Nearly 70 years have passed since the end of World War II. For many among us, a crisis that enveloped the globe and threatened America has become a distant memory.

But it’s important to always remember that the Hawaiian Islands, though remote, occupied a central role in the conflict. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, bringing the United States into a war, and many of our island people volunteered to serve our nation. None stepped forward in larger numbers than the nisei, the second-generation Japanese-Americans who were eager to prove their loyalty to the country of their birth.

Thousands of them enlisted or were drafted as teens or young men in their 20s, then returned home to help build modern Hawaii. Among them were U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga; Gov. George Ariyoshi; educators including University of Hawaii president Fujio Matsuda and Education Department superintendents Shiro Amioka and Teichiro Hirata; state Supreme Court justices Masaji Marumoto, Yoshimi Hayashi and Edward Nakamura, and so many other leaders of our islands and nation. If not for their service and valor on the battlefield, Hawaii would not have achieved statehood until much, much later.

With each passing year their numbers decline, and their stories and achievements go with them. Fortunately for all of us, the sons and daughters of these nisei, as well as the veterans themselves, are hard at work to preserve the legacy of these courageous Americans.

(As an aside, although he is not a nisei, I recently met on Kauai the oldest living veteran on the Garden Island, 100-year-old Gabriel Cataluna. I was attending the funeral services for his relative and a dear friend, former OHA trustee Donald Cataluna. I was impressed with how quickly and proudly he recalled his service in WWII. He knew exactly where in the Pacific he was assigned for duty, and the specific islands where he was engaged in combat. He is a living testimony of the tremendous sacrifices made by the “Greatest Generation.”)

After the war, the veterans established clubs according to the units in which they served: 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service, and 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion. In addition to service projects, scholarships, club celebrations and gatherings, educational programs and other activities, the groups individually or collectively are sponsoring projects that perpetuate the legacy of service of Japanese-American veterans.

A group of veterans and children of veterans is working to establish the Nisei Veterans Legacy Center, a combined effort to preserve the stories and artifacts of Japanese-Americans’ service during the war and post-war Hawaii.

The latest addition to the collection of history books and biographies is about the exploits of nisei Arthur Komori, Reflections of Honor: The Untold Story of a Nisei Spy. It was authored by Lorraine Ward and Katherine Erwin, with Yoshinobu Oshiro of the Military Intelligence Service. Komori and Richard Sakakida, another Japanese-American from Hawaii, were recruited by the U.S. Army before the war to gather intelligence in Manila’s Japanese community. After Japan invaded the Philippines, Komori barely escaped to Australia, where he helped set up Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s counter-intelligence operations. The book was published late last year by University of Hawaii Press.

I know there are other efforts under way to help inform the public about the World War II service of the nisei. Those stories need to be told and remembered. All who serve in America’s armed services deserve our respect and gratitude.

Why single out Japanese-Americans? Because the nation did. They were viewed with suspicion and distrust. Once in the Army, they were placed in racially segregated units. On the West Coast, more than 110,000 people of Japanese descent, most of them Americans by birth, were forced from their homes and sent to internment camps for several years. Despite this treatment, more than 20,000 Japanese-Americans served honorably and heroically, writing a lesson in American patriotism that we must never forget.

After the war, President Harry Truman told the 442nd Regimental Combat Team on the White House lawn, “You fought not only the enemy, but you fought prejudice, and you have won. Keep up that fight, and we will continue to win – to make this great Republic stand for just what the Constitution says it stands for: the welfare of all the people all the time.”

With the 33rd U.S. president, his credo was “the buck stops here.” Two years later, Truman wisely ordered an end to racial segregation in the military.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

Sumire Matsubara at a modeling shoot on Oahu’s North Shore. Photo courtesy Leslie Lee

Sumire Matsubara is fast becoming a household name in Japan, garnering rave reviews as an actress, model, dancer and pop singing sensation. Since 2012, Matsubara’s entertainment career has skyrocketed, and the artist is emerging as the newest superstar in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Matsubara is the Japanese female counterpart of David Lettermen on late night TV, in a show called Saturday Night Chubo!, which airs on TBS with one of Japan’s funnymen/actor Masaaki Sakai.

“It’s the equivalent of David Letterman or Jay Leno hosting a talk show with Selena Gomez or Ariana Grande,” explains Matsubara. She also just wrapped up two successful musicals at Tokyo Imperial Theatre – the first was the Japan premiere of A Tale of Two Cities, where she played Lucie Manette, and Anything Goes, in which she portrayed Hope Harcourt.

Part-time Hawaii resident Paul Yonamine, who has worked in Japan for many years and is my resident expert on Japanese affairs, confirms Matsubara’s growing fame and popularity. “We see her on television constantly, and she has developed quite a following. Her bilingual ability and charm is resonating very well.”

This class of 2009 Punahou alumna is no stranger to cat-walks and red-carpet premieres. She’s best known as daughter of Japanese actor and television personality Junichi Ishida and his actress wife Chiaki Matsubara. Her parents’ high-profile divorce was finalized in 1999. Years prior to her preteen days were challenging.

“It was hard growing up in Japan until age 7 because of all the paparazzi who would follow us everywhere, including the ‘bad media’ when my parents first separated. When Mom and I moved to Hawaii in 1997, it felt as though I had moved to heaven,” she says.

Moving to a foreign country and speaking little English proved to be another obstacle she had to face.

“My mother and I adjusted … it was such a wonderful experience. Growing up in Hawaii Kai in my teens was truly a blessing, and I cannot thank my mom enough for bringing me to Hawaii and encouraging me to pursue a brighter, successful future. Of course, I also would have had an amazing experience had I been raised in Japan, but I am honored to call Hawaii home,” she says.

“Attending Punahou was definitely a big stepping stone toward reaching my goals,” she adds. “My education helped me to work my behind off so I can do what I love to do. Acting, singing and dancing aren’t just about knowing your lines, melodies and moves. They are much more and all about training yourself in other areas of education and the arts.”

Take ballet, for example. She has been in pointe shoes since age 8, and performed the most-complex choreography through high school and in college at Musical Theatre and Acting School at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania. “My fondest memories of Hawaii would be going to the beach, hiking, spending time with family, and all of the Nutcrackers and ballet recitals I did.”

When asked who kick-started her drive for the arts, she recalls, “I’ve had so many amazing teachers at Punahou. Paul Palmore (Drama Department chairman) and Alicia Scanlan (middle school music teacher), are just a couple of the many great, influential people I had to guide me.”

Punahou’s solid fine arts program, mixed with various local Broadway productions, gave her the extra energy to kick, dance and sing her heart out, which elevated her continuing passion for theatre. Jazz, tap, hip-hop, hula and ballroom dancing helped enhance her singing and acting success as a teen. Her accolades include a two-time Actor’s Award and the prestigious President’s Award at Punahou School, proof positive that she is both beauty and brains.

Her high school Broadway credits include Once On This Island, The Mikado, Pippin and Beauty and the Beast. In college, she played the heroine in a traditional Japanese play titled Goemon, as the character Princess Chacha. She also portrayed Susan in Tick, Tick … Boom!

Being in the limelight in Hawaii and Pennsylvania is nowhere near what it’s like being covered and smothered by the Japanese press. The paparazzi are in full force as she is tracked and followed almost everywhere she goes. Her popularity was boosted big time by her hit song Season in the Sun, which drew more than 1 million views on YouTube, and is featured in a commercial.

Matsubara visits her mom, brother Oliver Bauer and stepfather Paul Bauer every few months, but her schedule has become so hectic now. The former Hawaii Kai resident is using her time in Japan to gain more modeling and acting experience. “I want to build a bridge between American and Japanese entertainment. I think that every country has something to teach and share with the others, both artistically and educationally.”

While her career thrives in Japan, she has aspirations of Hollywood. “I would love to go back and forth in the future.”

She aspires to work in both Asia and America with occasional access to her home state.

“The Islands are so, sacred, and the Hawaiian people are full of life – so free.” Matsubara misses the Aloha State daily, and adds, “My heart will always belong to ‘da aina.’ I absolutely miss all the ono kine grinds and beautiful scenery, but I know I will get to live there again someday.”

Stay tuned. Sumire Matsubara dreams of a crossover career in film to perhaps someday join her list of favorite American film stars: Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DeCaprio.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

The author joins the first class of the Marianas chapter of the Pacific Fellows. Photo from Mufi Hannemann

Some of my fondest hanabata memories are of Presidents Day. February, of course, is when we celebrate the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. As a youngster, I loved reading biographies, so I meticulously borrowed books on Washington, Lincoln and other historical figures after making that trek with my mom to Kalihi-Palama Library. Presidents Day is also about that special day for every POTUS.

It is in that spirit, therefore, that I offer sage counsel from the four commanders in chief whose faces are etched into Mount Rushmore.

To wit: George Washington: “If the freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”

Thomas Jefferson: “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”

Theodore Roosevelt: “A typical vice of American politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues.”

Abraham Lincoln: “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroy ourselves.” * “Where America’s day begins” is where a new chapter of the Hawaii-based Pacific Century Fellows program has started. Jerry Tan, a leading businessman and philanthropist in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas and Guam, has taken note of PCF’s track record of developing and nurturing leadership, mentoring, networking and community service among its young leaders. And now he wants a similar initiative implemented in his part of the Pacific.

“Our goal with the PCF Marianas chapter is to provide our Fellows with loads of information, exposure and unique experiences that will enable them to ultimately have a voice and a part in promoting economic growth and culturally sensitive development on these islands we call home,” says Tan.

With the successful launching of the inaugural class of 19 members, the Fellows – like their Hawaii counterparts – will meet all day once a month during the next nine months on a topic they have selected at their opening retreat. Topics will include subjects such as tourism, land use, education and workforce development, government and immigration. Easily the highlight of the year will be an education mission to Hawaii, when they will examine issues of interest in the Aloha State as well as network with members of the 13 classes of Hawaii Fellows, which has been in existence since 1996.

The Fellows of the Marianas chapter range in age from 24 to 43 and come from backgrounds in education, business, government and law, including one who graduated from MIT. Several have ties to Hawaii by either studying or working here. They also hail from all over Micronesia, including Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Guam and the Marshall Islands.

Laie’s Seamus Fitzgerald, Cultural Islands director and Aotearoa Village manager at Polynesian Cultural Center, was invited to speak at the opening retreat on leadership from a Pacific Islands perspective. (Fitzgerald is the brother of Castle High School principal Sheena Alaiasa, who was named National Middle School Principal of the Year in 2013 for her exemplary work at King Intermediate.)

