Georcelle Lozano鈥檚 journey to where she is today and her upcoming graduation from the University of Hawaiʻi鈥揥别蝉迟 Oʻahu began eight years ago and about 5,370 miles away in her beloved hometown of Balaoan, La Union, Philippines. When she was 14, her family immigrated to Hawaiʻi in 2018 to reunite with relatives and build a new life in a new country.

Lozano is a first-generation college student and the only fluent English speaker among her immediate family members, who speak their native Ilokano. Over the years, both her academic and familial responsibilities involved trying to figure out unknown processes and systems not only for herself, but others in her family.

Meet more amazing 糖心视频 graduates

Lozano said the experience shaped her understanding of how access to information and support can significantly influence someone鈥檚 ability to succeed.

“Graduation represents years of sacrifice, both mine and my family鈥檚,” said Lozano. “It reflects the journey of leaving home, adapting to a new country, and learning how to navigate unfamiliar spaces.”

Lozano will share her story as one of two student speakers at on May 9.

Lozano earned, with distinction, a bachelor of education in secondary education with a focus on mathematics.

“For me, this moment is not just an ending, but a responsibility,” Lozano said. “It is a reminder that everything I have learned here is meant to be carried forward and used to support others who may be walking a similar path.”

Read more at .

More than 12,000 people attended The Wall That Heals traveling exhibit during its display at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu Great Lawn in January. The three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., along with a mobile education center, served as a powerful gathering space for the community to learn, remember and share.

The Wall That Heals, a program of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), honors the more than three million Americans who served in the Vietnam War and bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Ken Inouye, assistant to the vice chancellor for administration at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu, was part of the team that helped bring the exhibit to campus and found the experience deeply moving. He noted that unlike the quiet, often solitary nature of the D.C. memorial, the atmosphere at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu fostered spontaneous connection and sharing.

Place of healing

“Seeing the effect it has had within our community has been humbling, and the way people just spontaneously shared their stories with me and others was clearly healing,” Inouye said. “People who came to visit The Wall That Heals immediately sensed that everyone there was of the same community.”

Inouye is the son of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, who served in the U.S. Army鈥檚 442nd Regimental Combat Team, one of the most decorated military units in U.S. history.

“A woman and her husband approached me to ask for directions and then started talking to me about the Wall,” he said. “After about five minutes of us talking about family members who had served in the military, she realized that her uncle and my father had served together in World War II.”

Nearly 400 volunteers and more than 20 community partners contributed to the event. The display at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu was the first stop of the VVMF鈥檚 2026 The Wall That Heals . The exhibit will visit a total of 31 communities in 2026.

For more visit .
—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The mobile exhibit, , which features a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is coming to Oʻahu. It will be on display January 14–19 at the Great Lawn of the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu in Kapolei. The exhibit, which also includes a mobile Education Center, honors the more than 3 million Americans who served and bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War. The exhibit will be open 24 hours a day until it is dismantled on January 19.

“After 30 years displaying in communities throughout the United States, few communities have worked as hard as Kapolei to host The Wall That Heals,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the nonprofit that founded The Wall. “Our events in Hilo and Maui were incredible, and we鈥檙e excited to bring the exhibit to Oʻahu.”

Community impact

Local efforts were championed by Vietnam veteran Eddie Freeman, co-chair of The Wall That Heals 鈥� Oʻahu. He noted that his past experience on other islands “deepened my resolve to bring this powerful memorial to Oʻahu. The selection of Kapolei, Hawaiʻi, by VVMF stands as one of the most significant events for the community in 2026.”

A related showing of “Ah Quon McElrath: The Struggle Never Ends” will be held 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on January 16, at the ʻUluʻulu film screening room in the James & Abigail Campbell Library. Presented by the Center for Labor Education and Research, the event will include comments from filmmakers Chris Conybeare and Joy Chong-Stannard on the film’s connection to the Vietnam War and today, along with a historical exhibit.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu recently launched the inaugural issue of (DPP), an undergraduate journal featuring 糖心视频 West Oʻahu student writers and artists, showcasing their diverse and creative works.

DPP is by and for 糖心视频 West Oʻahu students, with the mentorship of humanities faculty and the support of the and 糖心视频 West Oʻahu administration.

“It is so important to have a journal established on our campus,” said DPP faculty mentor Yasmine Romero, associate professor of English and the chair of the Humanities Division at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu. “We are an Indigenous-serving university, which means we should strive to create spaces for our students to build their archives and create connections to their communities.”

Aloha ʻ膧ina

Published on December 5, Vol. 1 No. 1 “Aloha ʻ膧ina” centers on the theme of “love for the land” and includes the work of 11 writers and three artists. The issue includes a by Tanya H艒k奴lani Racoma, the fall 2025 DPP editor-in-chief.

