Being given this chance on HIKI NO to come and,## and share our stories, it's# just such a dream come true.

Media has taught me a lot of life skills.

It also# taught me how much workload that I can take on.

It was an amazing experience.

In today's society,## people want to hear from the youth.

I think it's, it's amazing to have that,## especially as a student like, with a dream.

The skills that we've learned in HIKI NO totally## helped us achieve that.

[slow orchestral music] Bestie Dillon.

# My name is Dillon Catlett and I am a class# of 2024 graduate from Wai‘anae High School.

My name is Denise Cabrera, and I'm also a class# of 2024 graduate from Wai‘anae High School.

I## started media in elementary school.

I was in fifth# grade, and I was new to the school, because I just## moved to Hawai‘i, and it just so happened that my# homeroom teacher was also the media teacher.

So,## I joined the club, and I didn't know what# HIKI NO was until Ms. Higuchi was like, “Yeah,## HIKI NO.

Like, it's for PBS.

Like, they want the# story, they'll help you write it and everything.” And we were filming around the robotics story, but# I needed a student, and it just so happened to be## that it was Dillon.

Perfect.

I think I came really far, because I came from a# person not knowing how to build robots to a person## that knows how to do it and how to operate it.

That was kind of like my first main introduction## to media.

I feel like, like seeing Denise's# story being, like, produced in the robotics## room.

I feel like it was pretty cool.

Like, at# first, I was kind of nervous to being interviewed,## but as I found out how much she needed# it, I agreed to do it, and in the end,## I'm glad I did it.

It brought kind of attention# to the robotics program at Wai‘anae Intermediate.

While he dreams of expanding robotics# in Wai‘anae, Donahue is thankful for## the students who helped him get started.

We've been in the same robotics team since## seventh grade.

Did you know it was on HIKI NO?

No, not until you told me later on,## I was like, “Yeah.” And that was the first## one I think I really worked on for HIKI NO.# And then after that, the jud.. and the former Olympian.

I didn't know how# much work, like, really, like, went into it.

The torch of leading Leeward judo club has been# passed down from one generation to the next.

I would send the video in, and then they would# send back feedback.

And I kind of go through## that cycle, like, maybe five or six times before# it's, like, finally ready to be published.

So,## I got surprised by how much work went into it.

But# actually, I really liked it.

I thought it was fun,## like I got to work on something, and then# it was going to be on TV.

That's never,## I've never had that before, so it# was just a really great experience,## especially for a middle schooler, right?

My freshman year was during Covid,## and because of that, we had to do distance# learning through Google Meets.

I always knew## about the media program, because I was friends# with Denise and other people, so I always knew## about it.

But in freshman year, I really wanted# to, like, change what I was going to be doing,## so I decided to do the media program.

And ever# since then, I kind of fell in love with it,## even through distance learning.

[slow piano chords] So, John Allen III, like, he's been our media# teacher.

I got to recently work on a documentary## for SP’s, Searider Productions’ 30th anniversary,# and then learn about John when he was a student## and when he started becoming a teacher.

And# I think it's just really cool seeing how much## passion he has for the program, knowing that he# stayed there pretty much all 30 years of it.

For the students, that's just setting themselves# up for success.

99.9% of them won't do broadcast## news, and that's okay, but all of them,# 100% of them, will get this experience,## go out there and problem solve and put together# something as a group and work together,## and it's important for everybody to get# that, I think, especially at this young age.

Yeah, John.

Yeah, John taught me, like, everything# about the camera, like, everything that I know,## like, like, if all the photography things I do# with him, like, if I go with him into a wedding,## all the things I know is because of him.

John's always been there, like,## almost like a father figure to most# of us, not just a teacher, so.

My hopes for the program at the time was# to just have something that students can## learn and have fun; something that will make them# want to come to school, want to stay in school,## and make projects that would make them# proud and make the community proud.

Coming out of Covid, things were pretty rough.# Searider Productions was kind of at its,## one of its lowest points.

Rebuilding the# program back up from that state was kind## of a big deal for them.

