For the third year in a row, Alyssa Navares Myers, a 2009 University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa graduate in the , has helped Sacred Hearts Academy students win the state鈥檚 top high school journalism program award.

Myers and her students were recognized on April 17, at the awards luncheon held at 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa鈥檚 Campus Center Ballroom. The program co-sponsors (Hawaiʻi Publishers Association, Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi and Honolulu Star-Advertiser) recognized 90 students and advisers from the 15 participating public and private high schools.

Myers, who has taught journalism at Sacred Hearts for 10 years, is one of several public and private school news program advisers who have earned degrees from 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补. Under her guidance, her students have won the Hawaiʻi High School Journalism Awards Best in State recognition in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The Best in State winner is determined by totaling each school鈥檚 top three scores in the writing division, and their top score in the photo, online and design divisions.

Myers is a Kamehameha Schools Kap膩lama 2005 alumna, where she was an editor of her student newspaper before matriculating to 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补. She was a features editor and managing editor for Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi, and her work there helped her earn the 2006 Carol Burnett Award for Ethics and Excellence in Journalism. Myers鈥� students also have worked for Ka Leo after graduation and others now work in the media industry professionally, including one who is a social media editor for the NFL. A current student, Keira Wheeler, will be doing an internship this summer with Vogue magazine.

“My time at 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa, especially as the features and managing editor at Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi, was foundational in shaping not just my journalism skills but also my values as a mentor,” Myers said. “Now, advising Ka Leo at Sacred Hearts Academy feels serendipitous; it’s like I鈥檝e come full circle. Being able to guide young journalists and see them thrive, just as I was once encouraged to, is really rewarding. I鈥檓 proud to carry forward a legacy of meaningful storytelling and to share a deep love for news media with the next generation.”

More news program advisers with degrees from 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补:

• Ray Anne Galzote, Waipahu High
• Bonnie Fujii, Farrington High
• Robin Kitsu, N膩n膩kuli High
• Jo Ann Mastin, Campbell High
• Daniella Reyes, Mililani High
• Cindy Reves, McKinley High
• Eric Stinton, Le Jardin Academy

Noelle Fujii-Oride, a University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa alumna, has always been drawn to the impact journalism can have on a community. Now, as the editor of , she鈥檚 at the helm of a nonprofit publication designed to inform, inspire and drive meaningful change across Hawaiʻi.

Fujii-Oride, who previously covered issues such as affordable housing, climate change and education at Hawaiʻi Business Magazine, is no stranger to in-depth reporting. But with Overstory, she鈥檚 leading a different kind of storytelling鈥攐ne that moves beyond breaking news and instead highlights solutions to Hawaiʻi鈥檚 most pressing challenges.

“We鈥檙e not just looking at the problems or the challenges that Hawaiʻi is facing,” Fujii-Oride said. “We really want to know how folks are responding to these issues.”

Under her leadership, Overstory aims to add depth and context to the conversation rather than contribute to the overwhelming flood of daily news.

“We look at responses to challenges, using data and evidence to see what鈥檚 working and what can be replicated,” she explained.

糖心Vlog官方 impact on career

Fujii-Oride鈥檚 journey to this role began at 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa, where she earned a degree in in the . While in college, the Bay Area native gained hands-on experience writing for , the student newspaper, an opportunity she said was instrumental in shaping her career.

“Working at Ka Leo complemented what I learned in the classroom,” she said. “It teaches you to be brave, be curious and ask the important questions, all while learning how to build meaningful relationships with the community.”

After interning at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Honolulu Civil Beat, she joined Hawaiʻi Business Magazine in 2017, where she became a key voice in coverage on social and economic issues. But after years in the industry, she saw the need for a different type of reporting鈥攐ne that would connect communities with potential solutions to the issues that affect them.

At Overstory, Fujii-Oride is embracing that mission. The publication is an editorially independent program of , a nonprofit dedicated to increasing civic engagement. She believes the nonprofit model provides an advantage, allowing journalism to remain a public service rather than a business.

“With nonprofit journalism, it puts public service at the forefront of what we do,” she said. “It allows us to be intentional in our reporting and really focus on what the community needs.”