“The issue moves from works grounded in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 memory and everyday life, to creative retellings of familiar stories through local and Indigenous lenses, and then to ethical and critical essays engaging film, media, and social justice,” Racoma said. “It concludes with reflections on writing, identity and ancestral knowledge. Together with cover art honoring land as family, the issue embodies Aloha ʻ膧ina as love, connection and care for ʻ膩ina and community.”

She believes Da Pueo Press has the potential to grow into a space where Indigenous students feel empowered to publish in their native languages

“Honoring language, after all, is a way of honoring the people and futures they carry,” Racoma said.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

A new partnership between the University of Hawaiʻi鈥揥别蝉迟 Oʻahu and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) will provide students with valuable hands-on training while addressing a critical shortage in the state鈥檚 public health workforce.

The 糖心视频 West Oʻahu Public Administration (PUBA) division鈥檚 Health Care Administration (HCAD) certificate program equips students and health care practitioners with a broad range of administrative skills needed in the growing health care field. In consultation with DOH, PUBA has developed the HCAD DOH Pathway for practicum placements that prepare students for employment in the public health sector.

“We see it as a win-win for both DOH and 糖心视频 West Oʻahu,” said HCAD Instructor Linda Axtell-Thompson. “There is a critical and growing shortage in public health staffing鈥攂oth locally and nationally鈥攖hat our 糖心视频 West Oʻahu programs can help address.”

Students in the pathway must complete 120 field hours and 40 academic hours. Participants who meet requirements are eligible for tuition support, book stipends and a $2,000 practicum stipend.

Urgent need

Vacancy rates across DOH and many state agencies are about 30%, according to DOH Chief Policy Officer Lorrin Kim. Nationally, the reports that local and state health departments need an additional 80,000 full-time employees just to provide basic public health services.

“The pathway collaboration between 糖心视频 West Oʻahu and the Department of Health is a strategic investment in our public workforce designed to expose Hawaiʻi鈥檚 future health care leaders to essential public health concepts and functions,” Kim said.

“We are incredibly excited and grateful to the Department of Health for this amazing opportunity,” said PUBA Division Chair Kristina Lu, who is also the HCAD Program Director. “Through this pathway, students will complete their administrative practicum with the DOH, gain valuable, real-world experience and be well-positioned for future employment with the department after graduation.”

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The University of Hawaiʻi has received a $150,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation鈥檚 Public Knowledge program to plan for a social media archive that preserves 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 digital history and centers on Native Hawaiian voices.

The project, Kaʻohipōhaku (gathering rocks or stones), is a collaboration between the 糖心视频 West Oʻahu James & Abigail Campbell Library, 糖心视频 Maui College library and 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补.

“Kaʻohipōhaku will bring together Native Hawaiian activists and web/social media archivists to start the discussion on what a social media archive, rooted in ʻāina (land) and guided by the l膩hui Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Nation), could look like,” said principal investigator Kawena Komeiji, Hawaiian Initiatives librarian at 糖心视频 M膩noa鈥檚 Hamilton Library and the former Hawaiian Pacific resources librarian at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu.

Komeiji said the effort rebalances how history is preserved, and is significant to 糖心视频 and the broader Hawaiʻi community.

“It aims to put mana (power, authority, privilege) and ea (sovereignty, independence) back into the hands of the Native Hawaiian community. In the past, collections in libraries and archives were created with our ʻike(knowledge) but without our consent or approval; and Kaʻohipōhaku aims to flip that narrative by including K膩naka (Native Hawaiian) voices in the design process,” she said.

With Mellon support, the team will consult with community leaders and web archiving experts, test preservation tools, and establish sustainable, culturally relevant practices for digital archiving.

Web pages, posts are vanishing

“Kaʻohipōhaku is about giving social media creators, audiences and communities agency, especially around these major events in Hawaiʻi,” said Alphie Garcia, information resources and collection management librarian at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu. “Hawaiians and people living in Hawai鈥榠 are having these conversations in social media spaces about the Lahaina wildfires and the Kū Kiaʻi Mauna movement, but these conversations are fragile.”

Garcia said research shows that nearly four in 10 web pages vanish within a decade, and one in five Twitter/X posts can disappear within months, similar to content on other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

“Without active preservation, that history is gone,” Garcia added. “My role is to test tools and identify infrastructure that can help safeguard this digital heritage while working with a team of advisors on ways to accomplish this goal that are sustainable, ethical, trustworthy and community driven.”