Fellow Joseph Taijeron, a graduate of Notre Dame and Loyola Law School, was so inspired by the Maori-born Fitzgerald’s presentation that in comments to the Saipan Tribune, he stated that Seamus “reminds us that we in the Pacific have a heritage that we can be very proud of, and a lot of the Western ideas are not nearly as advanced as our ideas.”

Talk about Pacific Pride …

* And speaking about pride, that’s what UH Rainbow Wahine basketball and Honokaa alumna Keisha Kanekoa was all about as she heaved a half-court shot in the championship game that enabled her “Green Machine” unit to eke out a three-point victory over the “Orange Krush” squad led by Kamehameha star Alohi Robins Hardy, who is bound for BYU on a scholarship. The scene was our 21st annual Basketball Jamboree at Manoa gym before a packed house. The annual event featured nearly 200 female athletes from all over the 808, ages 10 to late 20s, hooping it up in the name of Title IX and gender equity.

Fact: Did you know that more Hawaii female basketball scholar-athletes play Division I college ball than young men from the Islands every year?

Methinks U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink and Dr. Donnis Thompson would be so proud to see that basketball has come a long way in women’s sports in Hawaii.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

2006 Family of the Year recipients Joann and Norrin Lau with children Isaac and Tammy | Photo courtesy Norrin Lau

Two Hawaii Kai siblings are weaving and painting their way through the hearts of everyone they meet.

Isaac Lau creates woven art and also is a polyglot, which describes a person who speaks multiple languages. His older sister Tammy is a watercolor artist who believes “a picture is worth a thousand words,” because of the ability of a single photo or painting to instantly convey a flood of emotions, inspiration or a special message. The pair serves as messengers of hope and charity through their vibrant works of art and community service.

“Tammy does great watercolor paintings. We print her greeting cards so that she can sell them. She also has taken up Spanish, since her best friend went to the Canary Islands on a (LDS) church mission,” says father Norrin Lau.

But it is Isaac, his son, who has mastered five languages. He speaks English, Japanese, American Sign Language, Mandarin and Korean. “Funny, when he writes English, it looks like chicken scratch. But when he writes Chinese, it looks great,” chuckles Norrin. Each language resonates with Isaac in a distinct way, which brings out a different part of his character.

Isaac also likes to weave intricate patterns using a Japanese Saori loom, and braids thread with his hands. He has sold and even given away his art pieces to special people in his life. Isaac’s philosophy is simple: “It takes a variety of threads to make a tapestry, and it also takes a lot of people with different talents to make up the world in which we live today. So don’t judge a book by its cover and don’t judge us just because we’re different. Otherwise you will miss out on getting to know us,” says Isaac. Largely self-taught, both Tammy and Isaac are “mobility challenged.” They are over-achievers and do not consider themselves disabled, but rather “differently abled.”

The siblings have limited feet movements and are in wheelchairs because of cerebellar ataxia, a disorder of the nervous system that impairs muscle control. Yet through their hands, hearts and eyes, they have moved every muscle in their bodies to produce some touching and insightful originals.

Tammy’s watercolor art, for example, is on the cover of a book published last November called Ke Aloha Home. Some of her work, also is illustrated in a children’s book produced by Kapiolani Community College. Every human faces triumph and challenges in life, and Tammy and Isaac have had their share of both – mostly health conditions. In fact it’s a miracle that Tammy has made it to age 34 and Isaac to 33, when doctors predicted they would not live a day past their 14th birthdays.

“When Tammy was born, we noticed some strange head movements and that her eyes were different. The eye doctor said she had cataracts, and they had to be removed immediately or she would be blind for life. She was only 4 months old when she had the surgery,” says mother Joann Lau. As an infant, she had to wear patches over her eyes and splints (tongue depressors) on both of her arms to prevent her from scratching her eyes. Slow to walk, her geneticist diagnosed her with a rare disorder called Marinesco-Sjogren Syndrome (MSS), which affected her motor skills, writing, speaking and walking.

At the time of Tammy’s diagnosis, Joann was already pregnant with Isaac.

“Isaac was born healthy until a month old – we saw the same gray spots in his eyes and he too had to undergo cataract surgery and received the same diagnosis,” recalls Joann. Despite multiple surgeries and falling seriously ill, both are walking miracles today. “The kids have beaten the odds, living in their 30s, alive and excelling with their talents,” says Joann.

Norrin adds, “My son is a spiritual giant. He realizes that he and Tammy were sent here on earth so that others might learn to have compassion.” Though the siblings crawl to get around the house, they manage to be athletic and get a lot exercise weekly in the family’s 30-by-15-foot swimming pool.

The Laus contemplated a serious and risky surgery to straighten their children’s knee joints in 1991, and Isaac volunteered courageously: “I’ll do it. I’ll be the first!” he told his father.

The operation was not successful and, as a result, he suffers a lot. Isaac dreams of performing triple-axel jumps on ice like an Olympic skater, but when he wakes, he realizes he cannot make use of his legs. Rather than sulk, he and Tammy keep busy visiting a seniors care home in Hawaii Kai, stringing leis for church visitors most Sundays, and entertaining and uplifting people in need.

Their wants and desires are similar to young people their age. Tammy dreams of being a wife and homemaker. “I would like to meet a good man to marry. I hope to be more independent and walk on my crutches again someday,” she says. Watching the Winter Olympics reminded her of when she and Isaac earned gold and silver medals at the Hawaii Special Olympics.

Tammy’s watercolors and paintings are sold at Island Treasures at Koko Marina, and at some open markets. Tammy and Isaac Lau blog about their world travels and entrepreneurship experiences. Most importantly, they refuse to let their physical limitations prevent them from living a full life, expressing their feelings through their works of art, both through paintings and threads, and in the process making the world around them a better place.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

I am privileged to have come across so many influential and inspirational people since I’ve been writing this column, but what makes it more special is that these people have emerged victorious from their personal and public struggles. They have turned important life lessons into blessings for others, and transformed personal heartbreaks into happiness.

This week I focus on why education is a valuable “asset,” literally.

Danny Carvalho | Photo from Danny Carvalho

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Assets School is an independent institution for gifted and/or dyslexic children that provides an individualized, integrated learning environment.

“There is no other school in Hawaii like it. Our small classes, multisensory curricula and structured behavior-management programs allow students to maximize their potential and find their places as lifelong learners in school and society,” says Patti Almirez, Assets communications specialist.

Last Friday, Assets held its fundraiser that generates more than $180,000 annually. One of its silent auction prizes was a chance for fans to serve as extras in an episode of Hawaii Five-0.

Auction chairwoman Marylou Hardisty says, “That prize was a donation from the show and is priceless for Hawaii Five-0 fans.”

But what is even more priceless for Hardisty is that the school provided a unique learning experience that transformed her son’s life.

“Joel struggled in the public-school system for four years until we discovered Assets,” says Hardisty. “He started out in summer school and, by year’s end, we could see the confidence return to him, and he became a much happier student.” She adds that Joel Hardisty (2010 graduate) thrived in the smaller classrooms, and teachers took the time to help him use his unique skills and make the most of them instead of forcing him to learn. Joel went on to serve a church mission in Argentina, where he became fluent in Spanish and currently attends college.

“My climb through education is like climbing Koko Head Crater right behind my house. I tried to climb the way others did, but I didn’t have the necessary skills to be like them. I had to find my own path and use different kinds of skills that were unique to me in order to get to the top of the mountain,” says Joel. “I’m able to climb on my own now, and the stumbles through education have become huge strides in my journey, even in college.”

High-profile students include the newly crowned Miss Hawaii USA Moani Hara (2008 alumna) and young recording artist Danny Carvalho. Hara was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 10. “Some of the challenges I had were comprehension, organizational skills, writing … but the subject I struggled heavily with was math. I couldn’t get it. I would try and try and try, and nothing! I kept getting confused with word problems, times tables, as well as simple addition and subtraction,” admits Hara.

But because her fellow students were fighting the same battles, Hara felt a sense of belonging at Assets. She soon learned how to organize her thoughts into words. She obviously overcame her challenges, thinking quick on her feet in numerous pageants, and now she is studying public relations and is vying for the coveted Miss USA crown this summer. Hara continues her radio/modeling career, and recently has been booked for five magazine covers. Her passion, though, is volunteering with Hawaii International Dyslexia Association (HIDA) and helping to promote Assets.

Carvalho studied at Assets School but left after his freshman year, and eventually graduated from Punahou and the University of Hawaii. Like Hara, Carvalho also battled dyslexia.

“Assets School did two things for me: First, it provided an environment I could succeed in, which allowed me to learn to enjoy getting an education. That’s huge, because a lot of kids never get to that point, and I believe that it’s essential to leading a fulfilling life,” he explains. “The second thing I learned was a bit about how my brain works … that it was different, that I would need to play to its strengths, and that I would need to advocate for myself as a student. This would help me through high school and later through college.”

Carvalho just released Ke Au Hou, which means “A New Era.” His album reflects what he has been learning over the past few years.

“I wanted to create a Hawaiian album that used my foundation in slack key guitar to reflect modern tastes in music, both Hawaiian and American. Now I’m getting ready for a few tours to the West and East coasts to promote it, and beginning to write material for my next album,” he says.

Though he did not graduate from Assets, Carvalho credits some of his focus and success to his Assets experience, having been a student there from the second to eighth grade. He has been nominated for two Na Hoku Hanohano awards as well as a Grammy, and has appeared twice on National Public Radio with Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion.

Almirez says the greatest asset students gain is a personalized, valuable education.

“They leave Assets with the ability to advocate for themselves, a great sense of self-awareness, and a resiliency that allows them to bravely take on any challenge.” Almirez says, and adds that they also leave their Asset School with a deeper understanding of who they are and why they are different, yet eager to celebrate their special gifts and ready to share them with the world!

mufi@mufihannemann.com

(from left) Deanna Au-Wong, student activities coordinator, Tyla Ann Placencia, student council president; Leona Souza, PTA treasurer; Lovelyline Kwock, PTA secretary; Laurie Faure, STEM+Arts coordinator; Antoinette Pinera, student council secretary; and Evelyn Aczon Hao, principal at Kuhio School | Photo courtesy Evelyn Hao

Prince Kuhio Day is marked annually with a colorful festival parade along Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, but a Honolulu elementary school bearing the prince’s name in Moiliili also is celebrating a milestone – 130 years of educational bliss. Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when Prince Jonah Kuhio Elementary School will mark more than a century of memories as it looks to its future.

Principal Evelyn Aczon Hao is elated about the upcoming celebration.

“We are 130 years young since Kuhio School’s existence. Our 2014 anniversary is a significant honor in Hawaii history,” she says.

