[ HAWAII'S SCHOOLS ]
COURTESY OF BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL
Freshmen Keoni Kwasniowski, left, and Anson Perbera join sophomore Harris Aki in preparing to clear some of the area in the rear of the Baldwin campus for planting crops as part of their agriculture class.
Cornfields and
chicken coops provide
a can-do classroomTending to crops and
critters underpins the
farm technology courseTeen fashion trends sport blast from past
Baldwin students voice opinion on drug tests
About this Section | You Asked...
Whether through raising corn, managing animals or planning landscapes, agriculture technology students engage in hands-on projects and activities.
"Students who take this class don't necessarily plan to pursue agriculture in their future education or aspire to a career in this field," teacher Lester Kunimitsu said. "This class allows students to consider the options they have. It is important for students to start thinking about their future now, and I try to help prepare them for it."
Kunimitsu has taught agriculture classes at Baldwin since 1990, taking a break last year to teach a class in environmental and spatial technology for the first time.
Students work in groups or individually on various projects they choose. Projects include production of crops, mechanics, animal husbandry and construction. Some students work in the fields, tend to the greenhouse and work to control weeds.
"I like to allow students to work on their projects on their own," Kunimitsu said. "I stress that self-discipline is the key to doing well in this class. Once they achieve that skill, they are able to produce a lot of high-quality work."
"I know a lot about fixing machines and constructing cages because I learned a lot from my dad," freshman Greg Iiams said. "Now I can use what I know in this class. Mr. Kunimitsu pretty much lets you do things on your own. He'll give instructions and lets you learn from doing it yourself."
A hydroponics project will let students learn more about making plant growth more efficient.
"This year, we are planning to do something that has never been done," said senior Nalu Andrade, the school's Future Farmers of America president. "We are growing a hydroponics taro patch in the greenhouse. The taro will be grown in water and minerals with no soil or fertilizer. The taro will have a sweeter taste."
Students also enjoy raising a variety of crops.
"Corn is easy to grow and cool to cultivate because it shoots up really fast," said junior Justin Arruda. "My project is to stick with the cornfields. My corn has grown to record height!"
A major obstacle the students face is the abundance of cats on campus, particularly in the agriculture area located in the rear of the campus.
"The cats kill the chickens and even eat their eggs," said Andrade, agriculture class president. "We had lots of chickens last year, but the cats killed them. This year, when we catch the wild chickens that run around here, we plan to build stronger cages that they can live in," he said.
Some responsibilities the new animal caretakers have are feeding the animals, collecting their eggs and monitoring their health. They will also have to construct more stable cages.
Ramsey Jardine, a sophomore, agrees that Kunimitsu's method is helpful: "A lot of the work we do is really hands-on. Stuff that used to seem hard, like working on machines or field work, is actually really easy now. He answers questions, but he lets us do things on our own at our own pace."
Jardine recommends that students who enjoy working on a team and are ready for hard work take the class.
"You can make new friends and learn all sorts of new things," Ramsey said, "and because of the class's location (in the back of the campus), it's like you're not in school, but a whole different place."
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Teen fashion trends
sport blast from past
The first day of school brings a fresh start to any teenager's life with new friends, classes and more hot fashions to follow.
Trends vary this year from brilliant summer hues to alluring olive greens and army motifs. It seems that as the years progress, fashion and hairstyles drift farther into the past -- chic polka dots from the '50s, groovy miniskirts from the '70s and hip plastic bangle jewelry from the '80s.
This year, fashion has taken many different routes, but some of the most popular fuse punk, sporty, surfer and urban hipster styles with the laid-back Hawaii style.
COURTESY OF BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL
Junior Charles Bowers sports an afro, one of the more popular hairstyles for Baldwin boys.
The '80s seem more dominant than ever. Bright tropical colors such as hot pink, electric green and citrus orange are seen frequently.
Last year, we saw more browns and suedes that had an Indian feeling. This fall, we are seeing more army prints and different variations of pink.
Olive greens, grays and blacks accented with studded belts and jeans never fail to bring out the bad in any good girl.
Vintage print tees give a surfer aspect with an eccentric edge. They suit anything from shorts to your favorite pair of low-rise jeans. Checkered prints and stripes are perfect for a bold statement; however, they should not be matched together.
Many of these prints compliment each other the best when matched with a solid-colored top or bottom. Some styles and brands are always chic at Baldwin, where the surfer attitude is always present.
"Surfer styles and brands are always in," says junior Allison Moore. "I always try to go for comfortable and cute."
Volcom, Roxy, Quiksilver and Billabong are frequently sported around campus.
"I really like wearing Quiksilver because I like the graphics on the shirts," says freshman Anson Perbera.
Pride for Maui is always up to date when Maui Tropics constantly comes out with new clothing, accessories and innovative styles.
"I enjoy wearing Fubu, Phat Farm, Ecko and Sean John because they look and feel good," junior Glenn Ratim says.
All of these popular brands are high quality and reasonably priced, making it easy to add to the weekly wardrobe rotation.
