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Mahalo!‎ And by, Bank of Hawaii Foundation,‎ Investing in Hawaiʻi's future by promoting collaboration, critical thinking, and ‎ other 21st-Century skills though HIKI NŌ Kamehameha Schools, Empowering Hawaiian ‎ Keiki to explore, discover, and inspire!‎ ABC STORES, A Local Company Helping to ‎ transform education and develop Hawaiʻi's Workforce ‎ Through Bold Learning Initiatives like HIKI NŌ [INTRO] Aloha, I'm Kaila Foster from Kamehameha Schools Maui Middle School.

‎ And I'm Lucas Roberts from ʻEwa Makai Middle School on Oʻahu.‎ Welcome to this special 2020 Winter Challenge Middle School Edition of HIKI NŌ.

‎ Hawaiʻi's new wave of storytellers.

‎ At the end of January of this year, Lucas and I were among the many HIKI NŌ students who ‎ participated in the 2020 HIKI NŌ Winter Challenge.

‎ Schools across the state that entered the competition had to complete a HIKI NŌ story based on a theme ‎ that was not revealed to us until the start of the competition.

‎ And that theme was: The wisdom of elders brought to life by the young.

‎ The participating teams had just four days to come up with the story idea, get commitments from the ‎ people in the story, then shoot it, write it and edit it.

Students are usually given about two months to ‎ create a HIKI NŌ story.

‎ All entries were judged by the members of the HIKI NŌ Editorial Board.

The judges scored each entry ‎ based on the following criteria: How well did the story capture the essence of the assigned theme?‎ How well did the entry fulfill the HIKI NŌ story criteria?

The criteria used throughout the school year to ‎ determine which stories are approved to air on HIKI NŌ.‎ And finally, how much did the production values, the quality of the cinematography, editing and sound ‎ contribute to the overall effectiveness of the story?‎ From the numeric scores based on these criteria, the judges were able to determine Honorable Mention, ‎ Third Place, Second Place and First Place finishers in two separate divisions: Middle School and High ‎ School.

‎ Today, we're going to spotlight the stories that placed in the Middle School Division of the competition.

‎ But because the judges were so impressed by the overall quality of the entries, they also wanted to ‎ feature some of the stories that did not place, but which they felt needed to be seen in order to show the ‎ great diversity of approaches that the students pursued.

‎ Students from Kapaʻa Middle School on Kauaʻi created one such story.

Let's see their take on the ‎ wisdom of elders brought to life by the young.

‎ Sara Miura is the sales and marketing director of M. Miura Store, doing business as Déjà Vu Surf ‎ Hawaiʻi.

This is one business that has been using the wisdom of their elders to prove that knowledge ‎ does not only exist in school and books, but within the minds of people who lived for many, many years.

‎ M. Miura Store has been in business for, this year we celebrate our 111th anniversary of doing business ‎ here on the island of Kauaʻi.

The business was started by my great-great grandfather, Mankichi Miura.

‎ He had travelled to Hawaiʻi from his home in Japan in 1907, and initially he had moved to Kauaʻi to ‎ work on the sugar plantations.

You know, after a while, he discovered that it wouldn't provide the ‎ glamorous lifestyle or riches that they had been promised and so he went back to his roots in what he ‎ knew, which was making Japanese confections.‎ So, over time, his, um, business evolved and he opened a store here in Kapaʻa town and over the years ‎ it's evolved from a candy store to a general store to a family clothing store, and today the business ‎ consists of three surf shops.

So, currently the business is owned and operated by three siblings: my ‎ father, Tad, his brother Eric, and their sister Ann.

And, um, currently my brother-in-law, Lauren, and I ‎ are assisting with the day-to-day operations.

So, you know, it's been a part of our family for five ‎ generations now, and it really means a lot to us, and so, we do continue to, um, be excited to perpetuate ‎ this family business.

‎ It is evident that the Miura family success comes from a business plan rooted deep in tradition with ‎ wisdom of their elders, and there is no doubt that they will continue to instill this passion for great ‎ service through their young for many years to come.

‎ This is Wainohia Kitamura from Kapaʻa Middle School for HIKI NŌ.

‎ Kaila, what did you think of Kapaʻa Middle School's approach to the theme?

