Waiakeawaena Elementary School Directed by Mr. Kudo

Just before the close of the legislative session, we were treated to a performance at the Capitol by the Waiakeawaena Elementary School Band.

I believe that Waiakeawaena may still hold the distinction of having the only traveling elementary school band in the state.  But I do know that they have the longest serving band teacher in Mr. James Kudo who was a teacher at the school many years ago when I was his student in the 6th grade.

Mr. Kudo has retired, but still serves as volunteer band director at the school.

Coach Estrella's Last Inning

After 27 years as coach of the University of Hawaii - Hilo Men's baseball Team, Joey Estrella's Vulcans rewarded him with double header wins.  Saturday was the last season game for the coach who has become an institution in Hilo.

Coach Estrella was presented with proclamations from Governor Neil Abercrombie, Mayor Billy Kenoi, State Senate, House of Representatives and the Hawaii County Council.  The Governor and Mayor proclaimed Saturday, April 13, 2013 as "Joey Estrella Day" in the State of Hawaii and County of Hawaii respectively.

From L-R Chancellor Donald Straney, Councilman Dennis Onishi, Lincoln Ashida, Senator Gil Kahele, Coach Estrella, Reps Mark Nakashima, Richard Onishi, Clift Tsuji and AD Dexter Irvine. 

Chancellor Straney apologized that he did not have a proclamation to present the coach but said, "I have a space in UH Hilo's history reserved for you". 

Gary Washburn: Living Treasure

Mark with Mr. Gary Washburn at the Honpa Hongwanji Living Treasures Luncheon at the Sheraton Waikiki.

Gary Washburn is a highly merited educator and gifted musician who is committed to the next generation of instrumentalists.  he was born to be a performer and parlayed his experiences into becoming a guiding force behind a very successful high school band program.  Mr. Washburn continues to motivate his students through life lessons that continue well beyond the classroom walls.

I first met Mr. Washburn when he was hired at Honoka'a High a few days into the school year in 1978.  It was my first year at Honoka'a also, and I found myself in the re-constituted concert band class that had been dismantled when the previous band teacher sought other employment as school enrolment put music on the chopping block.  Mr. Washburn was not quite the marching band type, but he took us on a band trip to Maui that first year as our rag-tag little group marched in the Maui County Fair parade.  Thus bagan a career in Honoka'a that would grow to become legendary.

Mr. Washburn re-created a music program that capitalized on his forte and under his tutelage, the Honoka'a Jazz band has performed multi-concert tours on Oahu annually to celebrate National Jazz Appreciation month, released several CDs, won won a National Association of Music Merchants award, appeared on National Public Radio's From the Top, and was one of thirty-six schools chosen nationwide as a Grammy Signature School.

In 2011, Mr. Washburn received the National Society of High School Scholars's Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction Award.  Yesterday, the Honpa Hongwanji of Hawaii inducted Mr. Washburn as a Living Treasure of Hawaii recognizing his contributions to Hawai'i's rich cultural heritage devoted to preserving the spirit, traditions and values of our island home for future generations.

Hilo Dorms on Track to Completion

Eight months following groundbreaking ceremonies, the University Village Phase I project is progressing quickly and is scheduled to open later this summer for the beginning of the 2013 Fall Semester.

The project is located on 33 acres fronting the University of Hawaii Hilo's main entrance on Kawaili Street and will feature 300 student housing units in apartments and suite-style residence halls.

These new units will be the first to be added to the campus since 1989, and are being financed by $32 million appropriation by the legislature.  The Hilo campus has just 600 housing units on campus and services in excess of 4,100 students.

In addition to offering housing facilities for Big Island residents who face long commutes, it is hoped that these housing facilities will help to provide the opportunity for a more diverse mix of students coming from the mainland and internationally to provide more international diversity that contribute to the quality of education received from UH Hilo.

Scenes from Opening Day 2013

House Big Island Caucus Ready to Work

The Big Island Caucus gathers for a picture the day before the Legislative opening.  Pictured from left to right Richard Onishi (Dist 3), Cindy Evans (Dist 7), Clifton Tsuji (Dist 2), Faye Hanohano (Dist 4), Mark Nakashima (Dist 1), Nicole Lowen (Dist 6), Denny Coffman (Dist 5)

Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language

Since ground breaking on February 12, 2011, the Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language building has definitely begun to take shape.  A building to house the University's expanding Hawaiian Studies program was identified as a need more than a decade prior to the department achieving collegiate status in 1998.  The  College's rapid growth produced UH Hilo's first Master's and Ph.D. recipients as it gained national prominence as a leader in indigenous language and cultural revitalization, added new programs like linguistics and witnessed a surge in enrollment.


The Legislature approved $28 million during the 2010 legislative session for the project and is estimated to be completed this summer.