Aloha.

Welcome to HIKI NO on PBS Hawai'i.

My# name is Maya Villanueva, and I'm a sophomore## at Kalani High School on O'ahu.

And I'm Caleb Croswell, a freshman## at Kalani High.

Thanks for joining us to watch# the work of Hawai'i's New Wave of Storytellers.

We've got a fantastic lineup# of stories for you.

First,## join us as students from Kua o Ka La Public# Charter School on Hawai'i Island dive into## a special commentary project exploring some# important new plans that will affect their## school and community, that also happens to# be a historic Hawaiian fishing village.

Next we're heading to Kaua'i, where students at# Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School are taking a## closer look at their island's only landfill,# which is set to reach capacity soon.

Their## investigation sheds light on this pressing issue.

Then we'll take you to Wai'alae Elementary Public## Charter School on O'ahu, where a robotics club# has persisted through many obstacles.

Following Then, we'll share a touching feature# from Highlands Intermediate School on## O'ahu that focuses on a teacher and student# project that symbolizes hope and aloha.

Our first story comes from students at Kua O Ka# La Public Charter School on Hawai'i Island in## this special HIKI NO commentary project, they# explore controversial plans underway at their## hometown beach.

Aloha.

My name is Leah Labo.

I'm a seventh grader at Kua# O Ka La Public Charter School on Hawai'i Island,## a major change is planned for our beloved building# in Miloli'i, and not everybody in our community is## happy about it.

This halau, or meeting house,# is the heart of our village.

It is where we## come together for school, where we celebrate# birthdays and where we have community gatherings.

This community has been its# caretaker for generations.

Anytime that the halau would burn down, the# family would get together to rebuild it, yeah,## whether it was going harvesting for for the pili# grass or harvesting for the the 'Ohia, the halau is in Miloli'i Beach Park, where the county# is planning a $1.75 million renovation.

Some## of the changes include building a# new Halau restrooms, upgrading the## parking lot, as well as adding paths.

The biggest reason for this project is## is called accessibility.

It's for people with# disabilities, right?

So that's the that's the## reason for the project.

So then there's going# to be walkways all throughout the park, and## then there's going to be a boat turnaround area as# well.

Whilethese changes are meant to improve the## park some are worried they'll do more harm than# good by increasing traffic, trash and pollution.

One of the things that we heard from the local# community is during our community meetings,## is that we try not to advertise all the the# upgrades that are happening to the park.

It's## up to us to have it remain the same as much as we# can.

Many residents say the upgrades will attract## more tourists to the area, which could disrupt# our local gatherings and even our school.

I'm kind of hoping that the community# comes together and comes up with some## kind of tourism management strategy of# their own design.

It's a long process,## I think, to come up with something that limits# tourism in a way that works for everyone.

This is an incredibly important project,# especially for the people who live here.## Work here.

They malama the land when the# county is not here.

Their input is the## most important piece to this whole thing, and# designing everything in the way that is pono.

It's a community beach park.

It's a community# park, even though the county maintains it,## it's this is a community haven, and that's our# job is to make make sure it remains the same.

After speaking as county officials, our# family, and people in our community,## we are still concerned about# these changes in Miloli'i.

But because this place is special to us, it is our# kuleana to keep learning to protect our community.## This is Leah Labo from Kua O Ka La Public Charter# School in Miloli'i for HIKI NO on PBS Hawai'i.

Next we're off to Kauai, where students# at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School are## tackling an important issue.

Their island's# only landfill, which is set to fill up by## 2026.

They've put together a fantastic HIKI NO# news story on this topic.

Let's check it out, people should really care about the# life expectancy of our landfill,## because if we run out of landfill space, we# literally have no place to put our trash.

In Kaua'i the Kekaha Landfill is where most# of the waste on the island goes.

It's highly## convenient for the residents of Kaua'i because it# gives them a place to put their waste.

But what## is the current situation of the landfill?

The Kekaha landfill started in 1953 is when## we started putting trash in there.

And# that was under what we call phase one,## which is the old style landfills, where there# was just a hole in the ground and we would put## stuff in it.

And then in 1993 right around when# Hurricane Iniki struck, was when we started phase## two of the landfill, which has a liner system and# other systems to more properly manage the waste.

As the Kekaha Landfill dangerously nears# its capacity limit, which is predicted to## be in three years, what does this# mean for the future of Kaua'i?

So right now, we are between a rock and# a hard place, because it is monumentally## challenging to be able to site a new landfill.

The# previous administration literally had 10 years,## and in that 10 year period, it , they were not# able to successfully site a new landfill.

