Maui schools earned 20 finalist spots in the 19^th Annual ‘Ōlelo Youth Xchange Student Video Competition. The award recipients were selected from hundreds of submissions from keiki in 50 schools across the state.

*Scroll down for a complete list of finalists by category.

‘Ōlelo Community Media’s Youth Xchange is Hawai‘i’s oldest and largest contest of its type.

This year’s submissions were created by students who attend public, charter and private schools statewide or are homeschooled. Finalist videos are from all counties.

The 38 award winners will be announced during the in-person Awards Gala on Wednesday, April 20 with their prizes – high-definition Sony digital video cameras – presented in front of hundreds of their statewide peers for the first time since 2019.

The gala may be viewed live on April 20 starting at 10 a.m. on Channel 49, on the ‘Ōlelo Facebook page, via ‘ŌleloNet at olelo.org/49 and through the mobile app. 

The finalist Youth Xchange student videos were selected based on subject impact and technical production. The judging panels included local news media, filmmaking professionals and, in the case of sponsored categories, subject experts.  

This year, Youth Xchange videos compete in 14 categories.  The five broad categories are mini-documentary, public service announcement, short, Expert and Junior Expert.

The nine sponsored categories are A More Resilient and Sustainable Hawai‘i, Active Living & Healthy Places, Creating Peace, Elections & Voting, Forest Inspired, Prepare NOW – Don’t Forget Tutu…and Popoki, Too!, Preventing Bullying Together with Aloha, Storm Water and Traffic Safety. 

Students in ‘Ōlelo Youth Xchange compete in three age divisions: elementary, intermediate and high school. Previous winners and students with professional experience compete in the Junior Expert (kindergarten through middle school) and Expert (high school and college) categories. 

This year’s ‘Ōlelo Youth Xchange Student Video Competition is supported by Major Sponsors First Hawaiian Bank and Alaska Airlines. Individual Category Sponsors are the City & County of Honolulu Department of Facility Maintenance; Hawaiian Electric; Rotary Club of Honolulu; and the State of Hawai‘i Departments of Education, Health, and Land and Natural Resources, as well as the Office of Elections. Event sponsors include HENC and The RMR Group. 

‘Ōlelo Community Media’s
2021-2022 Youth Xchange Finalists

A MORE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE HAWAI‘I

Elementary: Friday Night Live – Moanalua Elementary
Let’s Go Solar – Moanalua Elementary
Turn Hawai‘i Green – Pōmaika‘i Elementary

Middle: Be the Change – Moanalua Middle
Go Electric – Lahaina Intermediate
Hawaiian Electric PSA – Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle

High School: Do Your Part – Pearl City High
Saving Power – Waiākea High
Sustainability One Step at A Time – President William McKinley High

ACTIVE LIVING & HEALTHY PLACES

Elementary: Active Living Is Inspiring! – Ma‘ema‘e Elementary
Don’t Be A Couch Potato – Pōmaika‘i Elementary
Staying Active and Healthy – Pearl City Highlands Elementary

Middle: A New Breath of Air – Āliamanu Middle
I Love Walking – Lahaina Intermediate
One Step at A Time – Āliamanu Middle – Honouliuli Middle

High School: Live Through Movement – Moanalua High
Oh, the Healthy Place You’ll Go – Moanalua High
The Power of Nu‘u – Kamehameha Schools Maui

CREATING PEACE

Elementary: Kind Quotes – Mayor Joseph J. Fern Elementary
Peace – Kīpapa Elementary
Unity Day – Kīpapa Elementary

Middle: How to Keep Peace Between Friends – Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle
Nobody Should Be Bullied – President George Washington Middle
You Are Not Alone – Āliamanu Middle

High School: Flourishing with Differences – Mililani High
Inner Peace – President William McKinley High
The Move to Peace – Kamehameha Schools Maui

ELECTIONS & VOTING

Elementary: Easy as 1, 2, 3 – Major Joseph J. Fern Elementary
Our Community Relies On You – Pōmaika‘i Elementary
Register to Vote – Kīpapa Elementary

Middle: Breaking News: Voting Is Easy! – Āliamanu Middle
Register to Vote! It’s Easy! – Highlands Intermediate
Voting by Mail – Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle

High School: A New Vote, A New Voice – Hawai‘i Technology Academy PCS
Choose Mail-In Voting – Pearl City High
Go Vote – Moanalua High

FOREST INSPIRED

Elementary: Prevent Wildfires – Ho‘okele Elementary
Protecting Hawai‘i’s Forests Begins with You – Ma‘ema‘e Elementary
ROD and the ‘Ōhi‘a Tree – Pearl City Highlands Elementary