And I was also trying# to raise the standard for Searider Productions.## Me and Denise wanted to maintain that really high# standard, and kind of pushed ourselves for that.

Eggs, bread, milk, rice and produce are only# a few of the many staple foods experiencing## drastic price changes due to inflation here at# the Wai‘anae store, a local grocer in Wai‘anae.

A lot of our stories are community based, and# that's like one thing I really love about the## program, as Denise mentioned, how it's kind of# integrated into the program.

There's certain## problems that only pertain to Hawai‘i compared to# the rest of the nation.

Like, all of our goods are## imported.

So, one of the stories, the gross# increase in groceries, I feel like that was## a really good one to kind of highlight the prices# and how much is actually rising, especially like,## our community too, where it's kind of lower# income, so it's kind of harder to get groceries.

We used to eat a lot of vegetables.# Everything has just gone up so much.

We're from Wai‘anae, and we're automatically# given a bad reputation, even though it's not## as bad as what you hear.

Like, people there# are actually so kind and so loving and it's## such a tight knit community.

And just being able# to go out there, listen to each of their stories## and what they think about issues affecting us# and actually broadcasting it, because it's not## as focused on in, like, mainstream news, it# was really nice to be able to publish that.

Despite inflation, it all comes back to the same# goal: providing good food for the community.

No one's really a stranger in Wai‘anae.# Like, if you're from the community, like,## they can just ask someone for help, and they're# gladly willing to, like, lend you a hand or help## you with anything that you need help with.

This is Denise Cabrera from Wai‘anae High## School for HIKI NO, on PBS Hawai‘i.

I remember in middle school I had like,## an eighth grader when I was in seventh grade,# she came down and hosted one of your like, awards## presentation shows, and I was like, “Oh, that's# so cool.

I wish I could do that.” And then I did## it in my senior year.

So, it felt kind of like a# dream come true.

We don't use teleprompters at SP,## because John likes it better when we memorize it,# because it feels natural.

But getting to read off## the teleprompter, it felt so easy, and it felt# like a breeze.

And then getting the whole hair## and makeup thing, and picking out my outfits,# and then getting to see myself on TV, like,## hosting a show, I think that was really fun.

I'm usually behind the camera, especially this## past year.

I was the show producer my senior# year, so I was usually behind the camera or## editing.

John came up to me and was like, “Yeah,# Dylan, PBS, you know, has like this opportunity## for you to kind of host one of the shows.

Would# you like to do it?” And I was like, “Oh, maybe,## I'm not sure.” But in the end, I kind of was# like, I was going to take the opportunity,## because I really wanted to kind of take any chance# I get in high school.

So, I decided to agree.

HIKI NO hosts experience what it's# like to be a professional host of## a real television production.

I'm gonna be attending UH Manoa,## majoring in computer engineering.

Recently,# I got the offer, possibly to be the football## photographer for the UH Manoa football team.

Media has taught me a lot of life skills.

It## also taught me how much workload that I can# take on.

So, like, before, I wasn't sure, like,## if I could take on this Challenge, or how much# things can I add up on my schedule.

But after,## kind of, like, dealing with media and all those# stressful times, I kind of know, like, what's## my limit and how much I can take on a workload.

I'm going to Yale for college, and I'm thinking## of majoring in computer science, but I'm kind of# stuck in between that and mechanical engineering.## And I know it sounds weird, like, having done# media my whole life, but I feel like robotics## is where I want to get a career in.

But I still# do want to keep media as a hobby and join a bunch## of clubs like photography or the newspaper or# something, to still keep in touch with it and keep## my skills going.

Coming from Searider Productions,# and knowing that it's so integrated into the## community, and, like, when we're out filming in# the community, we tell people like, “Oh, we're,## we're from SP,” and they're like, “Oh my gosh.# Like, I remember that like when I was in high## school.” And them instantly knowing who we are,# or asking about John or Mrs. Suiso, it's, it's a## really nice feeling knowing that there's people in# the community that still support us through this## day.

And I know from, like, right from the# start, when Mrs. Suiso started the program,## it was always to make the community proud, and I'm# really glad that still today, like, the students## that are still in it now, or like, when we were# in it, we were all trying to best - we were all## trying our best to make the community proud.