As Overstory grows, Fujii-Oride hopes to continue filling gaps in coverage, particularly in solutions-based reporting and neighbor island issues. Living on Kauaʻi, she understands firsthand how different the challenges can be outside of Oʻahu.

“We鈥檙e not trying to replicate what other newsrooms are already doing,” she said. “We saw a gap for more solutions coverage and for neighbor island stories.”

For aspiring journalists, Fujii-Oride has one key piece of advice: explore new avenues and be willing to innovate.

“It鈥檚 a really cool time to be a journalist,” she said. “There are so many new journalism organizations popping up, and it shows that we don鈥檛 have to do journalism the way it鈥檚 always been done.”

University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa鈥檚 student newspaper earned two national first place awards from the College Media Association. was the nation鈥檚 best in and .

The winning photo was taken by Ka Leo Photo Editor Diego Rivera of a fire that ripped through an apartment complex near 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa鈥檚 lower campus in May 2022. The photo caption on the online post read, “Spectators gather from the sidelines as firefighters take on the blaze.”

The winning feature page was from a November 12, 2021, print edition and featured the top 10 boba spots on Oʻahu. Illustrations created by Ka Leo Design Editor Amy Lowe spotlight a drink from each of the 10 locations. The list and story was compiled by Ka Leo Features Writer Sarah Tomita.

“With all the adversities our staff face in our day-to-day lives, achievements like this make all the difference,” Ka Leo Interim Editor in Chief Noe Nekotani said. “Under the pressure of deadlines, school and life, our staff still manages to pull through with award winning content. I am very proud to be working alongside these staffers and encourage all students to find their potential here at Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi.”

College Media Association’s Pinnacle Awards honor the best college media organizations and individual work. The competition is open to student work produced for any college media organization, including print, broadcast and online outlets, during an academic year.

糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa student media programs captured four College Media Association awards in 2021, including first place awards for best video promo/PSA and best general news photo. Here is a list of awards:

• 1st place best video promo/PSA: M膩noa Now
• 1st place best general news photo: Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi
• 2nd place best online ad: M膩noa Now
• Honorable mention best podcast: The Future Accords, KT糖心Vlog官方

—By Marc Arakaki

A from the late Hawai驶i congressman and University of Hawaiʻi alumnus K. Mark Takai (1967–2016) is now available for public access in the .

Housed in the , the collection was generously donated by Takai鈥檚 wife, Sami.

The papers document the congressman鈥檚 work in the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, his time in Congress, as well as his tenure as president of the Associated Students of the 糖心Vlog官方 (AS糖心Vlog官方) and editor of the 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa student newspaper, .

“The Hawaiʻi Congressional Papers Collection is so pleased to be able to share this collection with the public, and to play a small part in stewarding Rep. Takai’s legacy,” said Dawn Sueoka, congressional papers archivist. “From his early days in AS糖心Vlog官方 leadership to his work in the U.S. Congress, this collection tells the story of a life dedicated to public service.”

糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa years

Takai attended 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa on a swimming scholarship, earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in in 1990, and a master鈥檚 degree in in 1993. While an undergraduate at 糖心Vlog官方, Takai was active in student government. He served as chair of the lobbying committee of the AS糖心Vlog官方, and was elected the association鈥檚 president in 1989.

From 1990 to 1991, Takai served as editor in chief of Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi. During this period, the paper was a lightning rod for some of the most critical issues that the university was struggling with, including racism and sexism.

Related: Remembering Representative K. Mark Takai, July 20, 2016

Materials in the Takai collection document an important period in 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa鈥檚 history. They include material documenting the controversy around letters published in the Ka Leo by the late Professor Haunani-Kay Trask and student Joey Carter, the fight to publish a column in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) without translation, and examples of racist and sexist flyers that were anonymously posted around campus at that time.

Sueoka noted, “The collection is small compared to our other congressional collections, but it really succinctly documents Takai’s work, and it has some incredible material in it.”

The Hawaiʻi Congressional Papers Collection comprises the papers of Hawaiʻi delegates to the U.S. Congress from statehood in 1959 to the present, including: U.S. Senator , U.S. Senator , U.S. Representative , U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka, U.S. Senator , among others.

To make an appointment to access the collection, email archives@hawaii.edu or call (808) 956-6047.