The Mellon Foundation also awarded 糖心视频 $3.22 million to 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补, 糖心视频 Maui College, and 糖心视频 Hilo for Kahoʻiwai: Reclaiming Hawaiian Knowledge Sovereignty, a related project running from 2024 to 2027.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

From campus meetups at 4 a.m. to the national stage in Florida, a first-time team of University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu cybersecurity students impressed the field—winning their regional division in March and finishing 12th out of more than 130 teams at a national competition in April.

“I’m incredibly proud of my team since we were 糖心视频 West Oʻahu鈥檚 first-ever competitors in this competition,” said freshman and team captain Kiana Merez. “To not only take first place at regionals but also represent our school at the national invitational is a testament to our dedication and teamwork.”

Live defense

The 糖心视频 West Oʻahu squad competed in the 2025 National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) Cyber Games Invitational in Tampa, Florida. Representing the university at the national event were Merez, Nyla Boneza, Blix Hazen, Joel Kawamae, Chloe Kurashima, Branden Ramos and Shane Zuls. They were accompanied by Eli Tsukayama, associate professor of business administration.

“During the competition, we defended against a live red team for the first time. It was challenging, but we did our best to use our experience to defend our infrastructure,” Merez said. “This opportunity taught us very important lessons that will stay with us long after this competition, and we are looking forward to participating again next year!”

Senior Blix Hazen called the experience both fun and intense.

“Having to actively defend against a red team was totally new to me,” Hazen said. “Having to keep your services up and scoring really forces you to learn in the moment and teaches how to be proactive against attackers.”

‘Plan to be back’

The team earned its invitation to the national competition by winning the 2025 NCAE Cyber Games Southwest 2 Regional Division. That winning roster included Merez (captain), Boneza, Hazen, Kawamae, Kurashima, Zuls, Ryan Vagay and Kendall Wong.

Cybersecurity instructor and faculty sponsor Anthony Eich, a 糖心视频 West Oʻahu graduate, thanked the families and faculty who came together to make travel to Tampa possible, and praised the team鈥檚 performance.

“Their hard work, dedication, and teamwork have paid off, and it highlights the strength of our cybersecurity program at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu,” Eich said. “There is so much to be proud of, and we plan to be back next year.”

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The U.S. Department of Justice awarded the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu $2 million over three years to increase the university鈥檚 threat assessment and violence prevention capabilities in K–12 private, charter, and public schools and their communities throughout Hawaiʻi.

“This award is significant, both in the amount and the scope since it not only continues to build knowledge and capacity of Behavior Threat Assessment and Management within K–12 schools and connected communities, but it helps the state with identifying options for violence prevention to assist with keeping our school communities safer during these challenging times,” said Principal Investigator Bev Baligad, who serves as 糖心视频 West Oʻahu鈥檚 director of compliance, Title IX coordinator and Behavior Intervention Team manager.

The project is titled, “Hawaiʻi State Targeted Violence Prevention鈥擲chool Community and Threat Assessment Team Training and Capacity Building.”

Goals and expected outcomes

• increased threat assessment and violence prevention capabilities on involved campuses
• sustainable violence prevention practices in K–12 schools and its communities
• successful application of bystander intervention techniques by members of school and campus communities
• school Behavior Threat Assessment teams operating under national best practice
• improved cultural perception of threat assessment and violence prevention practices in school and campus communities

Partnerships that will support the project include the Hawaiʻi Office of Homeland Security, the Hawaiʻi State Fusion Center (HSFC), K–12 private and charter schools, Threat Team Hawaiʻi, and other public and private organizations and businesses. Additionally, 糖心视频 West Oʻahu is a lead implementing partner in the , working closely with Homeland Security and HSFC to achieve state-wide violence prevention.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded targeted violence and terrorism prevention grants to Baligad in and , totaling more than $1.3 million, to help build Hawaiʻi state school threat assessment teams and to further state community awareness efforts.

“糖心视频 West Oʻahu intends to fulfill its commitment to the prevention of acts of targeted violence in Hawaiʻi by working closely with schools and fostering the establishment of sustainable threat assessment teams and practices,” Baligad said.

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

An estimated 8,000 people attended the 9th annual —one of the largest STEM celebrations in the state鈥攐n April 5 at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu.

The free, family-friendly event, presented by the , featured more than 100 interactive activities and over 50 in-depth workshops designed to engage participants of all ages in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Booths and exhibits showcased cutting-edge robotics, environmental science experiments, coding, sustainability, Hawaiian culture, career pathways and more.

“Onizuka Day brought people together to build, explore, and imagine what鈥檚 possible,” said Blake Parsons, CEO and Scout Executive of Scouting America, Aloha Council. “Thousands of kids and families got hands-on with STEM and honored Ellison Onizuka, a Hawaiʻi-born Eagle Scout who showed the world how far courage and curiosity can take you.”