Searider Productions does offer us a lot of## opportunities, but there are other# schools across the island that don't## get many opportunities as much as us.

So,# I feel like HIKI NO is a really good way## for you guys to provide them an opportunity.

I love the idea of HIKI NO.

The way that students## are able to produce professional work and learn# things in the trade, especially in journalism,## I think it's, it's amazing to have that,# especially as a student like, with a dream.

[slow piano music] We made a class short film## at the end of the year.

You know, the whole# class had some type of role in it, and I was## the Director of Photography, and the Director was# Alys, and we were kind of beefing the entire time,## because she would just criticize my shots in# ways that I thought were not a proper critique.

He's just being a hater, you know?

I was# just trying to give him some advice.

We’re## just besties like that.

Yeah.

We just got that -- We got over the beef, and we actually -- We're just linked, like -- Telepathy.

Yeah, there we go.

I'm Alys Tolentino, and I'm class# of 2024 from Baldwin High School.

I'm Samuel Paci, and I just graduated from# H.P.

Baldwin High School.

My first ever## HIKI NO Challenge was in the year 2022 when I# was a junior, and it was for the music store,## Request Music, a little music store in the midst# of Wailuku and its impact on the community.

Request always had that funky vibe with things# that Vince had collected over the years.

So,## we are a music store, but we are,# you know, a comic store.

We have## a lot of things that you would not expect.

That was a big learning curve for me.

I grew## so much from that one Challenge.

I learned from# all those mistakes I made, like one time I left## the SD card and our teacher, Trisha Roy, drove# me all the way to the store.

Making those big## mistakes really helps you cement in your mind# the process that you're supposed to go through,## and really going down your checklist to make# sure you don't miss anything.

And I feel## like that was, that was really big for me.

And for most people throughout their lives,## music is sort of their soundtrack to# their life, and it's always going to## be integral to their experiences.

Obviously, there was Covid for my,## my freshman year, so we actually didn't come# to school at all.

That was quite the shock.

We're suddenly not able to hug each other,# because that's how we, you know, say hello,## in Hawai‘i.

We hug each other and we kiss each# other's cheeks, and we just couldn't do that,## because that's just our way of saying Aloha.# You know, my grandma had recently passed away,## and like, Covid was happening, and it was just# like, too much, and then I had to come back to do## a Personal Narrative.

Mrs. Roy actually talked# with me to like, help me.

Just write a paragraph.## Just don't think about the film.

Just write it as# if you're telling a story or a poem to yourself,## and then we can break it down from there.

One of the hardships we went through started## right before school began last year.

My grandma,# who lived with us, had suddenly passed away.

When I wrote this with my mom, I was actually# crying.

She didn't know what to do, because she## really doesn't really see me cry that much, and# it was like, a very vulnerable moment for me.

Even though my grandma never# got to see me graduate, I know## she's proud of the woman I'd grown up to be.

I don't really express my feelings that much.

So,## it was way tougher to write this Personal# Narrative about myself.

And I learned a lot## through this.

I actually had to film, edit# everything on my own, so like, I got to,## you know, cry even more about doing it, and I# don't regret making it at all.

Every part of the## process is like, part of me, and I enjoyed it.

[speaks Hawaiian] Family.

My Hawai‘i.

My home.

My mom started to show people, and she started to# tell me the feelings that they felt through it,## especially because some could resonate with it and# like, relate.

It was an amazing experience.

Maui is an incredible island, and I'm so# proud to have been born and raised there.

So## when a fire destroyed the town of Lahaina and# damaged so much of our home island in August,## we were in shock.

The night of August 8,# all my family and I could see from our## home in central Maui was a giant blaze# of orange up country and out in Kihei.

We go to our senior year, and we had like,# devastating fires in Lahaina, even up Kula.

I happened to have a stepfather that was a# firefighter and actually fought the Lahaina fires,## but not only that.

He grew up in Lahaina, so# it was even more personal and deep to him.

