Amra Evers, Kellen Ho and Emerald Leong represented Maryknoll School in Season Three of PBS Hawaii's Hiki Nō, the nation’s first statewide student news network.  Under the direction of teacher, Christopher Coats, the students acted, wrote, produced and directed a segment on safety in the science laboratory for episode four. Visit PBS Hawaii Hiki Nō to view episode four.

As this year comes to a close, the Class of 2015 will participate in a service activity on Thursday, May 31, 2012. Freshmen will be transported to Aloha Aina O Kamilo Nui where they will be working to help beautify the area and learn more about their mission of restoring "the Kamilo Nui Valley watershed as a sustainable, culturally and community-based model for agriculture land use and management, inspired in part by the Hawaiian traditional values of ahupua‘a for the benefit of future generations."  In doing so, one of the many benefits is that the students have this time to bond as a class and continue building relationships with each other.

Students will return to campus at about 10:45 AM where they assist with folding graduation announcements, playing basketball, relaxing,showing their appreciation for each other and celebrating all that they've achieved in their freshmen year.  There are no classes on this day but it is a special activity day for each division.

For more detailed information on this service day and for the waiver form for Aloha Aina O Kamilo Nui, the handout can be downloaded from the High School Documents page.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact your child's advisory teacher or Freshmen Division Coordinator, Mrs. Heidi McGivern, at 952-7266 or via email, heidi.mcgivern@maryknollschool.org

This year's Underclassmen Awards Assembly will be held in the Maryknoll Community Center's Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium from 9:15 - 10:30 AM on Friday, June 1.  Parents are invited to watch a live broadcast of our Awards Assembly by logging on to the webpage and clicking here on this link.

On this day, the elected student officers for the next school year will also take their oath of office.  During this annual awards assembly, students are recognized for academic excellence in all subject areas as well as other areas of the co-curricular program.  In addition, special recognition is made in each grade level for Spirit, Leadership & Service.  This year, excellence in athletics will also be incorporated into our awards assembly. 

Congratulations to all the students who will be recognized on this day for their accomplishments!

Graduation is at the Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall on Friday, June 1, 2012. Commencement begins at 5:30 p.m.  Admission by ticket only.  Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Class Night is at the Hawaii Theatre Center on Thursday, May 31, 2012.  Program begins at 5:00 p.m. Admission by ticket only.  Doors open at 4:00 p.m.

Baccalaureate Mass is at the St. Pius X Church in Manoa, on Thursday, May 31, 2012. Service begins at 9:00 a.m. The church will open to guests at 8:15 a.m.

Our High School band program is finally here!  For three years, we have been working out the details on how to implement band and choir at the High School.  A major barrier was the arrangement of a daily schedule that would allow for the consistency that playing an instrument demands and the collaboration of the Grade School schedule.  For the past 3 months, we have been quietly planning a 21st century band/performance space at the High School to support the continuance of our spectacular Grade School band/choir program. Our new High School band room has been designed with many 21st century features and characteristics. Sound experts helped to design the acoustics, spaces for instrument storage were included, and lighting and performance areas were key aspects of the design.  Brand new furniture, along with contemporary block seating (easily customizable for performances), will allow every band/choir student to reach their full potential. 

The 2012-13 school year will mark the beginning of a commitment to music excellence.  To launch the High School band program, we will offer band as a “sunrise” class, meeting all school year from 6:45 am to 7:30 am on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  The following school year (2013-14), band will be offered during the regular school day!  Graduation credit and grades will be given for this class. Grade School band teacher, David Yamasaki will be leading the new program. Having been with Maryknoll for 11 years, Mr. Yamasaki is an enthusiastic and recognized musician who has performed in music videos and film. Please take a minute to read his biography.

We encourage students to stop by the High School front office to receive additional information and let us know what instruments they are interested in playing. Space in the class is limited, so come by today!

Congratulations to this year's valedictorian, Nathan Goo, and salutatorians, Brandi Chun and Bryce Sadarananda!  Both were announced and recognized in the Class of 2012's Class Night Ceremony that was held at the Hawaii Theatre on Thursday, May 31st.  Other top award recipients were recognized at Graduation on Friday, June 1st, which was held at the Neal Blaisdell Center's Concert Hall.