This is the third year that the Onizuka Day of Exploration took place at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu.

“Mahalo to 糖心视频 West Oʻahu for hosting us, and to our volunteers, sponsors, and partners who made it all happen,” Parsons added. “This is how we grow bold leaders鈥攂y giving them the tools, the inspiration and the space to dream big.”

The Onizuka Day of Exploration continues a legacy that began in 1911 as the Makahiki, making this the longest-running Scouting event in the U.S., according to organizers. The Onizuka Day of Exploration honors the legacy of astronaut Ellison Onizuka, inspiring Hawaiʻi鈥檚 youth to reach for the stars and explore the endless possibilities of STEM.

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

A $25,000 gift from to the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu鈥檚 is a boost to addressing the nursing shortage in Hawaiʻi. The will help support students pursuing a career in nursing by covering tuition, books and other related expenses.

The 糖心视频 West Oʻahu bachelor of applied science, health professions, general health science concentration with a pre-nursing pathway was designed to address the nursing shortage and aims to develop and prepare scholarly leaders from west Oʻahu who are interested in improving the health and wellness of their community through a career in nursing.

“Healthcare and increasing the number of healthcare professionals—especially nurses—is paramount in Hawaiʻi,” said Rebecca Romine, faculty director of the .

“These scholarships will help reduce financial stress so our students can focus more on their studies and academic performance,” said Romine, an associate professor with the Division of Mathematics, Natural and Health Sciences. “The scholarship funds will help students from the west side of Oʻahu learn and practice the skills and knowledge within the pre-nursing curriculum so that they pursue their nursing career.”

Scholarship criteria and eligibility requirements

• 糖心视频 West Oʻahu student enrolled in the pre-nursing program
• Undergraduate, full-time
• Graduate of a Hawaiʻi high school, preferred
• Resident of Hawaiʻi, as determined by the university admissions office, preferred
• Demonstrates academic merit, as determined by the selection committee

糖心视频 the to learn more about the scholarship. Students may apply through the 糖心视频 System Common Scholarship Application.

Investment in the future of healthcare

Nicole Akana, co-lead of the Pre-Nursing Pathway Program, added that the scholarship is more than financial support for students.

“It鈥檚 an investment in the future of healthcare on the west side of our island,” Akana said. “By empowering aspiring nurses, we are addressing the critical nursing shortage and strengthening our local workforce, ensuring quality care for our community for generations to come.”

ʻOhana Health Plan initially created the scholarship in 2016 with a $10,000 gift that impacted 12 students.

“Hawaiʻi is experiencing a nursing shortage and ʻOhana Health Plan is committed to investing in our local workforce development,” said Scott Sivik, ʻOhana Health Plan president and chief executive officer. “We are pleased to offer another round of Pre-Nursing Pathway Scholarships at the University of Hawaiʻi鈥揥别蝉迟 Oʻahu to students interested in transforming the health of the community, one person at a time.”

For Jared Kāʻeo McCann, success is also about the journey of overcoming failure. As one of two student speakers at the University of Hawaiʻi–West 翱ʻ补丑耻鈥檚 on December 14, McCann hopes to inspire graduates by sharing his own story of perseverance.

McCann has earned his second degree from —a bachelor of science in cybersecurity with a concentration in cyber operations.

“I鈥檝e struggled with so many different things since I started school in 2019, and I鈥檝e wanted to quit and just give up more times than I could possibly count,” said McCann, who worked through imposter syndrome to rediscover his motivation. “To be able to look back at everything I鈥檝e been through and see how far I鈥檝e come, and to really have something to show for all of it, it truly feels special.

The 23-year-old Kapolei resident transferred to 糖心视频 West Oʻahu from 糖心视频 M膩noa in 2022. In spring 2024, McCann earned his first degree from 糖心视频 West Oʻahu—a bachelor of applied science with a concentration in information security and assurance. He got a job at Hawaiian Electric, where he works as an information assurance analyst.

“Most often, we are the only ones who ever get to see or know our own failures,” said McCann, 23, a Kapolei resident. “Everyone around us just sees our successes. Learn to embrace the praise and don鈥檛 dwell on how long it took to get here or how many mistakes you made. Be proud of your achievements.”

• Read more about Travis Antonacci, who was also selected to be a student commencement speaker.

Demonstrating ‘exceptional leadership’

Throughout his two years at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu, McCann worked for the IT Help Desk and was a member of the Health, Transportation, and Technology Committee. He served as assistant director of the Cyber Security Coordination Center in spring 2024, and assistant director of the Cyber Security Research Lab in fall 2024—both on-campus internship programs.

