HIKI NŌ 1211 [Intro music plays] [sound of beach waves] Aloha, I’m Christopher Kim.

I’m Dayna Yamasaki.

And I’m Justin Collado.

We are here on the campus of our school, Maui Waena Intermediate.

Home base for this premiere episode of HIKI NŌ, the nation’s first statewide student news network.

HIKI NŌ means can do, and you’ll see what students from our team of schools can do.

That was us as Maui Waena Intermediate eighth graders exactly 10 years ago – Hosting the very first episode of PBS Hawai‘i’s HIKI NŌ.

It seems just like yesterday, and the funny thing is we haven’t changed a bit.

Nobody had ever seen a statewide student news broadcast before because there had never been one.

When I heard PBS Hawai‘i was going to launch a statewide student news network, I thought they were crazy.

Um, it was a big idea, and I thought it was going to be insane to have kids start recording each other.

Justin, what did you think?

Well, I thought – I also thought it was kind of crazy.

I mean, at the time, we were, what, 13, 13 years old?

We were eighth graders in, um, intermediate school, and even as a teacher now, I’m just like, “Holy cow.

We’re just going to give a whole bunch of, like, all this technology to a bunch of kids?

I don’t know how that’s going to go.” To bring kids together to produce their own statewide student news network, it, it seemed unfathomable at, at the time.

On this show, you’ll hear from diverse voices across the island chain – Telling stories that connect communities – On HIKI NŌ.

Can do.

When I heard from Mrs. Suzuki, our teacher, um, telling us that we were going to – the three of us were going to host the very first episode of HIKI NŌ, I thought, “My god, why, why us?

I don’t know about them two, but why me?

Out of all the people.” Well, I had to pick Dayna and Chris because if I hadn’t picked them and I picked somebody else, they would’ve been so mad.

They would’ve scolded me because they were very bossy, and, yeah.

They were the ones who did everything.

They had to.

And then Justin was just super sweet, and he was kind of quiet, but he was very articulate, and I thought he would be a nice combination with them.

I thought it was cool.

I didn’t think it was a big deal at the time, um, until we started recording.

Um, and just looking back at the footage, I was like, “What the heck is wrong with my hair?” I’m Dayna Yamasaki.

Yeah, I mean, I, I think my first thought was, “I mean, are, are you sure you want, you want me to do this?” Um, but obviously it was, it was a really big honor to be able to represent our school like that.

But at the same time with that comes a lot of, uh, responsibility, expectation that we would be, you know, good hosts, good anchors for, for the show.

Um, when I think back to the very first, um, day when, um, the Executive Producer, Robert Pennybacker, came in and he helped, um, us and our media team, um, kind of train us with our own equipment, um – it’s just, you know, I just remember being a little, a little nervous.

Oh, whoa, okay, it’s that kind of shoot.

Like, I didn’t think it was that serious.

And then everyone started, like, bringing out the lighting things.

Everyone was in position.

I was like, “Okay, great.

I don’t even know my lines.

I forgot, like…” [laughs] I just recall recording many times.

I realized wow, this is, this is, this is the real deal.

Um, you know, this is what professionals are doing in the field, and it was, yeah, a tremendous honor, um, and privilege to be able to experience that, you know, as 13-year-olds, when people much older than us, they, they can only dream of having such an experience.

I mean, after that one day we were all trained, um, and being left to our own, you know, kind of our own devices, um, was pretty – there, there was a steep learning curve.

Um, yeah, it was a new experience for all of us.

Um, like all of them said, it, it wasn’t relatively new, or fairly new.

It was brand new to us.

We’ve never done this before.

This whole program was brand new – Well, when we were left to our own devices to finish up the rest of the introductions to the different stories, and the closing and stuff, it was actually, um, it was actually kind of fun because we had to figure out different places for everything.

And we were supposed to highlight our schools, and we were like, “Our school’s kind of boring.

What can we do to make it look more interesting?