‎ I thought that it was very well written and the way that they worded their script was very empowering to ‎ the message that they were trying to get across.

‎ Yeah, I thought so, too.

Now, let's take a look at how students from Kealakehe Intermediate School on ‎ the Kona side of Hawaiʻi Island interpreted the wisdom of elders brought to life by the young.

‎ Some of us learn more by seeing than doing, but this incredible woman has taught herself to make ‎ delicate, yet unbreakable, art.

‎ My friend getting married, I make her wedding bouquet.

I learned it myself.

I just look from the real ‎ one, you know, real flower.

Ninety-nine percent, I have to see the real one first, and then I making it.

‎ When I first started, I don't think this is gonna be business.

When I first started, I didn't make any ‎ money, you know?

Because I do the wedding bouquet, one year maybe two, two wedding bouquet, you ‎ know?

That's it, that's all I'm gonna make money.

But, you know, continue making it and this shop ‎ happen, that's it.

And now I start making flower.

It not just like I'm making flower and then business ‎ happen.

It take long time.

‎ On Sundays, you can go down to Nana's Clay Flowers and learn how to make her own unique clay and ‎ how to create beautiful artwork.

‎ I mean, people taking class, I teach them how to make my recipe clay.

I just happy every time when the ‎ customer happy.

I never push people to buy my thing, you know?

I like people to see, love my stuff.

Just ‎ tell them the truth.

I never push them.

‎ Her daughter, Sabrina, observed her making clay flowers and was able to learn just by sight.

‎ I didn't...I never start teaching her.

She grow up and she see me all her life and I never teach her, she ‎ just learn by seeing me.

And her dad think, you know, one day, she gonna take over, you know, my skill ‎ and everything.‎ Mom, this birthday, just give me that, that flower, your flower, you know, they never ask me anything, ‎ only flower.

She always excited when they do something different.

You know, said, Oh, mom is so ‎ good, mom is so cool, you know, she always say that all the time.

And I do something new, she always, ‎ she will always excited.‎ Every time she have birthday she bring all the friend and make clay all over my house here.

I never push ‎ my daughter to do this, okay?

She just happy to make stuff herself, you know?

I never push her and then ‎ tell her, you got to do this, do this.

I think she gonna do the same thing with her kid, you know?

If her ‎ kid like it, do it.

If her kid don't like it, you know, she can have their own life.

Nothing is hard, you ‎ know, everything take time.

[INDISTINCT] you know?

I just love it, I feel happy.

‎ She truly loves what she does and is grateful for her skill.

This is Ronee Paulk from Kealakehe ‎ Intermediate School for HIKI NŌ.‎ So, what did you think of their story?

‎ Well, I really love how she enjoys the beautiful art of clay-making and how she can pass that enjoyment ‎ off down to her family and her daughters.

‎ And I found it really interesting that she kept saying that she doesn't force anyone to take on that ‎ enjoyment, that they can just take it on.

‎ Yeah, you're right.

‎ Now, from the Valley Isle, here's what the students at Maui Waena Intermediate School produced to ‎ explore the wisdom of elders brought to life by the young.

‎ So, I've been teaching 'ukulele, this year is going to be 29 years.

‎ Evelyn has been having 'ukulele classes in her garage at her house in Wailuku, hoping to share the love ‎ of the music she was raised on.

‎ I used to play when I was little, from my mom, and I always felt that I could pass it on to my ‎ grandchildren or to other children.

‎ And the beat continues in the youth, like Evelyn's student, Mika.

‎ More people are learning how to play because they think, or they think that it's like, what our ancestors ‎ used to play, so they want to learn how to play it so they can continue it.

‎ Tradition is passed on because when they play, uh, they take the 'ukulele with them wherever they go.

‎ And they can tell their children that they knew how to play the 'ukulele when they were younger.

It ‎ helps them to appreciate the music that they play.

I'm so glad that the generations before me was able to ‎ bring that to life in Hawaiʻi.‎ And the melody she learned continues on in the hands and hearts of the hundreds of students she has ‎ taught over the years.

‎ I see it being passed down.

I see a lot of our, our younger generation playing it, you know?

‎ ‎'Ukulele is a very valuable instrument and, um, we can use the 'ukulele in many different ways to ‎ strengthen us, to help us develop our talents, to be able to give what we have as individuals to others and ‎ not only for ourselves.

