Students at PAAC's 2011 Fall Conference learning about Indonesian culture through interactive games and presentations. Photo courtesy of Jamie Dela Cruz
PAAC’s statewide conferences and competitions bring together students in both public and private schools throughout the islands to explore and learn about global issues together.
2011 Fall Conference: Indonesia
Nearly 200 students from 19 schools explored Indonesian culture at PAAC’s cultural fair on October 22nd, 2011. The Perimas Indonesian Club at UH Manoa taught games and dances from their home country and later performed during the WorldQuest Compeition. Curator Michael Schuster gave tours of the East-West Center’s exhibit featuring Anne Dunham’s field work in Indonesia, and members of the Hawai‘i Gamelan Society taught students about the instruments. The orchestra closed the event with a special mini-concert.
Students commented:
- “The art exhibit [...] gave me insight into Indonesian culture and the works were beautiful.”
- “[Indonesian people] are very creative and have great taste in their designs and way of life [...] the music makes me very peaceful and I would definitely love to learn.”
- “I can see similarities between my culture and the heritage and culture of Indonesia [...] however, I can see that the world is very diverse and that made me want to know even more.”
Mahalo to event sponsors:
Atherton Family Foundation
Chevron, USA
Chaminade University
East-West Center
East-West Center Arts Program
Freeman Foundation
Friends of Hawai‘i Charities
G.N. Wilcox Trust
McInerny Foundation
Na Lei Aloha Foundation
Starbucks
Turkish Cultural Foundation
University of Hawai‘i–Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Mahalo to Presenters:
East-West Center Art Program: Michael Schuster, Curator
Hawai‘i Gamelan Society: Byron Moon
Geography of Indonesia: Kin Shing Cheng, Karen Chun, Ryan Darnell, Omar Williams
Pasupti Balinese Performing Arts: Anna Reynolds, Made Widana
Perimas, Hawai‘i Chapter, Indonesian Club Members: Erenst Anip, Saiful Anwar, Agussalim Burhanuddin, Dzulfikri, David Effendi, Ismiyati Farahnasy, Urban el-Fatih, Ita Ghazali, Nor Ismah, Arnoldus Klau Berek, Henny Komala, Irni Kristianti, Rahmawaty Kadir, Priza Mahendraputra, Arum Maniez, Matondang, Mukarromah, Saipul Rapi, Hasymi Rinaldi, and Surmiyati.
Mahalo to Volunteers:
Ann Asakura, Jenalyn Camagong, Kyle Colwell, Mark Corre, Rob Edmondson, Cersie Jane Foronda, Rebecca Geelhood, Judy Guo, Michael Handy, Codi Kelii, Sunja Kim, Michael Iinuma, Daisy Kajiwara, Mark Lombawa, Lena Lowe, Weimarlyn Martin, Keiko Matsushita, Kent Pardillo, Michelle Regis, Surmi Sulaiman, Ryan Yamada, Tracy Yeung.
2011 WorldQuest 1st Place team from Punahou School with judges and emcee Steve Uyehara
2011 Chevron Academic WorldQuest Competition
Academic WorldQuest is an exciting team quiz game designed to enhance international education. Teams compete in six rounds and the winning team wins a trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the National Academic WorldQuest Competition (coordinated by the World Affairs Council of America).
Are YOU ready for APEC?
In their 1994 Bogor Declaration, APEC leaders agreed to the common goals of free and open trade and investment. Where did this meeting take place?
A. Chile
B. Indonesia
C. Japan
D. Russia
(answer: B)
The two South American APEC member economies are ________ and ________.
A. Ecuador & Chile
B. Ecuador & Venezula
C. Peru and Chile
D. Peru and Columbia
(answer: C)
Hawaii’s high school students are ready for APEC! Punahou School, Kealakehe, and Aiea High School teams placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, respectively, in a field of over 270 students on 72 teams from 24 schools who competed in PAAC’s 12th Annual Chevron Academic WorldQuest Competition on October 22nd, 2011. Emcee Steve Uyehara led the competition, which took place simultaneously on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. Categories included APEC issues: trade, security, and clean energy, as well as current events and general knowledge of APEC economies.