Valedictorian Nathan Goo

Co-Salutatorian Brandi Chun

Bryce Sadarananda - Co-Salutatorian & The Maryknoll Cup is awarded to the graduate who best personifies the spirit of Maryknoll School’s motto “Noblesse Oblige”.

Joseph Dela Luna - The Maryknoll Cup is awarded to the graduate who best personifies the spirit of Maryknoll School’s motto “Noblesse Oblige”.

Jayna Funakoshi - The Bishop James A. Walsh Award honors one of the co-founders of the Maryknoll Fathers and is awarded to the student who displays outstanding character, leadership ability and concern for others.

Megan August - The Mother Mary Joseph Rogers Award honors the founders’ of the Maryknoll Sisters and recognizes the senior class woman best exemplifying good will and sensitivity toward the needs of fellow students and the Maryknoll Community.  

Justin Hata  - The Christopher Award is presented to the senior who has demonstrated those qualities which mark one as a contemporary Christopher, a person who gives tangible evidence to Christian principles in everyday activities.

Katia Worley - The Father John Murray Award honors a former associate of Sacred Heart Parish and recognizes the graduating senior who has, in the tradition of Father Murray, provided unselfish assistance in serving fellow students and the Maryknoll Community.

Noelle Miller - The Chi Rho Award is given to the graduating senior who has displayed growth in personal integrity and Christian outreach.

Congratulations to all these top award recipients, and best wishes to all our graduates as they begin a new journey!

Being one of 16 students participating in the second annual Summer Learning Experience at University of Portland inspired me, educated me and helped me to mature as far as discovering what it means to find a best-fit college and career. Living in the dorms with a roommate, eating in the commons, attending classes, going to mass, participating in workshops at the career services office-- I think is as close as it gets to feeling like an actual college student! We literally lived the college life on University of Portland’s campus this summer!

I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge from this trip by learning what my strengths are, learning how to craft a resume, practicing mock interviews and informational interviewing, participating in teamwork and leadership activities and much more. Taking the StrengthsQuest Clifton Strengths finder helped me identify my five most prevalent talent themes. After I completed the assessment, I found out my themes were Achiever, Belief, Responsibility, Arranger and Discipline. I believe that all of these themes are my strengths and thought this assessment was very accurate. We learned that our strengths are what will help us find a career that is a best fit for us. Also, participating in mock interviews helped me get comfortable in an interview environment and helped me discover what I need to improve on for any future interviews. 

At the end of this trip, all of us recognized that selecting a college to attend isn’t just about the name; it’s about whether or not we will fit in. Do I want it on the west coast? Do I want big classes or small classes? Do I like big schools or small schools? Do they have many academic and non-academic services to provide? Are the dorms nice? Does the food taste good? Are there many clubs and organizations? We learned that asking all of these questions and more will help us determine our best-fit college. This very affordable trip is like no other program, as we focus on finding a best-fit college and career and experiencing college life rather than just touring numerous colleges and not getting the true feeling of the college.

-By Anthony Ng, Student Senate Secretary of Communications

The Hawai‘i Council on Economic Education (HCEE) is holding the first annual Summer Economics Academy program for high school juniors and seniors, being hosted by Maryknoll School from June 11 through July 19, 2012. Led by nationally award-winning economics teacher Lance Suzuki, students will learn economics and financial literacy concepts first-hand by taking behind-the-scenes tours of local businesses and developing personal financial plans integrating college and career choices.

“The Summer Economics Academy will be one of our greatest endeavors to enhance the financial literacy of our Hawai‘i youth, promoting effective decision-making and providing tools for a successful future in a fun and engaging way,” said Toni Takeno, HCEE executive director.

Field trips will include visits to businesses from a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, food production/service, utilities, finance, tourism, and real estate. Curriculum topics include supply and demand, entrepreneurship, gross domestic product (GDP), the banking system, and investments.

“We are very excited to be partnering with HCEE to provide the tools for these students to prepare for the real world. An education in economics is critical for 21^st century success,” said Perry Martin, Maryknoll School president.

Lance Suzuki is a nationally recognized educator who was named the country’s top teacher of economics at the 2005 Nasdaq National Teaching Awards. In 2011, he coached Maryknoll’s economics team to victory in the David Ricardo division of HCEE’s 2011 Island Insurance Cos. Economics Challenge.