So we## not only have to get a suitable site, but we have# to go through all the planning, the designing,## and most importantly, an environmental impact# statement, to make sure that the land that## is designated as a new landfill is suitable As we continue to search for and follow through## with alternative solutions.# What can be done to help?

I'm sure you've heard of the three R's, reduce,# reuse, recycle, and they're set in that order,## because that's the best way to do it.

So source reduction is something where## you try not to use things in the first place.# Reuse is when you use something over and over## and then there's recycling.

Well, the# county has been engaging in the public## in those programs for the last 20 years.

In order to be able to get a what we call## a waste diversion rate, which is like# people call it a recycling rate too,## is 43% of everything that comes onto the island is# diverted before anything goes into the landfill.## People should make sure that they try as best# as possible to stop using single use plastics## if possible, and especially single use, you know,# water bottles, I think.

But people should really## think about how we can go about existing# and living and leaving a smaller footprint## as possible, especially living on an island.

This is Stella Fornari from Chiefess Kamakahelei## Middle School for HIKI NO on PBS Hawai'i.

Remembering the past helps us move forward.## And that's exactly what students at Kamehameha# Schools Kapalama did in a story from the very## first season of HIKI NO back in 2011.

They# took a deep dive into a major scandal that## reshaped the school's board of trustees.# It is a powerful reminder of the impact## history can have when faced with adversity.

Do you run for cover or weather the storm?## Inspired by the book Wayfinding Through the# Storm, speaking truth to power, a new course## at Kamehameha Schools delves into the trustee# controversy of the 1990s focusing on the impact## to the school and its students.

When trustee# misconduct jeopardized Bishop Estate’s nonprofit## status, the controversy erupted into a huge# blowout that made national headlines and resulted## in the resignations of all five trustees.

I'd say that from the time that the old trustees## left until now, we've been doing very well in# trying to control our actions for the good.

Part of the healing process for some of the# teachers and staff was to share their experiences## in the book, which was released in 2009.

The way finding through the storm book was## one of our summer reading books.

And so after kind# of getting engaged in like the text and just the## people and the voices, and then kind of thinking# about my schedule for my senior year, you know,## I thought being here for 12 years and making# this my 13th, I should really know my school## better.

And reading the book was one step, but# taking the class was like a whole new adventure.

The class offers a unique learning experience.# Rather than just recounting events, guest## speakers who experienced the controversy# firsthand give insight and context into## the tumultuous times.

The class serves as a# living lesson about the past and the power of## standing up for one's beliefs and taking action.

We've created this course, and it's a course that## we think is going to change things you don't# just you know, stand up, stand out, become a## little rebellious for what you believe in.

But it# has to go somewhere.

At the end of the semester,## students were compelled to take action and# decided to create a petition for student## rights to present to the administration.

I signed the petition because I wanted the## administration to hear our viewpoints and opinions# and to take what we had to say into consideration## when making important decisions for the school like I think the class really gave me a voice,## and it really taught me how to# stand up for what I believe in.

The powerful lesson learned by students in# this course has led to an unexpected demand## to offer it again this semester.

This unique# opportunity allows students to learn about their## past in order to pave a way for a brighter# future for Kamehameha.

This is Shay Kauwe## from Kamehameha Schools Kapalama for HIKI NO.

We're thrilled to share a special video with you## next.

It's our own creation.

We're taking you to# Wai'anae Elementary Public Charter School on Oahu,## where we explore the ups and downs of our robotics# club journey before and after the pandemic.

What What would you do if you were the first in the# world to qualify for something and COVID just## rips it out?

Before COVID, a group of elementary# school students from Wai'alae Elementary School## won two really prestigious robotics awards.

We# weren't very good in the beginning.

In fact,## it was kind of embarrassing, but we were just a# group of third to fifth grade students competing## against middle school students.

We stuck it out# and eventually qualified for our team for states.

It was really the golden age of our robotics# program.

Our team was bigger.

We had more parts.## We were able to achieve more.

We had won the# Excellence Award at the Mark Leon Invitational## in July.

We won the programming skills Champion# Award at the state championships in February,## and those two awards qualified us for the# World Championships that would take place## in May.

Then COVID hit, and the whole world# shut down.

The whole world went on lockdown,## and there went our whole chances to go to Worlds.

After covid hit, the team pretty much disbanded,## and everything was just online.

Nobody even knew at the school where our## awards were.

So after seeing all of our robotics# parts collect dust, I decided it was time that we## gathered together again as a team, but this time,# we were going to do our program different.

We were## going to win in a different way and focus more on# friendship and building positive relationships.

After some brainstorming, we landed on doing# what we're doing now.