Thirteen decades of achievements would not be complete without fanfare that includes entertainment and royal beginnings.

“The Royal Hawaiian Band will serenade the public with tunes fit for royalty, which makes it special because as we commemorate our birthday, the band that was founded by King Kamehameha III also will pay tribute to Prince Kuhio’s legacy,” says Hao.

In addition to being of royal lineage and a descendant of the Hawaiian monarchy, Prince Kuhio served as a delegate to the United States Congress. Among his contributions: He founded the first Hawaiian Civic Club, and he led the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. He is memorialized today by a federal building in Honolulu, a shopping center in Lihue, various streets statewide and two public schools – one in Papaikou on Hawaii Island and the other on Oahu.

If the prince were alive today, I’m sure he would be pleased with the way Kuhio School has evolved in the arts. Take a tour around campus, and you will see that the institution is imbued with art – from its lush and artistic landscape, to outdoor sculptures and murals. The most innovative pieces of work are plastered over its living wall of plants. A trip to the principal’s office will show you priceless museum-loaned paintings greeting those who enter the administration building, and the cafeteria is peppered with pleasant aesthetics.

Kuhio’s STEM Through the Arts coordinator Laurie Faure credits campus enhancement to Hao’s keen eye for detail. Faure is tasked by Hao to help ensure that fine arts, music, drama, dance and movement are fully integrated into Kuhio’s STEM system.

“I work closely with our teachers to help them develop a meaningful inquiry-based curriculum that supports all learners and allows them to convey and demonstrate their understanding of science through the arts,” Faure says.

It is evident that Hao, who has led the school for 19 years, stands by her philosophy that fine arts and academics do indeed go hand-in-hand.

“Kuhio School always has recognized the significance of arts education. It serves as a common ground for self-expression and allows students to share their knowledge and understanding through a variety of artistic forms,” says Hao, who adds, “A world-class education is not possible without that program. To be truly educated is to know, appreciate and be involved in fine/literary arts, music and drama. We want our students to feel and know that the joy that comes from the arts is essential to a well-rounded, fully realized education, which in turn produces a well-rounded person.”

It is also a fact that students who have an aptitude and appreciation for the arts, more often than not, are experiencing an improvement in their grades and test scores.

Hao takes pride in the quality of works created by the student body, comprised of about 300 children date, more than 100,000 K-6 graders have been educated in the system since its establishment as an independent school, when it was known as Kamoiliili School. Fast forward to the 21st century, and its latest accolades accumulated include the “Hawaii Distinguished School Award” (2003-04) and State Hawaii Arts Alliance’s “Arts Excellence Awards” (1996, 2006, 2012). Kuhio also has been recognized for its trailblazing high scores for school years 2006 to 2012 in the subjects of reading and math, and its continuous growth by Hawaii State Assessment (HSA) standards. During those six years, Kuhio students have exceeded state benchmarks: Reading: 77 percent (72 percent state target) Math: 74 percent (64 percent state target). It’s no wonder that Hao garnered the Honolulu District’s 2011-12 Distinguished Principal of the Year Award.

Hao actively seeks out partnerships on Oahu aimed at strengthening opportunities for students. A few years back, the principal orchestrated a full day of activities focused on musical experiences presented by experts in the industry. Hao also has formed several alliances through the state Department of Education’s Artists in the Schools Program, one of which resulted in a large outdoor sculpture of a mo’o (lizard), which is connected to a Hawaiian legend about the Moiliili area where the school is located.

Kuhio’s 130th anniversary co-chair Leona Souza says Hao’s inspirational commitment to the arts will be integrated at the April 5 fair, which will feature cultural dances and the angelic voices of the Kuhio Choir. Admission is free.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

When Braxton Kahawai of Kapolei was in the fourth grade, his mother, Fran, had reason to worry.

“His handwriting was atrocious. He doodled all over his homework and often gave me blank looks, and answered, ‘I don’t know’ to many of my pointed questions,” says Fran Villarmia-Kahawai.

Braxton agrees: “I didn’t notice anything was wrong, I just thought I had messy handwriting, and my teachers couldn’t read it so I had to always start over.”

Braxton’s illegible writing led to a series of challenges, including difficulties organizing his letters and numbers. The struggle grew immensely. “I couldn’t get good grades because I couldn’t organize my thoughts,” he recalls. He had a high IQ of about 130, yet it was clear there was a disconnect between his brain and what he was writing.

Braxton started off as a perfectly normal child.

“He did really well in school and on tests … but things changed in the fourth grade when his teachers’ comments were that he was not motivated enough, he needed improvement in studying and he had difficulties concentrating in school,” says Fran, a former UH Rainbow Wahine hoopster who coached the Aiea High School basketball team to its only state championship. She had no choice but to pull her son out of private school and enroll him in the public school system for one year, until he returned to private school again. “My husband and I were frustrated that Braxton’s grades fell and he was not completing assignments and projects.”

The frustration led to mother yelling at her struggling son to the point of grounding him for not improving his report cards. “However, after we got him tested and educated ourselves about a disorder he was struggling with, we started to be more sympathetic and tried to find the right fit for his needs.”

Braxton was diagnosed with dysgraphia at the tender age of 10. Turns out he was battling a lifelong learning disorder that affects his ability to write because he lacks a complex set of motor and information-processing skills.

Bad handwriting doesn’t mean a person has dysgraphia. Experts say the disorder is like having the ability to write like William Shakespeare, without the ability to put the words on paper. Other warning signs include: 1) Trouble with buttons and zippers, 2) Can’t learn to tie shoes, 3) Have low-level tolerance and feel high pressure when writing, 4) Dislikes coloring, 5) Inability to use silverware properly, 6) Has trouble connecting “the dots,” 7) Doesn’t like Legos or small blocks, and 8) Has strong verbal skills.

“We’ve learned that dysgraphia is just a different ‘wiring’ for our son, and that he has a different learning process than what we are used to. We believe dysgraphia has hindered Braxton’s improvement and that past teachers and coaches have mistaken his relaxed demeanor and blank looks for being lazy and unmotivated,” says Fran.

So, she needed to find a school to unlock the secrets to Braxton’s wiring. After years of frustration and trying to figure out what was wrong, Braxton’s family found the right educational fit at another private school, but this one was an alternative home-schooling program called Sofa-So-Good Preparatory and Learning Center in Kapolei.

The private setting was in the home of Linda Sofa, who in 2006 started the school with her husband, Faitala. Sofa-So-Good is aimed at educating kids, including gifted and talented as well as those with learning disabilities. The school’s mission is that each child reaches his or her individual grade potential by mastering that grade level’s curricula rather than promoting them at the end of the school year.

“Because we are an all-year-around school with 200 academic school days, students advance to the next grade level at any time during the school year. Once at the high-school level, some can graduate at age 16,” explains CEO/principal Linda Sofa.

She believes schools don’t test for mastery, so many students are socially promoted to the next grade when they’re not ready. “At that point, students get frustrated, they fall further behind and give up on school altogether.”

Linda was a schoolteacher for three decades and tutored many students. Her husband saw his wife work from a small room in their house after she came home from teaching high school.

“The number of tutoring students grew from only a few to more than 15 weekly, to the point that she had to give up her full-time teaching job. Parents began to ask my wife to teach their children full time, so we opened up our living room and she started a small school,” Faitala says. “We finally decided that it was time to enlarge our home to accommodate more students.”

So the Sofas threw out their sofas in exchange for four classrooms taking over most of the first floor of their two-story home.

Linda also serves as an instructor along with a staff of teachers and aides. Faitala oversees the kids during early morning drop-offs and leads worship services three times a week.

The need for Sofa-So-Good Preparatory stemmed from Linda’s frustration with the Hawaii school system. “I was appalled at the techniques used to teach young children to read, so I wrote a letter to inform the DOE superintendent that these techniques do not work,” she says.

One day, she found an elderly lady and a young man at her doorstep holding her letter. “She explained that she was one of the four deputy superintendents who oversaw the curricula in the state of Hawaii, and that my letter landed on her desk. She asked me if I would tutor her grandson in second grade who could not read.”

The child learned to read in six months, and left the public school to attend a private school. He is now at the University of Hawaii pursuing a career in communications. He has been accepted to a prestigious media school in Los Angeles and is working on the set of Hawaii Five-0.

It’s no wonder Braxton, who is now 14, enjoys his Sofa experience. He excels in geometry, economics, and science and today, he enjoys writing. “He is constantly writing essays and studying for tests. One of the good things about the Sofa school style is that Braxton is learning independence, identifying quality work and formulating good study habits, which were severely lacking before,” said Fran.

For more information about the school, which accepts students in grades K-12, email SofaSoGoodLearningCenter@gmail.com.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

Dr. Laurie Tom (clockwise, from top), singer/actress Della Reese, spokeswoman for American Diabetes Association, and the author at a TCOYD conference in Honolulu | Photo courtesy TCOYD

It’s that time of year when the conch shell is blown as a signal to island residents to sign up to “take control of your diabetes” (TCOYD) through the 15th annual TCOYD Conference and Health Fair Saturday, April 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hawaii Convention Center.

The statistics are staggering and approaching epidemic proportions: 26 million people in the United States have diabetes, and more than 70 million are at high risk for having the disease because they have high blood sugar.

Closer to home, 113,000 people in Hawaii have diabetes, with Native Hawaiians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders most vulnerable to the disease. Unfortunately, there also are people in denial who refuse to seek treatment. Prediabetes also is on the rise in the state, with nearly 365,000 people considered to be at that stage.

Other risk factors for diabetes include family history, being overweight and obese, women having gestational diabetes during pregnancy often resulting in the infant weighing more than 9 pounds at birth, and also just advancing age.

If you fall within any of these categories, be proactive about it and take a minute to go online to diabetes.org/risktest. Take the exam and find out your score. If you are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, see a doctor, because the good news is that studies have shown that diabetes can be prevented and managed with a healthy diet, regular exercise and weight loss.

That’s why the TCOYD conference is such a wonderful opportunity to learn about diabetes in a positive, fun and affordable environment. There will be educational, inspirational and motivational sessions led by Dr. Steven Edelman and his team based out of San Diego, partnering with Hawaii’s local diabetes health professionals, including conference co-directors Dr. Laurie Tom and Viola Genadio. The focus will be on teaching patients and their children how to live well with diabetes. Local media celebrities Billy V and Mele Apana will illustrate how their Na’au Therapy can help and inspire you. There also will be lots of vendors at the health fair booths, with great information provided by experts and volunteers available to answer your questions and address your concerns. And you will be able to enjoy a healthy and nutritious lunch while hearing from Dr. Stephen Ponder, a Native American who has been living with diabetes since he was 9 years old.

