[ HAWAII'S SCHOOLS ]
ASHLEY RICHARDSON / RADFORD HIGH SCHOOL
Partners in the Joint Venture Education Forum helped furnish four new computer labs at Radford High School with desks, chairs and plasma screen televisions.
Radford has
high-tech helpA partnership with the military
provides students tools
in four new computer labs
Fat 32? Java script? Defragmenting? Networking? What could these terms mean, and how could they possibly apply to the student body at Radford High School?
Thanks to the close partnership that Radford shares with surrounding military bases, the school, along with Red Hill Elementary and Aliamanu Middle School, was chosen as pilot schools to receive funding for technological advances for the classroom.
Four state-of-the-art computer laboratories were dedicated at Radford over the summer by partners in the Joint Venture Education Forum.
"We've been really fortunate," said Robert Stevens, principal.
It was two years ago that U.S. Air Force Col. Wayne Newman met with Principal Stevens. Newman was previously stationed in Japan and approached Stevens with several questions about Radford and its technological advancements.
After noting the accomplishments with the Department of Defense schools he saw while in Japan, he wondered why Radford was not receiving money from the military.
He, along with several other commanders, was concerned with the lack of funding that Radford was receiving.
Since 80 percent of Radford's student body is made up of military dependents, the commanders felt it was their duty to play an active role at RHS. They understood that the state Board of Education was responsible for the entire island and rarely did Radford receive any of the state impact money.
Instead of waiting around to see progress, the Joint Venture Education Forum approached Congress in hopes that it would allow the military to present Radford with money to be used for top-of-the-line equipment.
Four new computer laboratories are decked out with new computers that run Windows XP. Two of the laboratories are formatted for PC users, while the other two are for Macintosh users.
Each room is air-conditioned with new desks, chairs, and plasma screen televisions. Each laboratory also has Internet connections.
It is a place for students and teachers to be comfortable and it offers a learning environment unlike any other at Radford, Stevens said.
"It's hard to believe we're at Radford," said Leonard Wilson, multimedia and space and cosmology teacher. "I have to go outside to thaw out."
The new laboratories have various purposes. The room 131 lab is referred to as the College and Career Center. Students there use the computers to research colleges, and they also can listen to college speakers and learn about different occupations of their choice.
Not only can students access college Web sites, but they also have the ability to set up electronic portfolios. This portfolio is not only useful for future assistance in finding and applying for college but also as a tool to be accessed when a student is transferring between high schools.
Both Macintosh laboratories in room 252 and 283 are used for the Arts and Communications Academy. Multimedia students in particular use the facility to bring the school the daily morning bulletin.
The fourth computer laboratory is located in room 272 and is used for business classes and various math classes.
Although it took two years and much navigating through red tape to make this plan a reality, students, faculty and administrators are pleased with the end product.
"I look forward to using the new labs," sophomore Kelly Zerbe said.
Not only do students at Radford now have the means to learn and move forward, they can also take pride in their new state of the art computer laboratories.
"Failed schools are creating two societies: one that reads, and one that can't, and one that dreams and one that doesn't," said President Bush in a 1999 debate.
Because of the Joint Venture Education Forum and their involvement at Radford, students now have the tools to succeed and the skills that are imperative to educational triumph.
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Riflery uses the mind
as much as the bodyCompetitive shooting requires
responsibility, discipline and respect
Imagine a sport at Radford that does not deal with wrestling mats, pigskins, cheerleaders, hoops or volleying. Unlike most sports at Radford, this one is purely internal. There are no bumps or bruises.
The shooter, from 33 feet away, is competing against himself or herself, hoping to see self-improvement and to benefit the team's accumulative score.
Andrew Alejandro, an expert shooter in the military and Radford's air riflery team coach, is pleased with the assistance that the school has offered to the program.
"We could not have done it without the support of (Radford Athletic Director Eddie) Maruyama and Principal (Robert) Stevens. Without them, we wouldn't have our new firing range to hold practices," Alejandro said.
Radford principles such as discipline, respect and responsibility are values taught in air riflery.
"Like any other sport, air riflery takes determination and stamina and, above all, the student must maintain a GPA of 2.0 to participate," Alejandro said.
STEPHANIE CHANG / RADFORD HIGH SCHOOL
Sophomore Nikki Patton aims and prepares to fire her rifle during after-school practice.
Alejandro said that there is a big misunderstanding regarding who can participate in the program. Although the majority of members on the squad are from the school's JROTC program, any student who wishes to be on the squad may do so. However, JROTC members have an advantage because of their training.
"The benefit of a JROTC member who joins air riflery is that he or she not only will qualify for a JV or varsity letter but also has the opportunity to receive a ribbon," Alejandro said.
Air riflery takes discipline. Members compete with air rifles and pellet guns and shoot at targets from three positions: prone, standing and kneeling with their eye on their target. The shooter wishes to hit a bull's-eye each time, but there is a great amount of pressure because each shooter is timed.
"We, as a team, practice very hard, and just like everyone else, we like to win," said senior and team captain Josten Sumagit. "Although winning is not everything, all we can hope for is that we've done our best and have fun. That's what really counts."
The sport is about high precision, but it is unforgiving if an accident occurs. As part of his duty as range officer, Alejandro ensures that members of the squad undergo a safety briefing before, during and after every match.
"I'm hoping I have a successful season," Sumagit said. "I want to improve my breathing skills, my score, trigger control (and) the basic fundamentals of this sport. I want to make it to Individuals and from there, qualify for States and Placing.
"I have been in air riflery since I was a freshman, and I want to make my last season successful, fun and unforgettable."
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About this Section
Each week, Hawaii's teenage reporters and photographers will tell us about their high school. This week's school is Radford High School.
Newspaper:
The RamPageEditor in chief:
Erika BaldwinFaculty adviser:
Mary Ann KuroseNext week:
Kauai High School
Ram Facts
Established:
1957Address:
4361 Salt Lake Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96818Principal:
Robert StevensColors:
Black and white with red trimMascot:
RamStudents:
1,326Faculty:
113Number of classrooms:
81Yearbook:
Ka Po'e Ae'a
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You Asked
If you were sent to a deserted island,
what three things would you bring?Cheyney Donovan
Sophomore
"I would bring hair ties, a lavalava and a radio."Marielle Crisolo
Freshman
"Food, toothbrush and clothes."Allen Asuncion
Junior
"Girls, girls and more girls."Tatiana Smith
Freshman
"Endless supply of water, camera and
a never-ending cell phone battery."Jessica Daniel
Sophomore
"Food, friends, family."Emerisa Sato
Senior
"Friends, food, clothes."Ryan Shell
Sophomore
"I would bring food, a tent
and Jennifer Lopez."Edward Gamiao
Senior
"I'd bring my family pictures, music CDs
and a cell phone."Paul Michael Treney
Sophomore
"A poster of a hot girl, a lot of clean
water and a knife."Chris Nonales
Sophomore
"I would take toilet paper, bottles of
clear water and rice."
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