Maui Economic Development Board announces this year’s recipients who received total grant awards of more than $137,000 from the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund.
Awards, ranging from approximately $2,000 to $10,000, were distributed this 2015-2016 school year along with funding to supplement the extensive work of MEDB’s Women in Technology program that create innovative pathways to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers.
The 2015-2016 grants went to the following diverse initiatives:
- Creation of a monthly televised newscast and a bilingual website to archive STEM activities for Molokai High Hawaiian Language Immersion Program
- Equipment and software upgrades for Baldwin High School’s digital media club
- Support King Kekaulike High School’s participation in the annual EdTechTeam Hawaii Summit
- Equipment to enable technology integrated learning at Kihei Charter Middle School
- Participation of Haiku Elementary School at EdTechTeam Hawaii Summit
- Support of MEDB Women In Technology for expansion of student STEM activities and teacher training in Maui, and enhancement of MEDB’s annual Hawaii STEM conference
- Robotics programs at 10 schools including:
- Baldwin High School
- Kamalii Elementary School
- King Kekaulike High School
- Lahaina Intermediate School
- Lahainaluna High School
- Lokelani Intermediate School
- Maui High School
- Maui Preparatory Academy
- Maui Waena Intermediate School
- Pukalani Elementary School
- Funding for 2015 Daniel K. Inouye Innovation Award winners:
- Molokai High School and students Lily and Sarah Jenkins for their project on the effect of the Mangroves on
- Molokai’s reef system
- Molokai High School and students Amber “Momi” Afelin, Keaʻaokahonua Davis, and Alexandria Simon for their project exploring the possibility of turning algae into a profitable resource
- King Kekaulike High School and students Jeremie Amano and Gabriel Rayburn for the design of an app which allows residents to report sightings of different invasive species
“Increasingly, one of our richest sources of employment and economic growth will be jobs that require skills in STEM,” said Todd Lawson, MEDB’s Education Committee Chair and Technical Director of KaiHonua, LLC. “Supporting our youth by empowering them with STEM skills is truly an investment in our islands’ future. This year’s grants would not have been possible without the generous support of the many businesses and individuals who contributed to the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund’s annual fundraiser dinner.”
The 2016 MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner & Auction will be held on Saturday, August 20th at The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui. Reception/Silent Auction will begin at 4:30 pm, followed by Dinner/Live Auction at 6 pm. Sponsorship opportunities are available.