Middle: Forest Inspired – Montessori School of Maui
Ka Nahele O Ka Mokupuni: The Island’s Forest – Kaimukī Middle
Keep Invasive Species Out of Hawai‘i – Āliamanu Middle

High School: Four-Legged Destruction – Hawai‘i Technology Academy PCS
Ola Kākou I ka ‘Āina – Kamehameha Schools Maui
Saving ‘Ohi‘a – Waiākea High

MINI DOCUMENTARY

Elementary: Mental Health Issues – Pearl City Highlands Elementary
The PCHES Flood, A True Story – Pearl City Highlands Elementary

Middle: Hydroponics at WMS – President George Washington Middle
Kaulike I Ke Ola – Kamehameha Schools Maui
The Struggle – Kamehameha Schools Maui

High School: Land of Aloha: Equality in Hawai‘i – Kamehameha Schools Maui
Ocean Safety – Henry Perrine Baldwin High
The Stress of Success – Henry Perrine Baldwin High

PREPARE NOW – DON’T FORGET TUTU…AND POPOKI TOO!

Elementary: Prepare Now, Don’t Drown – Pearl City Highlands Elementary
Ready for Disasters – Pearl City Highlands Elementary

Middle: Be Prepared – Lahaina Intermediate
Don’t Forget the Pets – Āliamanu Middle
Prepare for the Worst – Moanalua Middle

High School: A Special Place in Your Heart, Means a Special Plan to Protect – Waiākea High
Everyone Should be Ready – Mililani High
Prepare NOW – Moanalua High

PREVENT BULLYING TOGETHER WITH ALOHA

Elementary: Bullying EL Students – Ma‘ema‘e Elementary
Let Everyone Be Seen – Pomaika‘i Elementary
Stop Motion Animation – Kipapa Elementary

Middle: Don’t be Part of the Problem – Highlands Intermediate
Prevent Bullying – Lahaina Intermediate
Unique – Highlands Intermediate

High School: Erase the Hate – Mililani High
It’s the Same Thing – Waiākea High
What If It Were You? – Kaimukī Christian School

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Elementary: 3 Tips to Protect Our Hawaiian Animals – Maunawili Elementary
Over Your Nose – Moanalua Elementary
Why Get Your Covid Vaccine? – Alva A. Scott Elementary

Middle: Be Smart, Don’t Start – Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle
Bullying PSA – Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle
Why Do I Wear My Mask? – St. John Vianney School

High School: Be Part of the Solution – Kaua‘i High
Our Oceans are in Danger – Hawaiʻi Technology Academy PCS
Shield Your Face – Moanalua High

SHORT

Elementary: Choosing the Vaccine – Alvah A. Scott Elementary
Cyberbullying, Tell Someone Now – Alvah A. Scott Elementary
Save the Sea to See the Future – Pearl City Highlands Elementary

Middle: Click Your Mindset – Sacred Hearts Academy
Prioritize Your Schoolwork – Wai‘anae Intermediate
Save Our People: Ban Guns – Āliamanu Middle

High School: Dear Mallory – Mid-Pacific Institute
Life of a Teenager – Henry J. Kaiser High
The 5 Darkest Paths – Mid-Pacific Institute

STORM WATER HERO

Elementary: Do Your Part and STOP Storm Water Runoff – Pearl City Highlands Elementary
Down the Drain – Mayor Joseph J. Fern Elementary
No Trash Down the Storm Drain – Ho‘okele Elementary

Middle: A Storm Water Hero – Moanalua Middle
The Future Counts on Us – Moanalua Middle
Storm Water PSA – Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle

High School: Cleared Drains, Better Days – Moanalua High
How To Be a Storm Water Hero – Moanalua High
Run Litter Run – Waiākea High

TRAFFIC SAFETY

Elementary: A Crosswalk Carol – Moanalua Elementary
Just Say “NO to Drinking and Driving” – Kīpapa Elementary
Protect Before You Pedal – Pearl City Highlands Elementary

Middle: Cameron Can’t Cross the Road – Waipahu Intermediate
Teen Traffic Safety – Montessori School of Maui
Your Life Matters, Wear a Seatbelt – Moanalua Middle

High School: Hard Headed – Henry Perrine Baldwin High
Mind Your Spacing – Hawai‘i Technology Academy PCS
Text Later or Regret Forever – Pearl City High

JUNIOR EXPERT

Firework: Legal vs Illegal – Honouliuli Middle
Help, Teachers Wanted – Maui Waena Intermediate
How to Respect Someone’s Pronouns- Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle

EXPERT

Alexis Ann – Waiākea High
More Than Just a Simple Dance – Moanalua High
Testing With No Purpose – Moanalua High