I would like to thank our members for supporting our recent GM Meeting and Luncheon featuring Mayor Billy Kenoi who spoke about the economy, the County's upcoming budget for fiscal year 2013 - 2014, and important initiatives the administration will be focusing on.

We want to extend our Mahalo as well to Mayor  Kenoi for his support of our chamber and for his participation with this annual luncheon.  He has been and continues to be a very strong and vocal supporter of our business community.

We are also happy and appreciative that besides Mayor Kenoi's  executive staff, 17 out of the 18 county departments were represented by a department official(s) at the luncheon providing our members the opportunity to mingle and get to know them and the work and service that they provide.

Our economic development committee is working on a Healthcare presentation to be held sometime in May that will focus on the major changes in healthcare reform and how it all affects you and your business.  We hope to develop a more comprehensive format that will provide you with a better understanding of where we are, where we are headed, and how to best prepare for it.  Please stay tuned for details on this presentation as it develops.

Mahalo to Lei Momi Fujiyama for her assistance in organizing our luncheons and for President Jon Arizumi for his continued support and leadership.
 

With their help, Anne came up with her science project, which she cleverly titled, "Two Bees or Not Two Bees... (Pollinating Invasive Fireweed?), That is the Question." The project compared the number of native and non-native bees visiting native mamane trees and the number of native and non-native bees visiting introduced fireweed plants on Mauna Kea. One of her findings was that both native bees and non-native honey bees visit mamane more than fireweed. Anne also identified concerns over the impact of human activity on native bees, drought and bee activity on plant pollination.
 

Accompanied by her father, Anne made her first trip to Mauna Kea in September 2012 to volunteer to remove invasive fireweed. The speaker at that activity was Dr. Doug Simons, Director of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). Dr. Simons began his talk by describing how his interest in science was kindled by a high school science fair project. Dr. Simons went on to describe how his project on telescopes advanced to the Westinghouse National Science & Engineering Fair (now the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair).
 

Dr. Simons' talk was perfect motivation for Anne. Her project was entered in the 2013 Hawaii District Science & Engineering Fair at 'Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo, where it won district awards for best in Animal Sciences Junior Research category, first place overall for the Junior Research Division, Charlie Chong Future Conservationist Award, 2nd place Outstanding Entomology/Zoology Award, and the "American Association of University Women 'Into the World of Tomorrow' Certificate of Merit." Her project advances to the Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair at the Hawaii Convention Center on Oahu, April 7-9.
 

One of the key objectives of the 2000 Master Plan is to encourage community involvement in the management of Mauna Kea. Anne's story is but one shining example of how that works. Congratulations Anne, and good luck at the state competition!

One of our flagship endeavors at Hawai'i Community College is the Model Home Project, in which students from several Career and Technical Education programs design and build a home for a qualifying family.

A collaboration between Hawai'i CC and the Department of Hawaiian Homelands, the Model Home Project is an incredibly valuable learning experience for our Carpentry students and students from other programs. They receive hands-on experience designing, building and landscaping an actual house that a family will move into and call their home. The program is also unique to Hawai'i CC. We're the only college in the state where students build a house from start to finish as part of their coursework.

Since the Model Home Project began in 1965, Hawai'i CC students have built 45 homes, and the 46th home is underway in Keaukaha. Over the years, we have updated building practices to ensure students keep up with advancements in the industry. The homes now include a solar water heater, a photovoltaic system, Energy Star appliances, and energy-efficient lighting.

Much of the work on this year's house is complete. Second-year Carpentry students recently finished building the kitchen cabinets and will soon install them. The first-year Carpentry students poured the concrete for the driveway on March 19. Electrical Program students are in the process of installing the switches, outlets, and fixtures and prepping the roof for the photovoltaic system. Students from the Agriculture Program will landscape the property, including a garden and a hydroponic area.

A ceremony and open house is scheduled for May when the house is complete.

As we near the completion of the 46th Model Home, many faculty and students are already looking ahead to number 47. The Diesel Program has cleared and leveled the lot for the 47th Model Home. The design for the home has also been approved, and students in our Architectural, Engineering and CAD Technologies Program are working on the plans.
The Model Home Project takes a lot of work and coordination, but the experience students get as a result makes it all worthwhile.

"Carpentry students work on the interior of the 46th Model Home"

C3T
The University of Hawai'i's seven community colleges were awarded a major federal grant in 2011 that totaled $24.6 million.

Known as C3T - which is short for Department of Labor, Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant - the                        program is being used to develop education and training curricula and student coaching in three sectors with anticipated growth: energy, agriculture and health care.

With a strong agriculture sector on the Big Island, Hawai'i CC will have a significant role to play in the agriculture portion of C3T, and we expect to launch non-credit agriculture classes in mid-May.

Though it's complicated to develop new programs, C3T's goals are simple. We want to work with industry to develop programs that will train people for jobs that are in demand. C3T's focus is on training people who are already in the workforce and want to retool themselves.

We expect to have a workshop in early May to introduce people to our new agriculture classes.

PROGRAM ADVISORY COUNCIL
One of our roles at Hawai'i Community College is to develop an educated workforce that meets the needs of industry.

To help achieve this, we maintain a close relationship with industry leaders and experts to ensure that our graduates are leaving Hawai'i CC with the skills potential employers need. A key element in this relationship is our Career and Technical Education Program Advisory Council, which is Hawai'i CC's primary connection to industry. Participants in the Advisory Council inform us of new trends and evaluate our curriculum to ensure it is relevant and serves industry well.

Hawaii CC's Career and Technical Education Program faculty have revised programs and courses in an effort to address the rapidly changing needs of our island, and in April we will host an Advisory Council meeting to gather the input we need to make sure our programs are serving both students and the business community.