Where can we go?” So that was kind of an adventure.

It was, um – I thought it was fun.

I think that feeling of inventing something brand new didn’t really dawn on me, at least, uh, while we were doing the filming and editing.

But I think it was once the final product was complete, um, it really felt like something that I could be proud of, um, something that would represent not only ourselves and our, and our digital media program, but, uh, our school, and also the state of Hawai‘i.

This episode’s team is made up of nine schools from four islands.

From Kaua‘i, there’s Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School – From Hawai‘i Island, Konawaena High School – On O‘ahu, Waipahu High School, Kamehameha Schools Kapālama– Kawānanakoa Middle School – Kalani High School, and Sacred Hearts Academy.

From Maui, there’s Maui High School, and of course, Maui Waena Intermediate.

Dayna, or, Chris, do you, I – do you remember, did we have a viewing party at Mrs. Suzuki’s house?

So, I honestly don’t remember this viewing party, but you probably don’t want to put that in there.

But the kids, that group of kids were in my robotics team, and so they were at my house Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night anyway, so, I guess they thought of it as a special viewing party.

I thought about it as they were still at my house.

When the show first aired for me, it was like, wow, it’s, it’s an unreal feeling to, to be on statewide television, um, as a 13-year-old.

So, I was pretty happy about that.

After that first episode of HIKI NŌ came on and we watched it, we finally realized, “Oh my gosh, this is, like, something.

This is like, legitimately, like, a show.

And it’s going to be on every week, and we’re going to have to create content, like, we’re going to have to go out and do stories.” Seeing the final, final product, um, just an amazing sense of pride and accomplishment that this actually happened and it actually came out, um, in a way that I, I could be proud of.

I think that was really, really big to me.

Now on with the show.

Our first story comes from Chiefess Kamakahelei on the Garden Isle of Kaua‘i.

[cheers] For as long as anyone can remember, high school football games on Kaua‘i have been played at night.

So, it’s unusual to be playing a game under the sun, rather than under the lights.

But as of the 2010 KIF football season, the county of Kaua‘i has decided that the traditional Friday night football games be moved to Saturday afternoon.

But why?

It’s because of this little guy, the Newell Shearwater, an endangered species found only on Kaua‘i.

I can’t believe that that was the very first story that aired on, on HIKI NŌ.

It was such a great story, and, um, do you guys remember what you did?

Um, well, I was the reporter, primarily.

Our voice, our voice talent.

[laughs] Yes, but Lorinda and I also did share, uh, writing script and filming and editing as well, so – When I first heard about HIKI NŌ, I think I was 11 at the time.

So as always, as an 11-year-old, and the prospect of being on TV or even having your name on TV was really exciting for me.

Um, I don’t think I understood at the time just how important it was.

I was just really excited to have one of the videos that I helped create be on HIKI NŌ.

Definitely didn’t know what to expect because there was no precedent.

Um, I think I just – I’d already been in the class for two years.

I was one of the, the senior students, so I just really wanted to push myself to tell a cohesive story.

I just wanted an A, so I was going to give it my all.

Well, back when this idea of having a statewide news show on TV airing during, you know, prime time actually, first came up, I mean, I thought it was a fantastic idea.

Uh, number one because it gave students a voice to have their stories heard, and it – and to me, what it really did was just legitimize all the work that all of our schools are doing.

It’s a huge opportunity, like what Mr. Matsunaga was saying.

Um, it gave a voice to students, especially such young students, to write.

So, I was only 11.

Um, it was the very first video that I helped create.

Whenever we start a new project, we’re always doing what we call like a pitch party, where we’re asking students, you know, “What are some of the things that you guys want to, you know, cover.” And I just remember the football, uh, the, you know – losing the Friday nights to football was such a big thing, and I thought, “Wow.

That would be a really great topic.” To be quite honest, I didn’t understand it was a controversial topic at the time, until we started, um, interviewing.

As you could see the, some of the interviews from the football fans, they would get really heated about it.