Expressions and style for boys have come a long way from the classic T-shirt, shorts and slippers. Boys can pull off almost any look and still manage to look great.
"Whatever gets the chicks is the trend," says junior Edgar Larin.
Outfits for boys are kept simple but still allow them to express their individuality. A great fashion tip for boys this year is that if something doesn't fit right, they should always go one size bigger. Footwear should be appropriately matched with the outfit and fit the occasion.
Boys' hairstyles vary from the afro, mohawk or buzz cut to the more common cuts.
With the many trends to choose from, teenagers should choose a style that fits them. The clothes that teens wear reflect their lifestyles and values. Even with Baldwin's dress code, teenagers can still dress with style and flair.
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Baldwin students voice
opinion on drug testsProponents say they have no problem
with tests, while others see them
as a privacy issue
In January, Senate President Robert Bunda proposed a bill to make drug testing mandatory for high school athletes. Despite receiving backing from Gov. Linda Lingle, the bill met with little success. Questions about funding and concerns about privacy and liability left the Legislature and the public split over the issue.
Nearly a year later, media coverage surrounding Hawaii's rising "'ice' epidemic" and drug use by professional athletes has forced people statewide to consider the benefits and disadvantages of mandatory drug testing in high schools.
Under Bunda's proposal, Senate Bill 1471, a pilot project would be established at several public high schools, making drug testing a requirement for any student wishing to participate in school athletic activities or any other "physically strenuous" co-curricular activities. This stipulation is based primarily on results of a 1999-2000 study in Oregon.
The study, funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, found 5.7 percent of athletes in a school with drug testing used illegal drugs within a month, compared with 19.4 percent at a school without testing.
Supporters of the bill say the proposal establishes a drug-free learning environment through drug prevention and education activities. Backers say that mandatory drug testing would help in identifying drug users, making it possible to provide professional help to them. The use of mandatory drug testing also would improve overall academic environment and performance by reducing peer pressure to use drugs.
According to the bill, the results of tests would then be correlated with the results of student drug use surveys. One such survey -- the 2002 Hawaii Student Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use Study -- found that while substance abuse among high school students has generally decreased since 2000, the percentage of students having at least one friend who has done drugs has risen.
Some students think drug testing may be good in identifying drug abusers.
"It would take the drugs out of schools," said Baldwin High School sophomore Laylon Rudolfo. "I don't do drugs, so I don't mind being tested."
"There should be random drug testing in sports and school," said Baldwin senior Phillip Galapon. "There should be drug testing because everyone knows who's doing drugs in school anyway."
Financing for a drug testing program is a major sticking point for opponents of the policy. Although an estimated 11,000 students in the state of Hawaii require treatment, only 1,500 students receive treatment in school-based programs.
Opponents of mandatory drug tests in high school also question the constitutionality of the policy, seeing them as a violation of the Fourth and 14th amendments. Many students say they wouldn't want anyone to intrude on their personal lives.
"I don't agree with drug tests," said Baldwin sophomore Micah TomSun. "It's an invasion of privacy and it's not fair."
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About this Section
Each week, Hawaii's teenage reporters and photographers tell us about their high school. This week's school is Baldwin High School on Maui.
Newspaper: Baldwin Courier Adviser: Linda Coleon Next week: Sacred Hearts Academy
Bear facts
Address: 1650 Kaahumanu Ave., Wailuku, HI 96793 Phone: 808-984-5656 Principal: Stephen Yamada Vice principals: Phil Gilbert, Marcella McClelland Nickname: Bears School colors: Maroon and blue Enrollment: 1,700 Faculty and staff: 140 School namesake:
Henry Perrine Baldwin, an entrepreneur who led the development of the sugar cane industry on MauiSchoolwide Student Expected Outcomes:
Students will be:
-- Effective communicators.
-- Collaborative workers.
-- Quality producers.
-- Critical thinkers.
-- Self-directed and responsible learners.
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You Asked...
"Baldwin has introduced a new attendance policy where students who are absent for more than six days automatically fail, with appeals sent to a board. How do you feel about this policy?"
Jessica Boteilho
Sophomore
"I think it's very good. It keeps students in school and helps to keep track of everyone."Briana Goodnight
Freshman
"If we didn't have the attendance policy, more people would be ditching and playing hooky."Michelle Horikawa
Junior
"If you're sick for more than a week, you have to take time out to go before the board and explain why you were sick. I think it's unreasonable."Ekolu Moikeha
Freshman
"I think it's good. Everybody comes to school now."Kalani Palada
Junior
"I think it's stupid. If you have a funeral, and I had to go to one, you don't get excused. You don't get excused in times of sadness."Jeffrey Kajiwara
Senior
"I think it's good because it stops people from cutting class."Mikiala Miller
Senior
"It's hard for some students to maintain good attendance, but the policy is good to keep students in class and make them more independent about choices they make."Stephanie Rezentes
Senior
"I think it's really strict, but it doesn't really affect me because I'm always in school."
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