Of the eight Hawai‘i Department of Education District Teachers of the Year for the 2016-2017 school year, two are HIKI NŌ teachers: Luane Higuchi from Wai‘anae Intermediate School (Leeward District), and Jennifer Suzuki from Maui Waena Intermediate School (Maui District).

The third of four Focus on Compassion HIKI NŌ episodes compiles archived stories that center on the theme of compassion for self-identity. This four-episode series is hosted by Crystal Cebedo, a 2016 HIKI NŌ and Wai‘anae High School graduate who is currently attending Menlo College in Atherton, California.

The first of four Focus on Compassion HIKI NŌ episodes drawn from the archives compiles stories that center on the topic of kūpuna, or elders. This show is hosted by Crystal Cebedo, a 2016 HIKI NŌ and Wai‘anae High School graduate who is currently attending Menlo College in Atherton, California on a full scholarship.

This episode is the fifth in a series of six shows in which each episode focuses on a specific Hawaiian value. The Hawaiian value for this show is ‘ike pono, which means to know what is right.

This special edition of HIKI NŌ highlights some of the best stories from the spring quarter of the 2016-2017 school year.

TOP STORY:   Students from Kapolei High School on O‘ahu present a story on the Hawai‘i-themed artwork engraved on the columns of O‘ahu’s rail project. The column art was designed by local architect Daniel Kanekuni and, according to HART spokesperson Bill Brennan, adds a sense of place and local identity to the rail project.

TOP STORY:   Students from H.P. Baldwin High School in Wailuku, Maui present poignant portraits of two long-time HC&S (Hawaii Commercial and Sugar) employees: machinist Wes Bissen and millwright Koa Martin. HC&S is the last remaining sugar mill in Hawaii and will be closing at the end of 2016.

TOP STORY Students from Kapaa Middle School on Kauai tell the story of Joe Young, a retired police officer who is also a prostate cancer survivor. Mr. Young decided against traditional medical treatments, such as surgery and chemotherapy. Instead he changed his lifestyle and focused on doing things that make him happy.

TOP STORY: Students from Maui High School in Kahului tell the story of Bristyl Dempsey, a thirteen-year-old girl who suffers from Tourette Syndrome – a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. Bristyl’s symptoms surfaced when she was in intermediate school.

This episode is a compilation of stories that express the six Hawaiian values featured in the first round of the 2015-16 season.