Registration fee is $20, or $15 per person for two or more registering together. Register online at tcoyd.com, or on site the day of the event for $25. Financial aid also is available. All you do is ask your caregiver for help or call the TCOYD office at (800) 998-2693.

Speaking of examples of physical fitness and healthy lifestyles, eight of Hawaii’s most talented scholar/athletes have been selected to be a part of the latest edition of Team Aloha basketball that will head to the Mainland in late April to play in the Arizona Elite Spring Classic.

This is the eighth group of young women who have made this sojourn to the Mainland, which enables them to gain exposure in front of college scouts and hopefully attract interest and scholarship offers.

The other benefit is that it has helped demonstrate that our local wahine can compete at the highest levels, as evidenced by the fact that Team Aloha has won 75 percent of its games, including one in 2006 when it won the prestigious Nike Storm and Swish tournament in California.

TA alumni who received scholarships from Division I colleges competing this season include Konawaena’s Lia Galdeira and Dawnyelle Awa at Washington State; Milika Taufa and Maiki Viela from Lahainaluna playing at Indiana and Gonzaga; Punahou’s Shawna Kuehu and Kalei Adolpho of Molokai, of UH’s Rainbow Wahine squad; and Iolani’s Alex Masaquel at William and Mary, and Kylie Maeda, whose BYU Cougars advanced to this year’s NCAA’s Sweet Sixteen.

The Lady Cougars also gave a scholarship to Kamehameha-Kapalama senior Alohi Robins-Hardy, a three-time TA player. In years past, TA alumni also have received scholarships to other Division 1 powers, including UNLV, USC, UC-Berkeley and Utah, to name a few.

Looking to build on this tradition, from the 2014 roster is the state’s most outstanding player, sophomore Chanelle Molina of Konawaena, who will joined by her classmate Ihi Victor; state champion Punahou’s Tyra Moe; 6-foot-2 post Jeneva Toilolo of Farrington; Hilo’s Alexis Pana; Patria Vaimoana of Kailua; Millilani’s Shantel Appleby; and from Maui, Lindsay Bates of Lahainaluna.

One of the assistants to head coach Fran Villarmia-Kahawai is Keisha Kanekoa, a former Honokaa standout who, like Villarmia-Kahawai, lettered at UH. Kanekoa was a member of the 2006 TA championship team that was tutored by former UH head coach Dana Takehara-Dias.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

Beach Day for the Jordans (from left) Chris, Sophia, Rebecca, Michael-Logan and Jaxson (front) | Photo courtesy Jordan family

It was Christmas Eve 2006, when the military vehicle in which Marine Master Sgt. Chris Jordan was blasted by a roadside bomb in Iraq. He faced death head on and suffered a severe concussion, traumatic brain injury, facial lacerations and fractured spine, and his left leg was peppered with shrapnel. His life was fragile – hanging by a thread. His Christmas wish that night was that he would live to see his family in Hawaii once again.

“When my father was injured during the Iraq war, I was very sick back then with complications from a disease called macrophage activation syndrome (MAS),” says Michael-Logan Jordan, who was just 8 at the time. MAS is a rare, potentially lethal complication of chronic rheumatic diseases in childhood.

While his father battled for his life in the line of fire, here at home Michael-Logan was dealing with a war zone of his own. The child’s heart, liver and kidneys were failing, and he constantly was battling extremely high fever. Like his father, he was fighting for his dear life.

“My dad was wounded, and I was frightened for him. When he came home, we rehabbed together. He understood what it was like to be in chronic pain, and I understood the sacrifices he made on a daily basis for this wonderful country,” he says.

Father and son began to form a deeper bond and lived by their motto: “Pain is really weakness leaving the body.” The pair grew stronger as they worked side by side receiving medical treatments, while Rebecca Jordan nursed her loved ones back to health.

“It was then that my son decided his mission in life would be to help wounded warriors and their families,” she says.

The Kalaheo High student initially was diagnosed at the age of 3 with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). His illnesses are severe and limit his mobility. He has had multiple surgeries and takes numerous oral medications daily. He undergoes biologic/chemo infusions, injections and physical therapy. At age 13, Michael-Logan formed The Logan’s Heroes Foundation, which helps wounded warriors, first responders and disadvantaged children coast to coast. He is also an ambassador for the Arthritis Foundation, serving as an advocate, educating thousands of people across the country about his daily battles and what he is doing to overcome his fears and pain. He makes presentations at schools, at businesses and in government offices, including lobbying on Capitol Hill, where he addressed Congress about arthritis, the need for board-certified pediatric rheumatologists within the U.S. Defense Department community, and access to lifesaving drugs.

“My son has carried the torch for a brighter future for more than 300,000 children who share his condition. He truly means it when he says he is working for a cure,” says Rebecca.

“He connects to the military in every way he can, from filling out Christmas cards for wounded warriors, assembling care packages, donating money he raises to the Gary Sinise Foundation, holding annual Toys for Tots drives, volunteering with the Wounded Warrior Project, and helping organizations such as Operation Homefront and Blue Star Families,” says Chris.

Though there is no cure for arthritis, Michael-Logan says service projects help him drown out his complications. “I am always in pain. Some days are better than others. I walk with a cane and sometimes I am able to walk without it,” explains the 15-year-old.

Living with daily pain is a heavy weight on his shoulders, as well as his joints and his bones, but the teen survivor sees his health challenges as pure strength.

“You know how you lift weights to gain muscle and you get stronger? Well, God gave me this disease (the weight) to make me stronger – not just physically and mentally, but spiritually as well,” he says. “Our family’s motto is that ‘God gives His hardest battles to His strongest soldiers.’ I am grateful that God has a special purpose for me.”

It was no surprise to family and friends when they learned that the Kailua youth will be the recipient of the Military Child of the Year Award from Operation Homefront April 10, in Washington, D.C. The national nonprofit organization that provides emergency assistance to military families annually gives the award to an outstanding military child from each branch of service.

“I won the Marine Corps category. I will get to spend time on Capitol Hill, the White House and participate in a project for Global Youth Service Day,” says Michael-Logan. His prizes will include a laptop computer, $5,000 and a chance to participate in a gala held in his honor.

It was always the award-winning teen’s dream to wear the uniform like his dad, but with mobility challenges brought on by severe arthritis, it is no longer a reality for him: “Winning this award, I feel like I made my father, my family, my community and my country proud.”

Though he may never wear the cloth of military service like his decorated father, his family believes Michael-Logan Jordan will go on to do greater things for our country. He aspires to be a pediatric rheumatologist, focusing his practice within military treatment facilities.

Congratulations, Chris and Rebecca, for raising such a fine, young warrior determined to wage the war against juvenile arthritis until a cure is found.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

The difference between a helping hand and an outstretched palm is a “twist of service,” according to Laurence Leamer, journalist and bestselling author.

Now that April is upon us and spring cleaning is in full swing, perhaps it’s time to turn over a new leaf and join thousands of volunteers across our great state during National Volunteer Month, where faith-based groups, nonprofits, corporations and their employees haul out wheelbarrows, paintbrushes, rakes and trash bags. Numerous community-service projects in Hawaii have been launched in the spring, setting the tone for public service opportunities throughout the year.

Allow me to recognize four organizations providing great examples of compassionate service.

First Hawaiian Bank (FHB) just rolled out its Community Care program aimed at partnering with nonprofits through its employee-led volunteer service groups. “On March 29, more than 250 employees helped three Oahu public schools with $200,000 worth of repairs. Our community and service projects will span across the Islands, not just on one given day but throughout 2014, and our next project will be held May 31, helping a nonprofit (The Arc Hawaii) service people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” says Vivian Adams, vice president of FHB’s Human Resources Division. Additionally, through FHB’s employee-giving program, more than $4.1 million was raised over the past seven years to benefit various charities in Hawaii, Saipan and Guam (fhb.com/en/fhb-community-care-program).

Meanwhile, the Bankoh Blue Crew is going green Saturday, April 26. Bank of Hawaii’s Live Kokua, made up of employees, will spear-head numerous efforts to celebrate Earth Day. Several hundred enthusiasts will swarm Hawaii in support of earth-friendly activities, including assisting Kokua Kalihi Valley to till a 7,000-square-foot garden at Kuhio Park Terrace. “Our employees will be happy to get down and dirty in digging soil and vegetable seed planting so that more families can reap the benefits of fresh produce,” says Momi Akimseu, vice president of Community Engagements and Events. Another large group of Bankoh workers will plant itself in East Oahu to help restore Maunalua Bay and rid the area of invasive algae. Employees participated in $3.1 million worth of charity giving in 2013 alone. (boh.com/sites/community/l ivekokua.asp)

Also April 26, Hawaii Community Day of Service will be launched by nearly 5,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), as they partner with government, nonprofits and civic teams to spruce up the communities in which we live. “In 2014, organizers are making a special effort to call on various community leaders to band together in the name of public service regardless of religious affiliation,” says Dennis Kim, LDS Church public affairs director.

Kathy Kamauu has been one of the multiple coordinators with the old Mormon Helping Hands Hawaii initiative. “We now call ourselves Hawaii Community Day of Service. Our goal is to step up our efforts to partner with other religious and service groups. It is important to recognize our similarities rather than our differences. When we perform service together, it can strengthen our relationships,” says Kamauu. “We have invited members of New Hope, Bethel Church and others to join us.” In 2013, approximately 4,800 turned out in full force and reached across Hawaii, putting in a total of 16,559 hours of volunteer work.

Being part of an army of good Samaritans on one given day may lead to stellar success. One new thing with Hawaii Community Day of Service is a project aimed at servicing the USS Missouri. “Our Young Single Adult congregation from Waipahu will devote the day to cleaning all areas of the ship,” says Kim. In the past, beneficiaries such as Kahuku Medical Center were suitably impressed.