‎ Beautiful, I mean, it's fantastic how they can play, uh, the music so nice and sing it.

‎ Through music, the wisdom of elders is being brought to life by the young.

This is Sienna Racoma from ‎ Maui Waena Intermediate School for HIKI NŌ.‎ So, what did you think?

‎ I really liked how the 'ukulele teacher connected her story to the Hawaiian culture and how the 'ukulele ‎ was so important to the Hawaiians back then and should still be today.

‎ I honestly think it's amazing that she's been teaching in her garage for 29 years.

‎ Right.

‎ Now, we're going to take a look at the story by Highlands Intermediate School on Oʻahu, which ‎ received an Honorable Mention in the Middle School Division of the 2020 HIKI NŌ Winter Challenge.

‎ Congratulations Highlands Intermediate!

For your prize, you will be receiving one hundred dollars in ‎ production equipment for your media program.

‎ Here's their look at the wisdom of elders brought to life by the young.

‎ Kevin Asano is a retired judoka that won the 1988 silver medal in the Summer Olympics.

‎ My sensei, I started in, like I said, I'm from Hawai'i but I started in Okinawa.

Yeah, my sensei was ‎ Fukushima Sensei, and he also came back to Hawai'i later and he started this club, Leeward Judo Club, ‎ and now I'm one of the senseis here.

So, we have two dojos and we want to expand to other dojos, but ‎ really to have the younger generation take over and really teach the next generation after them.

‎ Kevin Asano is now passing on what he has learned to the Leeward Judo Club along with the help of his ‎ sons and daughters.

‎ Being trained by my father was not too much of a different experience for me when I was younger.

It ‎ was just, like, normal.

But now, when I'm older, I can tell that it's a really good opportunity, a good ‎ privilege, because he has a lot of experience that I wouldn't have been able to get from just being a ‎ regular student.

‎ I enjoy judo because it helps me interact with other people and learn, um, life skills.

I learn that we're all ‎ a family and we all have to care for each other.

‎ My goal as a sensei is to build champions and leaders in life through judo.

So, I want to use judo as a ‎ means to build, uh, verses to build a champion, not necessarily in a judo tournament winning trophies ‎ and medals, but to become a good citizen in life and also to become a leader.

‎ He hopes that the students pass on these traditions for generations to come.

This is Zack Aguinaldo from ‎ Highlands Intermediate School for HIKI NŌ.

‎ I really liked how the sensei was not only trying to teach his students about judo, but also give them ‎ lessons that'll help them throughout life.

‎ I personally loved how the little boy talked about family and how judo teaches how we can stay together ‎ and stick together.

And now, the third-place finisher in the Middle School Division of the 2020 HIKI ‎ NŌ Winter Challenge is: ‎ Waiākea Elementary School on Hawaiʻi Island.

Congratulations!

Your media program will be receiving ‎ two hundred dollars in production equipment.

‎ Because there is no separate category for elementary schools, they compete in the Middle School ‎ Division and this is the first time that an elementary school has placed in a HIKI NŌ Challenge.

‎ Very impressive.

Let's see how they interpreted the wisdom of elders brought to life by the young.

‎ Waiākea Elementary School students look up to physical education teacher, Mr. Jensen Sato.

‎ My dad and my grandpa were very, uh, old school, so they instilled a lot of discipline and they were ‎ very big on education and I think that's one of the reasons why I went into education.

They also inspired ‎ me to be the man I am today.

‎ In addition to teaching physical education, Sato also coaches the school's track team.

‎ He inspires me to keep on going and keep doing the sport I love, no matter what other people say.

‎ But teaching isn't his only passion.

‎ From what I remember as a little kid, I remember my dad and my grandpa giving me a ball and a glove ‎ and throwing the ball to me, making me hit in the backyard and, I guess it was kinda, it was always in ‎ my family.

So it was kinda like, you're gonna play this sport, and eventually I fell in love with the ‎ game.

‎ At five feet six inches, Sato continued to play baseball through college, but the average height of a ‎ professional baseball player is six feet two inches.

‎ Uh, I knew sooner or later my baseball career is gonna end and there was no way of me playing after ‎ college so, I wanted to still stay involved with the game and help give back to the community.

