Month: October 2014

Mahalo, Mililani High School!

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A big “MAHALO!” to Mr. Todd Yoshizawa and five of his talented graphic design students from Mililani High School for submitting logo designs for our rebranding campaign. The new designs were presented to the HI FusionED Board and school liaison for consideration.

In 2004, Mililani High School was HI FusionED’s first student cohort. In partnership with the Women in Technology Project (administered by the Maui Economic Development Board), the project involved pairing female students with female mentors from industry and academia to encourage their interest and retention in STEM-related pathways.

It is with great sentiment and honor to be working once again with Mililani High School as we enter a new chapter as HI FusionED!

DT for Nanakuli Schools

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Recently, the HI FusionED Team has been busy helping Nanakuli Elementary and Nanakuli High and Intermediate School learn about the Design Thinking (DT) process and how to apply its principles to activate innovative change within their school cultures.

Two very different approaches were presented, challenging the Team to dig deep into their DT toolkits. At Nanakuli Elementary School, participants included faculty leadership. At Nanakuli High and Intermediate, student leaders were selected for initial training sessions. Both groups were highly engaged, developing customized Challenges and DT-generated projects to tackle.

These sessions have led to extended trainings for expanded groups within each school community and have positioned initial trainees as DT coaches at their respective schools. The HI FusionED Team looks forward to working with these forward-thinking schools.

HI FusionED – A New Chapter

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HONOLULU, HI — isisHawaii, a Hawaii-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to motivating educators and students toward 21st century learning, has announced a change in name to HI FusionED, effective immediately. The new name reflects the company’s dynamic process of combining or fusing diverse elements to form new learning experiences and positively-charged change in Hawaii.

“We see this as an exciting next step in connecting K-12 educators with leading-edge experts from academia, industry and the community,” said President Lynn Fujioka. “The new name encompasses the high level of energy involved in all of our collaborations and the cross-disciplinary learning and opportunities that occur as a result.”

HI FusionEd will be building upon the momentum established by isisHawaii’s outstanding initiatives, from sustainable agriculture and scholastic robotics to culturally-responsive partnerships and military outreach programs. Here are some of the most notable:

  • Ipu Waiwai Kula ‘AE – Aquaponics in Education (2011-14): This project (sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education Native Hawaii Education Program), targeted public intermediate schools in the Leeward District (Nanakuli/Waianae). Its primary goal was to increase NH student capacity by honoring and recognizing indigenous science as it aligns to 21st century learning and skill development
  • Virtual SeaPerch Program (2012-present) — Partnering with Navatek Ltd, 3D Innovations LLC and the Office of Naval Research, isisHawaii is currently developing Phase II of a 3D CAD application for students called, “V-Perch.” VPerch users design, build and test underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) in a total virtual environment.
  • Hawaii Robofest – Since 2006, isisHawaii has been the official Hawaii site host for Robofest, an international math-based robotics program, developed by Dr. CJ Chung from Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI. Currently, Hawaii boasts the largest regional among seven different countries and eight states.
  • Military Outreach — Through a partnership with the USS Missouri Memorial Association, isisHawaii developed a training program and on-board encampment experience for young students using LEGO robotics to reinforce the battleship’s historical significance and engineering pathways.

The HI FusionED Team has selected Mililani High School’s graphic design program (under the supervision of Mr. Todd Yoshizawa) to help redesign the logo. (Note: Mililani High School students were the organization’s first student cohort in 2002. The project involved pairing female students with on-line mentors in STEM-related fields.) We look forward to seeing their creative solutions soon.

For more information on HI FusionED, contact Lynn Fujioka at 808.988.1931 or email lynnfujioka@gmail.com.