The winning team from Punahou will receive airfare and hotel accommodations to represent Hawai‘i in the National WorldQuest Competition in April 2012.
Students who participated said:
- “From this point on, I will, and must continue my journey of learning about the world.”
- “I learned that hard work and dedication are the keys to success in both global relations and WorldQuest.”
- “It is not only myself and Hawai‘i; there is a whole world out there waiting to be explored.”
- “I learned a lot about topics we would otherwise overlook, like APEC economies and what each specializes in.”
- “These topics are crucial to change the world.”
Mahalo to other event sponsors:
Atherton Family Foundation
Chaminade University
East-West Center
Freeman Foundation
Friends of Hawai’i Charities
G.N. Wilcox Trust
McInerny Foundation
Na Lei Aloha Foundation
Starbucks
University of Hawai‘i–Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Mahalo to prize sponsors:
Glow Putt Mini Golf
TD Food Group, Inc.
University of Hawai‘i Office of Intercollegiate Athletics
Zippy’s Restaurants
Mahalo to emcee Steve Uyehara, judges Chris Cavote (Chevron refinery manager), Ruth Limtiaco (President of PAAC’s Board of Governors), and Ray Tadaki (PAAC member and member of the WorldQuest Question-Writing Committee).
Mahalo to Question-Writing and Review Committee:
Myriam Bernede, Joshua Boney, Natasha Schultz, Ray Tadaki, Trinh Nguyen, and Stacy Nojima.
Mahalo to Volunteers:
Joshua Boney, Megumi Chibana, Cerise Jane Foronda, Rebecca Geelhood, Michael Iinuma, Jordan Kaneshige, Codi Kelii, Keiko Matsushita, Manca Sustarsic, and Tiffany Yajima.
Students at the close of the Model APEC simulation at the West Hawai‘i Civic Center in Kailua-Kona.
Students at Hawaii Island Model APEC Negotiate Leaders’ Declaration
The City Council of Hawai‘i Island, led by Councilmember Brittany Smart, brought PAAC’s Model APEC to 81 students from 11 schools on Hawai‘i Island, Maui, and Oahu on October 28th and 29th, 2011. Ambassador Lauren Moriarty, former Ambassador to APEC and member of PAAC’s Board of Governors, provided context for students before they received their role in the simulation. 10 of APEC’s 21 member economies were represented by the students, who negotiated their economies’ interests as they shaped future policies related to trade, security, and clean energy.
Student participants commented:
- “It was hard for me to push for nuclear energy because I personally do not support it [...] but I was able to learn some benefits of using nuclear power and see another perspective.”
- “I never knew how much work goes into diplomacy. Now I have a better appreciation for what countrys’ leaders do.”
Mahalo to Event Sponsors:
APEC Hawaii Host Committee
Big Island Candies
Chaminade University
Costco
County of Hawai‘i
Department of Water Supply
Go! Mokulele Airlines
Hamakua Springs Country Farms
HFS Federal Credit Union
HELCO
Hirako Farms
KAHU FM Radio
King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
Kona Deep
KTA Super Stores
Kuahiwi Ranch Natural Beef
NELHA
OfficeMax
Pacific Biodiesel
R&G Farms and Minimart
Sack N Save & Foodland
Safeway
Subway
Veteran’s Produce Exchange
University of Hawai‘i at Hilo
Mahalo to Speakers:
Councilmember Brittany Smart
Council Chair Dominic Yagong
Councilmember Pete Hoffman
Ambassador Lauren Moriarty
Dr. David Hammes
Fun Fact: In 1995, PAAC, under the leadership of Diane Peters-Nguyen, developed the first Model APEC for high school students.
PAAC is also offering Hawai‘i high school students the opportunity to travel to Japan in 2012. Interested? To learn more about how and when to apply, visit our travel scholarships page.