So, I ‎ started coaching at the youth level and then eventually working my way up to the high school, and ‎ fortunately enough that, uh, Coach Kallen Miyataki, the head coach with the Vulcans, asked me to be ‎ part of his coaching staff.

And I've been coaching there for five years and I love it and hopefully, I'll be ‎ there for a long time more.

‎ As a coach, Sato is able to pass on his wisdom to his students.

‎ Coach Jensen has influenced me as a player, uh, he keeps me in check and he, uh, he teaches me little ‎ things on the field and off the field, a lot about character, keeping composure on the field.

‎ But he still relies on the lessons from his elders.

‎ My dad, my grandpa, and my long-time coach from when I was young, Coach Eric Kurosawa, who, ‎ still, I call today to, uh, ask for help and, uh, try to help me through challenges that I may have that I ‎ don't have the answer to.

And hopefully, he can give me some of his expertise that I can pass on to my ‎ players.

‎ I hope I taught Jensen was to always compete, to always give his best effort, and to always do your best.

‎ The lessons he learned from his coaches are now the lessons he teaches his players.

He may be small in ‎ size, but he has a giant amount of wisdom which is brought to life by his students.

This is Rylie Ng from ‎ Waiākea Elementary School for HIKI NŌ.‎ I honestly thought that it was really cool that they're only in elementary school, but they're creating high ‎ school level work.

‎ And about the story, it's pretty awesome that even though Coach Jensen wasn't able to continue his ‎ career as a professional baseball player, he did show his love for the sport by coaching.

‎ You're absolutely right.

Now, I'm very excited to announce the next winner because my co-host was ‎ part of the fabulous team that created that story.

Kaila, congratulations!

Kamehameha Schools Maui ‎ Middle School took second place in the Middle School Division of the 2020 HIKI NŌ Winter ‎ Challenge.

Your school's media program will be receiving three hundred dollars in production ‎ equipment as your prize.

‎ Thank you, Lucas.

On behalf of my teammates and our advisor, Mr. Siarot, this is a great honor.

Here is ‎ our interpretation of the wisdom of elders brought to life by the young.

‎ Mia has one love and it's playing the piano.

‎ I have been playing piano for about four years.

I like playing the piano because whenever I listen to ‎ music, it makes me feel happy.

I like to play fast songs like Fur Elise and Flight of the Bumblebee.

Uh, ‎ Coco got me into piano.

She is a piano teacher.

‎ Mia's passion for this instrument is made possible due to dedicated piano teachers like Mrs. Wunder, ‎ also known as Coco.

Coco has been teaching for a while and has had hundreds of students over the ‎ years.

‎ I've been teaching piano for about thirty-seven years.

I grew up playing piano.

I love playing piano.

‎ Actually, I started because my sons were interested in playing piano and I actually took one of my sons ‎ to a different music teacher.

It was a class, and when I saw what was going on, I thought, I could do this ‎ at home with my children, and so, I did that.

‎ Although Coco enjoys teaching students, she admits it's not always easy.

‎ That's the challenge right there is, you know, sometimes I've had students, well, I have a lot of students ‎ who have a lot of talent, but they're involved in a lot of extracurricular things.

So, they really can't find ‎ the time to put into their weekly piano practice.

And, um, that's kind of, sometimes discouraging.

There ‎ are some days when teaching is more challenging, especially when it's been a long day.

‎ Coco believes that patience and love is what these students need.

‎ But one of the things that I do, and I think, mentally to overcome that, is I want each student to leave ‎ their lesson, their weekly lesson, feeling like they've accomplished something.

That they've played ‎ something and done something well, as well as be able to go home and, um, feel like, I have something ‎ new and challenging to work on.

Uh, I learn about their family.

We become a big family and that's why ‎ my music program is called Keiki Maestro, you know, it's a 'ohana.

‎ Mia's love for the piano will continue to grow because...‎ Coco is my grandma.

I want to become a professional piano player or a piano teacher, like my grandma.

‎ My favorite part about my grandma is that she's always there for me whenever I need help.

I look up to ‎ her for, um, being a good, um, role model.

‎ The wisdom Mrs. Wunder brings is not only brought to life by Mia's love and enthusiasm for piano, but ‎ it also brings life to the family legacy as well.

