welding.

The Construction Academy Summer Program started with 12 students in 2008 and has grown over its seven-year existence. The summer experience is an extension of the Construction Academy that is in approximately 16 high schools across the state during the academic year filling the gap of industrial education in the public schools. The program was established through a grant funded by the and continues to operate solely on legislative funding.

“With the future workforce projection in the construction industry, we are able to provide career exploration that will eventually lead students to Honolulu CC to obtain a certificate or degree in a specific career or technical program eventually providing an entry point into the workforce,” Short shares.

For more photos, go to the .

—By Billie Lueder

The University of Hawaiʻi presents ����Ӱҵ News on OCSports. Narrated by ����Ӱҵ students, the four-and-a-half minute segments air on the OCSports channel during ����Ӱҵ sporting events.

  December 2012 and January 2013

• (reported by ����Ӱҵ Mānoa student Mark Tenorio)
• (reported by ����Ӱҵ Mānoa student Leon Sheen)
• (reported by ����Ӱҵ Mānoa student Leon Sheen)
• (reported by ����Ӱҵ Mānoa student Keliʻi Alapai)
• (reported by ����Ӱҵ Mānoa student Keli’i Alapai)
• (reported by ����Ӱҵ Mānoa student Mark Rulona)
• (reported by ����Ӱҵ Mānoa student Emilie Howlett)

����Ӱҵ News on OCSports highlights University of Hawaiʻi programs systemwide.

To view more segments go to the .

Every year, like clockwork, the at in Hilo, are hard at work, in and out of the classroom.

“We get the hands-on and class assignments. We learn inside the class and then come outside and do it step by step,” said carpentry student Kai Respicio.

“High school you learn the basics, but over here you learn everything from foundation to finish,” agreed fellow carpentry student Jacob Ramos.

The two-year program has a maximum of 16 students per year who can earn either a certificate of achievement, or an associate degree if they take the required core classes. Each year, the class builds a family home on Hawaiian Homelands. So far, the students in the college’s have constructed 45 homes.

“They have the hands-on experience of building a model home,” said carpentry professor Gene Harada. “All the way from the foundation to actually doing the framing, the roof applications, sidings and also the fabrication of the custom built cabinets for each house.”

“I think it is very important,” said Respicio. “You get the experience before you go outside and you know like half the stuff that you do.”

Students from the college’s drafting, electrical, diesel and agriculture programs also gain valuable real world experience. Experience that immediately pays off for the carpentry students. If they are accepted into the carpenter’s union, they are automatically credited with a thousand work hours and four hundred classroom hours.

“Hope this is going to lead me, to the future, to be one contractor,” said Ramos. “That’s my ultimate goal.”

The Hawaiʻi Community College carpentry program helped Harada achieve his goals. He graduated from the program in 1975.

“Actually, when I was here, I did help build number 11 house for the program,” said Harada. “Based on what I went through and what I did in the industry, it’s a great skill to learn, especially going into industry with the knowledge that you obtained from this program.”

“I love this program,” said Ramos. “I like stay here a couple more years if can.”