MEDB Education Fund Announces 20 Awardees

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

By Sonia Isotov

Thanks to numerous businesses and community stakeholders, more than $80,000 in grants were distributed among 20 organization by the Maui Economic Development Board through its MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund.

Over the past 6 years, the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund has distributed over $500,000 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 Jeanne Skog, president and chief executive officer of MEDB, in a written statement.

“We are proud of all of our grant recipients and what they have accomplished in advancing their education in science, technology, engineering and math. Investing in our community’s future, ensures that our young people are tomorrow’s business and technology leaders.”

Jeanne Skog, President/CEO, Maui Economic Development Board, Inc. File photo by Wendy Osher.

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.