West Shoots For Video Honors

Entries from 21 West Oahu student video teams are in the running for top awards April 12 at the 10th annual ‘Olelo Youth Xchange Video Competition awards banquet at Ko Olina Resort.

The cable company announced a record 658 entries this year, and judges picked 114 as final-ists. At stake is a high-definition Sony digital video camera for the winning school in each of 38 categories.

Three finalists were selected in each category among public, private and charter schools across the state.

The Webling Elementary video team is a finalist for five of its entries: Pae Aina in the “I Ola Hawaii” category, Get Up and Move in “Start Living Healthy” and Buckle It Up!, Crush Up Bullying! and Drink Water Every Day – all in the Junior Expert category for past winners and/or professionals.

Waipahu Elementary is a finalist for Get It, Jerk? (“Be A Jerk”), Pip the Energy Hog (“Energy Conservation”), Hand in Hand (“Peacemaker”), and Conversation at the Waterhole (“Saving H2Outdoors”).

Kapolei Middle School was singled out for Speak Out Against Child Abuse (“Short”) and It’s a Brighter World (“Energy Conservation”).

Other area schools in contention are Honowai, Pearl Ridge and Alvah Scott (two entries) elementary; Waipahu Intermediate (two); and Waipahu (two), Aiea and Kapolei high schools.

As the state’s oldest and largest youth video competition, the program is intended to help keiki develop their storytelling voice in a variety of video formats on subjects meaningful to them.

The program is supported by several government and private sponsors, including First Hawaiian Bank, Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Ko Olina Hawaii.