And then on the flip side, um, when we were talking to the, the conservationists, they had a very, like, different view.

We have various months of, uh, night activity, so the biggest issue is coming up with a plan to address, uh, the lighting at night, which means that number one, for some facilities, we would have to actually turn off the lights.

Yeah, I think when we first interviewed the mayor, um, I was definitely scared.

Um, it was an entirely new experience for me.

And I think Lorinda – I don’t remember if it was last minute or if she told me beforehand, but she was like, “You’re going to be asking the questions.” Um, and I was like, “Me?

Like, are, are, are you sure?

Like, you know, like, I can, like, I can set up the camera and everything.” Um, but very grateful she did, and the mayor was so nice.

Um, I think he was very understanding ‘cause we did have to get him mic’d up, and I was like, um, I was like, “You need to put it under your shirt.

Clip it on, um, just so we can’t see it, but we can hear your properly.” He took it completely seriously.

I feel like after, uh, interviewing both sides, I became a little bit more objective.

I don’t believe I formed an opinion, and I think it was mainly because Mr. M really was sort of reminding us, you know, like, it’s your job to present both sides of the story.

At the end of the day, it was our job to get, um, everyone’s perspective on the issue, and leave it up to the audience to develop something.

Yeah, so when the episode came out, uh, we had a watch party at our school, and I just remember being so incredibly proud of the girls, uh, for the work that they’ve done.

And to see it air on TV with everyone, and, um, the responses that we got were just incredible.

I think it was overall a really exciting experience, especially, um, with all of the work that we put into it.

I think especially for my family, they saw that I was going to the games, um, that I would stay after school a lot.

So, they were like, “Oh, OK, so this is what she was doing then.” Um, so it really explained a lot of things for my family, but, um, there was a lot of pride, um, that I felt when it first came out.

I remember when it came out, I was, you know, I had to force myself to stay there and, you know, listen to it, and just really, um, see it from somebody else’s view because, of course, when you’re watching your own work, there’s about a million things you can critique.

Um, so it was important to just stay in the moment, and be like, “Wow.

I’m 13 and I have a story out there.” So, 10 years later, I am 21 years old.

I am finishing up my last semester at Mills College as a biopsychology major.

Um, I’m currently applying to grad schools for social work.

Um, so technically my full-time job is a student, but I also do work for the institution as the Equity and Leadership Program Assistant.

I am now 23 years old, and I’m working in health care currently.

I received my bachelor’s in public health at California State University Chico in 2019.

Now I’m slowly working my way towards a masters of nursing.

A lot of the work I do now is focused on community organizing and community work, um, and I think working on Friday Night Lights was the first time that I had actually gone out into the community to sort of work on a topic that was so controversial.

Well, looking back, producing Friday Night Lights 10 years ago, um, I think that really, uh, helped me to develop my creative passions and definitely got me out of my comfort zone.

And so, I think that really just helped to, to develop me as a person and just find confidence in my own voice, really.

I can’t believe it’s 10 years already.

Holy smokes, I’m old.

Uh, and, uh, but it’s been the best journey for sure because, um – you know, one of our goals in our program has always been to just give students life skills.

And to see Danica and Lorinda, you know, come out as these successful, you know, young women that have, uh, promising careers, and they’ve – they’re going on to do some incredible things, it’s just – it’s, it’s exactly what we wanted.

[sound of ocean waves] Konawaena High School students will introduce us to Coach Bobbie Awa, who has led the Wildcat Wahine basketball team to four state championship titles and has played in the seven BIFF championship games.

Anu, you know you’re smiling, right?

[laughs] My role in the production was, uh, the commentator.

I did the, uh, voice audio, uh, for the Bobbie Awa piece.

My role with HIKI NŌ was, uh, cinematographer and editor.

Well, to get it to, um, PBS standards, I needed to pick the right students, and I know I did.

Yes, it’s true.