“More than 60 participants were assigned to clean various parts of the hospital last year, including painting curbs, power-washing sidewalks, yard work and window washing. It’s wonderful when people sacrifice and unselfishly give of their time,” says CEO Stephany Vaioleti. (mhhhawaii.org)

And finally, another church group, which donates an average of 1,000 hours of community service yearly to help seniors, families in crises, youths, veterans and immigrants is Catholic Charities Hawaii (CCH). CCH, like the LDS Church, is well known for its efforts to assist the American Red Cross with disaster relief efforts. Executive director Joy Bulosan says the organization’s new Volunteer Services and Community Engagement program brings together area residents and organizations through service learning experiences. “We saw a need to further engage staff and existing supporters as well as address the influx of requests from parishes, schools, service groups and businesses for service opportunities,” says Bulosan. (CatholicCharitiesHawaii.org)

So, you see, it just takes a soft heart and willing hands to make a difference in our islands. The good part is: No hands-on experience is required, just your sweet, valuable time and desire to do good. May we lead the nation in compassion and giving during this National Volunteer Month and throughout 2014 in Hawaii, where spreading the spirit of aloha and charitable giving is a way of life.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

(from left) Kahu Wendell Davis, Amy, Wallis, Paul and Jane Yonamine (seated), Irene Inouye, Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui and Kurt Osaki during the April 11 ceremony for the exhibit ‘Celebrating our Local Heroes,’ which commemorates baseball legend Wally Yonamine and U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye at Honolulu International Airport. Photo courtesy Paul Yonamine

Twelve years ago, a meeting took place among baseball legend Wally Yonamine, his son Paul and myself about an appropriate venue in Hawaii to display Wally’s impressive collection of trophies accumulated over nearly four decades of his sterling athletic career in Japan. I opined that Honolulu International Airport would be the perfect site, given the millions of Japanese visitors who traverse through the area. They agreed, and after the state Department of Transportation (DOT) concurred, space was set aside for the Farrington High School graduate’s trophies to be displayed.

Fast forward to April 11, 2014, and we now find an expanded piece of heaven has been carved at the airport, honoring two significant figures in Hawaii’s history – both of Japanese ancestry. The new exhibit, beautifully designed by Kurt Osaki, titled “Celebrating our Local Heroes,” commemorates the accomplishments of a courageous war veteran turned U.S. senator, Daniel Inouye, and showcases the life and awards of Wally Yonamine, a Hawaii sports icon and athletic pioneer.

Thanks to the Wally Yonamine Foundation (WYF), in partnership with the state DOT, a renovated and enhanced display for Wally Yonamine has been built. What’s new is an upgraded mini museum that also features the memorabilia, photos and history of Sen. Inouye’s remarkable life, revered as one of our country’s legendary senators. Visitors and local residents won’t be able to miss these colorful displays near Gate 25 at the airport.

The senator’s wife, Irene Hirano Inouye, attended the special ceremony, along with Wally’s widow Jane, daughters Amy and Wallis, and Paul.

“The senator’s display, which complements the Wally Yonamine exhibit, is a great way to honor my father and the senator together, as we celebrate the contributions of these two great local heroes,” says Paul Yonamine.

The addition of Inouye was broached by DOT Deputy Director of Airports Ford Fuchigami, and garnered invaluable support from Irene Hirano Inouye and Jennifer Sabas of the Daniel Inouye Institute.

Adds Paul: “The senator played an instrumental role in furthering the goodwill of the United States and Japan, and was a true inspiration to Japanese Americans and Japanese everywhere. I am certain that my father is ecstatic and honored that he can share the opening of his display with an individual whom he respected so much and was kind enough to write the foreword for his biography Wally Yonamine: The Man Who Changed Japanese Baseball.”

Wally was a two-time professional sports legend who became the first Asian American to play pro football as a running back for the San Francisco 49ers in 1947. He made history again as the first American to play professional baseball in Japan. The Maui-born outfielder was known as the “Nisei Jackie Robinson” for breaking into Japanese baseball and building ties between the U.S. and Japan during a highly sensitive period after World War II.

“He was motivated to strengthen the bond between the two countries,” says Paul. When the family first arrived in Japan in 1951, the country was still struggling from the aftermath of WWII, and as one of the most visible Americans there, Yonamine felt a strong moral obligation to contribute and improve the relations between the people of his ethnic and patriotic countries. During his playing/managing career that spanned 38 years, the Japanese were impressed by his “never give up attitude.” In 1993, Wally Yonamine became the first and only American ever inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.

“One of my father’s desires was to always give back to the people of Hawaii, where his roots are and where he received his early athletic training and skill development,” says Paul. “The airport exhibit also gives my father the opportunity to acknowledge and thank Japan for allowing him an opportunity to play ball in the country of his ancestors.

“The exhibit is a great way to heighten the experience of Japanese visitors to Hawaii, whereby they would feel welcomed and appreciated for the tourism dollars they pour into Hawaii’s economy.”

WYF has been the title sponsor of the Hawaii High School Athletics Association’s annual baseball tournament for the last 15 years. It provides free baseball clinics, scholarships and grants to the youths of Hawaii and Japan, and offers new opportunities for further personal development and higher education.

“This was one of my father’s passions,” explains Paul, “which was driven by his inability to pursue a college education due to financial hardships at the time. ”

For many years, Jane Yonamine operated a highly successful pearl store called “Wally Yonamine Pearls” in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, which is still in business. She now is living out her golden years in East Honolulu. After an extended battle with prostate cancer, Wally died Feb. 28, 2011, at the age of 85 in Honolulu.

But Paul, a highly successful business executive in Japan, and his siblings continue to carry on his father’s legacy through WYF.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

The patriarch of the First Family of Surfing vows to live out the rest of his life on Oahu, where at age 18 he got hooked on the sport that gave him “thrills” from head to toe each time he caught a wave in Waikiki. Now in his golden age of 93, we pay tribute to Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz, a legendary surfer who gained worldwide notoriety for his nomadic lifestyle when he dropped out of mainstream America in the ’50s to raise his eight boys and one daughter on the road. The family motored coast to coast in their 24-foot camper to surf and travel full time.

‘Parade Paniolo’ Duke Kahanamoku with Jonathan Paskowitz

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Doc graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine in 1946 but gave up a lucrative medical career for a 14-year adventure on wheels and waves. The veteran surfer has no regrets that he abandoned his medical profession, pulled the kids out of traditional education and started his own school of hard knocks he called, “The International School of Surfing.” His philosophy is, “If you live with difficulty, hardships and deprivations, they strengthen us to become stronger individuals.”

In January, Paskowitz moved to Hawaii to bunk with his son, Moses II, and grandson, Moses III, in their two-bedroom Honolulu apartment.

“He is back in Hawaiian waters swimming daily (when weather permits) in his favorite spot off Queen’s Surf Beach,” said Moses.

As we turn back the hands of time, Queen’s in Waikiki is a special spot where he often paddled alongside the father of modern surfing, the great Duke Kahanamoku.

“When I got to Hawaii in 1939, I couldn’t believe I could actually shake his hand, let alone surf with Duke. I got to know him as a true royal. He was a real ali’i among Hawaiians, and I did everything in my power to relate myself to him,” says Paskowitz.

One day, he got a tip that Kahanamoku would travel to Kaunakakai, Molokai, at the stroke of midnight in a small power boat all by himself.

“So I hooked a ride with him,” Paskowitz recalls. “The two of us went on that boat alone, what a thrill! I loved him so dearly because he stood as the master of all the things that I loved as much as life itself, such as surfing, gentleness, manhood and beauty. I adored him. Through his examples, I knew he was listening to me and embracing my words.”

Moses believes Kahanamoku’s gentleness and aloha for the Hawaiian people have apparently rubbed off on his father.

“I’ve seen him give the shirts off his back so many times, and Dad is so like Mother Teresa, Ghandi and Dr. Martin Luther King all wrapped into one. No matter what your bank account or political status is, he makes everyone feel like kings and queens,” says Moses.

Doc’s most prized possession is a photo he took of cowboy Duke and his second son Jonathan during a parade on Oahu. Paskowitz also made sure the iconic figure held his babies at birth. “Every new child, my wife Juliette and I had at Kapiolani Hospital, (Jonathan, Abraham, Israel, Moses, Adam and Salvador Daniel) was taken to the arms of Duke Kahanamoku. I would say, ‘Duke, please give the baby some of your mana.’ He would be a little embarrassed, but he graciously cradled each boy for a while before he handed the baby back,” says Paskowitz. As a result, with Duke’s mana, the surfing physician’s second son Jonathan grew up to become a United States surf champion. His fourth boy Israel became a longboarding world champ.

With the re-release of his book Surfing and Health this year, Doc will be hitting the talk story circuits and local cafes as a health guru. His book covers his early surf days and the five pillars of health: 1) Diet, 2) Exercise, 3) Rest, 4) Recreation, and 5) Attitudes of Mind.

Another health secret: “He teaches us to eat like a king for breakfast, eat like a princess for lunch and eat like a pauper for dinner,” says Moses, who makes a fresh blend of frozen berry smoothie for his father daily.

Paskowitz still practices medicine today and considers himself a medical missionary, tending to those who cannot afford services. He treats injured surfers and takes people’s blood pressure on the beaches with no payment – a far cry from when he first practiced on Kalakaua Avenue in the early ’50s

Paskowitz no longer rides roaring monstrous swells that take his breath away like the good ‘ole days. With his thinner physique and photographic memory during the sunset of his life, he heeds the words of Duke Kahanamoku echoing through Waikiki: “Just take your time – wave comes, let the other guys go, catch another one.”

These days, he settles for calmer waters but reminisces about the bigger waves he often surfed in his lifetime.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

Team Aloha comes home (from left) Alexis Pana, Lindsay Bates, Patria Vaimaona, Keisha Kanekoa, Tyra Moe, Ihi Victor, Shantel Appleby, Chanelle Molina, Jeneva Toilolo, Fran Villarmia-Kahawai, Rodney Cavaco and the author. Photo courtesy Gail Moe

From girls hoops to academic hoopla, the cream of the crop in athletics and a game show that showcases brain power are my youthful topics of conversation this week.

Let’s start off with the eighth edition of Team Aloha, a collection of eight of the finest female basketball players in the 808 who just returned from Phoenix, where they competed in the Adidas Arizona Elite Spring Classic, April 25-27. Out of a field of 47 teams representing California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona, Hawaii was no ka oi with a perfect 6-0 record in the 17-and-under Top Ten Division.

The team was made up of sophomores Tyra Moe of Punahou, Shantel Appleby of Mililani, Alexis Pana of Hilo, Chanelle Molina and Ihi Victor of Konawaena, and juniors Lindsay Bates of Lahainaluna, Patria Vaimaona of Kailua and Jeneva Toilolo of Farrington. To get to the championship round, they handily defeated squads from Arizona 57-30 and Utah 60-21 before beating an Oregon team in overtime 51-46.

But this is where the plot thickens: To achieve their goal of being crowned champions, they now had to win three games in a row with only two-and-a-half hours between each game! Their competitiveness and drive paid off, as they dispatched teams from California 55-29 and Washington 45-35 before heading into the title game against a skilled Oregon Elite squad that had the advantage of playing one less game that day.

