ka la march 2012

8
A Student Publication of the University of Hawai`i • Honolulu Community College • March 2012 Food & books HonCC librarians say policy against food won't be changed. Page 3 Ho'opili hou Students leaders from around the state gather for meeting on Kauai. Page 4 Great Aloha Run Dozens of HonCC students and faculty join 30,000 in annual run. Page 5 Tech guy Jonathan Wong has moved on to KCC, but plans to return home someday. Page 7 March calendar See a calendar of all school events happening this month. Page 6 Keiki Center HonCC students get first hand experience working in school's day care center. Page 8 www.thekala.net • Facebook:hcckala • twitter@hcckala Hōkūle‘a & HonCC Karla Choto Ka Lā staff writer “Hōkūle‘a is mom, she is a mother, she is number one, we only have one mother, but we have many fathers,” Attwood Maka says. And for the last year and a half, the sailing canoe that helped revi- talize interest in all things Hawai- ian, has been undergoing a refur- bishment at Honolulu Community College’s Marine Education Train- ing Center at Ke'ehi Lagoon. With the work almost done, the Polynesian Voyaging Society plans to get Hōkūle‘a back in the water on April 16 to begin a statewide sail which will then be followed by a trip around the world begin- ning in 2013. The Voyaging Society and its famed canoe came to the Marine Education Training Center in 2003. “It is here to help aid in the recruitment of students into the Small Vessel Fabrication and Repair two-year program through HonCC,” said Bob Perkins, the director of METC and a cap- tain on Hōkūle‘a. The program teaches students how to construct, maintain, and repair small ves- sels. “PVS and Hōkūle‘a are very fortunate to be housed at METC with its facilities, equipment and skilled and dedicated teachers and students,” said Nainoa Thompson, PVS president and the first navi- gator of Hōkūle‘a. The statewide sail will take the canoe and its crews to different towns, communities and schools to teach the younger generation its Continued - See Hōkūle‘a on Page 2 Famed canoe readied for next journey at Keehi site KaLā photos by Mathew Ursua Hōkūle‘a is being prepared for its upcoming journey around the world at HonCC's Marine Education Training Center.

Upload: michael-leidemann

Post on 23-Mar-2016

215 views

Category:

Documents


1 download

DESCRIPTION

ka la issue for March 2012

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Ka La March 2012

A Student Publication of the University of Hawai`i • Honolulu Community College • March 2012

Food & booksHonCC librarians say policy against food won't be changed. Page 3

Ho'opili houStudents leaders from around the state gather for meeting on Kauai.

Page 4

Great Aloha Run Dozens of HonCC students and faculty join 30,000 in annual run. Page 5

Tech guy Jonathan Wong has moved on to KCC, but plans to return home someday.

Page 7

March calendarSee a calendar of all school events happening this month.

Page 6

Keiki Center HonCC students get first hand experience working in school's day care center.

Page 8

www.thekala.net • Facebook:hcckala • twitter@hcckala

Hōkūle‘a & HonCC

Karla ChotoKa Lā staff writer

“Hōkūle‘a is mom, she is a mother, she is number one, we only have one mother, but we have many fathers,” Attwood Maka says.

And for the last year and a half, the sailing canoe that helped revi-talize interest in all things Hawai-ian, has been undergoing a refur-bishment at Honolulu Community College’s Marine Education Train-ing Center at Ke'ehi Lagoon.

With the work almost done, the Polynesian Voyaging Society plans to get Hōkūle‘a back in the water on April 16 to begin a statewide sail which will then be followed by a trip around the world begin-ning in 2013.

The Voyaging Society and its famed canoe came to the Marine Education Training Center in 2003.

“It is here to help aid in the recruitment of students into the Small Vessel Fabrication and Repair two-year program through HonCC,” said Bob Perkins, the director of METC and a cap-tain on Hōkūle‘a. The program teaches students how to construct, maintain, and repair small ves-

sels. “PVS and Hōkūle‘a are very fortunate to be housed at METC with its facilities, equipment and skilled and dedicated teachers and students,” said Nainoa Thompson, PVS president and the first navi-gator of Hōkūle‘a.

The statewide sail will take the canoe and its crews to different towns, communities and schools to teach the younger generation its

Continued - See Hōkūle‘a on Page 2

Famed canoereadied fornext journeyat Ke‘ehi site

KaLā photos by Mathew Ursua Hōkūle‘a is being prepared for its upcoming journey around the world at HonCC's Marine Education Training Center.