The Hawai‘i Council on Economic Education (HCEE) promotes the teaching of economics in local public and private K-12 schools to increase the economic and financial literacy of our state’s students and residents. Through innovative teacher training and student outreach programs that connect economic concepts with real-life applications, HCEE improves the quality of economic education statewide. For more information, visit hcee.org

After over 20+ years of service learning following the charism of our Maryknoll founders, six students re-pioneer a new kind of mission trip to Assumption School in the Marshall Islands. Assumption is one of only a small handful of American accredited schools in all of Micronesia and has been our sister school for some time now. Both schools recently saw the retirement of the last few Maryknoll Sisters. Both schools serve a wide range of highly talented students and both schools provide service to their own communities. 

Each year, Maryknoll plans and staffs the summer program for incoming freshmen at Assumption. In addition, previous years have seen our students provide manual service, such as painting a classroom or tilling a garden. This year, our students will be working along side Assumption students to create rigorous scientific presentations using state-of-the-art video technology to address the problem of global climate change, something that effects atolls much more than even our vulnerable islands. In addition, Maryknoll is providing ongoing professional development and mentorship for the administration and faculty of Assumption School. 

Participants of the mission include six students that will be chaperoned by three teachers, Joe Miller, Kapono Ciotti and Raymi Faria. The first day of class started on Monday July 9, 2012 at Assumption High School and the trip will culminate with a Final Exhibition on Friday, July 26, 2012. 

Maryknoll School welcomes new teachers to the high school faculty for the upcoming school year:

Ms. Cari Ann Honda was born and raised on Maui where she attended Baldwin High School.  She graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, earning a Bachelor’s of Secondary Education with an emphasis in Chemistry and a minor in Japanese.  Currently, she is working towards a Master’s degree in Curriculum Studies at UH Manoa.  Previously, Cari Ann worked for three years with Upward Bound at UH Maui.  Cari Ann is a member of the UH Manoa Traditional Japanese Tea Club and enjoys going to practices on the weekends.  She also likes to travel, read and create handicrafts. Cari Ann will be teaching Algebra III and AP Chemistry.

 Mrs. Patty Stephens joins us from Washington state.  She recently moved to Hawaii with her son and husband.  Patty is a National Board Certified teacher, holds a Master's degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in instructional technology, and has 16 years of classroom experience, teaching all levels of math from eighth grade general math through AP Calculus.  Patty participated in several technology grants aimed at using instructional technologies to increase student learning and achievement.  For the past two years, she worked for the Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction as the mathematics assessment specialist who oversees test and item development for the Washington State End-of-Course Exams in Algebra 1 and Geometry.  In her spare time, Patty enjoys weight lifting, water sports, traveling and time with her family.  She will be teaching Precalculus, Algebra II and Trigonometry.

 Mr. William Rauckhorst graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University.  For the past five years, he worked with construction firms in Hawaii on projects ranging from a HECO power plant in Kapolei to a historic building on Hickam Air Force Base.  While he feels engineering is an exciting field, his childhood dream and true calling is teaching.  Mr. Rauckhorst enjoys golfing, photography and following baseball.  He is excited to join the Maryknoll family and looking forward to the year ahead teaching Algebra I, Geometry and Statistics.

Mr. William Schriefer is a new English teacher on the high school campus.  He has lived on Oahu since the mid-1990s and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with qualifications in English and history from Concordia University in Austin, Texas.  He taught high school English and history as well as middle school English and psychology.  He earned a Master’s degree in History from the University of Hawaii with a focus on US History and Pacific Islands Studies.  He loves to coach young athletes in a variety of sports including track, swimming, tennis, hockey, football and baseball.  He also enjoys swimming, surfing, scuba diving, playing guitar and reading good books.

 Mr. Reade Whitney is the head athletic trainer in Maryknoll School’s Athletics Department.  He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from the University of Tampa and a Master’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Hawaii.  Reade provided athletic trainer services for numerous sports organizations and events including the Hawaii Professional Football League, Major League Soccer and the Hawaiian Islands Invitational.  He joins the high school physical education department as a part-time instructor and will be teaching Healthy Lifestyles.

Essential Skills is a  required course for all new, incoming freshmmen that provides students the  opportunity to work on projects that introduce them to interdisciplinary  course work and block scheduling.  Through various field and classroom  experiences, students are introduced to the skills, terminology and “habits of mind”, needed to be successful in the Essential School program.