Led by the state’s player of the year, guard Chanelle Molina, who pumped in 15 points, played a dazzling floor game and hit key free throws down the stretch, and with 13 points and a bushel of rebounds from 6-foot-2 center Jeneva Toilolo, the young Wahine prevailed in the final with a 44-39 victory.

“We had to play a near-perfect game to win because our competition was a highly talented club team that plays together year round, while our girls only practice over three weekends because they come from different islands,” explains head coach Fran Villarmia-Kahawai. Assistant coach Keisha Kanekoa, who played on the only other Team Aloha group that won it all in 2006 as a prepster from Honoka’a, states that “these championships show that our local ladies can compete with the best.” Both Villarmia-Kahawai and Kanekoa played college ball as Rainbow Wahine.

Since I started the Team Aloha concept eight years ago with former UH Wahine coach Dana Takehara-Dias, one of our highest objectives is to get the girls exposure at these NCAA-sanctioned tournaments to scores of college coaches from throughout the nation. For example, in addition to UH and HPU, members of that 2006 Team Aloha squad garnered scholarships from University of Southern California, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, UC-Berkeley, Utah, Idaho State and Cal State Northridge. Other Team Aloha alums through the years received scholarships from Washington State, Brigham-Young, Indiana, Gonzaga, Arizona State and Utah State. Based on conversations we had while we were there, players on this 2014 team are drawing major interest and special attention from several Division 1 colleges. And that can only translate into great options and opportunities for these talented scholar-athletes and their families.

* While Team Aloha was victorious battling it out in the athletic world in Arizona, here in the 808 a “battle of the brains” among outstanding high school students is under way over the airwaves in a program called It’s Academic Hawaii.

“We’re really proud to produce a local TV show that highlights Hawaii kids in a positive light. Now in its third season, the game show is still as popular as ever,” says producer Wendy Suite, who gives full credit to KFVE (K5) general manager John Fink for bringing the show to Hawaii.

The program is a spinoff of Washington, D.C.-based It’s Academic, the longest-running TV quiz show in the world. The local version airs every Wednesday night at 7 on K5 The Home Team. Waiakea High teacher Whitney

Anne Boog, Tim Hendricks, Harley Marie Hendricks and principal Daniel Caluya in front of Na Wai Ola Elementary | Photo courtesy Daniel Caluya

Hawaii Sheet Metal Workers Union employees are arming themselves with crayons, rulers, notepads, erasers and glue – banding together in the name of education. This is the organization’s campaign to award 10 elementary public institutions with barrels of school supplies benefiting hundreds of Hawaii keiki.

“Since 2010 and every other year since, the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 293 has partnered with Central Pacific Bank and awarded school supplies to assist Hawaii’s schoolchildren,” says union business manager Arthur Tolentino. “It is our way of showing our commitment to academic excellence. We are pleased to announce that Na Wai Ola has finally made our list and we are honored to have them, especially in light of their challenging circumstances.”

In 2014, the union will sponsor a total of 10 elementary schools – six on Oahu: Kaimiloa, Kaleiopuu, Kapalama, Linapuni, Pauoa and Wahiawa elementary schools; one on Kauai: Kapaa Elementary; one on Maui: Princess Nahienaena Elementary; and finally, two on the Big Island: Paauilo Elementary & Intermediate and Na Wai Ola Charter School.

Giving of his heart and soul to serve the keiki of an impoverished Puna District is a way of life for Daniel Caluya, a 22-year U.S. Air Force veteran turned unsung hero, who is known as an outstanding advocate for children. The Na Wai Ola Elementary principal goes above and beyond his call of duty, and it is no surprise to his close-knit community of Mountain View and Kurtis-town on the Big Island that his institution is about to be honored as the 2014 Charter School of the Year by the Hawaii Public Charter School Network.

Na Wai Ola specializes in agriscience and teaches the student body to be self-sustaining.

“We grow tomatoes, taro, cucumbers, sugarcane and red onions to teach the children to respect their aina and cultivate personal management skills,” explains Caluya.

The school’s agriculture courses are practiced at home. “We also are building a strong partnership with the University of Hawaii-Hilo School of Agriculture and local farmers,” he adds.

In addition to science, the school excels in academics, with an 80 percent pass rate in all subjects as part of the Hawaii State Assessment tests, and it remains one of the top-ranked institutions in the state.

While elementary public school students are conveniently offered a variety of healthier options when it comes to their school lunches, many of Caluya’s students don’t know where their next meal will come from. Up to 90 percent of the 130 enrollees are from at-risk families who don’t have a place to call home. They brave the great outdoors, face the elements and live in makeshift structures or tents.

“A lot of them are homeless and go without running water. They don’t have electricity and the basics to sustain a healthy living environment,” says Caluya.

Anne Boggs, mother of Na Wai Ola kindergartener Harley Marie Hendricks, says, “Our living situation is hard due to lack of a proper place for showering, cooking and eating. The tent is one big room where we eat, relax and sleep.” Boggs and husband Mike Hendricks barely survive with $100 every month. “I feel like it takes away part of my manhood, because I am unable to build a house for my family to live in and be in a healthier environment. I am just grateful that Harley is gaining a great education, thanks to Mr. Caluya and his staff at Na Wai Ola,” adds Hendricks.

Humble surroundings and limited or no transportation make it difficult for students to attend school, but beginning at 5:45 a.m., Caluya embarks on daily treks to remote homeless camps and transports the kids in his 10-passenger van. Says Caluya, “My mission is to keep the keiki in school, help them enjoy their classes and excel in their academics.

“We need to do more to give back to our underprivileged kids. It’s important for them to be exposed to excellence, no matter what their economic status is,” adds Caluya, who can relate to the children, having lived in more than 30 foster homes in California himself.

It is easy to feel hopeless under dire situations, but “Principal C,” as he is affectionately known, is being hailed by Na Wai Ola staff and parents as the “angel of hope.”

He is quick to point out that he is not fixing all the problems that the homeless face, but rather coming up with his own solutions on the matters that he can influence. Caluya’s philosophy can be summed up with this simple phrase: “A child will not go unfed, unclothed and every student will receive proper discipline and a top-quality education.”

According to Tolentino, a Leilehua High School graduate, that’s what makes his union’s donation of school supplies to needy schools such as Na Wai Ola worth it, because they are making a difference in a student’s life. “Helping the Danny Caluyas of Hawaii fulfill their mission is what gives me and my members chicken skin and goose bumps.”

If you would like to support Caluya’s mission assisting the homeless children in his school, log on to NaWaiOlapcs.org.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

EDITOR’S NOTE: We apologize for the inadvertent omission of the complete text of last week’s column about “It’s Academics.” The complete May 7 story continues to be available online at midweek.com.

Kalihi Disciples praying together before a gam. Photo courtesy of Elijah Uli

Athletic Disciples in Kalihi are performing miracles play by play. They recently swept three championship titles at the 2014 Pacific Big Boyz (PBB) Football League. It’s safe to say that the intermediate, junior varsity and varsity divisions of Kalihi Disciples are still walking on water after each raked in landslide victories at the April 19 showdown. This is the first time all three won state championships together.

NFL players started sending their social media shout outs, including Doug Baldwin (Seattle Seahawks), Jerome Williams (Houston Astros) and even Jesse Sapolu, a product of Kalihi. The four-time San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl champion praised the football teams’ triple crowns.

“Everybody kept telling me growing up that being from Kalihi, you’ll never make it. I used that to my advantage because I had an edge to prove people wrong,” he said. “So go out there. Be great in school. Use the game of football to get an education. If you make it to the NFL, great. If not, get your degree and come back and give back to our city, a city we are very proud of,” Sapolu said on YouTube.

The Kalihi Disciples’ three divisions’ final scores: intermediate beat the Mililani Acadians, 34-24; the jayvee team squeaked by the Palolo Nesians, 30-28, and the varsity made it past the West Side Warriors, 18-16.

Kalihi Disciples is a non profit 501 (c) (3), community-based group associated with the Mauga Olive Assembly of God, which is led by Pastor Muao Ava and First Lady Falavai Ava in Mapunapuna.

“It is an outreach ministry for our church,” says Tiana Faitau, team president. “The organization’s mission is twofold – to produce great football players who will embrace a healthy lifestyle and to teach the athletes to embrace the gospel of Jesus Chris.”

The Kalihi athletic team is comprised of kids from low-income neighborhoods, particularly Kalihi Valley Homes, Kuhio Park Terrace, Kamehameha Homes, Kam IV Road and Kaahumanu Homes. But any dedicated athlete who is a good student can play. Players are subject to grade checks, and those who excel in the classroom are recognized at the end of the season.

“We also have kids from Waipahu and Ewa Beach, whose parents make the trek into town to have their boys be a part of our organization because of the healthy balance we stress between academics and athletics,” says Faitau.

What makes the Disciples unique is the bond that the boys prayerfully share among themselves. They have to block a little harder and run a little farther in order to raise money. Fundraisers include street net fishing, garage sales, bake sales, car washes and on May 10 they held a big benefit concert to pay for sports equipment, travel expenses and uniforms for next season. Donations still are being collected; contact Tiana Faitau at 277-4083.)

Their families live from paycheck to paycheck, so the greatest challenge the group faces is collecting its $100 registration fees. “Most times, the season ends and fees are never paid. The committee members are mindful of these families who are not able to pay because of hardship. We empathize with the struggles that they go through on a daily basis and we don’t have the heart to tell their boys they can’t play,” says Elijah Uli, assistant coach for the intermediate division. When it comes to playing ball, all financial burdens are put on the sidelines. Coaches, parents and the community are united, and cheer with their lungs and souls as the young footballers play their hearts out in every game. Perhaps, someday, like Sapolu, they too can achieve NFL greatness or become major contributors in our state or nation. PBB League gives the Disciples and other football teams throughout Hawaii a chance to dream and be discovered.

My grand-nephew Allyze-Ray “RayRay” Feagai-Uli, a 5-foot-5, 256-pound, husky, growing 11-year-old, had a tough time making weight limits for Pop Warner, but Kalihi Disciples is giving him a chance to fulfill his football dream. RayRay, or Mountain as he is affectionately known to his family, as tells me, “It makes me feel happy because I get to play with my friends and the coaches make us feel like we are part of one big family.”