“Jared consistently demonstrates the highest level of determination and achievement in his academic courses and research,” said J. Burrell, an associate professor of information and computer science. “He also demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities that inspire and empower other students, which are representative of a next-generation cybersecurity professional.”

McCann intends to go to graduate school while continuing to work in cybersecurity.

He said, “In the long term, I would like to come back to 糖心视频 West Oʻahu to teach as a lecturer to be able to share my knowledge and experiences with the next generation.”

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

ʻUluʻulu: The Henry Kuʻualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawaiʻi at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu launched a new and . ʻUluʻulu has more than 4,000 searchable titles with video clips available for viewing.

“The new online platforms are our first website and catalog refresh since 2012 and provide a powerful new way to search and view archival footage from our collections,” said Janel Quirante, head archivist at ʻUluʻulu, Hawaiʻi鈥檚 official state archive for moving images.

With September being Hawaiian History Month, ʻUluʻulu welcomes visitors and recommends these videotapes and motion picture film reels accessible via the new site:

New content management system

The website contains information about ʻUluʻulu‘s programs and services, and provides a searchable gateway to its new catalog and content management system Recollect, ʻUluʻulu‘s online access point to all of its collections and digital videos. ʻUluʻulu worked with 糖心视频 West Oʻahu Communications for graphics and user experience (UX) design, and with 糖心视频 West Oʻahu Information Technology to develop the site and integration with Recollect.

For more information about ʻUluʻulu: The Henry Kuʻualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawaiʻi, email uluulu@hawaii.edu or call (808) 689-2740.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The at the University of Hawaii–West Oʻahu (ACMWO) has created a plan to use creative media as a gateway to engage underrepresented students in STEM concepts鈥攁 significant step toward supporting the National Science Foundation鈥檚 initiative.

The plan was developed by Sharla Hanaoka, ACMWO director, and Brad Ashburn, associate professor of chemistry with the mathematics, natural and health sciences division at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu.

Next steps

糖心视频 West Oʻahu will offer a new Math 100 course, Generative Art and Science, dedicated to the merge of art and math that supports the BPC plan welcoming all students with basic programming proficiency in spring 2025.

“By merging art into STEM fields, we鈥檙e not only breaking down barriers that often prevent students from our communities from pursuing computer science, but we鈥檙e also fostering creativity and unconventional thinking, preparing a new generation of problem-solvers equipped with both technical know-how and artistic vision for a future where technology and creativity are increasingly intertwined,” Hanaoka said. “This could lead to a more diverse, inclusive and innovative creative technology industry overall.”

Making art with science

Students Dylan Blue and Aina Kodaira—both pursuing a degree in creative media with a concentration in video game design and development—worked with Ashburn as a mentor on a summer research project that Ashburn will talk about in his upcoming course.

Blue and Kodaira presented their project, “Exploring Emergence with Cellular Automata,” at the 糖心视频 West Oʻahu Student Research Experience Summer Symposium on August 9 at the Campus Center multi-purpose room. The project challenged them to combine software engineering, science, and design to build a highly interactive web application that generates complex patterns.

“We created an algorithm that creates different patterns; that鈥檚 how we blended technology with art,” Blue said. “This is significant because we don鈥檛 really see that happening too much, right? There鈥檚 always a distinct line between the field of science and creative media. 鈥eing in a place where we havenʻt been before is pretty exciting.”

Both students plan this fall semester to take Ashburn鈥檚 new Generative Art and Science class, in which students will level up their creativity through hands-on computer programming, design and engineering projects.

“Many approaches to integrating the arts in STEM involve making art about science, but our approach is to make art with science,” Ashburn said.

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Read more on .

Tony Montalto鈥檚 voice softened as he spoke about his forever 14-year-old daughter Gina Rose Montalto, a victim of the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history. On Feb. 14, 2018, a former student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School murdered 14 students and three staff members and wounded another 17 people at the school in Florida.

“That day changed my life and my family鈥檚 life forever,” Montalto said to a moved audience. “Now, no day will ever be a truly happy one as long as I live.”

Montalto shared a personal and powerful presentation as a guest speaker at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu鈥檚 third annual Hawaiʻi Threat Assessment Conference (HTAC) in July. Threat assessment is the identification, assessment, and management of threats to prevent incidents of targeted violence. HTAC focused on national best practices, data and trends.

Turning pain into purpose

Montalto is serving his third term as the elected president of .

“I understand the importance of training and the need to fight complacency,” Montalto said. “The founding families of Stand with Parkland have chosen a path of instrumental grieving, turning our unfathomable pain into great purpose.”

The advanced-level conference drew about 200 attendees, including representatives from nine campuses in the 糖心视频 System, public and private K–12 and higher education officials, local organizations, and state and federal agencies.

