Hawai‘i’s Public Schools Are Battered But Working to Recover
Steady gains by students have eroded after two years of upheaval. Can teachers, principals and $690 million in federal funding turn things around?
Cynthia Wessendorf
Cynthia Wessendorf is a writer and editor with decades of experience in the book publishing industry. Since moving to Honolulu from New York in 2001, she has freelanced for the East-West Center, Punahou School, HONOLULU Magazine, Iolani Palace, Amacom Books, University of Rochester Press, Habitat for Humanity, and many others.
Articles
How We Covered Public School Education and Why
The story shares the personal experiences of teachers, students, administrators and advocates as they work to recover from two years of disruptions.
20 for the Next 20: Greg Young, HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union
Young previously spent over 21 years in traditional banking before joining HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union in October 2019.
20 for the Next 20: Kalani Ka‘anā‘anā, Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority
As the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s chief brand officer, Ka‘anā‘anā oversees a sweeping strategic plan that supports natural resources, Hawaiian culture and community while enhancing Hawai‘i’s brand.
20 for the Next 20: Pokiʻi Balaz, Lunalilo Home
Becoming a caregiver shifted Balaz’s professional focus to geriatric medicine, Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, and helping kūpuna navigate their later years.
20 for the Next 20: Trever Asam, Cades Schutte
The Cades Schutte partner discovered his affinity for tax law while studying at Duke University School of Law.
Black Book 2021: 350 Hawai‘i Executives to Know
This 24th edition contains brief profiles of key decision-makers and community leaders who are shaping Hawai‘i.
Inside the Vault at ‘Ulu‘ulu Archives
Preserving a century of moving images from the Islands.
Hawai‘i’s Most Charitable Companies 2021
These 51 companies made a difference in 2020. Altogether, they donated more than $91 million and 125,000 volunteer hours.
How Will Urban Honolulu Deal With the Rising Ocean?
Eroding beaches, king tides and groundwater inundation are already impacting the urban core and it will only get much worse. Here’s what is being considered to limit the damage.
Saving Hawai‘i’s Endemic Plants, One Seed at a Time
The Army Natural Resources Program has nearly 22.5 million specimens in its seed bank and replants about 2,000 endangered plants each year.
Hawaiʻi’s Top 250 Companies 2021
Revenue numbers reveal resilience, pivots and struggles amid the pandemic.
UH Football Team’s New Home Field Ready for Games
The new turf is part of a $11.8 million overhaul of UH Mānoa's Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
Hawaiʻi’s Most Profitable Companies 2021
A look back at gains and losses in a tumultuous year.
Handmade Noodles with Okinawan Sweet Potatoes are a Staple at this Kāne‘ohe Takeout Restaurant
Homegrown in Hawai‘i, these noodles are a work of art.
The Statewide Effort to Turn Filmmaking into Hawai‘i’s Next $1 Billion Industry
Talent, training and financial incentives are driving a new era of filmmaking, TV and digital media production in the Islands.
A Pueo and His Keeper
Five-year-old Makamae perches on Shari Nishikawa’s protected arm at the Honolulu Zoo.
Better with ʻUlu
‘Ulu Mana started in 2017 after Hawai‘i Island native Loren Shoop merged his favorite hummus recipes with ‘ulu.
Three Generations in Plastics
“We hired two new people and invested in equipment to help with the creative side and faster turnaround,” says Andrew Min, GM of the 70-year-old family business in Iwilei. His grandparents, Frank and Elaine Min, launched Min’s Workshop after Frank…
20 for the Next 20: Nathan Saint Clare
Nathan Saint Clare Principal, AHL Nathan Saint Clare is a gifted architect with an international portfolio who prides himself on never being predictable. He thinks of design as a constantly evolving process, “a moving, living thing” that changes with every…
20 for the Next 20: Jessica Munoz
Jessica Munoz President and Founder, Hoʻōla Nā Pua Nurse Practitioner, US Acute Care Solutions Fifteen years ago, nursing brought Jessica Munoz from California to Hawai‘i, where she planned to do a brief stint and plenty of surfing. But her work…
20 for the Next 20: Rachel James
Rachel James Attorney, Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission Rachel James didn't always want to be a lawyer. But in 2015, with a master’s degree in global leadership and sustainable development and a one-year position in U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s Hawai‘i office,…
20 for the Next 20: Neill Char
Neill Char Executive VP - Commercial Banking Group First Hawaiian Bank As a 28-year-old bank branch manager, Neill Char had an epiphany. “In my first leadership role, I found my purpose in life and that is to help people realize…
New Store, New Year for a Hawai‘i Tradition
Akira Nakajima, new owner of Fujiya Hawai‘i, a 67-year-old company, makes strawberry mochi from mochiko, sugar, water, red beans and fresh whole strawberries. It’s his bestselling item.
Hawai‘i Doctors Talk About Diagnostic Breakthroughs and Practicing in a Pandemic
While the ever-changing nature of COVID-19 has proven frustrating around the world, it's also the challenge that infectious disease specialists have been training for their entire career.