More about Takai

Takai represented ʻAiea and Pearl City in the Hawaiʻi State Legislature for 20 years, where he was known as a dedicated, energetic and well-liked public servant and a champion of education and of veterans issues. While in the legislature, he established the Hawaiʻi Medal of Honor to honor service members with Hawaiʻi ties that had been killed in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. Takai himself was a Lt. Col. in the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard and was activated in 2005, and again in 2009, when he deployed to Kuwait for 6 months.

Takai was elected to Congress in 2014 (representing Hawaiʻi鈥檚 First Congressional District), and was named to the House Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Though he died from pancreatic cancer in 2016, his legislation to compensate military personnel exposed to radioactive debris in the Marshall Islands continued to be championed by his colleagues, as the Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act. The measure became part of the 117th Congress’s PACT Act, which expanded benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances. It was signed into law by President Biden on August 10, 2022.

staff members celebrated the publication鈥檚 100th anniversary with a print edition on October 3 highlighting some of the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa student newspaper鈥檚 milestone stories since 1922.

The newspaper was called The Hawaii Mirror for its first several issues, before adopting Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi in 1923. The 100th anniversary issue opens with a look back at its first issue on September 13, 1922.

Other noteworthy stories include the welcoming of students from Japan in the 1930s through an exchange program that is still around today; events of the 1950s, including a visit from Barack Obama Sr., father of the Hawaiʻi-born 44th U.S. president; and when Hawaiʻi became the first state in the U.S. to decriminalize abortion in 1970 before the U.S. Supreme Court made its decision on Roe v. Wade.

In the centerfold of the issue, Amanda Dick and Noe Nekotani spotlighted front covers from each of the past 10 decades.

“Our reporters dived into the Ka Leo archives for this 100th anniversary special issue and revisited old stories for updates. This issue would not have been possible without the coordination and leadership of our staff. We hope that you enjoy this special issue for Ka Leo‘s centennial celebration!” said Nekotani, current interim editor in chief.

Ka Leo鈥檚 100th anniversary issue is available on stands around the 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa campus.

For more coverage on its 100th anniversary, visit the special centennial page on .

Read more about Ka Leo鈥檚 100th anniversary in this 糖心Vlog官方 News story

Throughout its 100-year history, Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi, which translates to “The Voice of Hawaiʻi,” has published award-winning content, while serving as a training ground for future professional journalists in Hawaiʻi and around the world.

—By Marc Arakaki

鈥檚 student newspaper, , turned 100 years old this September. Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi, which translates to “The Voice of Hawaiʻi,” has published award-winning content, while serving as a training ground for future professional journalists in Hawaiʻi and around the world.

The newspaper was launched on September 13, 1922 by Henry Bindt, a blind 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa student who thought that the university needed a student newspaper. The publication went by the name The Hawaii Mirror for its first several issues, before adopting Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi in 1923. The newspaper printed weekly editions and eventually printed five days a week using an on-campus printing press. In recent years, the number of print editions per semester has been reduced and filled with more online content on its .

Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum, East-West Center president, credits the newspaper with giving her “a unique opportunity to fail, learn and grow as a very green journalism student.”

“I started on the copy desk using paper, pencil and an AP stylebook. During this time, I watched the transition from typewriters to floppy disks and computers,” Vares-Lum said. “Being a former managing editor of Ka Leo, I had a unique opportunity to learn about leadership, timelines and pressure! 鈥� My experience at Ka Leo was foundational for me as it taught me about the importance of free, balanced and accurate reporting, and checking facts! More importantly, I learned how to work with a team with different worldviews, and yet build lifelong connections!”

Jay Hartwell, who served as Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi鈥檚 faculty advisor from 1997–2017, credited the university鈥檚 commitment to letting students lead the news program and make its decisions, and sustaining the First Amendment of free speech and a free press at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.

“It was a privilege for me to train and advise the people who volunteered to be at Ka Leo and serve 糖心Vlog官方. They worked daily on deadline with their peers to report, verify, edit, design, illustrate, comment, photograph, video, and post鈥攁ll without course credit,” Hartwell said. “As with any on-the-job training, staff made mistakes and my job was to help them understand why and also how to handle complaints from angry professors, administrators, students or community members who wanted the editor or reporter fired. The students learned and graduated. Many became exceptional journalists or communications professionals. All are better citizens because of Ka Leo.”