Page 2: Ka La March 2012

KaLā - News

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i March 20122

Ka Lā is the campus newspaper of Honolulu

Community College. Ka Lā publishes 2,000 copies every

month during the Spring and Fall Semesters.

Ka Lā and all campus publications are funded by

student publication fees and advertising. All materials published

in Ka Lā may not be reproduced or reused without permission of

the HonCC Student Media Board.Ka Lā is published under the

supervision of the HonCC Student Media Board:

ChairpersonJulia Ching

Publications DirectorJennifer Kakio Ka Lā Editor

Adina Murakami Faculty AdvisersEmily Kukulies

Mike Leidemann Staff members

Ryan AdverderadaIeva Bytautaite

Julia ChingKarla Choto

Jennifer KakioNicole Kelley

Leilani KimuraRon Santos

Chester SorianoMatthew UrsuaFebruary 2012

Contact [email protected]

Student Media Board Building 2, Room 115 Phone: (808) 845-9498

Ka Lā invites letters to the editor, articles, events,

advertising, and classifieds. Ka Lā reserves the right to refuse or

edit submissions. Submissions must be signed and include

a daytime telephone number and email address.

Editors and writers are responsible for content, which does not necessarily reflect

the opinion of HonCC faculty or staff.

25 years of sailing for the Polynesian Voyaging Society

Current Project: World Wide Voyage2009: Palmyra Training for the Worldwide Voyage2007: Japan Kū Holo Komohana, “Sail on to the Western Sun”2007: Satawal Kū Holo Mau, “Sail On, Sail Always, Sail Forever”2004: Papahānaumokuākea (Northwestern Hawaiian Islands) / Navigating Change1999-2000: Rapanui Closing the Triangle1995: West Coast & Alaska1995: Nukuhiva Nā ‘Ohana Holo Moana, “Familes of the Vast Ocean”1992: Rarotonga No Nā Mamo, “For the Children”1985-87: Aotearoa Voyage of Rediscovery1980: Tahiti1978: Voyage Canceled After Hōkūle‘a capsizes1976: Tahiti

Correction Ryan Yamada believes the

University of Hawaii system as a whole is not military friendly, but he said the HonCC campus and its administrators are very supportive and cater to vet-eran needs. Also, the GI club at Honolulu Community is ad-vocating for the establishment of a veteran resource center at UH-Manoa. He was misquoted in a February article.

Hōkūle‘a Getting readyto sail around the world

its “one island, one earth” philosophy through sustainabil-ity and environment. Polynesian Voyaging Society's mission is sus-taining our natural earth for our children and all mankind through knowledge and wisdom.

"Understand-ing voyaging as an authentic experience of ancestors and traditional mem-ory, to go where you never have gone,” said Maka, a watch captain for the canoe, who is visiting from Kahoolawe and was involved with the voyage in 1977 when he was 24 years old.

“It is a connection through a place and time called home through what the ancestors saw and felt for the first time,” he said.

Hōkūle‘a is a significant part of Native Hawaiian history; it helped launch the Native Hawai-ian Renaissance of the 1970's and has continued to become a part of the Hawaiian culture with about a dozen sailing voyages that have carried it all across the Pacific.

The worldwide voyage will travel west through Polynesia to Australia to South Africa, across the Atlantic through Venezuela, up to Washington D.C., to the Medi-terranean, Panama and then back

to Hawaii. It is an

honor to have Hōkūle‘a on our METC campus and to have the Small Vessel Fabrication and

Repair program that will teach the younger generation the technical aspects, importance and signifi-cance of Hōkūle‘a and the Hawai-ian culture.

Nainoa Thompson passionately stated, “We needed to restore Hōkūle‘a so that she could be strong and safe enough to carry our crews around the earth. It is my generation’s responsibility to give her to the next generation with the same values and lessons that we were fortunate enough to learn from our amazing mentors and teachers.”

Continued from Page One

KaLā photo by Mathew UrsuaWorkers at the Marine Education Training Center at Ke'ehi lagoon are preparing Hōkūle‘a for its biggest trip yet, one that will take it around the world.