But perhaps the biggest benefit to RayRay and his teammates is that the Kalihi Disciples coaches and staff are preparing the youths for the game of life – providing them with character-building and the necessary tools needed to uplift and inspire others through the world of football.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

Bishop Museum president and CEO Blair Collis honors MAMo awardees Duncan Ka’ohuoka’ala Seto, Meleanna Aluli Meyer, Paulette Kahalepuna and Kauka de Silva | Photo courtesy Bishop Museum

What do you get when you combine a painter/muralist, a ceramic artist, a lauhala weaver and feather lei maker? The answer is a jaw-dropping exhibit featuring delicate to commanding pieces created by four art extraordinaires who are deeply rooted in their Native Hawaiian culture.

Where might one get a rare peek at such an exquisite collection? None other than Bishop Museum’s J. M. Long Gallery. It’s all part of the museum’s and PA’I Foundation’s ninth annual Maoli Arts Month (MAMo), featuring an exhibition titled “He Kumu Kukui: Celebrating Our Masters.” Now through July 21, the spotlight shines on the artistic and educational contributions of four MAMo awardees.

The creations of Meleanna Aluli Meyer, Duncan Ka’ohuoka’ala Seto, Kauka de Silva and Paulette Kahalepuna are on display to celebrate the depth, breadth and diversity of the Islands’ visual arts community.

Meyer says, “The exhibition showcases the importance of culture and the arts because our wellness is tied to those things … and the children need to experience and embrace the arts in their schools, their activities and their lives.”

Meyer’s paintings come alive in her vibrant collections. She is known for her larger-than-life community-based mural projects at Hawaii Convention Center, Bishop Museum’s Pacific Hall, Camp Mokuleia, etc. Meyer is a Stanford graduate, professional arts educator, painter, theater designer, photographer and filmmaker.

“It takes a lifetime commitment to honor the essence of who we are,” she explains. “We are talking about energy and source. It is that source that gives us the capacity to solve big problems that we face today.”

It’s hard to miss her massive acrylic on canvas, “Na Kaula Akua” (cords that link to past generations), which was manifested in a waking dream. It portrays three large hands the size of a tabletop holding a round cord that drops from the heavens. It is as if a beam of light from a higher source has inspired this mastery that depicts three generations: kupuna, makua and keiki. Meyer is chanting with paint, paying tribute to her ancestors, the elderly, and connecting to the younger generation. The hands reach out to make a clear statement about the importance of family relations and genealogy.

Duncan Ka’ohuoka’ala Seto’s pieces are both traditional and contemporary. His creativity is channeled through his drawings, paintings and lauhala weaving. He was an apprentice to artist Betsy Astronomo under the state’s Folk Arts Program. He also learned his craft from other master weavers, including Gladys Grace, Jane Nunies and Elizabeth Lee.

“The weaving line has never been broken, as families passed this tradition down from one generation to another. All I am doing is perpetuating this art form within my ohana, through my local community, and as I interact with indigenous artists throughout the Pacific,” says Seto, who has mastered the twist and turns of complex weaving. Draped from the museum’s sky-high ceiling is a 3-by-30-foot mat that he and his family entwined for his son Poki’i's wedding ceremony in 2012. Seto also weaves the message of love into his 3-D mat panels that include hearts being blown away by raging winds.

“Those woven hearts represent how individuals can weather the storms no matter how rough life can get,” says Seto. He considers himself blessed to have been surrounded by so many gifted kupuna in his lifetime, and that he was able to absorb their ano (essence), knowledge and talents.

The other two masters who feature their lifestyle creations are Kapiolani Community College arts professor Kauka de Silva and feather lei expert Paulette Kahalepuna. Incorporating umeki (calabash) through his ceramic work, de Silva expresses his ancestry and the Hawaiian environment through his motifs and colors. The public can see his wooden koa carvings sitting alongside his blue pottery at the museum.

Also on display is Kahalepuna’s feathered art. At the top of her field, and from a bird’s-eye view you can see that she has taken feather lei making to new heights. Her talents flow through her DNA as the daughter of “Feather Lady” Mary Lou Kekuewa. A must-see is her art depiction of a pikake four-strand lei. She is best known for the restoration and creation of numerous kahilu ku (tall feather standards) for Kamehameha Schools, Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center and many others.

As Meyer, Seto, de Silva and Kahalepuna continue to grow a movement to keep their culture alive, these distinguished individuals stand firm in their convictions that perpetuating art in all forms boils down to understanding what the late Fijian Prime Minister and President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara coined “The Pacific Way.”

May their inspiration continue to flow from within them as they connect with their roots, to their aina, the sea and the sky.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial as it looks today. It has just been named a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation on the heels of demolition vs. preservation plans here | Photo courtesy Sandra Sagisi

A crumbling structure with faded memories is the focus of a newly designated national treasure in Hawaii, which continues to serve as a setting to remember those who lost their lives in the armed forces during the first World War. Last week, on Memorial Day, dignitaries, residents and visitors alike had a chance to hear moving tributes at the Natatorium War Memorial in Waikiki.

Now a ruin and one of the last standing architectural landmarks of old Hawaii, the island icon has received a great deal of attention both nationally and locally this month. It has just been named a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which comes on the heels of demolition and preservation plans — pending further review.

“To be demolished or not to be” has long been a subject of controversy over the decades. I applaud the City and County of Honolulu and the state of Hawaii, which are following through on plans that stemmed from a task force I commissioned as Honolulu mayor back in May 2009. I accepted the findings back then made by a 16-member task force to demolish the historic site and build two groins in order to create a beach, and restore/rebuild the arches inland. In its place would be a public memorial and a stadium, ensuring that we always pay proper tribute to our World War I heroes, and also providing our water enthusiasts with an expanded Waikiki beach area.

This dual commitment by both the city and state governments showing collaborative restoration efforts is a positive step forward to getting beyond the status quo predicament in which we have been mired for much too long. For those who feel that the $18.4 million price tag delves too deeply into the pocketbooks of Hawaii taxpayers, a full restoration of the natatorium would cost nearly $69 million! Moreover, a recent Honolulu Star-Advertiser online poll resulted in 90 percent of the respondents in favor of the plan recommended by the 2009 task force. The work is expected to begin in 2015 with a timeline completion of two years.

I would like to personally acknowledge again Collin Lam (my former deputy director at the city’s Department of Design and Construction) who chaired the Waikiki Natatorium Task Force, and all the community members who laid the groundwork with the help of city and state officials and consultants for the plan that is being lauded today. Other members are Lt. Gen H. C. Stackpole (veteran), Rick Bernstein (Kaimana Beach Coalition), Jean Pierre Cercillieux (Kaimana Beach Hotel), Dr. Chip Fletcher (UH professor of ocean engineering), Edgar Hamasu (veteran), state Rep. Ken Ito (veteran), Dr. Andrew Rossiter (Waikiki Aquarium), Rick Egged (Waikiki Improvement Association), Donna Ching (Friends of the Natatorium), Kiersten Faulkner (Hawaii Historic Foundation), Fred Ballard (veteran), Art Caleda (veteran), Brian Keaulana (waterman), Hannie Anderson (paddler) and Tim Guard (businessman and military affairs advocate).

Their recommendation was no easy task. The other options thoroughly studied were: 1) Keep the natatorium as is; 2) Relocate the arches to a different site on Oahu; 3) Conduct a full restoration; or 4) Turn it into a beach volleyball and aquarium site. The final vote was nine to three — seven members were in favor of the creation of a new beach, three raised their hand for full restoration and two voted for the demolition and construction of a world-class aquarium.

* Since we are on the subject of national treasures, William W. “Bill” Paty Jr., a veteran of the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, is himself a living treasure. He was an Army captain and member of the 101st Airborne Division during World War II, who parachuted into Normandy on D-Day with thousands of other soldiers. He was captured as a POW, had two failed attempts at fleeing the enemy and was later decorated with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his bravery and survival.

Paty, a former agricultural executive and chairman of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources in the Waihee administration, will be the guest of honor Friday at the Home of the Brave Brewseum. It is the newest edition to Glen Tomlinson’s World War II museum located at 909 Waimanu St. in Kakaako. Tomlinson features one of the largest collections of WWII memorabilia that you will ever see in the Pacific. How fitting it is that Paty, who rarely speaks of his combat experience, will be recognized there for his valiant military service on the 70th anniversary of D-Day this Friday.

On behalf of his countless admirers, I send a special salute to a very deserving patriot of our times.’

mufi@mufihannemann.com

The late Dave Eldredge III and wife Jean with sons David ‘Boy’ and Duane and their families | Photo courtesy Duane Eldredge

Babe Ruth once said, “Baseball was, is and always will be to me the best game in the world.” It’s a sentiment shared by the Eldredge ohana, in many ways “the first family of Hawaii baseball,” who have been pitching and batting for some three-quarters of a century. More than 10,000 young baseball players have been touched by an Eldredge during this time period.

Taking the name Eldredge comes with deeply rooted responsibilities and commitment. Baseball fever runs through their veins, and the family has learned that you can expect the high or curve balls in life, and no matter what happens, you must keep on swinging until you hit a home run. It all began with the late David Pinkham Kaiana Eldredge II aka “Pop,” who started the passion back in Lahaina in the 1920s.

“Grandpa was a young kid who enjoyed playing baseball with the older generation. As an adult, he began what was known today as the Manoa Little League,” says Duane P. K. Eldredge of Pop, who was the sole coach for all the teams in Manoa during the ’50s, and was known to have put in blood, sweat and tears to build the Manoa Valley District Park all by himself. The elder Eldredge also was affectionately called the “Mayor of Manoa.” He passed away a few days short of his 90th birthday back in April 1997, the same year that the district’s City Councilman Andy Mirikatani and

I introduced a resolution naming the facilities at the park in honor of Duane’s grandfather.

Today, young athletes and Hawaii sports fans enjoy a 30-acre recreational facility that has one baseball field and three softball fields.

Believe it or not, my family and the Eldredge ohana were neighbors in Manoa back then, and Pop had my parents convinced that the two youngest Hannemann boys should consider joining his sons and go down the street and become Buffanblu. As fate would have it, we moved to Kalihi and lost contact, and my brother Nephi donned the maroon and white of Farrington, and I became an Iolani Red Raider.

The family’s baseball athletic bloodline includes Pop’s sons Dave Eldredge III and Pal (a perennial Yankees fan like me), and grandsons Boy and Duane Eldredge. They were recognized as Hawaii’s Youth Baseball Family of the Year by USA Baseball in 1992. The men have and continue to serve as coaches, teachers, cheerleaders and mentors to generations of youths in Manoa, Moiliili, McCully, Mililani, Ewa Beach, Lahaina and other towns statewide, and collectively have garnered numerous awards and prep championships through the years. Boy, a star athlete at Punahou and BYU, recently was named athletic director at St. Francis School.