100th anniversary celebration

Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi鈥檚 current staff is planning a 100th anniversary print issue on October 3. Other anniversary events are also being planned by the Student Media Board, the governing board which oversees 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa student media programs, including Ka Leo.

“We are excited to celebrate 100 years of Ka Leo being the Voice of Hawaiʻi,” said Amanda Dick, Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi editor in chief. “As we move into the ‘new normal’ and work to bring the campus more print issues, we are also boosting our online presence through our website and social media. At Ka Leo, it’s important for us to understand who we speak for, the spaces they are in and what they find important, so we can accurately be their Voice for the next 100 years.”

For more information, visit .

Some notable Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi alumni:

• Paula Akana (former news anchor, executive director of ʻIolani Palace)
• Larry Beil (ABC7 News anchor, San Francisco, former ESPN anchor)
• Jerry Burris (former Honolulu Advertiser political columnist and author)
• Beverly Creamer (Honolulu newspaper and magazine journalist)
• Robbie Dingeman (HONOLULU Magazine editor)
• Hiram L. Fong (former U.S. senator)
• Daryl Huff (Hawaiʻi News Now managing editor)
• Jason Kaneshiro (Honolulu Star-Advertiser sports reporter)
• Bill Kwon (former Honolulu sports writer and editor)
• George Lee (Honolulu Star-Advertiser photo editor)
• Dan Meisenzahl (糖心Vlog官方 director of communications, former news anchor, reporter, producer)
• Jon J. Murakami (artist and cartoonist with a comic strip in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
• Kent Nishimura (Los Angeles Times photographer)
• Ryan Ozawa (communications professional, independent journalist, digital storyteller)
• Gordon Pang (former Honolulu Star-Advertiser reporter)
• Joey Ramirez (Los Angeles Lakers, associate director, social and content)
• Dave Reardon (Honolulu Star-Advertiser sports columnist)
• Brenda Salgado (Hawaiʻi News Now assignment manager)
• Mark Takai (former U.S. representative and state representative)
• Nicole Tam (KCCI 8 News reporter, Des Moines, Iowa)
• Catherine Toth Fox (HAWAIʻI Magazine editor)
• Michael Tsai (Spectrum News political digital journalist)
• Stephen Tsai (Honolulu Star-Advertiser reporter)
• Vares-Lum (East-West Center president)
• Mary Vorsino (Hawaiʻi News Now digital content director)

—By Marc Arakaki

Journalism students in the at the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa鈥檚 (CSS) took home 24 awards in the 2020 鈥檚 Excellence in Journalism competition. The awards were announced virtually on September 29. The annual statewide event recognizes the best in journalism in Hawaiʻi.

CSS journalism students swept all student categories, and capstone students from the spring and fall 2020 semesters of JOUR 470 and 480 were recognized in six of eight student media categories.

“It means a lot to get an award,” said Alyssa Rodello, who won first place in the Student Video News category for her story on sex trafficking, and who is scheduled to graduate in May 2022. “I hope it makes people want to learn more, research more, and trust real journalism and all the people involved who are constantly working to make a difference.”

For the past four years, 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa journalism students have had a strong showing in the contest, winning nearly every award in the student categories.

Student News Reporting in Any Media

• 1st Place: Linsey Dower, “Nothing for dinner: Restaurants lay off staff”
• 2nd Place: Chaz Mihara, “Cool in School” 糖心Vlog官方Mtv Show #20, spring 2020
• 3rd Place: Sophia Compton, “Issues within the Office of Hawaiian Affairs”

Student Feature Reporting in Any Media

• 1st Place: Shafkat Anowar, “We are not American! We will die as Hawaiians, we will never be American!” Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi
• 2nd Place: Professional journalist and 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa instructor Dave Reardon and Elizabeth Ufi, “Happy Bento sticks to its roots while adapting to COVID-19”
• 3rd Place: Kirsten Sibley, “糖心Vlog官方 athletes go pro” 糖心Vlog官方Mtv Show #20, spring 2020

