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2012 Ke Alahele Donor Kit

Now celebrating our 30th anniversary, Maui Economic Development Board has been dedicated to innovation, jobs and opportunity and ensuring we have a well-trained workforce with the skills that businesses need in the 21st century. Help us to continue to empower thousands more in our communities countywide — businesses, students, educators, and parents – by attending our MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner & Auction. Sponsorships opportunities are available. Mahalo!

Mayor Alan Arakawa and Senator Daniel Inouye will join MEDB in celebrating their 30-year milestone.

Sponsorships are now available for the annual MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner & Auction to be held at the Grand Wailea Resort on Saturday, August 18.

Join us as we celebrate Maui Economic Development Board’s 30th Anniversary with an exciting lineup of activities – including the popular Apples for Education Auctions and the competitive Robotics Challenge – and mingle with U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa and 500+ guests. It’s all for a very worthy cause – helping to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Technology (STEM) programs in Maui County.

Reservations are available online. For more sponsorship information visit the Ke Alahele section or call Jeanne Skog at (808) 875-2300.

With your support, MEDB can continue to empower thousands of Maui County youth, educators and business to meet the growing demand for STEM skills in our workforce. Celebrate MEDB’s 30 years. Celebrate our future.

Baldwin High Robotics members, mentors and advisors at Regional. Photo by Chaz Antonio

Baldwin High School’s robotics team, one of this year’s MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund recipients, was part of a three-team alliance to win the FIRST Hawaii Regional Robotics Competition on March 24 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu. The win earns Baldwin, along with alliance members Waialua High School (a perennial robotics powerhouse) and Island Pacific Academy, both Oahu schools, a place at the FIRST Robotics World Championship, held from April 25 to 28 in St. Louis , MO. Fund grantees Lahainaluna High School and Maui High School also competed together in an alliance that included Waiakea High School from the Big Island. Their alliance made it into the semifinals. Other Maui competitors included King Kekaulike High and Kihei Charter schools.

Read the full story at FocusMauiNui.com

Read the full story at FocusMauiNui.com

The third annual Hawaii STEM Conference was held on March 30-31 at the Wailea Marriott Resort, bringing local students, teachers, parents, community and business members together with some of the most innovative companies in the world including Google, National Geographic and Apple.

The popular Conference also jumpstarts STEM Week, the state’s first Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Week, April 3-5, at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. STEM Week activities will run concurrently with the Hawaii State Science & Engineering Fair.

For many of the Hawaii STEM Conference attendees, this was their first experience at a regional technology conference complete with STEM breakout sessions, software competitions, an on-site 3C’s Digital Media competition, formal awards banquet, and exhibit presentations.

The two-day event gave students the opportunity to learn about current in-demand technologies, get the latest software training, and apply their skills against other teams in fun, challenging competitions.

Sponsored by the Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology Project, the Conference is growing in prestige and impact with each consecutive year, as evidenced by the strong statewide attendance and top tier quality of event partners and presenters.

This year’s featured partners include:
• Google
• Apple Hawaii
• National Geographic
• Searider Productions
• Institute for Astronomy
• UH Manoa College of Engineering and Education
• UH Hilo EPSCoR
• UH Maui College ABIT & ECET Program
• Kapiolani CC STEM Program
• ESRI

On Friday, March 30, the first day of the event began with an amazing range of breakout sessions and student competitions.

• Conference breakout sessions exposed participants to an exciting array of STEM topics in a fun, interactive way. The workshops included 3D engineering, film-making, agriculture, Photoshop, Web design, Word Press, Game design, GPS navigation, GIS tools, Space monitoring and much more.

• Student competitions were held in CAD, GIS, Video, Music, Poster, Web Design and Game Design categories. In addition, the 3C’s Digital Media completion in partnership with the Hawaii STEM Conference. Teams were responsible to create a promotional package for a local company.

On Saturday, March 31, the Conference paid tribute to critical STEM contributions made year round by local STEM educators. These special Teacher Professional Development Workshops included sessions conducted by:

• Google: Sketchup & Google Earth
• National Geographic: Citizen Science & Mission Explore
• 3D Innovation Academy: Solidworks

The response to the entire event was enthusiastic and inspiring. Here are some of the comments:

“The best part was meeting and interacting with new people. The time allowed us to get to know other students, talk about our projects and make new connections. We also got to know the professionals in the specific fields and they gave me advice that helped me decide on what to do to get to my career goals.”

Emily Schell, National Geographic — What an awesome day today at the STEM Conference! From step-to-the-line to Mission: Explore guerilla geography to iBooks featuring the geography of Hawaii to STEMworks curriculum conversations with teachers…Hawaii educators and students have it going on!!! The stars are truly bright.

“I learned that STEM projects can make a big difference. Using technology as a tool to help the community.”

For more information on the Hawaii STEM Conference and STEMworks, contact WIT Program Director Isla Young, isla@medb.org, 808.875.2307.

The 2012 Hawaii STEM Conference is sponsored by MEDB’s Women in Technology project in partnership with the County of Maui, and the Office of the State Director for Career and Technical Education.

Maui High School Robotic Team’s Cheska Liwag and Marie Sijalbo drive their robot during the VEX competition.

Thanks to numerous businesses and community stakeholders more than $80,000 in grants were distributed by the Maui Economic Development Board through its MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund.

Over the past six years, the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund has distributed over half a million dollars to encourage hands-on experience and learning in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields for Maui students and their teachers.