Duane Eldredge perpetuates his grandfather’s legacy by overseeing Hawaii Baseball, an organization, through its all-star squad Team Hawaii, which provides high school ballplayers special opportunities to advance to the next level. His grandpa, dad and uncle all led Team Hawaii ball squads at one time or another, and Duane is taking his turn now. For his outstanding efforts during the past 14 years, he has just received the 2014 Chuck Leahey Award for his significant contributions to the sport of baseball. As all 808 sports fans know, the Leaheys are another talented “first family of sports” — immortal sportscaster Chuck (the author of “the half a manapua short of the end zone” phrase), his son Jim and grandson Kanoa.

“What I was taught was that no matter what we do, it is always about life. And sports in general is a great teacher of life. You learn how to work hard. You have to take the ups and the downs, the wins and the losses and learn how to battle around the bad times so that you can become better,” says Duane.

Duane’s recognition stems from the exposure he has been giving to hundreds of baseball student-athletes eager to be discovered by pro scouts and college recruits. Two of his players who made the major league are Kurt Suzuki, who now plays for the Minnesota Twins, and Kirby Yates, who is with the Tampa Bay Rays. Currently, Duane is prepping players for the Arizona Fall Classic, an international showcase for high school juniors and seniors, in October in Peoria, Ariz.

“Hawaii boys are talented and they can compete against the very best. My brother Boy once asked me in 2000 if I could gather a good enough team to play with some of the most competitive baseball athletes on the Mainland,” says Duane. So he rounded up 24 boys and took them to the Classic, where they got to impress scouts. The rest is history.

“Kurt Suzuki was on that team. Year after year, the boys who travel with me to Arizona get better and better. Today, more and more scouts are looking to me to produce the next Shane Victorino,” he says.

And somehow you feel that because he stands by his grandpa Pop’s motto of “Live, love and pitch,” he is going to come through — after all, he has the Eldredge name to live up to.

mufi@mufihannemann.com

The first director of the city Department of Emergency Management, Mel Kaku | Photo courtesy Nicole Magliano

It’s hurricane season again and time to put plans in place in the event that disaster is at your doorstep. Who can forget Sept. 11, 1991, when Hurricane Iniki made landfall with 145 mph winds, and was recorded as the most powerful hurricane ever to hit Hawaii? Kauai suffered horrifically from raging, 35-foot waves that ravaged the beautiful Garden Isle and wreaked havoc on the lives of some 5,000 people.

The months and years to follow were just as painful dealing with the devastation and rebuilding efforts. I recall visiting Kauai as the state DBEDT director when Gov. John Waihee tasked our department with taking the lead in evacuating the thousands of stranded tourists.

Kauai looked like a war zone in Iniki’s aftermath, but what people have imprinted in their minds almost 23 years later is not so much the astronomical damage or pain and suffering, but rather the overwhelming outpouring of support and love that followed. Organizations, churches and individuals from all over the world focused on giving radiant hope to Kauai’s citizens.

Waipahu resident Ambrose Velasco understands that natural disasters like Iniki can strike in the blink of an eye. For that reason, he has stashed away two years of food and emergency supplies.

“Hawaii is susceptible to year-round conditions via tropical storms and hurricanes — so many opportunities for life-threatening natural disasters to occur. Having survived combat and served in the Army for 20 years, I have lived my life being prepared at all times,” says Velasco.

The decorated veteran’s storage consists of 10 cases of freeze-dried hamburger, buckets of vegetables, shelves of canned fruits and other nonperishable goods. He also has two years’ worth of water and MREs, including two 24-watt generators that run on gasoline and propane. Velasco recycles his batteries and updates his plans constantly.

Like Velasco, the state of Hawaii, civil defense agencies and emergency management organizations across all county levels are also updating their emergency plans. The state and four county mayors will be granted unprecedented emergency powers during a crisis, including a terrorist attack. The move stems from a House bill sponsored by Speaker Joseph Souki and shepherded by state Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Darryll D. M. Wong, who also serves as the state’s director of civil defense. HB 849 recodifies Hawaii’s emergency management statutes, “clarifying the relationship between the state and county emergency management agencies, and delineating the emergency management functions and powers of the Governor and mayors.” Currently awaiting the governor’s signature, the bill — expected to be law in July — will rename the state Civil Defense Agency “Hawaii Emergency Management Agency,” which will be housed under the state Department of Defense. “The new law will be a significant milestone because it brings Hawaii’s emergency-management systems to current national codes instead of being in the Cold War era,” said director of the city Department of Emergency Management (DEM), Mel Kaku.

“All counties have updated their hurricane plans and are rewriting internal procedures, working closely with state government to develop the various responses and logistic support plans. For example, we are partnering with the state on the installation of additional sirens on Oahu,” Kaku says.

The sirens wish list is at 80-plus, to be installed throughout Oahu, but the current state budget covers all islands with as much as $12 million earmarked. Each siren costs approximately $84,000, according to Kaku.

I am pleased to see the upgrades, as well as the improved working relationship among Department of Homeland Security, federal government and state and local governments. This was a push that we started back in 2007 during my first term as mayor. Back then, emergency operations were under the purview of the Oahu Civil Defense Agency (OCDA). We elevated the agency to the current cabinet-level DEM, making Kaku its first director. In so doing, Kaku was given the same status as other first-responder heads, such as the Honolulu police and fire chiefs. As part of the elevation to department status, DEM also was given more tools to communicate information directly and quickly to the public, especially if a natural disaster threatened Oahu. We were totally committed to the city’s preparedness efforts, and alerting the general public in a timely manner during emergencies was our utmost concern.

With the new emergency management changes to come, the next time a natural disaster strikes, our city and state hopefully will be better prepared to respond and serve the residents and visitors of Hawaii.

As for the forecast of hurricanes in Hawaii this year, Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) announced last month that the climate conditions point to a 40 percent chance of a near-normal or above-normal season. I prescribe to the old adage that says, “It’s not if a disaster will strike — but when.”

mufi@mufihannemann.com

Military academies are viewed as some of the most prestigious institutions around, so you can imagine what scholar-athletes Toese Gaoteote Tia and Adam Tagovailoa Amosa of Campbell High School were thinking when they opened their college acceptance letters.

The Saber graduates are about to follow in the footsteps of two United States presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower and Jimmy Carter. Tia is New York-bound to President Eisenhower’s alma matter, U.S. Military Academy at West Point (USMA). Amosa is headed for U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) in Maryland, where President Carter matriculated.

Adam Tagovailoa Amosa bound for the U.S. Naval Academy | Photo courtesy Sai Amosa

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“When I received my letter from West Point, I couldn’t have felt more blessed that I was accepted,” says Tia, with great humility. “Many people came to mind, but three things really stood out. They were my family, loved ones and educators who have supported me throughout my high school years. I am grateful to an awesome God whom I serve.”

Amosa dittos the euphoria felt by his cousin. He also was accepted to West Point, but opted to say yes to the Naval Academy.

“It was more than just the full-ride scholarship that USNA offered me. After carefully reviewing all my college options, I felt more at home with coach Ken Niumatalolo,” says Amosa. He considers Niumatalolo a role model because he is the first person of Polynesian ancestry to be named head coach of a Division I football program. Niumatalolo recently was inducted into the inaugural class of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.

Tia and Amosa, 18 and 17 respectively, share strong athletic genes, and their roots stem back to a village called Vatia in American Samoa. The young men’s great-great-grandfathers were brothers, and their grandmothers also were best buddies at Radford High School. They are as charming and vivacious as their grandmas, and are physically strong like their grandfathers.

Leadership flows through their veins. Tia’s grandfather, the Honorable Palaie Gaoteote, is the president of the Senate of the Fono in the U.S. Territory. He is an Army veteran and the first Samoan to ever become a command sergeant major in the U.S. Army. Amosa’s uncle, Amosa Amosa, is the highly popular head football coach of the Sabers, who enjoyed their most successful season ever by finishing fourth in the Division I state playoffs. Adam Amosa’s parents are the founders and driving force behind the Ewa Beach Sabers, one of the best youth football programs in the state. The two strapping, handsome athletes were big men on campus at Campbell, but they say they look forward to being small fish in a big pond in two of the nation’s most elite service academies.

Tia is the son of Toese Sr. and Mineretta Tia of Ewa Beach. He graduated cum laude and is a decorated football player. Accolades include varsity football team captain, Campbell’s Most Outstanding Defensive Lineman, Oahu Interscholastic Association All-Star first team, HUB Goodwill Senior Bowl Defensive Lineman and Samoa Bowl Team member.

“I believe I was chosen to go to West Point because of my work ethic and dedication to my schooling,” states Tia. “It also helped that I was an honors graduate. My extracurricular activities, such as football and wrestling, helped, as I set a goal that for every football game and every match I needed to be all that I can be.” Active in his church, he will enroll in the engineering program at West Point but aspires to be like his father, Command Sgt. Maj. Tia. “He is a prime example of what it means to truly persevere. Dad has fought through many hardships and negative influences in his life. I have seen him achieve great things. He motivates me to never stop believing, and teaches me that hard work will always lead to success.”

Amosa is the son of Tuli and Saipati Amosa of Ewa Beach. He is described as the “best technician of the entire offensive line crop in 2014.” He is light on his feet and is fast as lightning, but he also excels in tickling ivories.

“I practiced a lot of football, but I also spent many hours playing the piano. It’s a way for me to get away from the pressures and stresses of life. I also spend quality time with my church activities,” says Amosa. Athletic and scholastic awards he raked in include first team All-State Offensive Lineman, OIA All-Star Football Team, Saber’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Volleyball Honorable Mention All-Star, Honor Roll eight times and three times on the Principal’s List.

Amosa says, “I believe I was chosen for the Naval Academy based on my academic standing and success on the gridiron. I also have taken numerous honors as well as AP classes, and managed an A average in all of my classes.” Among the six AP courses he took, the subjects varied from calculus and language to world history and government. Amosa sees himself engaged in government and international affairs 10 years from now, after majoring in political science.

“My grandparents are the most influential people in my life,” he says. “Not only have they fed me physically, but they also have fed me spiritually. They also have been my No. 1 fans, attending and encouraging me at every one of my games.”

The Tia and Amosa families always have cheered for their favorite sons sitting on the same side of the bleachers wherever Campbell High played.

But when the Midshipmen and Black Knights battle it out in college football this upcoming season, the rivalry between cousins, classmates and team-mates may just test the theory that “blood is thicker than water.”

All of us in all Hawaii win by having two of our finest “home-boys” competing athletically, studying diligently and preparing to serve our country in the finest tradition.

mufi@mufihannemann.com