Student Spot News in Any Media

• 1st Place: Shafkat Anowar, “I was one of the one million international students afraid of being deported” Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi
• 2nd Place: Cassie Ordonio, “Student media organizations file transparency complaint against the 糖心Vlog官方 Student Media Board”
• 3rd Place: Alexa Gutierrez, “Hawaiʻi鈥檚 restaurants coping with COVID” 糖心Vlog官方Mtv Show #19, spring 2020

Student Investigative Reporting in Any Media

• 1st Place: Natanya Friedheim, “Pegge Hopper And The ‘Myth’ Of Native Hawaiians” Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi
• 2nd Place: Geneva Diaz, “Kona Coffee Fraud” 糖心Vlog官方Mtv Show #20, spring 2020
• 3rd Place: Troy Jacobs, “Youth Vaping” 糖心Vlog官方Mtv Show #20, spring 2020

Student Video News

• 1st Place: Alyssa Rodello, “Sex Trafficking” 糖心Vlog官方Mtv Show #22, fall 2020
• 2nd Place: Carina Nocon, “Sexual Misconduct” 糖心Vlog官方Mtv Show #19, spring 2020
• 3rd Place: Megan Lucas, “Haiku Stairs Future” 糖心Vlog官方Mtv Show #19, spring 2020

Student Photography

• 1st Place: Shafkat Anowar, “In memoriam: HPD officers killed in Diamond Head Shooting Tragedy” Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi
• 2nd Place: Kate Sparhawk, “COVID-19 Photo Essay”
• 3rd Place: Georgia Johnson-King and Alyssa Rodello, “Women鈥檚 March, Women鈥檚 Voices”

Best Multimedia Presentation

• 1st Place: Elicia Tong, “COVID-19 & Taipei鈥檚 Shilin Night Market”
• 2nd Place: Samantha Larson and Shafkat Anowar, “Aloha Stadium aglow with Christmas lights for a good cause” Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi
• 3rd Place: Megan Lucas, “Coronavirus in Hawaiʻi vs. the Mainland”

Informational Graphics

• 1st Place: Keila Lee, “Coping with Dementia” 糖心Vlog官方Mtv Show #19, spring 2020
• 2nd Place: Ronnie Allen Campman, “Animal Welfare” 糖心Vlog官方Mtv Show #19, spring 2020
• 3rd Place: Charissa Porter, “Legalizing Marijuana” 糖心Vlog官方Mtv Show #22, fall 2020

These works are examples of 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa鈥檚 goals of (PDF) and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

In spring 2020, as part of his video journalism class, Shafkat Samin Anowar made a two-minute video of a homeless man living on Harding Avenue in Kaimuk墨 with his seven dogs. Anowar also posted the video online, showcasing his keen photojournalist鈥檚 eye and astute nose for news. The public response was unexpected.

“That video drew over 500 views from all over the country, and his long-lost cousin and brother reached out to me, asking if they could reestablish their relationship with him,” said the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa student. “If utilized correctly, this is the power of photojournalism.”

It is also the power of Anowar鈥檚 flair for communication, which won the 24-year-old senior two 2021 honors—a $2,000 Reid Blackburn Scholarship from the National Press Photographers Foundation and first-runner-up as Student Photographer of the Year in the White House News Photographers Association鈥檚 annual contest. He is also spending the spring 2021 semester as an intern at the Associated Press office in Chicago.

“My ultimate career goal is to work as a photojournalist in the White House Press Pool,” he said. “I don鈥檛 know if that dream will come true one day, but I鈥檝e had my heart set on it since high school.”

Anowar鈥檚 background

Anowar grew up in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and—as the eldest son—there were family expectations for him to become a doctor or engineer. “I have the utmost respect for both professions, but I could not see a future for myself as either,” he said. “I don鈥檛 know what my life would have been like if I had stayed in my country.”

Instead, he moved to Honolulu in 2016 to enroll at Kapiʻolani Community College, then transferred to 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa in 2018. He joined the student newspaper, Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi, to learn more about photojournalism and how to work in a newsroom. His classes taught him the crafts of storytelling with a camera and effective interaction with the public, which was a challenge since he grew up speaking Bengali.

“As English is my second language, I have always faced basic communication issues with word selection, breaking the ice, etc.,” said Anowar. “I did not have culture shock, but the classes helped to create my new self.”

