Parker School hosts debate tournament

Fourteen Hawaii schools participated in the Neighbor Island Speech and Debate Qualifying Tournament on Jan. 13 and 14 at Parker School in Waimea.

Kealakehe High School and Christian Liberty Academy were the other two Big Island schools in attendance, and Christian Liberty took first place in the Championship Lincoln Douglas category.

Five Parker School students qualified for the State Championships: Paul Gregg, who placed third in Championship Lincoln Douglas; Lysha Matsunobu, third in Novice Lincoln Douglas; Marie Jobes, fourth in Novice Lincoln Douglas; Emily Skladzien, first in Beginning Public Forum; and Elliot Jacobsen, also first in Beginning Public Forum.

After the rigorous two-day tournament, the approximately 200 debaters enjoyed a bonfire, dinner and music hosted by Parker School on its Upper School campus.

The next speech and debate tournament will take place on Feb. 17 and 18 at Iolani School in Honolulu.

For more information, please visit parkerschool.net.

HPA senior wins technology award

Mariko Thorbecke, a senior at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, has received the 2012 National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Award for Aspirations in Computing. The award, sponsored by Bank of America and the NCWIT, recognizes young high school women for their computing-related achievements and interests in an effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology.

A total of 35 students were selected from high schools across the country for their outstanding aptitude and interest in information technology and computing, solid leadership ability, good academic history and plans for post-secondary education. This year’s winners represent 18 states and the territory of Puerto Rico.

Each winner will receive $500 cash; a laptop computer, provided by Bank of America; a trip, including airfare for nonlocal winners, some meals and lodging, all provided by Bank of America, for the winner and one accompanying parent or legal guardian, to attend the Bank of America Technology Showcase and Awards Ceremony on March 10 in Charlotte, N.C.; and an engraved award for both the student and the student’s school.

“It’s amazing that young women have these types of opportunities to further their interest in computer science and technology,” Thorbecke said. “It’s a great way to make connections early on with other students who are equally as passionate about this up and coming field.”

Thorbecke has a wide range of abilities and interests within the computer science world. She was an intern at the Energy Lab at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, where she worked on a variety of projects, including energy monitoring, creating virtual reality tours and a brain research project. She currently is working on completing a virtual reality tour of the school’s Energy Lab, mapping sensors that will be controlled by a virtual reality interface.

Thorbecke also is leading a team that will make two presentations at the January 2012 MacWorld/iWorld Conference in San Francisco. In addition, Thorbecke is an intern with the W.M. Keck Observatory — which houses some of the largest optical/near-infrared telescopes currently in use around the world — and is creating a virtual tour of the observatory for their telescopes. Thorbecke would like to attend a university that allows for interdisciplinary majors to pursue computer science and neuroscience.

“Encouraging young women’s interest in technology careers is critical; our workforce needs their creativity and their innovation,” said Lucy Sanders, chief executive officer and co-founder of NCWIT.

NCWIT is a coalition of more than 300 prominent corporations, academic institutions, government agencies, and nonprofits working to increase women’s participation in IT. NCWIT’s work spans K-12 and higher education through industry and academic careers. For more information, visit ncwit.org.

Credit union accepting scholarship applications

Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union is now accepting scholarship applications from Big Island high school seniors.

The credit union will award $12,500 in scholarships to 2012 high school seniors headed on to an institution of higher learning. The five scholarships — each in the amount of $2,500 — are each named after a volunteer who made important contributions to Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union.

Four of the scholarships — Peter Hirata Scholarship, Albert Akana Scholarship, Katsumasa Tomita Scholarship and Frank Ishii Scholarship — are general scholarships awarded to students based on need, academic achievement, career goals and extracurricular activities. The John Y. Iwane scholarship will be awarded to a high school senior that meets all the criteria mentioned above and plans to enter an agriculture-related field of study. The credit union has offered scholarships to students in their communities for more than 25 years.

Any graduating high school senior attending a Big Island high school is eligible to apply. Each applicant must plan to attend a two- or four-year institute of higher learning.

Interested high school seniors may fill out an application online at the credit union’s website, hicommfcu.com, or may obtain one through their high school’s counseling office, at any Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union branch or Student Credit Unions at Kealakehe, Konawaena and Kohala high schools. Applications must be received by April 9 to be considered.

Green Ribbon Schools applications due

Public and private schools may enter the inaugural Green Ribbon Schools competition by completing Hawaii’s online application at hawaiidoe.org.

The U.S. Department of Education announced its new Green Ribbon Schools competition in September 2011. Schools will apply to Hawaii DOE, which in turn will nominate four schools for national recognition. At least one of the schools will be a private school. The deadline for schools to submit their applications to Hawaii DOE is Feb. 10. Hawaii’s nominees will be submitted to the U.S. DOE in March 2012.

Hawaii has joined 32 other states, D.C. and the Bureau of Indian Education Department of the Interior in this year’s U.S. DOE Green Ribbon Schools competition. It will honor public and private elementary, middle and high schools that show progress in minimizing greenhouse gas emissions, positively affecting student and staff health, and producing students who are environmentally and sustainability literate. The U.S. DOE’s objective is to recognize and share best practices in these areas.

The Green Ribbon Schools recognition award is part of a larger U.S. DOE effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about best practices proven to result in improved student engagement, academic achievement, graduation rates and workforce preparedness, as well as a government-wide aim to increase energy independence and economic security.

Visit hawaiidoe.org for additional information. Questions may be directed to Randy Moore, assistant superintendent, DOE Office of School Facilities and Support Services, at 586-3444 or Jenna Ishii (jenna@hais.org), Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, at 973-1538.

Honokaa school hosts Relay event

Honokaa High and Intermediate School will once again host a community Relay For Life event. It will take place from 6 p.m. May 11 to 6 a.m. May 12 at the Honokaa High School field.

Relay For Life honors cancer survivors and remembers those who have lost the battle while raising money to fight the dreaded disease. The theme this year is One Starry Night.

Residents are invited to be a part of the school-community event by starting a team, joining a team or making a monetary donation. To make an online donation, visit relayforlife.org/honokaahshi. The event will include entertainment, silent auction, luminary ceremony and Keiki Karnival with games, bouncers and more.

One of the event goals is to honor cancer survivors. To register a survivor for the event, have a survivor participate in the survivor lap or join the survivor dinner, call Angella Brandt or Danielle Warren at 775-8800, ext. 264. Caregivers are also recognized and asked to participate in the opening lap.

For more information, call Brant or email angela_brandt@notes.k12.hi.us.