I picked, um, John for his pipes, and then Justin, I had him, uh, in class, and he was really good on the camera, and he had a good eye, and, and he could focus, and he could compose shots, and I had already seen that.

So, I wanted kids that I knew I had confidence in that could give PBS the quality that they wanted.

Coach Bobbie Awa’s success as coach of the Konawaena Wildcats Wahine basketball team derives from – The learning curve for this production was really steep.

Well, we were newbies, and, um, and we didn’t know where to break the rules.

So, as we were, uh, developing the piece and kind of learning as we went, we really had, um, not going to lie, some difficulties.

Uh, there were days where we would, uh, come in, uh, for class and be like, “OK, three things need to get adjusted.

Uh, we need to put this clip over, um, towards the beginning or towards the end.

Move this around.” Um, and it was a lot of back and forth in that.

Mistakes during practice and games are seen as opportunities for learning.

Danielle, perfect opportunity to shoot a bank shot there.

Telling a story that was really specific to Konawaena High School was really special to me because we are a small school in a small town on an island that’s not O‘ahu, and so being able to represent my community and telling a story of a team that represents my school very well – Was, uh, really special for us to, um, share such a kind of unique, uh, story just for our, uh, hometown.

Uh, the women’s basketball, the girls’ basketball, uh, for Kona is something that we’re well known for.

Offense wins games.

Defense wins championships.

Nice, Danielle.

Uh, when, um, I finally saw the, uh, finished piece, it was definitely, uh, a sense of relief.

Uh, we had been working really hard on the piece, uh, for weeks, if not months.

Uh, just trying to, to fine tune it, to, to edit it correctly, and, and get it up to that standard.

Um, and it was just, it was a nice sense of relief that, OK, we finally did it, and when it went live, it, um, it, just a weight off your shoulders.

When I recall watching the show broadcast statewide, live for, for the first time, I thought at that point I would, I would be sick of it because I’ve seen the final, the final cut over and over and over again.

But when it finally aired, it was like, “Wow, is this, this really happening?” And knowing that people like my aunties and uncles on O‘ahu were watching the same thing and learning about me and, and my school was, was a very warm experience, I think, and it brought me a lot of joy.

To see a story from our community, to see us highlight one of our sports programs, um, from our school was terrific.

Not only to highlight our, our sports program, but to highlight two of our students who worked on the show.

They did it.

They accomplished this.

Uh, a teacher can’t ask for more.

This is John Hubbard from Konawaena High School for HIKI NŌ.

Uh, so 10 years after working on the piece, I’m still living in Kona.

I’m 26 years old, and I’m a, uh, farm manager for my, uh, parent’s coffee farm.

I’m 25, living in San Francisco, and I’m working as a mechanical engineer.

I know, uh, HIKI NŌ is probably one of the best things that’s happened in my career, is to be involved in it.

And I hope to get more teachers, um, at my school in, involved in it ‘cause it, it’s really satisfying, uh, to see students grow through the medium of storytelling.

[sound of ocean waves] Our next story brings us home to Maui.

In fact, just a few miles from our school in Kahului, to a local store that has become a Maui tradition.

Since 1945, Takamiya Market in Happy Valley, just north of Wailuku, has been serving fresh meats, fish, prepared foods, and smiles from this same spot.

Yeah, OK.

Enjoy, thank you.

When I worked on Takamiya Market story for the very first HIKI NŌ show, I was a freshman at Maui High School.

I was also a freshman in high school.

At the time I was very excited, like, I didn’t, um, I never imagined that we would have such an opportunity.

It’s just starting out, and we were kind of the guinea pigs.

And I also thought it was a little bit of fate that Glesa and I started, um, doing media and this program kind of blossomed right when we began.

So, I felt really fortunate.

And at the same time, I thought, um, being a teenager, you think that adults, they underestimate students a lot of the times.

At least, that’s what I thought growing up.

So, to see, um, HIKI NŌ put their trust in students of Hawai‘i means a lot.

