Waha Nui
From jam sessions in the Pupukea hills a few years back, Jungle Rocket is set to fire up the HPR Atherton studio stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Talented locals include guitarists Larry McElheny and Bill Howes, drummer Jinbeau Walsh, with Bailey Matsuda on keyboards and blues harpist Louie the Fish (955-8821) …
Waialua’s four-time world fireknife champion Mikaele Oloa is expected to attend the 2013 competition, set for this week at Polynesian Cultural Center (see Page 9) … And look for Pupukea’s Jerome Heck at Raku Ho’olaulea – both as a judge at Camp Mokuleia (May 24-27) and at UH Manoa May 22 to demonstrate his techniques (hawaiicraftsmen.org) … How was the benefit breakfast, you ask? The Wahiawa Lions report that 1,031 souls partook of their cooking April 21 in Leilehua High cafeteria. Thank you very much …
Wahiawa native Valdeane Uchima Odachi (Leilehua 1991) graduated with high honors from Hawaii Community College in Hilo May 2 in a unique sunrise ceremony, Maweke at Moku Ola, and again this Friday in a formal commencement at Edith Kanakaole stadium … Jolanie Martinez was named 2012 Wahiawa Rookie of the Year at the ‘Olelo Public TV Awards banquet in March. A Leilehua High cheerleader, Jolanie participates in the Wahiawa Community Media Center at the school. A Spirit of Community award went to the media center’s Scotty Wong, a volunteer and mentor in executive production …
Locations Foundation picked Mililani Ike Elementary’s Shelly Yoshikawa as a Top Teacher finalists for 2013, and also honored Hanalani Schools’ Elsa Valantini and Waialua Elementary’s Kimi Kawachi. All received $200 and a class pizza party. “We aim to celebrate the everyday miracles these teachers work in their students’ lives,” explains awards chairman Chad Takesue, “as well as equip them with a small fund to help create the best learning environment” …
Wahiawa Middle seventh-grader Sadie Perez won the 2013 James Kuroda Scholarship (for an outstanding student artist) at the Hawaii Regional Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition. More than 1,400 entries were showcased in February at Hawaii State Art Museum