Success at 糖心Vlog官方

He added that his university experience magnified his focus. “You might think that you don鈥檛 necessarily need book knowledge to nurture your communication skills but, for some people like me, there is no better alternative,” said Anowar. “Research and education are the most important things. For example, since I am choosing to be in the media industry, it is important to learn about media ethics. No matter how many articles there are about it online, there is nothing better than learning about that from the professor.”

Anowar credits faculty members such as Professor Jenifer Sunrise Winter for inspiration and guidance, and values his on-the-job training as photographer and photo editor at Ka Leo, as he heads toward anticipated graduation in December 2021.

“I have always had a strong desire to work as a staff photojournalist for a wire service like the Associated Press or Reuters,” he said. “Since I am interning right now with AP Chicago, I am kind of living my dream.”

This work is an example of 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa鈥檚 goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

Anowar’s award-winning work

Campus life has been quite different this semester, but despite the empty classrooms and quiet campus grounds, the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa spirit is louder than ever. 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa is calling upon its 17,000 students to draw even closer.

The 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa Office of Admissions, along with 糖心Vlog官方 Student Media and the 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa Bookstore, have partnered to roll out two contests “Apart but Together” geared specifically for 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa students and graduating seniors.

Contest #1

• Open to all 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa students
• Enter to win a $500 scholarship
• Share photos or short video clips of study sessions, study breaks, mementos, food, 糖心Vlog官方 gear, routines, new hobbies, a Zoom call or anything that reminds and connects you to campus, answering the question ‘how have you brought M膩noa home?’
• and tag #WarriorsFromHome

Contest #2

• Open to spring semester graduating seniors only
• Enter to win an 糖心Vlog官方M-azing swag bag + $50 bookstore gift card
• Share with photos or short video clips of your senior-selfie, words of encouragement to fellow classmates, anything that inspires and celebrates you, the graduating class of 2020.
• and tag #ManoaMemories
• Submissions will be featured on and those submitted prior to May 15 may appear in the Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi May 19, 2020, print issue.

“We are excited to collaborate with both 糖心Vlog官方 Student Media and the bookstore,” commented 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa Enrollment Marketing Manager Jennel Sesoko. “Creating opportunities such as this maintains a strong connection to our campus—not only for our students, but our campus community as a whole. Whether a first-year student or a senior graduating, we want to recognize our students and their 糖心Vlog官方M-azing Rainbow Warrior spirit.”

Director of 糖心Vlog官方 Student Media Sandy Matsui said, “Although we may be physically apart via social distancing, M膩noa Now and the 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa student media programs want to celebrate the graduating class of 2020 together.”

Students must submit their entries no later than 11:59 p.m. on May 31, 2020.

Members of University of Hawaiʻi student news publications work hard to cover issues on their campus and the pulse of the students, but are facing unforeseen challenges in this pandemic. They are making modifications to their operations due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Most have pivoted to an online delivery method, and some have tailored their focus to COVID-19 content.

Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi (糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补)

, 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa鈥檚 student news organization, has canceled all of its remaining biweekly print issues since March 10, providing daily online content through its website and social media platforms , and . One of four 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa student media programs, Ka Leo is the main content contributor to M膩noa Now, the program鈥檚 award-winning mobile application. The app has a new look for its more than 20,000 subscribers as staff members have transitioned to provide COVID-19 coverage.

“Ka Leo has always served as a student voice for the university, and that has not changed,” Editor in Chief Chavonnie Ramos said. “The COVID-19 situation has helped enhance our responsibility as a news organization to be that voice. More than ever, our peers need a resource to go to view their news and any important information that impacts them as a student.”

Ke Kalahea (糖心Vlog官方 Hilo)

Several staff members of 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo鈥檚 student news publication have returned home as classes transitioned online. , like many other organizations, rely on online methods of internal communication and information dissemination. Besides maintaining its website, , and , Ke Kalahea works with to stream content on air, and still prints its monthly issues with changes. Circulation has been reduced by 50 percent due to less foot traffic on campus. Staff members distribute grab-and-go tote bags and merchandise with copies of the issue, student housing helps to distribute bags with issues to on-campus residents, and Ke Kalahea is offering shipping of issues to students away from campus.