Watch a video about HonCC's Marine program:

www.thekala.net

Page 3: Ka La March 2012

KaLā - News

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i March 20123

Watch out for HonCC's 'Minute'

As February switches over to March, we begin to realize how quickly the semester is moving. Midterms are around the corner, and Spring Break is quickly ap-proaching.

Your student government is hard at work this semester. February brought coordinated efforts between Student Life & Development and ASUH-HCC for student events such as Val-entine’s Day card making or the Chinese New Year’s celebration.

The next month brings us the Honolulu CC Biggest Loser Competition, as well as our special version of Honolulu CC Minute to Win It. Check the boards for fliers or stop by the Student Life & Development office for more details. The coming months also feature our STAR awards, ASUH-HCC elections, and of course, gradua-tion. Be on the lookout for more information regarding those events as well as opportunities to participate.

As always, please contact us with any concerns or questions you may have. It is the goal of ASUH-HCC to make campus life easier for students. You can help us accomplish that goal by sharing your concerns or com-ments.

Mahalo,Ryan AdverderadaPresident, [email protected](808) 545-3921

By Jennifer KakioKa Lā staff writer

After 18 months, some of us are lucky to earn our degree, but we never stopped to think, what if our diploma is worthless? Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Accreditation Co-Chair Erika Lacro and the Honolulu Commu-nity College Accreditation team are working hard to make all of HonCC’s diplomas valid.

Every six years the school goes through an accreditation process, which is a comprehensive review

of all academ-ic and other programs and even the history of our school. With the coming of the ac-creditation this year, the school is go-

ing through a self-study process, which is led by a steering com-mittee responsible for conduct-ing research, evaluating campus practices and performance, and

looking for areas of improvement. HonCC is currently accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). “Accreditation began over 100 years ago by private and non-governmental institutions and agencies,” Lacro said.

Accreditation ensures new and current students, as well as their future employers, that HonCC meets the standards in each trade or field of study. By being accredit-ed, this authenticates each HonCC diploma. Accreditation is not only important for our diploma, but

it also controls financial aid. By being accredited, HonCC can offer students federal funding; without it many students might not be able to gain a brighter future.

Most students have never heard of the word accreditation, but the administration wants to change that. Officials say the accreditation process will provide assurance the education earned at HonCC is of value to the students, employers, trade or profession-related licens-ing agencies, and other colleges and universities that can accept a student’s credentials as legitimate.

Food & books: recipe for disaster By Mathew UrsuaKa Lā staff writer

As more college libraries revise their policies to allow students to eat and drink around books, Honolulu Community College’s li-brary is standing firm on its policy against eating and drinking.

In 2011, a number of college newspapers reported that their campus libraries changed food and drink policies because of in-creased pressure from students.

Early last year, Georgetown Law Weekly reported that two of its libraries began allowing small snacks like crackers and cold fruit. Hot food and “full meals” were still not allowed. The University of Toledo’s Independent Colle-gian reported in November that its Carlson Library began allow-ing students to “eat freely” in the library.

But, officials at the HonCC library aren’t going along. In Janu-ary, the college’s library in Build-ing 7 unveiled a “Tower of Shame” in the lobby, which featured books damaged by spills.

Liberal arts major Jamie Ro-drigues supports the policy.

“Roaches love paper, and we would just be adding an attrac-tion,” Rodrigues said. “My tuition and taxes go to these books, and are we going to let students abuse them? The books should be a last-ing resource.”

Head Librarian Irene Mesina said she finds candy wrappers and juice cans on desks and on the floors. “It’s not rampant, but it’s a problem,” she said.

One factor Carlson Library con-sidered when changing the policy

was internal research revealing li-braries that allow food are cleaner. The concept is that when students are allowed to eat openly, they’ll throw away wrappers and con-tainers rather than leaving them at desks to avoid being caught by staffers.

Mesina doesn’t think encourag-ing students to discard their con-tainers and wrappers will make Honolulu Community College’s library any less prone to pests. “There are no custodians at night, anything that gets left in the trash cans might stay there overnight, even over the weekend.”

According to Julia Ching, one of the library’s student employ-ees, some of the damages hap-

pen to borrowed books. “We had one person borrow a new book, and when he returned it, it was soaked,” Ching said.

Damages that happen outside the library can’t be prevented with a no consumables policy. Patrons who damage library books do, however, have to pay for the cost of replacing them.