We were going to mentor## the next generation at Wai'alae on how to teach# their peers about the wonders of robotics.

As of now, the club is a mini program# where students are able to explore STEAM,## we build and customize our robotics# and learn how to develop helpful skills## such as team building and journaling.

It was around first grade when I first## competed in actual competition.

I was really# nervous at first, but then after I got to know## the people that I was competing against# and competing with, it was lots of fun.

I am so proud as a coach to see how younger# siblings like Micah watched and grew throughout## the years doing robotics and are now part# of that legacy.

My hope for the future is,## regardless if they were a mentor or a# mentee, that they know that they can do## whatever they put their minds to, whether it# be in the field of engineering and beyond.

Since we're big fans of robotics, we've# gone back into the archives to revisit a## memorable piece from Maui Waena Intermediate# School.

This story from 2018 showcases the## dedication of a fantastic robotics coach.

My name is Don Suzuki, and I'm an electrical## engineer by day, but after hours, I am the mentor# for the Maui Waena Middle School's robotics team.

However, his life wasn't always this way# as something caused him to switch gears.

Actually, my son inspired me to# do this.

My older son, Nathan,## when he was going to middle school, he had joined# a robotics team.

I really knew nothing about it,## but when I saw him in his first competition, and I# saw how unprepared they were, I felt that if that## was something he wanted to do, actually have the# best opportunity.

So I decided to get involved,## and I just jumped in head first, and# here we are today, 10 years later,## never in my life had I ever dreamed that I would# be helping middle school kids, especially in## robotics.

Teaching robotics has given me so# much more balance in my life, because I found## out there's so much more in life than money, but# now it's all about, I guess, helping prepare the## world for a better future by giving students the# abilities to go out and succeed in the world.

Because of his experience, his students# often look up to him to crack the code.

I think that it's important to have# helpers like Uncle Don because if## we can't spot something that's wrong in a# piece of code or at the robot, but he can,## he helps us to, like, figure it out what's wrong.

I think coaching robotics helps to teach the kids## have grit, the ability to withstand any kind of# challenge, to stand up to it and to overcome your## obstacles.

And that is so critical in the# workforce today, I find that a lot of the## job seekers nowadays, they don't want to push# themselves to excel in their choices.

And what## I found is through the robotics programs,# all these kids are very highly motivated.

And this motivation shows as they're one of# the only middle schools competing against## high schools in statewide Hawai'i competitions.

I hope I encourage them to pursue their dreams,## to know that hard work pays off.

To know# that if they want something bad enough,## and they try hard enough, they can get - they can# achieve anything in life.

I enjoy giving back to## the students, and hopefully one day it'll make# me very proud to see the students I help today,## going out, becoming successful, and going# back to help other students in the future.

This is Hana Okamoto from Maui Waena# Intermediate School for HIKI NO.

After the devastating fires on Maui in August# 2023, a teacher on O'ahu wanted to send a## gesture of aloha.

In the next feature story,# students at Highlands Intermediate School on## O'ahu explore a paper links project# that symbolizes support and unity.

I think it's important that we don't forget# that they're still struggling like when they## rebuild.

They're still going to remember they lost# loved ones.

They they might get flashbacks.

They,## you know, they're they might have lost a friend.# It's super hard.

They have to pass by every day,## and Lahaina will never be the same.# They can rebuild it, but I think## it's going to lose that quaint feeling.

Here at Highlands intermediate on O'ahu,## Mr. William Ching is linking our students# with Lahaina's residents in a unique way to## support them after the August 8, 2023 wildfire.

Aloha Links for Lahaina was started as an activity## for the students who don't have a lot of money yet# they want to feel like they can spend some time to## share aloha with the victims of Lahaina.

It was# something that the students could put together## quickly and easily in any classroom by being# a part of something that's beyond themselves.

Though making paper links may seem like a small# gesture of support, it ended up helping Lahaina’s## residents in a simple yet meaningful way.

So it's important that we support each other## through tough times, the mental health# can't see what they're going through## inside.

So I think we just have to always# remember to support them and to make sure## that they get the help that they need.

It's a good way to help residents that## were affected.

It does help with the grieving# and emotional process.

You know, knowing that## we're not in this alone.

With an ambitious goal,## it's been hard to keep up.

Two million is a goal because the## links are about three inches long, and with, it'll# take about 2 million links to reach from O'ahu to## Lahaina.

After the month goes by, then the amount# of links that were coming in started to slow down.## Two months go by, and it really, really# slowed down.

Then I felt a little dejected,## or maybe 2 million is a bit too much.