The Essential Question  for this course is "How can we use the ahuupa'a system to help make a   thriving Hawaii in the year 2060?"  In their final presentations to peers, parents, faculty and administration  that were held in the library, each group focused on a different aspect: water, energy, invasive species or food sustainability.

Student schedules for grades 9-12 can be viewed via the school webpage in NetClassroom.  Mailings for each division will be mailed home on July 25th.  In addition to student schedules, the procedure for schedule changes, course offerings and enrollment numbers, the 2012-2013 SY calendar, daily bell schedule and locker information are included in the packet.

Books can be purchased from Maryknoll School's virtual bookstore with MBS Direct. Free shipping on purchases over $99 or more ends on August 3rd. Click here to see the high school booklist for SY 2012-2013.

If there area any questions about the start of the school year, please call the front office at 952-7203 or email highschool@maryknollschool.org  We look forward to seeing freshmen on their 1st day on August 21st & all students on August 22nd!

Submitted By Anthony Ng, High School Student Senate Secretary of Communications

This year, six students were able to take part in the 21^st annual Maryknoll Majuro Mission. For 21 years, Maryknoll students have been teaching incoming freshmen at Assumption High School. This three-week summer program helps the students to familiarize themselves with high school academics in addition to getting to know new people. The curriculum this year included English and Math with a strong emphasis on Climate Change. Majuro is a low-lying atoll and will be affected by the consequences of climate change if the current problems continue to worsen.

The 2012 Maryknoll Majuro Mission team included Ka’imi Amaral, Amra Evers, Danyea Hays, Emerald Leong, Jarrett Okita, and me, Anthony Ng. In order to teach the curriculum, the Maryknoll team split up into two groups where three of us would teach English and three of us would teach Math. The English group focused on journal writing, comprehension, and grammar. An example of a journal prompt would look like, “Do you think Climate Change will affect you personally?” The Math group focused on pre-algebra skills with some review in graphs: creating a bar graph and a scatter plot. The students participated in a beach clean up and recorded the different types of trash and the amount of trash that was collected. They then created a bar graph to visually show what type of trash was most prominent. They also created scatter plots of the Earth’s temperature so they could better understand that the temperature is rising. Each of the two advisories would help the students to work to gain a greater understanding of Climate Change and provide time for students to work and complete their posters presented in the final presentation, in addition to building teamwork and stronger connections with one another.

Our culminating field trip included the Assumption students and the Maryknoll Majuro Mission team camping at a neighboring island overnight. The students were given booklets with all of the trees in Majuro and the task to locate and study the various trees around the island that they saw. This also helped the owners of the island to keep track of their trees, which could later benefit them in determining which trees can sustain Climate Change. Students also measured the salinity, pH, and temperature of the ocean water and the lagoon water at different depths and recorded their findings. The information was compiled and will be used as records for future groups that will come to the island, enabling them to compare and contrast their findings to determine any changes with the climate.

"I think the Maryknoll Majuro Mission is a trip that every student should apply for. We lived with host families and became immersed in the Marshallese culture.," said Anthony Ng, "I lived with the Principal of Assumption High School and her family.  My host family made me feel as if I was at home and gave me everything I needed and more. Living in Majuro helped me gain a new perspective on life. The people there don’t have any source of fresh water other that the rain, making conservation very prominent. The people living in Majuro are very nice and extremely hospitable. They will literally give you the shirt off their back even though it may be their last one."

Welcome back to a new school year!  We look forward to seeing everyone on campus on Wednesday, August 22.  The Student Senate is excited to kick off the year with the theme of "Pūpūkahi i holomua: Unite to move forward!"Throughout the year, the Senate and each grade level will promote activites and events that focus on this theme.

Below is the special 'A' day schedule for the 1st day of classes for grades 9-12.

7:50 – 8:50 AM              Prayer, Flag Raising & Advisory (60)
8:50 – 8:55 AM              Transition to class (5)
8:55 – 9:40 AM              Period 1 (A) (45)
9:40 – 9:45 AM              Transition to class (5)
9:45 – 10:30 AM            Period 2 (B) (45)
10:30 – 10:35 AM          Transition to class (5)
10:35 – 11:20 AM          Period 3 (C) (45)
11:20 – 12:05 PM     Lunch (45)
12:05 – 12:15 PM           Advisory (10)
12:15 – 12:40 PM           Walk to MCC (25)
12:40 – 1:40 PM       Prayer Service & Senate Assembly (60)
1:40 – 2:00 PM              Walk to HS & Dismissal (20)

Students are reminded to bring their laptops & 1st trimester schedule with them.  Books should already have been purchased from our virtual bookstore with MBS Direct, and teachers will inform students of any supplies needed for the course.  If there are any questions, please call the front office at 952-7200. 

