Youths are ‘wired’ today:
Computers, pagers, videoAt age 10? Everything’s cool
Last of five partsBy Rod Ohira
Star-BulletinSt. Louis Drive-In on Waialae Avenue has been a favorite food stop for St. Louis students for more than three decades.
About a dozen boys are there for a quick bite to eat before school.
Aside from their red pullover shirts, which have replaced the shirt and tie as the school's uniform, the most noticeable difference in the dress of students today is the object clipped to their pants.
Pagers? Just about everybody has one, says 15-year-old sophomore Aaron Mikami.
"If my parents need to reach me, they can just page," Mikami says with a sly chuckle. "I guess technology has brought me closer to my family."
Nineteen-year-old waiter Duane Brown of Nuuanu cannot imagine life without television, radio, cellular telephones or video games.
THROUGH THE YEARS
Most of the children under the age of 10 are living their memories now but one boy already misses a Manoa landmark -- the gas tanks formerly located near the H-1's University of Hawaii offramp -- removed in 1995."Electronics has really made everything easier for us," Brown said.
Meanwhile, shopping centers and malls are the meeting spot for today's teens, just as drive-ins such as Jolly Roger, Mynah Bird, Scotty's and Chunky's were hangouts for their parents or grandparents.
"I just like to hang out at malls, there's so much to do," said 13-year-old Crystal Maquindang of Kalihi, who recently moved back to Hawaii after living in Japan for six years."My favorite is Pearlridge. You can watch movies and eat at the food court."
Other stories: Brown still looks forward to a weekly treat from his grandmother, Carol Brown.
"She's from Louisiana, and our family goes to her house in Halawa Valley to eat dinner. She cooks Cajun food -- gumbo, jambalaya. It's the one time during the week I get to see my whole family."
Kid games in Kalihi
Conrad Kong, 17, of Kaneohe likes to hang out at the beach."Sandy's is my favorite. It always seems to be sunny there."
Abel Werner, 13, of Kalihi has a favorite memory of a nighttime game kids played at Mayor Wright Homes.
"One person stays at a pole and others hide," he said. "The person at the pole says a word and those hiding have to answer. Like if someone says cat, you say meow.
"If they found where you were hiding, you had to help find the others. There was a limit on the number of times you could call out a word.
"It was fun for me, but I don't know if they still play it."
Big slide at Sand Island
Alan Ramos, 19, of Kalihi enjoyed playing at Sand Island Park as a young child."I was about 5 years old. Sand Island Park had this big locomotive engine slide. That was my favorite. It was good to play hide-and-seek there, too."
Gliding at the Ice Palace
Brandy Kaaa-Sutton, 12, of Enchanted Lake likes to spend time with her favorite aunt, Sandi Clegg."We go to Kalama Beach and the Ice Palace a lot," she said. "Because there's no snow here, I like skating on ice. It's so cool there, and it feels like you're just gliding."
Video games brought to life
Maks Atkins, 19, of Kalihi says Lanakila Park was his favorite childhood hangout."Five of us used to play action games there along the lines of the video stuff. We would set up stuff, be the guys in the video games. A baseball bat could be a laser or shotgun.
"Also, I played a game in our backyard I called 'destruction.' There were so many rock piles in our backyard. I just took a hammer and blasted away."
At age 10?
Everything’s coolThe kids coming up like people, sports,
By Rod Ohira
technology, reading, math -- you name it
Star-BulletinTen-year-old Grant Costa of Waipio Gentry misses looking at the two large gas storage tanks that used to be located on the makai side of the H-1 Freeway near the University of Hawaii offramp.
The tanks, which were knocked down in 1995, were there so long, some called them a Manoa landmark.
It's remarkable that Grant, who attends Kanoelani Elementary School, even remembers them.
"I used to like to look at those two big balls next to the freeway whenever we drove by," he said. "They would just catch my eye. Too bad they had to knock them down."
Going to University of Hawaii football games, his poi dog Hoku and reading, especially the "Harry Potter" series, are among Grant's favorite things.
Students from Kanoelani Elementary, Iolani School and Kahaluu Elementary offered other insights about their lives in Hawaii.
Everybody's family
Michael Hackler, 10, of Iolani likes going to his grandmother's Kahala home for Sunday lunch, traveling with his family and going to the beach.But most of all, he loves Hawaii because of the people.
"The people here are so nice," he said. "They give you the shaka sign even if they don't know you. I think everybody feels like family in Hawaii. I would like to see it continue."
Technology is great
Jackie Varde, 10, of Kahaluu Elementary thinks her life would be boring without modern technology."Makes it easier to talk to friends on the phone, go to movies, watch TV and play computer games," she said. "You don't need to walk too much now because of cars.
"My favorite thing is looking at the ocean from my house. The water in the bay is a beautiful blue."
A toehold in math
Joseph Pecson, 10, of Kanoelani Elementary is aware of the benefits of learning advanced math now."Education is important, and I know there's more opportunities for me now than my dad had," he said. "Some of the math I'm learning my dad said he took in college."
Discovery Zone and Ultrazone are his two favorite fun places.
"I like the slides and inflated castles at Discovery Zone and to shoot lasers at Ultrazone. But you got to be 10 or older to go there," he said.
A country visit is tops
Dustin Singer, 10, of Iolani looks forward to a once a year visit with a family friend who lives in the country."I don't know exactly where the place is, but we go to the pineapple fields once a year and get to play and swim in the irrigation ditch," he said.
The Jewish light festival is also something Dustin looks forward to each year.
"When we celebrate Hanukkah, I get to light the light, and it makes me feel very special."
Music says it all
Heather Shohet, 10, of Kanoelani Elementary appreciates music."My mother teaches me violin and I also play piano, but violin is more fun," she said. "Music gives me things to do when I'm bored.
"The best thing about Hawaii is the sunshine. I like going to the beach, especially Bellows."
'Cliffhanger' is No.1
Liane Leong, 9, of Iolani likes video games, especially Pokemon because it's challenging."It's my favorite thing to do," she said. "We go to popo's house for dinner every other week and before we eat, we always play video games." Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, with its "cliffhanger" slide, is her favorite fun place in Hawaii.
Interested in news
Briana Clymer, 10, of Kanoelani Elementary watches the Channel 2 news at 6 for a special reason."My dad is a cameraman and we watch to see what he videotaped that day," she said. "News is so interesting.
"I like dancing hula because the motion tells a story. I started dancing when I was in kindergarten."
The soothing Koolaus
Holden Mandrial-Santos, 10, of Kahaluu Elementary takes in the beauty of the Koolau mountains when he wants to relax."I like to hang out at the malls, too, and go shopping for clothes and toys," he said.
A budding bike racer
Jonathan Giron, 10, of Kanoelani Elementary spends his free time at Wheeler's dirt track riding his BMX bike."Besides going to the park with my family, the track is the best place to be," he said. "I won five trophies there. I want to be a pro bike racer."
The Star-Bulletin interviewed dozens of Hawaii residents, ages 9 to 106, to gather memories about living in the islands. We share their recollections -- a capsule view of life in Hawaii this century. Today: Memories from residents in their 40s and 50s, reflecting on life here during the 1950s and 1960s. ABOUT THIS SERIES
Installments: Dec. 27 | Dec. 28 | Dec. 29 | Dec. 30