“To ensure that Maui County residents benefit from high-paying jobs in the fields of engineering and high technology, we need a competitive, well-trained work force,” said MEDB President and CEO Jeanne Skog. “We are proud of all of our grant recipients and what they have accomplished in advancing their education in science, technology, engineering and math,” she said. “We are investing in our community’s future, ensuring that our young people are tomorrow’s business and technology leaders.”

“We commend the Maui community for supporting the fund and ensuring that our county’s future professionals can dream big.”

The 2011-2012 grant recipients are:

PLUG-INN – $5,000
Kalama Intermediate School
STEM and cultural collaboration between Kalama Intermediate School, Cook Inlet Tribal Council Schools, Anchorage, AK and Pribilof School District, Pribilof Islands, AK

FLL Team – $3,655
Maui Navigators
Support to establish a community-based FIRST Lego League Robotics club for students that do not participate in existing school-based programs.

Maui High VEX Robotics Program – $5,000
Maui High School
Funding for robotics equipment and for travel expenses in attending Regional VEX competitions on Oahu and the Big Island.

Iao School Robotics Project – $3,989
Iao Intermediate School
Support for 25 middle school students in robot-building, programming and operation and to support competition in VEX robotics competition.

Baldwin VEX Robotics Program – $5,000
Baldwin High School
Funding for building, design and programming of VEX robots for 2011-2012 competition on Oahu and the Big Island, registration fees, and travel expenses.

Molokai Middle School – Food Factor Project – $4,816
Molokai Middle School
For travel expenses to compete in the First Lego League Maui Tournament and to visit tech and engineering companies on Maui to explore STEM careers.

Integrating STEM with Food Safety Project – $4,991
Molokai Complex Elementary School
For travel expenses to compete in the First Lego League Maui Tournament and to visit tech and engineering companies on Maui to explore STEM careers.

Robotics Club and Botball Competition – $4,000
Maui Waena Intermediate School
Support for the robotics team to participate in the State Botball tournament on Oahu.

Kekaulike Robotics – $4,000
King Kekaulike High School
Support for the robotics team to participate in the VEX and FIRST Robotics competitions.

FIRST Robotics Competition – $4,000
Lahainaluna High School
Support for robot design, construction, and programming, and offsetting team travel expenses for participation in the FIRST Robotics Competition on Oahu.

FIRST Robotics Program – $4,000
Baldwin High School
Funding for building, designing and programming FIRST robots for the 2011-2012 season.

Kihei Charter FIRST Robotics Team – $4,000
South Maui Learning Ohana, Inc.
Support for the robotics team preparing to compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition on Oahu.

Maui County Science Initiative – $5,000
Hawaii State Olympiad
Funding to encourage and support the creation of High School STEM clubs throughout Maui County.

Reach for the Stars – $5,000
Maui Preparatory Academy
Support for astronomy equipment and materials for students in grades 9-12 that will also benefit the broader community.

Digital Media Program – $5,000
Maui Waena Intermediate School
Providing plane tickets for educators to travel to the Student Television Network Convention in Dallas so they can share their experience with their students.

The Outdoor Classroom: A Living Museum – $3,700
Molokai Middle School
Support for students to design and establish a native plant restoration plot on campus and the creation of an outdoor classroom and food garden.

Middle School Student Computer Skills Enhancement Project – $4,680
Teach Maui, Inc.
Support for a training program to enhance the technology skills of South Maui middle school students to better prepare for the academic challenges in high school.

HIKI No: The Nation’s First Statewide Student News Network – $5,000
PBS Hawaii
Support for Maui schools in a collaboration between PBS Hawaii and public, private & charter schools statewide to create student-produced newscasts to be aired on PBS.

Digital Media Lab – $4,700
Lahainaluna High School
Funding for the acquisition of digital media and communications equipment to be used by
200 students a year.

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Maui High Performance Computing Center and Pacific Disaster Center
Providing internships to apply scientific experience to real world problems so that interns can gain insight into determining their future career paths.

High Tech Maui Holiday Career Fair held annual in December at the MEDB Ke Alahele Center in the Maui Research and Technology Park Attracts over 150 job seekers.

The tenth annual High Tech Maui Career Fair is scheduled for Thursday, December 29th at the Maui Economic Development Board’s Ke Alahele Center from 10 am to 3 pm.

Upcoming attendees will find a high demand for Information Technology (IT) and GIS/GPS professionals, as well as engineering and research positions. The popular event helps jobseekers learn more about tech employers on the island, as well as discuss job requirements face-to-face.

At the same time, Maui-based companies have the opportunity to relay company information to skilled kama’aina attending mainland colleges, former residents and current residents. The networking can lead to lucrative internships or even permanent positions.

Companies that have regularly participated in the Fair include:
• Akimeka
• The Boeing Company
• Workforce Development Division
• Maui High Performance Computing Center
• Ardent MC
• Oceanit
• Pacific Disaster Center
• And more

Interested jobseekers are invited to pre-register online and/or upload their resume for employer review at www.hightechmaui.com. Since the Holiday Career Fair began in 2002, nearly 800 applicants have submitted resumes, resulting in a growing number of success stories over the years.

For more information, contact Mapu Quitazol. at 808.875.2343 or email mapu@medb.org.

Co-sponsored by Kama`aina Careers and The Maui News, MEDB’s Holiday Career Fair is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Labor and the County of Maui.