Road Safety Project Captures Inaugural Inouye Innovation Award

Irene Hirano Inouye said she was pleased and honored that MEDB decided to establish the Daniel K. Inouye Innovation Award in honor of her late husband.  Photo courtesy MEDB.

By Maui Now Staff

More than 600 people attended the Maui Economic Development Board’s Ke Alahele Education Dinner and Auction held at the Grand Wailea Resort over the weekend, officials said.

Event organizers say $313,254 was collected during the fundraising event, with proceeds to be used to support and administer STEM education programs, and grants.

During the event, students from King Kekaulike High School were selected as the recipients of the inaugural innovation award, named in honor of the late US Senator Daniel K. Inouye.

Inouye’s widow, Irene Hirano, presented the award to students Lotus Chen and Sierra Harrell for their stem project on road safety near their school’s campus in Pukalani.  Both students will each receive a portion of the $10,000 prize for college; and King Kekaulike will receive funds for the enhancement of its STEMworks lab.

Mayor Alan Arakawa and his wife, Ann, savored their roles as game show hosts of  “Are You Smarter than a STEM 5th-grader?” at the 2013 Ke Alahele Education Fund Dinner & Auction.   Photo courtesy MEDB.

According to a press release issued by MEDB, the students used GPS technology and practical applications of math and science to map out the roads leading to and from their school campus.

This included the creation of a geo-spatial map identifying areas in need of cross walks and sidewalks, and taking note of trouble spots where motorists might lose sight of pedestrians.

Last month, state officials announced the release of a $998,000 capital improvement grant for a sidewalk project along the Old Haleakalā Highway in Pukalani.

To date, the MEDB fund has awarded more than $730,000 in grants for the expansion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math educational initiatives in Maui County.

***Supporting information courtesy MEDB.

Hāna School students and their mentors shared their experiences from a STEM project featuring interaction with students in neighboring Pacific coastal communities. From left: Sheriah Day Ng, Sara-Ann Kanakaole, Hāna School teacher Margaret Magonigle, Kassidy Smith and Margaret “Maggie” Prevenas, a Kalama Intermediate School teacher who also mentored the Hana students. Photo courtesy MEDB.