“Our mission at 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo is to uphold the freedom of press, exchange ideas and express the voice of the student body, while providing a forum for journalistic communication and training to students in all areas of the news publication operation,” Editor in Chief Rosannah Gosser said. “With the COVID-19 crisis, our mission has not changed, and we have been doing our best to report on the current crisis’ impacts to our community and illuminate individual student voices affected by the circumstances.”

The Hoot (糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu)

Michelle Zheng, editor in chief for student newspaper, said her staff has adjusted to the COVID-19 situation by conducting interviews through video calling platforms like Zoom. “The good part about doing things digitally was having the details of the interviews recorded for easy access. However, the missing one-on-one in-person contact made it feel disconnected.”

The mission of The Hoot hasn鈥檛 changed. Zheng said her staff still strives to provide an entertaining and informative paper for 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu students. She said when they were first informed of the COVID-19 situation, engagement was the top concern. Staff members still engage their readership through their and pages. And, according to Zheng, since students enjoy reading the physical copy of each issue, the staff ordered copies of the spring issue and will be distributing them once in-person classes resume.

Ka L膩 (Honolulu Community College)

, Honolulu CC鈥檚 student newspaper, had to cancel a festival to celebrate the release of its Art & Soul creative arts magazine. Staff members said they worked hard to plan activities for students like raku pottery making, an art gallery, a musical concert and a poetry reading. They look forward to hopefully hosting the festival in fall 2020. Currently, they are focused on creating new content and videos for their website and , according to staff members Allan Salvador, Kristofel Abella, Alyssa Baligad and Sadie Fetui.

Fetui said the team is able to help out the Honolulu CC community “by keeping students entertained, informed of what’s going on with their campuses and in the world, and maybe even give a little positive hope while they struggle to deal with difficult times and keeping up with their lives.”

Kapiʻo News (Kapiʻolani CC)

Estefania Magdalena, a staff writer, said the organization鈥檚 mission to keep its student community informed has grown stronger during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The student newspaper connects us and is a space of opinion and creativity. Students are interacting more on our social networks, and there are more people who know us.”

The staff maintains its , and pages despite having to modify operations. Interviews are conducted by phone or email, instead of face-to-face, and staff members are no longer working from the office, a place Magdalena said is a comfortable place to work quietly.

Ka Manaʻo (Leeward CC)

, Leeward CC鈥檚 student magazine, has transitioned online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Editor in Chief Gerald Soria said it will release previously designed print pages, digitally, through Leeward CC student life鈥檚 weekly emails to students. Ka Manaʻo鈥檚 staff will publish more content on , and , and has dedicated a new page to . Soria has also worked with his team to fulfill a newly created mission to “promote the rights of free speech in journalism and fostering the growth of students in creative fields.” Many of these changes were implemented after Ka Manaʻo advisor Stanley Lee, Soria and other student editors attended the Associated Collegiate Press College Journalism Convention in San Francisco in late February. There was, however, one challenge that Soria has had to overcome.

“Safety is paramount during this pandemic. While many roles in a publication can be done online, photographers are at most risk in times of a pandemic. While some would risk going out to take photos for a news article, it is imperative that extreme precaution is taken as well as consent from the photographer,” Soria said.

Hoʻoulu (糖心Vlog官方 Maui College)

Despite COVID-19, is sticking to its mission: “to be a source of community and campus information for our students.” To fulfill it, 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College鈥檚 student newspaper has made a few changes, according to Editor Sarah Gudmunson. Because campus events have been canceled, writers need to pitch other story ideas and interview subjects via email instead of in-person. Staff members also had to postpone taking over a campus bulletin board to broadcast updates.

Hoʻoulu still maintains its online newspaper, and pages.

Ka ʻOhana (Windward CC)

, Windward CC鈥檚 student newspaper, will publish its final spring issue on April 28 through its website, as classes have moved online and foot traffic has decreased across campus. Ka ʻOhana is a monthly publication by journalism students, that covers both campus and community news. Kimberlee Bassford, journalism instructor and Ka ʻOhana advisor, said it hopes to return to hard copy issues this fall.

Staff members also engage their readership through Ka ʻOhana鈥檚 .

—By Marc Arakaki