I mean, there's no words to describe the fires# that devastated the whole town of Lahaina.

In August 2023, Maui firefighters were called to# duty to fight not one but three fires on Maui.## Ray Watanabe, my stepfather was one of them.

At first, I was kind of hesitant to even ask him,## because I knew it was something that was# like, really, really meaningful to him.## One of the biggest moments of his# life was fighting those fires.

Oh, growing up in Lahaina was awesome.

I had a# twin brother, so, you know, we did a lot of things## together.

I came from the old Pioneer Mill area.

I just didn't know if it was too soon, you know,## it was only like, maybe a month after.# So, I went up and asked him, and he was,## he was cool about it.

This entire town just burned# down, and so much history.

But the news articles,## they don't really exemplify that.

And when you# hear it from someone who personally grew up in## Lahaina and has so much heritage like, ingrained# in there, and then hearing his perspective, I feel## like it's just a totally separate thing, that,# that brings a lot of value to the conversation.

There's always going to be a lot# of negative experiences, but to me,## the positive outweigh the negative experiences.

Once I submitted A Firefighter's Journey,## HIKI NO actually asked me if I could# come host the Maui Strong episode.

I## came into the studio and recorded it.

In this episode, we want to honor## Lahaina and the island of Maui by sharing# memorable stories from the HIKI NO archives.

I was really, really nervous.

I was at an upset# stomach all morning, and I was sweating a lot.

I## was just building it up as being so much# scarier than it was.

I was mesmerized by## how awesome this studio is and all the cool# people behind the scenes.

HIKI NO allowing## me to host an episode really kind of gave me# an insight as to how like studios look, how## professional environments for filming looks, and# it also gave me the opportunity to test out my,## my kind of talking in front of a camera and trying# that whole thing out.

It gave me direction as to## what I kind of want to do with my future.

In the# fall, I will be going to University of Portland,## and currently I'm down as a communications major.

I think most of the skills that I've learned## from my media class, and you know, HIKI NO,# PBS, has definitely made me want to pursue## the things that I am going to in college.

I# was going to follow up and either go to UH## Manoa and do film and continue that, along with# Korean, so that I could study abroad to Korea.

A lot of the things that I want to learn,# like Korean and film and dancing, they all## kind of resonate with each other, because# even in film you see dancing, even in film,## you have K-Dramas, and I felt like I could always# combine those three, learn all three of them,## and just mix it together.

It's like art.

It's a# canvas, and that's really what I enjoy, and I felt## like just showing my feelings and emotions and# having a whole story behind film and dance could## really resonate with the audience watching.

Being from Maui and being given this chance on## HIKI NO to come and share our stories# is just such a dream come true.

It's## something that really helps people like,# define what their career is going to be,## and even if they don't go into the film industry# or, or anything related to PBS, it's still just## an amazing experience that will be at least within# me for my whole life.

So, I really treasure that.

[slow orchestral music] I was watching all of our videos## back like, this year compared to last year.# Who were those kids from last year?

Be.. the videos that we made this year totally blowed# the ones we made last year out of the water.

My## name is Tamar Wachi, and I'm a class of 2024# graduate from Hawai‘i Technology Academy.

My name is Kiara Haid, and I'm also a 2024# graduate from Hawai‘i Technology Academy.

My first introduction to HIKI NO was the 2022# Fall Challenge.

We made a profile story on## Hawai‘i Plantation Village in Waipahu.

Located in the historic town of Waipahu,## this must-see family friendly museum narrates# the story of immigration in Hawai‘i and## highlights our unique multicultural society.

My first interaction was also the same Challenge,## except me and Tamar were in two different# groups, so we did a How-To on the kukui nuts,## how you can turn those into candles, and we# basically just talked about the history behind it,## and like, how to do it yourself.

There's also a saying that the## Hawaiian candle is lighting the way, as# well as being seen as a way, spiritually.

Each of the HIKI NO Challenges that I# participated in, they took place within## five days.

So, you had to do pre-production,# production, post production all in five days.

