In the midst of Hawaiʻi’s beauty, there is a dark side, hidden from plain view. It is a world in which children (legally defined as individuals under age 18) are trafficked for sex. Hawaiʻi was the last state in country to pass an anti-sex trafficking law.

Sex trafficking, a multi-million dollar international industry that uses the internet and the street trade to exploit women, is real in Hawaiʻi. A study indicates that a disproportionate number of victims are Native Hawaiian women.

This special edition features stories from the High School Division of the 2018 HIKI NŌ Fall Challenge. On October 19, 2018, ten participating high school teams and twelve participating middle school teams were given four days to complete a HIKI NŌ story based on the theme “the story behind the food”.

Whatʻs the next step for the Stairs? The future of The Haʻikū Stairs has been fiercely debated for years.

TOP STORY   “Breaking Gender Norms” Students from McKinley High School on O‘ahu introduce us to their school’s quarterback, who happens to be a female. On August 19, 2017, McKinley sophomore Alexandria Buchanan became the first female varsity quarterback to start a game in Hawaiʻi.

Hawaiʻi health officials are sounding the alarm about what they see as a dangerous trend among local teenagers: Vaping – using Electronic Cigarettes. Studies show that 42% of high school students and 27% of middle school students statewide have tried e-cigarettes. The percentages are higher in Kauaʻi, Maui and Hawaiʻi counties.

Plans to prevent massive flooding in Waikīkī have been in the works for years, as worries mount over the threat of a major storm causing the Ala Wai Canal to overflow. Drawn up by the U.S.

TOP STORY:   Students from H.P. Baldwin High School on Maui introduce us to a Filipino immigrant who legally changed her name to Madame Donut.

Hawaiʻi grows only 10 to 13 percent of the food consumed in the Islands. The State is pushing to double local production by 2020. A new study suggests that Hawaiʻi consider applying traditional Native Hawaiian agricultural practices and principles as a solution – especially with increased threats caused by climate change.

TOP STORY   “Unified Sports” Students from Maui High School in Kahului feature fellow student Britney Bautista. Britney, who has a developmental delay syndrome, has gained a sense of belonging through the school’s Special Olympics Unified Sports program.