“I鈥檓 pleased to be able to present in front of this group,” Montalto said. “People who work on behavioral threat assessments are uniquely positioned to spot someone and get them off the pathway to violence before they resort to that.”

Asking local communities to step up

糖心视频 West Oʻahu Director of Compliance Bev Baligad, who also chairs the 糖心视频 West Oʻahu Behavior Intervention Team, said she hopes HTAC attendees realize there is much to do within this state to prevent targeted violence.

“It isn’t enough to say, ‘We support or engage in threat assessment and management efforts in the state,’” said Baligad, who is also the chair of Threat Team Hawaiʻi. “We need more community members to understand what threat assessment and management efforts are, how it works, and to whom they can report issues that are not considered a crime yet. In other words, we need our communities to be a part of this statewide effort.”

Montalto also emphasized the importance of coming together, connecting, embracing all potential partners and working as a team to find solutions and protect students and teachers.

“Please remember the one thing that all communities in which a school shooting has occurred had in common: that was a shared belief that it couldn’t happen to them,” Montalto said. “Please, learn from my experience. It happened to us, and it could happen in your community, too.”

Read more at .
—by Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The Pueo Gaming esports club now holds a collegiate title. In February, the club received a trophy for winning its first championship in League of Legends in the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) Emergents West Division in December.

“This championship helped recognize the school and the club at a national level,” said Garrett Lau, president of Pueo Gaming. “Most colleges don鈥檛 hold an esports title yet, so it鈥檚 nice to still be one of the first schools to do it.”

Pueo Gaming League of Legends team members Melanie Denda, Trey Lum, Ari Nicholson, Cyrus Olivas, Josh Sato, and Darryl Tsutsui represented 糖心视频 West Oʻahu on December 6, in the finals match against Mid-America Christian University (MACU) from Oklahoma.

Nationally competitive

The NECC Emergents West Division finals match for (LoL)—a team-based strategy game where two teams of five champions face off to destroy the other team鈥檚 base—was a best-of-five series that lasted about five hours.

“I have been part of this team for a few years, and each time we played it was so much fun!” said Olivas, Pueo Gaming LoL team captain. “ This time around it seemed like winning was an actual possibility so it became stressful quickly, but that never took away from the enjoyment of the experience.”

The esports club was founded in 2020 and didn鈥檛 begin national competition until 2021. Since then, Pueo Gaming has competed in both local and national tournaments in various game titles.

Lau added, “Thank you to everyone who supported us and we hope to keep making all of you proud in the future as we look to bring home more championships to 糖心视频 West 翱驶补丑耻!&谤诲辩耻辞;

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Nearly three months after the devastating Maui fires, spring 2022 graduate and alumna Alejandra Guadalupe Ramirez has a renewed commitment to relief efforts in her island home, with a focus on immigrants.

On top of her full-time position at 糖心视频 Maui College, the Wailuku resident, is a co-founder of , a Maui-based multilingual hub for impacted immigrants, connecting them to whatever aid and resources they qualify for during the long rebuilding process.

“As a Maui resident, I feel as if it is my responsibility to give back and help my community after the fires,” said Ramirez, a daughter of immigrants from Jalisco, México. “Whether it is helping with something big or small, I feel as if I am making a difference in the lives of those who need help the most.”

Hawaiʻi Promise at 糖心视频 Maui College

Ramirez graduated from H.P. Baldwin High School in Wailuku in 2017, then attended 糖心视频 Maui College, where she was an Hawaiʻi Promise scholarship recipient, and graduated with her associate degrees in liberal arts and public administration.

A , Ramirez continued her college education via 糖心视频 West Oʻahu鈥檚 distance learning program. She graduated in May 2022 with honors, earning a bachelor of arts in public administration with a concentration in justice administration.

Today she works full-time as an outreach program associate with the Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) at 糖心视频 Maui College. The program is dedicated to assisting first-generation immigrants and low-income students.

“A few students have reached out to the program I work for to see if they can qualify for additional assistance through 糖心视频 Maui,” she said. “It is devastating to see a good chunk of the place where you grew up destroyed.”

Community organizer

As Roots Reborn鈥檚 lead coordinator and frontline organizer during the Lahaina fires crisis, Ramirez continues to volunteer when and where she can, mostly assisting with running the Roots Reborn .

She was recently responsible for marketing Roots Reborn’s inaugural celebration of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in November, one of the most important holidays in México and a time to remember departed loved ones. Ramirez said this event was created to honor those who lost their lives in the Lahaina fire.

The team has been coordinating and mobilizing a multi-lingual volunteer base to respond to immigrant needs, some of which are still emerging. “Our team really benefits from volunteers who are fluent in Spanish, Ilokano and Tagalog,” Ramirez said.