Yeah, I think especially on shoots where you# have a limited amount of time, there's a lot## of things you have to think about, like how your# teammates take criticism, how you take criticism,## and how like, playing to students’ strengths.# Collaboration is super important.

It's definitely## not all about the technical skills.

Honestly, one# of my favorite things about my time with HIKI NO## is just how much more we've bonded when we work# together.

And I think like, how we communicate## with each other on shoots is definitely a# lot more smooth than how it used to be.

I myself learned what my own strengths were when# working with a group, and I also got to learn more## about my group members and how they work, and I# was able to take that knowledge and apply it to## future group competitions.

Personally, I like# directing, and just like, guiding people, because## I think I work best at calming people down in# situations, because people can get stressed out.

I really like what the Director of Photography# does like, with planning out shots and how to best## visually tell the story.

Doing pre-production# and editing is so interesting because you get## to see what you planned and then all the oopsie# daisies that happened, and then the final product## that you get after.

So, I like that too.

Since I did place honorable mention in## the first one, I felt like, kind of like an# adrenaline from that.

And I was like, okay,## I want to enter the next one because I want to# keep improving.

Just last year at the STN national## competition, me and my partner got first place# in our category nationwide.

So that was like,## a really big moment for me.

And then this year,# with the other competitions that we entered,## I noticed I placed higher.

So, I would say# that I improved, definitely, technically.

We did this HIKI NO workshop over the summer, and# during that, we were challenged to make a profile## story within three days.

We did a profile story on# a teacher at Moanalua that is making a garden to## try to fight against food insecurity in Hawai‘i.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture,## food insecurity is the lack of consistent access# to enough food for an active, healthy life.

One of my favorite parts about working# with HIKI NO is getting to work with the## mentors in post-production.

We worked with# Ryan on making our story broadcast ready.

Hello, my name is Ryan Kawamoto.

I'm# a professional filmmaker, director,## and HIKI NO mentor.

Today we're going to# learn how to shoot a B-roll sequence.

I think that's a really valuable resource for# pre professional students like us, and we're just## really grateful to get to work with mentors like# him.

We had a couple of, one or two zooms with## him, and we just emailed for the rest of the time.# We sent different cuts back and forth.

We had,## like, a lot.

It was a lot of like, little things,# but once we got it perfect, it was really good.## If you're an independent videographer or an# independent video editor, there's always feedback## and there's always stuff to take in, and I think# doing that routinely for different projects with## HIKI NO is definitely going to help prepare# me.

I know how to take criticism much better## now.

All of that gave us the confidence to# do our Smithsonian Documentary project.

Youth in Action is an ongoing series# investigating the work of young native## activists and change makers as they strive# to improve issues facing their communities.

We made a multilingual native Hawaiian documentary# with the National Museum of American Indian with## the Smithsonian Institution.

That was a# really big thing for us.

So, going from## like a personal stage to making work for the# state to making work for the nation is crazy,## and I think that the skills that we've learned# in HIKI NO totally helped us achieve that.

It is important that we record this story# so that this knowledge is never forgotten.## It is how we show our appreciation for# the work of our ancestors and how we pass## knowledge to the generations to come.

In the fall, I'm going to be heading## to Ithaca College in New York as a television# and digital media production major and a park## scholar.

And I'm like, I'm so excited to start# this new path of film for me.

And I'm just,## I'm so glad to represent where I'm from.

One of# the reasons I want to go to school is to actually## discover what I most like about the film industry# and what I want to do when I start my professional## career.

I know that I like directing and editing# and pre-production and cinematography.

I like kind## of everything, but I know that what I've touched# in as a high school student, there's so much more## to that.

You know, when you go to college and# when we start more professional productions.

I will be attending UH West O‘ahu for film# production.

I'm going to be doing general## Creative Media.

I am currently waitlisted at# Chapman for film production as well, so I might## switch gears into that school later.

I am hoping# to just have more exposure in the industry when it## comes to different roles, because in today's# society, people want to hear from the youth,## like, it's so important, especially# getting youth more involved in, like,## what's happening in today's world, personally,# and having them have like a creative outlet## for that.

[slow## orchestral music]