Honolulu Community College’s library charges borrowers the full price of replacing a lost or dam-aged book plus a $10 processing fee. “Someone has to go and see if the book is available, someone has to order it, and we have to wait for it to come,” said Mesina.

Librarian Nadine Leong-Kurio recalled something that happened in mid-February. “A student came in looking for a specific book that was at all of the other libraries, but not at ours. I looked it up. Where was it? It was in the tower of shame.”

Accreditation process works to student benefit

KaLā photo by Mathew Ursua Honolulu Community College librarians prepared this "Tower of Shame" to show all of the books that have been damaged by careless or malicious library users.

"Books should be a lasting resource."

Jamie Rodrigues

Page 4: Ka La March 2012

KaLā - News

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i March 20124

42Student leaders convene on Kauaʻi

By Ieva BytautaiteKa Lā staff writer

During the first week in Febru-ary, Kauaʻi Community College hosted the annual Ho’opili Hou Student Leadership Conference. This year’s theme “Think Global, Act Local” focused on teaching students how even the smallest actions in a community can bring great change on a global scale.

During the three days at the conference, students were able to learn and practice these skills through various exercises and workshops.

Over 30 students from Honolulu Community College attended the conference.

The conference featured some well known guest speakers in-cluding Kauaʻi mayor, Bernard P. Carvalho Jr., Mason Chock, presi-dent of Kauaʻi Team Challenge and Shanah Trevenna, author and ccordinator of Sustainability UH.

“We definitely spent a lot of time planning this conference,” said Ian Ross, KCC senator at large. “I per-sonally started planning speakers before the summer break started last year.”

Mason Chock, president of Kauaʻi Team Challenge, welcomed the 200+ students to Waipa Ranch on a beautiful Friday morning, to spend the day learning about different parts of the ahupua’a, and working together in different

workshops like poi making, work-ing in the lo’i and learning about the many uses of kalo, `auwai (stream) restoration, and a high ropes course.

“I thought it was a really good and fun experience at Waipa; I learned a lot of things which I will be able to share with other people,” said Karanne Souza, a student from Windward Commu-nity College.

Chock, who is a former firefight-er and the founder of the Kauaʻi Team Challenge, created the course with fellow fighters in 1999. Completing the different ropes

.courses is no easy task. Some of the activities included walking across thin wire ropes suspended 30 feet in the air, leaning only on a partner for support or the giant swing which lets one experience the thrill of free-fall.

“The ropes course is a tool for leadership development,” Chock said, “If we overcome fear we can overcome change. And if we stay focused on positive change we can become good leaders.”

The last day of the conference consisted of various educational sessions presented by students and faculty from different univer-

sities and colleges. Fellow stu-dents were not only able to learn new techniques about student government, but other valuable skills such as de-stressing through meditation, learning how to accept and embrace differences, manag-ing finances, and even learning massage techniques from the lomi lomi session.

The conference ended with Trevenna’s presentation about how little adjustments can bring about great change, a theme which tied in perfectly with the confer-ence’s theme of “Think Global, Act Global.”

By Ryan AdverderadaKa Lā staff writer

A small crowd of Honolulu Community College students, fac-ulty and staff members filed into room 2-201 Feb 17 to hear .Jaye Cee Whitehead of Pacific Univer-sity discuss issues surrounding the same-sex marriage debate.

“Some of the groups out there aren’t actually in favor of same-sex marriage. Seems odd, but then they explain how the real problem is the marriage part,” she said.

Whitehead said these same groups felt the institution of

marriage had been taken over and turned into a financial con-tract rather than a celebration of love. She pointed to a same-sex couple from her book to illustrate how much marriage had become more about rights and privileges than love. “This couple chose to lie about their relationship at the hospital in order to both be bedside with their injured daugh-ter. One pretended to be the girl’s sister while the other one was her mother,” said Whitehead.

Responding to an audience question regarding common critiques of the movement, White-

head said “many detractors of marriage equality use the slip-pery slope argument. They like to say that man marrying man will become man marrying dog or tree. It’s really a silly argument.”

HonCC student Julia Ching found the presentation interest-ing.. “She didn’t really break any news, but the way she addressed the topic was what impressed me. It was a good experience,” said student Julia Ching. The presen-tation was hosted by the Sociol-ogy department of Honolulu CC through the efforts of Asst. Profes-sor Fumiko Takasugi.

