MPI's Manoa campus is actually busier during the summer months than the regular school year. Enrollment during the regular school year typically tops 1,500, from preschool to grade 12. During the summer months, we might see more than 1,800 students on campus!
Summer in Manoa has a different vibe than the regular school year, too. Many classes offer larger blocks of time so that students and teachers can relax a bit and explore their topics in depth. There is also a huge variety of activity on campus, including driver's education, swim lessons, a thriving tennis program, classes in the arts and technology, as well as the usual courses in math, science and language.
Summer also presents of perfect time for teachers, staff and alumni to further their education. You can visit 2007 grad Carolyn Pearce in Africa. Read her blog, "The Adventure Begins... A step by step approach to saving the world." Carolyn is yet another MPI graduate out among the world's great people.
It is exciting that there are so many new classes this summer turning out some very cool stuff:
The photography class with Tracy Wright Corvo has students taking shots on campus as well as around town and putting together some of their best photos into a photo book. Photos will also be on displayed in the glass cases in front of Bakken.
"Each student has one or two DVD's, containing his or her best photos from our six weeks together. I want to thank you for your support of your child and of this class. It was so fabulous that each student had a camera to use. It is my hope that many of the students will continue to explore photography and most all enjoy taking photos for fun," said Tracy Wright Corvo.
The Fundamentals of Digital Media Class is brand course team-taught by George Okuhara and Florence Rice. The students are starting from the beginning, learning how to work with digital cameras and computers.
Theatre Camp had its final performance Friday, July 16, 2 to 4pm Kawaiahao Recital Hall. The teacher, Jessica Haworth, is a MPSA graduate.
The Elementary School's Money Doesn't Grow on Trees class raised $930.84 for the American Lung Association.
Also, 10th grader Taylor Matsumura attended the prestigious George Vance Bass Camp in Silver Spring, MD, last week after winning a scholarship for her top performance at the Hawaii Contrabass Festival. Elton Masaki is her teacher.
The Summer 2010 Technology for the 21st Century Class featured a 21:1 ratio of girls to boys? "Wow! Really?" This is what I said (with a smile) when I first discovered our summer Technology for the 21st Century class was going to be composed of 95% girls. Well, knowing how different boys and girls are socially and academically, I was very nervous and excited because I had never taught a class consisting primarily of girls. And it turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences and proved what our girls, and one young man, are capable of," said teacher Lori Nishiguchi.
The summer kicked off with an innovation design challenge modeled after
Stanford University's Imagine It Innovation Challenge. The students were
given a 12 to 15 hour time limit over the 4-week course to; add value to an
everyday object, produce a 2-minute video about the process, and write an
article titled, "Innovation in the 21st Century". We believe our students have the
entrepreneurial mindset as innovators to turn their ideas into action and we put it
to the test.
The challenge was to create as much "value" as possible using an everyday
item. Using this year's mystery object (paper Dixie bathroom cups), the students
defined and measured value, collaborated, designed, and sketched, all, which
ultimately determined their final outcome. The future entrepreneurs considered
how an idea or an invention changes the world and the people in it. Success or
failure; it makes an impact.
Throughout the course, the students were also challenged with, and exposed
to, areas of study traditionally reserved to boys. To my surprise, the majority of
the class enjoyed the hands on experiences with circuitry, engineering, physics
and computer programming. It was rewarding to see big smiles, hear loud
cheers, and sighs of relief celebrating their successes and challenges. Their
accomplishments were impressive! To experience all the fun, please visit us at:
http://tech21.us/learner/summer10/Summer_2010/Summer_2010.html
--Lori Nishiguchi, High School Technology Facilitator
