Education briefs
Advertiser Staff
Aliamanu, Central, Waimea honored
Aliamanu Middle School, Central Middle School and Waimea High have been named Hawai'i's Outstanding Public Schools for 2001-02.
"These schools can and should be models for others to emulate as all of Hawai'i's schools focus on meeting the challenging standards that have been set," said schools chief Pat Hamamoto.
Frito-Lay of Hawai'i awarded $2,000 to each winning school.
Other schools nominated this year were Ke Ku Kaiapuni 'Anuenue and Pearl City High. The recognition program alternates each year between elementary and secondary schools. Noelani Elementary was the 2000-01 winner.
Schools are evaluated by a panel of judges on criteria including leadership, teaching environment, curriculum and instruction and parent and community support.
Law professor gets Fulbright award
Alison W. Conner, a professor at the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawai'i-Manoa, has received a Fulbright award that will enable her to teach next spring at Peking University, one of China's top law schools.
Conner will be serving for the second time as a Fulbright scholar. Her previous scholarship was at the University of Nanjing's Department of Law during the 1983-84 academic year.
Fund-raiser set for symphony
As part of its grand opening, the restaurant Morton's of Chicago will host a fund-raising event Tuesday for the Honolulu Symphony. All proceeds from will benefit the Symphony's Youth Music Education Program.
The Symphony's Youth Music Education Program will give more than 50,000 students exposure to classical music this year, in an endeavor shown to stimulate learning and raise SAT scores.
As part of the education program, students are invited to the symphony's concert hall on a monthly basis to listen. The symphony also has more than 10 ensembles that travel to local schools to perform. The bottom line is to expose students to classical music and teach them about the instruments.
The symphony holds that music should be part of every student's learning experience, and viewed as important as reading and writing, as the exposure builds character and promotes self worth.
Financial aid up at private universities
The average amount of financial aid received by full-time undergraduates at private colleges and universities rose dramatically in the 1999-2000 academic year, according to statistics released last week by the U.S. Department of Education.
The average aid awarded rose 27 percent from $10,800 in the 1995-96 academic year to $13,700 last year.
In addition, the number of students at private colleges who received financial aid went from 80 percent five years ago to 84 percent last year.
But the data also showed that the number of minority and low-income students remained low, with 6 percent of the students at private colleges of Asian American ancestry and 1 percent of Native American ancestry. Also, 10 percent were African American and 8 percent Hispanic.
School's history to be documented
Washington Middle School's seventh- and eight-graders are producing an oral history project as part of a 75th anniversary celebration for their school.
The anniversary celebration takes place March 9, 2002. Washington Middle/Intermediate School alumni are being sought for interviews.
Alumni interested in being interviewed as part of the commemorative video can send e-mail to wmswebheads@hotmail.com
They should include a date and time they are available, or write Washington Middle School, c/o Mark Miyamoto, 1633 South King St., Honolulu, HI 96826.
HPU receives $2 million bequest
Hawai'i Pacific University has received a $2 million bequest from the Gertrude M.F. Moir Trust. The trust will provide approximately $100,000 annually for scholarships.
The Gertrude M.F. Moir Trust was was established in 1982 to provide scholarships to students who are active in the community and excel scholastically.
The scholarship is renewable for full-time students for up to four years.