Small actionscan result in big changes

Marriage law should be about love, not privileges

KaLā photo by Mathew UrsuaHonolulu Community College student Martha Vasai was one of more than 30 students from the school attending this year's Ho'opili Hou conference for student leaders on Kaua'i.

photo by Jaimie ChanDr. Whitehead delivers a talk on mar-riage equality.

Page 5: Ka La March 2012

KaLā - feature

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i March 20125

GAR 2012 The Great Aloha Run

Almost 30,000 people ran/walked the Great Aloha Run 2012 on President’s Day, including 160 students, staff and faculty from Honolulu Community College. The run has been a tradition on Oahu for 28 years and has raised over $9.1 million for non-profit health and human service organizations and community groups through-out Hawaii.

Some ran to improve their time from previous years. Others ran to show pride in their group. And others ran, walked, and ran again just to prove that they could complete a 8.15 mile course starting at the Aloha Tower and ending at the Aloha Stadium.

Whatever your reason for running or your finishing time, nothing beat the feeling of running into Aloha Stadium, a great “Finish” sign and camera flashes greeting every runner. Because everyone de-serves to feel like a world-class athlete.

--- By Ieva Bytautaite

Page 6: Ka La March 2012

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i March 2012

KaLā - profile

6

8:00am Malamalama Day, Punalu'u Loi

HonCC calendar of events for March

13St. Patrick's Day Eve

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

12:00am

Excellence in Education

Conference

874 Dillingham Blvd.

'Miss Joy' excels at helping students find their place By Nicole KelleyKa Lā staff writer

I have every intention of inter-viewing Joy Nagaue as I walk into the sewing room, but within minutes, it’s obvious she’s inter-viewing me.

The fashion technology instruc-tor, ever curious, is interested in my interests. With one eye on the busy students, she talks briefly about seeing former students, what to wear, and leading the most satisfying life.

Regardless of winning the Excel-lence in Teaching Award last year at Honolulu Community College, Nagaue remains modest, and focused on her students.

Having raised children herself, she’s no stranger to different per-sonalities interacting together. She has fostered a relaxed, “family-style” air among her students.

"Miss Joy," as her students call her, has shaped the fashion tech-nology program by focusing on

where her students are going.Through her gift of perceiving

her students’ interests, she is able to provide tailored opportunities

to students who may otherwise fall through the program’s cracks. “I keep that in mind when I send students out for work. I want

them to fit in ... so everybody’s happy,” she said.

When asked if she ever experi-ences “what to wear” quandaries, Nagaue laughs out loud. “Never, never, never! We have a class for that,” she said. She has gained much of that resourcefulness from her parents, market-owners, and her grandmother, who taught her to sew early in life. She attended sewing school from 5th through 9th grade, referring to herself as “more of a seamstress” through-out high school, creating costumes for school plays and pageants, and her own prom dress.

Having taught since 1979, she notes that everything “comes full circle, every 25-30 years”.

Although Nagaue has enjoyed many different moments with her students in a long-lived, continu-ally growing field, she notes, “The best moments are when they come back and say hello.

“I’m always happy to find out what they’re doing.”

KaLā photo by Mathew UrsuaJoy Nagaue received HonCC's Excellence in Teaching award last year.

8:00am Biggest Loser Weigh-in

Full Moon tonight

Last Day to apply for Spring Graduation

8:00am Biggest Loser Weigh-in

8:00am Biggest Loser Weigh-in

10:00am Be the ChangeOn the Mall

12:00am Prince Kuhio Day Holiday

Spring BreakNo Classes

14 1512 16

228 29 March 1st27

6 7 85 9

20 21 2219 23

27 28 2926 30

Spring BreakNo Classes

Spring BreakNo Classes

Spring BreakNo Classes

Leap Year Day

Announcements

The HonCC

Farmer's Market

day has changed.

The market is now

open from 4 to 8

on Saturdays in

the Dillingham

parking lot.

Page 7: Ka La March 2012

KaLā - NeWS

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i March 20127

By Jennifer Kakio& Ronald SantoKa Lā staff writers

For 11 years playing numer-ous roles at Honolulu Commu-nity College, Jonathan Wong, the former technology coordinator for the Native Hawaiian Center, has bid farewell to the campus. But he’s not ruling out the possibility that he will be back some day

Wong has accepted a new posi-tion as pathways learning support coordinator at Kapiolani Commu-nity College.