Interested Maui-based volunteers, should fill out this , and Roots Reborn is also accepting .

Read more at .

—by Zenaida Serrano Arvman

In a bid to nurture the next generation of educators and tackle the teacher shortage in Hawaiʻi, Pearl City High School seniors, Hailey Rodgers and Arisa Yazaki, orchestrated the “Dive Into Education” event, hosted at the on November 3.

“We wanted to organize this event because it is important to have homegrown teachers,” Rodgers said. “I just wanted them to stay here in Hawaiʻi and become teachers and have their careers here inHawaiʻi.”

The first-ever event was supported in part by a grant from the Hawaiʻi Education Association. 糖心视频 West Oʻahu and its , a Title III grant that supports the middle/secondary education pathway project, provided financial support to host the event on the campus.

Dive Into Education featured a keynote address with advice from a veteran teacher, a panel discussion and Q&A with current education students from different colleges and universities, and a college fair with information about college and university teaching programs in the islands.

The panelists included three representatives from 糖心视频 West Oʻahu—Hoʻopūliko Kumu Hou program participants and secondary education majors—Raymart Billote, Joshua Kamalani, and Makayla Rogers-Tivao.

“I was blessed to have really good teachers 鈥� great role models,” said Rogers-Tivao a current student teacher at James Campbell High School. “Just being able to help kids out is one of the most important things that I find about teaching.”

The students who attended Dive Into Education were from Campbell, Farrington, Kapolei, Leilehua, Nānākuli, Pearl City and Waipahu high schools. The colleges and universities represented at the college fair included Leeward Community College, 糖心视频 Hilo—Kahuawaiola program, 糖心视频 Mānoa, and the host 糖心视频 West Oʻahu.

“An event like this, at this scale, really reflects how interested students are in becoming teachers,” said Hoʻopūliko Kumu Hou instructional student support specialist Leiʻala Okuda. “When we see presence like this and the effort that鈥檚 being put into an event like this, it really shows how passionate this community is wanting to grow teachers, especially our own teachers.”

Read more at .

—by Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The hosted more than 1,300 high school freshmen who explored career opportunities at the October 27 West Oʻahu Student Career Expo, presented by the Kapolei Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Kamehameha Schools, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education and 糖心视频 West Oʻahu.

Students from James Campbell, Kapolei and Waiʻanae high schools; Nānākuli High School and Intermediate; and Island Pacific Academy attended the career expo and interacted with 40 participating businesses and organizations representing various career pathways. Students interviewed industry professionals to explore possible future career paths and skills necessary for future employment.

“We pioneered the first student career expo of its kind in 2018, and we are excited to again host this amazing career exploration for our future workforce,” said Kiran Polk, executive director of the Kapolei Chamber of Commerce. “We hope the students can use the interactions with our business community to help them navigate towards the pursuit of their dreams.”

Justin, a ninth grader from James Campbell High School, was looking into nursing.

“This is a really good experience because it鈥檚 a good way to open students鈥� mindset and have them have different doorways to different careers in life,” Justin said between visiting booths at the expo. “I know some of my friends are unsure what they want to do in life, so I鈥檓 hoping that they found something that they鈥檙e interested in here.”

Sean Tajima, the Campbell-Kapolei Complex Area superintendent, commended the West Oʻahu Student Career Expo for helping freshmen make important career decisions in high school, post-secondary and beyond.

“This is an awesome event for students in the Campbell-Kapolei Complex Area,” said Tajima. “It’s important that our kids step foot on a college campus right in their backyard.”

糖心视频 West Oʻahu Chancellor Maenette Benham said the career expo offered ninth graders an opportunity to talk with 糖心视频 West Oʻahu faculty and students, to really understand what it means to go to college.

Through the West Oʻahu Works Education and Workforce initiative, the Kapolei Chamber is working as West O鈥榓hu鈥檚 “career hub” by working in collaboration with employers, educators, and job training programs to prepare students for higher education and/or develop a 21st century workforce. The Chamber supports local efforts in West Oʻahu to assist in youth mentoring, internship and employment opportunities.

Read more at .

—by Zenaida Serrano Arvman

In an effort to ensure students are nourished, healthy and thriving, the is offering free, fresh produce—available for students to pick up while supplies last, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays throughout October at the Nāulu Center.

糖心视频 West Oʻahu launched this pilot program to address food insecurity on October 2, in collaboration with 糖心视频 Mānoa Student Life & Development鈥檚 program. Food Vault Hawaiʻi has a partnership with , the largest food rescue and redistribution organization in Hawaiʻi, to recover unsold produce and bread from designated sites.

糖心视频 West Oʻahu鈥檚 designated site is the , which operates Sundays at Mililani High School.