Maryknoll High School opened its doors a little early to freshmen students on August 21, 2012 with perfect attendance!  The Class of 2016 was given the opportunity to have the campus all to themselves before the start of school so that they were comfortable with the transition from middle to high school. The students were able to make new friends and meet new teachers, led by a supportive group of upperclassmen.  Student leaders helped their freshmen brothers and sisters navigate through the campus, become familiar with the step-by-step configuration of their laptops with the last half hour of their day being spent in a Zumba class for the entire freshmen class.  Healthy minds, hearts and spirits…a great start to their freshmen year!  Welcome students! We are excited to nurture your mind and spirit as you head down your path of success. 

Devin Rettke, a senior at Maryknoll School, has become an Ironman as well as a record holder. When Devin crossed the finish line at Subaru Ironman Canada, he became the youngest Type 1 Diabetic to finish an Ironman competition.

This record has been a culmination of years of hard work as well as achievements including becoming the youngest half Iroman finisher with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 16. These results however have not come easily for Devin. Getting to the finishing line meant that Devin had to regulate his blood glucose levels throughout the entire 13 hours and 47 minutes of the race. Performing this task meant months of preparation including testing diabetic equipment and experimenting with different foods, drinks, etc.

When asked what this finish meant to Devin, he stated, “No matter the challenges, dreams can come true. It takes hard work and dedication, but as long as you believe in yourself and your dream the journey will happen. Just like any journey, mine had its questions, doubters and hard times…Every part of my journey good and bad, got me to where I am right now, I am an Ironman.”

What is next for Devin? “For now I want to continue training, but I do have another goal in mind, college. I think my mom will be pleased to hear me say that. But doing well in college is a stepping stone for ensuring future dreams continue to come true. I may compete in collegiate cycling and hey why not an Ultra Ironman.” Devin has a new goal, to become a physical therapist. Read more about Devin's story on his website.  

To watch Devin's KHON interview, click here.

Senior parents are invited to attend a Senior Parent College Guidance Night to be held in the library from 6:30-7:45 PM on Thursday, September 6.  The purpose of this evening is to address aspects of the college application process and procedures, specific to Naviance's Family Connection.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, do not hesitate to contact the College Guidance Department at collegeguidance@maryknollschool.org or 952-7220.

Spirit Week 2012 is a time for students and faculty to celebrate their school and class spirit.  To get students excited, each day of the week there are various lunchtime activities and energizers to prepare the school for the Spirit Day Pep Rally on Friday, September 14.

Here are the theme of the spirit dress days.

Monday, 9/10/12: Maroon & Gold Day

Tuesday, 9/11/12: Twin Day (with twin contest at lunch)

Wednesday, 9/12/12: Spirit Dress Day

Thursday, 9/13/12: Athletic Wear

Friday, 9/14/12: Class T-Shirt

Other activities during this week include the Spartan Challenge competiton (which began on September 4) and photo booth pictures by the Maryknoll Photography Club.  Spirit Week also concludes with the Senior class sponsoring a Welcome Back dance on Friday night 6:30-9:00 PM.

The digital era has arrived with a resounding bang at Maryknoll School, thanks to Arts teacher Christopher Coats and a core group of students in the Broadcast Journalism Class.  Broadcast Journalism is fulfilling a need at Maryknoll by bringing more 21^st century art-related activities to the high school students in an asynchronous fashion.  It is a non-traditional class because, unlike other courses at Maryknoll, the students meet for the entire year, do not take a typical test or quiz nor do they have a set class period during the day to meet.  Instead, the group often times gets together during lunch, study halls or after school in order to interview people, write scripts, gather information and - probably the most time consuming part of the process - edit their video.  The students’ assessment is the weekly production of the video, Sparta Vision– a short, snappy, attention grabbing video that gives the Maryknoll Community information about all the events on campus plus some!  Check out all episodes on the Maryknoll Media channel!