This is Kaila Foster from Kamehameha Maui Middle ‎ School for HIKI NŌ.

‎ I absolutely love your guys' sequencing and editing.

It really made the story come together and about ‎ the story, it was really pretty how Coco and her family connects with piano.

‎ Thank you, Lucas, we really appreciate it.

Well, that leaves just one more story and the final results of ‎ the Middle School Division, and Lucas, I think you're very familiar with it.

Congratulations to you and ‎ your teammates at ʻEwa Makai Middle School for taking first place!

Your school's media program will ‎ receive five hundred dollars in production equipment as your prize.

‎ Thank you, Kaila.

On behalf of my teammates and our advisor, Mr. Toyota, this is a great thrill.

Here's ‎ our take on the wisdom of elders brought to life by the young.

‎ I'm a misfit, as a misfit kid, I'm still a misfit adult.

‎ James Roberts is the chief instructor of Hybrid Kempo, a martial arts school, in ʻEwa Beach, along with ‎ his wife, Jocelyn Roberts.

A mix of self-defense, various martial arts and philosophy, the art of ‎ kajukenbo has been in James' life for over 25 years.

He continues to use the knowledge and wisdom ‎ given to him by his mentors in teaching his own students the ways of kempo.

‎ Like when I started martial arts, I just wanted to learn to fight.

Being young, I suffered a lot of substance ‎ abuse, both within myself, family, friends, and that really put a lot of anger, a lot of violence in me, a lot ‎ of fear, and martial arts kind of helped me stray away from those sort of things.

‎ James and his wife, Jocelyn, started the school in 2011 to give a positive and helpful activity for the kids ‎ in the community.

‎ To become an instructor, that was originally my, some of my first instructor's idea.

It was Ben that said ‎ if you want to be better as a martial artist, you have to know how to teach.

So, even as a young age, as ‎ young as a purple belt, maybe 14, 15 years old, I was already help leading classes with some of the ‎ young kids.

That was my original inspiring...they inspired me.

‎ From my previous instructors, their one piece of advice is, um, once you stop learning, you stop ‎ growing.

And I know that's maybe a common phrase that a lot say even outside of martial arts.

That's, ‎ that's really important like, you're seeking that endless knowledge, especially within martial arts, and ‎ teaching.

I believe again, we're talking about instructors, they were instructors, I'm now an instructor, so ‎ I believe that's one way is, learning from them is pass this on.

Don't just hold it for yourself, tell your ‎ story about how it saved your life when you were young and it continues to save your life as an adult.‎ So, just continue to grow and, um, just keep teaching what you learn and just have a positive attitude.

‎ You know, I learned a lot from them.

Just keep a positive attitude, no matter what goes wrong that day, ‎ you just train the best you can with your students and just continue to help develop them.

We try to keep ‎ a good faith in our school, try to build our students to have that positive attitude so they can go as high ‎ as they want in life.

One thing again, is just always seek that endless knowledge, you know, continue to ‎ learn, continue to grow, and just pass what you do on to the next generation.

‎ Using the wisdom and guidance from his mentors and the lessons learned from his troubled childhood, ‎ James aspires to pass on the education of not only kicking and punching, but of life decisions, overall ‎ well-being, and faith to his students.

This is Kevi Lynn Tsubaki from ʻEwa Makai Middle School for ‎ HIKI NŌ.

‎ Wow, that was super impressive.

I really enjoyed how, even though instructor James had so many ‎ challenges and setbacks in life, that he took that and he turned it into something amazing.

And your ‎ background sounds was pretty on-point.

‎ Thank you, Kaila.

And thank you for joining us on this special Middle School Division 2020 Winter ‎ Challenge Edition of HIKI NŌ.

‎ We hope you enjoyed watching these diverse variations on the theme of -- the wisdom of elders brought ‎ to life by the young -- as much as we've enjoyed sharing them with you.

‎ Congratulations to all the winning teams and to all of the students who participated in this challenging ‎ competition.

You've proven that we are Hawaiʻi's new wave of storytellers.

‎ Be sure to tune in next week for the results of the High School Division of the 2020 HIKI NŌ Winter ‎ Challenge.

‎ You'll see more proof that Hawaiʻi's students HIKI NŌ.

‎ Can do!

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