Baldwin High earns top honors at ‘Ōlelo Youth Xchange video competition; Kamehameha Maui takes five awards

Maui’s Baldwin High and Highlands Intermediate on O‘ahu bested 50 other schools, nabbing the top prizes at the 20^th Annual ‘Ōlelo Youth Xchange Student Video Competition Awards Gala on Tuesday morning. 

Baldwin won the Expert category with the video “Family,” while Highlands Intermediate took the Junior Expert category with “Embrace, Not Reject.”

As the Expert category winner, Baldwin received a LiveU Solo Pro valued at $1,950. The LiveU unit will allow Baldwin to create 4K-quality videos and on-the-go content from remote locations.

For being named the Junior Expert, Highlands Intermediate won an equipment-and-accessory prize pack valued at approximately $1,700. It included a Canon M50 camera kit and accessories, as well as wireless microphones.

Kamehameha Schools Maui won two high school and three middle school awards in various categories.

The other 32 category winners took home prize packs worth $780 that included Canon EOS M200 cameras and LED light panels with stands.

The prize packs were developed with the input of statewide media teachers to include equipment and accessories most highly desired by the programs.

‘Ōlelo Community Media’s
2022-2023 Youth Xchange Statewide Student Video Competition
Winners

*Maui awardees are highlighted below

A more resilient and sustainable Hawaiʻi

• Elementary: Out of This World Energy Savings – Waipahu Elementary
• Middle: Overcoming the World’s Problems with Sustainable Energy – Moanalua Middle
• High School: Let’s Give Back – Kamehameha Schools Maui

Creating peace

• Elementary: Bucket Filler – ʻĀina Haina Elementary
• Middle: A Much Better World – Highlands Intermediate
• High School: A Peace Of Cake – Moanalua High

Food systems and access to healthy food

• Elementary: Healthy Farms, Healthy Food, Healthy Me – Waipahu Elementary
• Middle: Mr. Pineapple’s Healthy Eating Habits – Sacred Hearts Academy
• High School: Access to Food in Waiʻanae – Waiʻanae High

Forest inspired

• Elementary: Crazy Coquis – Kīpapa Elementary
• Middle: Saving Our Forests – Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle
• High School: Hānau ka Ulu Lā‘au, E Ola Mau nā Hua – Kamehameha Schools Maui

Mini Documentary

• Elementary: Save Our Oceans – Sacred Hearts Academy
• Middle: Living Water – Kamehameha Schools Maui
• High School: Nā Kiaʻi Ola o Kauaʻi – Kauaʻi High

Pledge to our keiki, taking care of our island home

• Elementary: Save Our Ocean – Kīpapa Elementary
• Middle: Kahoma Valley – Kamehameha Schools Maui
• High School: Kaʻala to Kaʻena – Waiʻanae High

Prepare now – Talk story: Share naʻauao… wisdom!!

• Elementary: BOX IT UP! Be Prepared! – Waipahu Elementary
• Middle: If COVID Didn’t Wait, You Can’t Either – Moanalua Middle
• High School: When Water Pulls Back, Act Fast – Waiākea High

Public Service Announcement

• Elementary: Brain Power – Kīpapa Elementary
• Middle: Nightmare Milkman – Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle
• High School: Checking In – Waiʻanae High

Short

• Elementary: Stop Crime in Its Tracks – Pearl City Highlands
• Middle: Finding Myself – Kamehameha Schools Maui
• High School: Escape – Mid-Pacific Institute

Traffic safety

• Elementary: Don’t Clown Around, Slow It Down! – Waipahu Elementary
• Middle: Traffic Safety – Highlands Intermediate
• High School: Time to Drive – Kauaʻi High

World War II in Hawaiʻi

• Elementary: Untold Stories of World War II in Hawaiʻi – Maunawili Elementary
• Middle: Personal Stories of Pearl Harbor – Kailua Intermediate

Junior Expert

• Embrace, Not Reject – Highlands Intermediate

Expert

• Family – Henry Perrine Baldwin High

More than 500 students, educators and parents attended the “keiki Oscars” at the Hawai‘i Convention Center where the 34 total winning schools were announced. 

The winners were selected from over 600 videos that entered the competition, presented by First Hawaiian Bank. This year’s submissions were created by students who attend public, charter and private schools statewide or are homeschooled.  Category winners came from every county in Hawai‘i.

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

Dillon Ancheta of Hawai‘i News Now – a former Youth Xchange finalist himself from Kaua‘i High – and radio and TV personality Mele Apanareturned to serve as event emcees of today’s gala. Local music sensation Crossing Rain, which performed a number of their most popular songs, clearly had many fans in attendance.

In addition to the video winners, Michelle Okinaka-Kwong of Waipahu Elementary School received the Second Annual Media Teacher Award and was rewarded with two round-trip tickets anywhere Alaska Airlines serves. Alaska Airlines sponsors the award – determined by votes from participating students – in recognition of the importance of media literacy in the education of today’s keiki.

The 20^th Annual ‘Ōlelo Youth Xchange Student Video Competition Awards Gala may be viewed live on the ‘Ōlelo Facebook page, via ‘ŌleloNet at olelo.org/53 and through the mobile app. 

The winning 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 competed in 13 categories. 

The five broad categories were mini-documentary, public service announcement, short, Expert and Junior Expert.

The eight sponsored categories were A More Resilient and Sustainable Hawai‘i; Food Systems and Access to Healthy Food; Creating Peace; Forest Inspired; Pledge to Our Keiki, Taking Care of Our Island Home; Prepare NOW – Talk Story: Share Na‘auao…Wisdom!!; Traffic Safety; and World War II in Hawai‘i.

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 presenting sponsor First Hawaiian Bank, event sponsor Honolulu Star-Advertiser and director sponsor Accumulus. Individual category sponsors are Alaska Airlines and Kanu Hawai‘i; Hawaiian Electric; Pacific Historic Parks, Honoululi National Historic Site; Rotary Club of Honolulu; and the State of Hawai‘i Departments of Health, Land and Natural Resources, and Transportation.