Wong’s ties to HonCC go back to 1998 when he was a liberal arts graduate. It wasn’t long before he found his way back to the campus as a math lab coordinator just two years later. “Given my experience tutoring, they thought I’d be a good fit to fill in, and not having another a job lined up I agreed,” Wong said.

“Never in my wildest dreams

did I think I’d be helping to teach math for almost a year, but I loved the people I worked with, I loved the students, and for me I saw it as a nice way to help give back to the college that had given so much to me,” Wong said.

Among Wong’s many contri-butions to the school the most notable are: facilitating the de-velopment of a strategic plan for technology for the campus (our first ever) and a reorganization of our technology support services.

He also successfully wrote, received and implemented two technology grants (totaling of $390,000) during the worst eco-nomic downturn in U.S. history

since the Great Depression.He pio-neered the use of social media, not just at the college, but throughout the UH System using MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, which sparked the HonCC Face-book and Twitter presences that are now being used by the school.

He has hopes that his work at KCC will open doors for a job as a chancellor at HonCC some day.

“Within the next 10 years, ideally, I’ll be fully tenured at Kapi’olani Community College on my way to earning the rank of full professor. If I’m fortunate enough, I’d love to be working or en route to working at an administrative role within the system,” he said.

Wong hopes to return here some day " I loved the people I worked with, I loved the students, and for me I saw it as a nice way to help give back to the college

that had given so much to me." Jonathan Wong

Former HonCC technology coordinator

Nominees soughtfor alumni,

partner awards HonCC is seeking nomina-

tions for its distinguished alumni and community partner awards that will be presented later this year.

The college, which celebrat-ed its 90th anniversary in 2010, will celebrate its community with an evening affair Oct. 25. The event will recognize Hono-lulu CC alumni who have gone on to become leaders within the community and recognize a community partner that embodies the spirit of genuine partnership benefiting the col-lege and its students.

The proceeds generated from the silent auction that evening will benefit the Ho-nolulu Community College General Scholarship Endow-ment Fund.

Page 8: Ka La March 2012

KaLā - News

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i March 20128

Keiki Center offers students & keiki a chance to grow By Ieva BytautaiteKa Lā staff writers

It is hard not to notice the giggles and excitement of little children as they are being pushed in their “Bye-Bye Buggie” around campus. Their innocent laughter always brings a ray of sunshine to the sometimes bleak and serious campus.

But although the Keiki Hau’oli Children’s Center at Honolulu Community College might look

like a regular daycare, it is a place not only for students and faculty to leave their little keiki in capable hands while attending classes, but also a place where Early Child-hood Education students get their training.

Students in the program are required to take their final lab class at the center work for at least one semester. Working in the center,“provides a very good edu-cational baseline for students who are going out into the teaching field,” said Lisa Yogi, a professor and coordinator for the program.

The Keiki Hau’oli Children’s Center is state licensed and ac-credited by the National Associa-tion of Early Childhood Educa-tion, according to Yogi.

Keiki Hau’oli means ‘happy child’ in Hawaiian, and that is a very appropriate name for Hon-CC’s student center. ” You always see happy, smiley children here. I think it is so important that we give them that positive beginning experience,” said Yogi.

The center has classrooms for in-fants, toddlers and pre-schoolers, and class size is kept to a mini-mum to ensure best care for each child.

Besides well-trained professors

and students, the center is also af-fordably priced.

Although the center enrolls children from the community on a space-available basis, it focuses on serving the students, faculty and staff first.

Som Harntrakulyeunyong, a

student who has been with the center for over two years, said she loves working at Keiki Hau’oli.

”I am so glad to work over here because it is so diverse. And I like that they have an open door policy for parents to come in, observe and play with the kids,” she said.

The Keiki Hau'oliChildren's Center

Hours of operation:Mondays to Thursdays

7:30 a.m to 4 p.m Fridays

7:30 a.m to 2 p.m.

For more information about enrollment in the center,

call the office 845-9461 or

ECE clerk, Beverly Chang at 845-9466

KaLā photos by Ieva BytauttaiteAt the Keiki Hau'oli Children's Center youngsters have a mix of free play time and instruction, often from students in Honolulu Community College's Early Childhood Education program.