And then# just recently, Mililani Middle submitted 1,000## links, and I'm like, Oh, wait, we're not,# we're not gone.

Whether we make 2 million,## that doesn't really matter.

That's a goal.

It's been amazing to to know that there's## a lot of people out there, outside of our# community that really care about the residents## of Lahaina just experiencing the outpouring# of love support.

Everyone's just willing to## help out as much as they can in any way.

So# good to know that we're not in this alone.

The Lahaina links project is still working to# become more widespread, giving more students## the opportunity to feel empathy while helping# the Lahaina residents.

This is Emma Forges from## Highlands Intermediate or HIKI NO on PBS Hawai'i.

The next story we'd like to share with you comes## from students at Kealakehe High School# on Hawaii Island in 2013.

They explore## how the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity# helps construct homes for families on the## Hawaiian Homes wait list.

It is a beautiful# example of community spirit and support.

It usually takes months to build a home, but# last September, Habitat for Humanity, its builder## volunteers and the Kona community came together# to do something that many consider amazing.

This is our Laiopua 2012 Blitz Build and# we are going to build five homes in 10 days## from slab all the way up to completion.

Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit## organization whose vision is a world where# everyone has a decent place to live.

They## built over 500,000 homes worldwide,# including almost 300 in Hawaii.

My hope is that the community realizes that# this is a grassroots organization and that## together as a community, we can improve# our our neighborhoods and our families if## we all come together and help each other out.

So we're really grateful for the participation## from the students from Kealakehe High# School.

On our first day of the build as## our Blitz builders were, were arriving to# the job site, they were in all of all the## students that stood along the sidewalks holding# welcoming signs to them, welcoming to Kona,## and just being thankful that they're here to# help these families have their own homes.

I was mostly painting hospitality, you# know, making sure everyone didn't, you know,## collapse from dehydration and stuff like that.

I# actually got to meet the person whose house was## being built.

So that was very nice, uplifting.

Families were selected from the Hawaiian homes## wait list, and had to meet certain# requirements, including contributing## 500 work hours towards the project.

When you do a partnership with Habitat,## you have to volunteer X amount of sweat hours,# and that means you need to participate in the## building of your home.

I don't know how to hammer# big beams, but you know what?

They took me by the## hand, said, 'Hey, I'll show you how to do it.'

Helping others is pretty much probably one of## the biggest goals you can have.

It's just been# so enjoyable for myself and the entire staff at## Habitat just to be part of this transformational# development.

Really, we're changing families’## lives.

So it's really pretty cool.

This house is not my house, my son in law and## my daughter also know it's not their house.

It's# for our grandchildren, and we're just caretakers## of this house for them.

This is, this is really# important that they feel roots and belong, you## know, at a young age, not my age, but at a young# age.

So, it's very dear to close to my heart.

The no interest mortgage that these# families pay go towards building a## decent place to live for even more# families in the future.

This is Lou## Vanderspoel from Kealakehe High for HIKI NO.

Our last piece was produced by a student at## H.P.

Baldwin High School on Maui who# offers a cinematic student reflection## about her own favorite place on earth.

It's# not your typical sunny beach destination.## You might need a ski jacket for this one.

Paradise.

This is probably what you think## of right?

It is pretty nice.

I'm actually# lucky enough to live here in this paradise,## but I don't consider where I live my paradise.# My paradise doesn't have palm trees or beaches## or constant sunlight.

My paradise is# somewhere entirely different, specifically,## two whole plane rides and an hour bus ride# northeast.

Yeah, this place.

This is my paradise.

So what is paradise?

In literate words, it is# an ideal or idyllic place or state.

So yeah,## I guess my ideal place is here in the snow, not# the sun.

And sure, there are countless other## things I can do here, all of which I enjoy.

But# the real reason I love it so much is because of,## well, this, I would sort of consider it# my secret passion, considering the fact## I come from a place where skateboarding is# the closest thing to boarding down a hill.## Here, I truly am able to clear my mind from the# worries of life.

I forget about my anxieties.

I## forget about my problems, and the only worry# I have is about injuring myself.

It's my type## of adrenaline.

I can be myself on the mountain.

And sadly, when the time's up and I have to return## back home, I remind myself that even though# I'm going home to someone else's paradise,## my paradise will always be waiting# for me in the mountains and the snow.

Well, that's a wrap for today.

Thank# you for watching the work of Hawaii's## new wave of storytellers.

Don't forget to# follow HIKI NO on PBS Hawai'i, on YouTube,## Instagram and Tiktok.

You can find this# HIKI NO episode and more@pbshawaii.org.

Tune in next week for more proof# that Hawaii students HIKI NO can do!