In this episode of HIKI NŌ on PBS Hawai‘i, watch stories from HIKI NŌ students who recently took home national storytelling awards, learn from the newest segment of HIKI NŌ called, “Did You Know?” and witness the power of storytelling in a collection of more stories from Hawai‘i’s New Wave of Storytellers.

To open the show, students at Wai‘anae High School on O‘ahu share a story about how inflation affects their hometown grocery store. The student team received second place in the national Student Television Network, or STN, Challenge last November.

Students at Wai‘anae Intermediate School on O‘ahu share a HIKI NŌ “Did You Know?” piece about interesting research behind human and dog relationships. They also contribute a Student Reflection from a young athlete, Tatiana Plunkett, who has a story to tell about returning to her favorite sport after taking a break during the peak of the COVID pandemic.

At Moanalua High School on O‘ahu, students profile a fellow classmate who is a dual threat in both chess and volleyball. Their story received an honorable mention in the Sports Story category of the national STN Challenge contest in November 2023.

Reece Lustik, a student at Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy on Hawai‘i Island, tells the story of falling in love with the ocean after moving to the islands from the land-locked state of Colorado.

Jadynn-Kalena Young, a student at Pearl City High School on O’ahu, shares her Student Reflection in which she explores how hula has shaped her identity and Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School students on Kaua‘i explore their school’s namesake in a final “Did You Know?” special segment for HIKI NŌ.

After the credits, stick around for a special segment featuring Mr. John Allen III and senior Denise Cabrera, who make up part of the stellar HIKI NŌ team of storytellers at Wai‘anae High School on O‘ahu.

Pearl City High School freshman Sophia Santos, who has been involved with HIKI NŌ since she attended Highlands Intermediate School, hosts the show.

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Jadynn-Kalena Young (Freshman, Pearl City High School, O‘ahu)

“Training for competition is no time for nonsense and you need to put in your everything. You need to know what you’re dancing about and need to work hard physically. Practice lasts for hours almost every day of the week. Hula is more than just dancing. But the best part is I get to bond with the people I love most.”