When, uh, PBS started HIKI NŌ for me, it really raised the bar and the quality of – I, I would expect from the students.

The, the production value, storytelling.

We’ve been to workshops before with Wai‘anae High School, and we learned a lot, but then when you know your stories are going to be aired on statewide TV, it had to meet the PBS standards.

Um, it really set the bar higher, and I think the students really thrived, um, doing that.

These convenience items have helped Takamiya establish a loyalty among customers.

For the Takamiya Market story, I was the videographer and the location audio.

And I was, uh, the reporter.

So back during our training days, they put an emphasis on sound, how it’s important to get some sound bites, um, from your interviewee.

We let him wear the mic.

Um, I, I don’t remember if he forgot to take it off or not, but he was kind of in his element wearing his mic.

And I remember Glesa was going around getting the shots.

We left the mic on him.

With the camera, I was mostly focused on getting, like, different parts of the store, Takamiya, and trying to capture, like, everything.

I really have to say, hats off to Glesa because looking back at the story and seeing all those shots combined, it was really well done, and she has, uh, a really great strength where she can, she has this eye for, for shots and videos.

So, um, it really helped tell the story of Takamiya Market.

I think having PBS Hawai‘i look over it, we got, like, a professional viewpoint on the story.

And, like, professional input on how we can do better in maybe our future stories.

Going through the HIKI NŌ process felt like I was constantly trying to chase an A, like an A plus, and we were always at a C or a B. I thought I felt like we were inventing something new, like, HIKI NŌ was able to bring all the schools together, like, we were all working – it seemed like we were all working on one big project together, even though we’re all from different islands, different communities, different schools.

This was our chance to, like, show everyone in Hawai‘i what we thought was important and valuable.

So – It’s not competition, but then you at least bring the people back to Happy Valley, yeah.

This is Jasmine Feliciano from Maui High School for HIKI NŌ.

I don’t really remember if we had a screening party.

I, if I’m remembering correctly, I think Gima had the PBS HIKI NŌ on, like, replay on his classroom, the whole day.

So we would always see everyone’s stories and see our stories.

Watching the other stories from the different communities and different schools made me feel like we were pretty much all connected.

We were producing this show together, and I thought it was pretty interesting to find out what was happening on the different islands.

When I, when I first watched that first episode, I, I, I think was going through my mind, it was, “Wow, like, it turned out better than I expected.” But at the same time, I remember thinking to myself, like, “Wow, this is a huge opportunity for any student who gets involved with this.” I am 25 years old.

I am located on O‘ahu, and I’m currently working at Honolulu Board of Water Supply as a Data Processing Systems Analyst.

So, I’m 24 years old, and I’m a mechanical engineer in the greater Boston area, and I work for an aerospace defense company.

Looking back 10 years ago, producing this story for the very first HIKI NŌ episode impacted my life in a way where I always wanted to, I guess, produce something that I’m proud of, and to always put in my 100 percent into because you never know where it, it’ll lead, or who will see what you’ve produced.

HIKI NŌ was definitely instrumental, uh, for me, especially as a shy, um, teenager because this program really helped me get out of my shell and out of my comfort zone, and I developed a lot of, um, soft skills that helped me along the way, um, like listening and, um, communicating, and empathizing with people.

HIKI NŌ and doing a story for HIKI NŌ gives students confidence.

And another thing that HIKI NŌ gives them is gives them the opportunity to fail and learn from their mistakes, and I think often times, too much times in education, we penalize failure.

Instead, we should be embracing failure but learning from the failure, and I think that’s what HIKI NŌ does.

[sound of ocean waves] Thank you for celebrating 10 years of PBS Hawai‘i’s HIKI NŌ with us.

And a big mahalo to the hundreds of teachers, thousands of students, and the many generous funders who made the first 10 years of HIKI NŌ a smashing success.

Here’s to making the next 10 years even better, as PBS Hawai‘i continues to prove that Hawai‘i students HIKI NŌ – Can do!

[outro music plays] [END]