“As part of this program, we commit to recovering whatever the farmers鈥� market vendors would like to donate,” said Jan Javinar, specialist faculty in student affairs at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu. “On Monday mornings, a team volunteers to pre-bag the goods, working to ensure that there鈥檚 an equitable mix of items in each bag.”

The first week鈥檚 offerings included items such as kale, papaya and various breads. The pilot project was launched at the campus with the help of volunteer staff, faculty and students who work in student affairs.

“Needless to say, the students were appreciative of the free produce,” Javinar said.

The remaining dates of distribution at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu are October 16–17, 23–24 and 30–31. 糖心视频 West Oʻahu students who pick up produce must present their 糖心视频 ID card or 糖心视频 username.

Javinar said the campus will assess the pilot project at the end of October.

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—by Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The devastation from the Maui wildfires has been front and center on the minds of most of Hawaiʻi. Some University of Hawaiʻi students, faculty, staff and alumni have been able to assist in the recovery.

student Kamehalani Ortiz, who is majoring in public administration with an emphasis on disaster preparedness and emergency management, is a recipient of the Chandler Scholarship in Social Sciences, and recently assisted with Maui fire relief efforts.

“Every principle of emergency management I learned at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu found its practical application in coordinating relief efforts, assisting with community needs, and assuring the well-being of the affected individuals,” Ortiz said. “It was about ensuring people had what they needed when they needed it the most. That would not have been possible without all the donors鈥� support.”

Ortiz was one of the featured student speakers at the He Lei Mahalo – 糖心视频 West Oʻahu Scholarship Luncheon on September 29, which drew about 100 students, donors, supporters, administrators, faculty and staff. Presented by 糖心视频 West Oʻahu and the 糖心视频 Foundation, the event celebrated the donors who made generous gifts to support student scholarships at the campus, and also honored the recipients.

$17 million in scholarships

糖心视频 Foundation Vice President for Development Karla Zarate-Ramirez shared that last year, 糖心视频 distributed about $17 million to 5,000 students throughout all 10 campuses.

“Thanks to the generosity from our donors in this room and the ones who could not make it here today, last year we awarded almost $400,000 to 116 糖心视频 West Oʻahu students,” Zarate-Ramirez said. “And this year we鈥檙e on track to award even more.”

Dr. Rockne C. Freitas Scholarship at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu

Among the donors in attendance was Makai Freitas, representing the Dr. Rockne C. Freitas Scholarship at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu. Freitas is the son of the late former chancellor.

“Dad felt that education was a path forward,” Freitas said. “I think he felt that that was a key component in the advancement of our local people, Native Hawaiians in particular.”

At the luncheon, Freitas sat at a table alongside 糖心视频 West Oʻahu student Shayna Bing, a recipient of the Dr. Rockne C. Freitas Scholarship at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu, as well as other scholarships, including the Charles R. Hemenway Scholarship – 糖心视频 West Oʻahu Fund, the Joshua Hagi Armacost Endowed Scholarship, and the Osher Reentry Scholarship – University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu.

“These scholarships truly give me a second chance in life to rewrite the course of who I am,” said Bing, a mother of three. “Having the time and financial support to learn new skills, while I have personal and professional development, expands my career opportunities.”

Bing is double majoring in sociology and psychology, and pursuing a double certification in Hawaiian and Indigenous health and healing, and substance abuse and addictions studies. She plans to graduate in spring 2025, and hopes to earn a doctorate to become a pediatric clinical psychologist.

“When you change one person鈥檚 trajectory in a positive direction, their reach brings along their acquaintances, their friends, their ʻohana and their immediate community,” Bing said. “Providing these financial seeds of hope contribute to not only one life changing, but the larger growth of our Hawaiʻi people and the overarching health of our future generations here in Hawaiʻi.”

Full circle

糖心视频 West Oʻahu Alumni Association Vice President David Dinh attended the event as a representative for the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu Alumni Association Scholarship Fund. Dinh is a 2013 graduate of 糖心视频 West Oʻahu, where he earned a business administration degree with a concentration in marketing, and is now a business instructor there.

“It鈥檚 nice to see going full circle, you know, I was able to come to school here through grants, scholarship,” Dinh said. “The table has turned and we鈥檙e the ones giving scholarships now.”

Dinh encourages others to consider donating to the 糖心视频 Foundation, the fundraising organization for 糖心视频 System.

He said, “Give students the opportunity to go to school to better our community because they鈥檙e going to be the next generation of leaders.”

To make a donation to 糖心视频 West Oʻahu or to learn more about donating, email darian.padilla@uhfoundation.org or call (808) 594-6851.

—by Zenaida Serrano Arvman