Benefit Luau Brings In $10,000 For Waialua Robotics Team

Waialua teacher Glenn Lee (center) and members of the Waialua Robotics team, along with City Council Chairman Ernie Martin (third from left) and state Rep. Richard Fale (far right), accept the $10,000 donation raised at Dole Plantation’s annual fundraising luau. Photo from Dole Plantation.

Waialua High School’s annual benefit luau for its robotics team has once again raised much-needed funds. On May 8, Dole Plantation presented a $10,000 donation to Glenn Lee, teacher and lead coordinator for the award-winning robotics team.

“The Dole Plantation fundraiser is a critical source of financial support to Waialua Robotics, allowing our kids to travel to participate in FIRST Robotics competitions across the country,” said Lee. “Dole Plantation and Castle & Cooke were behind us from our earliest days, and we look forward to competing in many future regional competitions with their support.”

Dole Plantation began organizing a luau fundraiser on behalf of the Waialua Robotics program in 2008. Since then, the company has raised $70,000 for Hawaii’s first robotics-related program.

“The team is obviously very successful, but winning is a byproduct of wholehearted belief in their core values of team-work, commitment and responsibility,” said Dole Plantation director of operations, Mike Moon. “We couldn’t be prouder of the kids from this community, proving year after year that they can compete with the brightest young minds across the nation.”

The Waialua robotics team travels to competitions around the country, but struggles to raise needed funds. Dole Plantation began the robotics luau to help pay for travel to the competitions.

Since its inception, the Waialua team has been one of the nation’s most successful programs. This year, Waialua has won the FIRST Robotics Competition Hawaii Regional, Northern Lights Regional and the Dallas Regional.