WAILUKU, Maui – Gene Zarro, chairman of the board of Kihei Charter School and chairman of South Maui Learning 'Ohana Inc., will be the featured speaker when the Governor's Maui Community Advisory Council meets at 5 p.m. today at the Cameron Center Auditorium, 95 Mahalani St. in Wailuku. The public is invited to attend.

Zarro will discuss role of charter schools the educational system. He will also provide an update on the Kihei Charter School's Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Academy for students in grades six and seven. The STEM Academy, which opened in August 2007 at the Maui Research and Technology Center, is designed to prepare students for advanced science and math education, as well as critical thinking and problem solving skills. STEM education is a key part of the Lingle administration's Hawai'i Innovation Initiative to transform the state's economy from one over-dependent on land development to one based on the innovation capacity of its residents.

Gov. Linda Lingle created community advisory councils to give the neighbor islands a stronger voice in state government. The Maui Community Advisory Council holds monthly public meetings to seek community input and advise the governor of important issues on Maui, public priorities, and recommendations for state boards and commissions.

The members of the Governor's Maui Community Advisory Council are: Madge Schaefer (chair), Kalei Sombelon (vice chair), Kathryn Ghean, John Henry, Barbara-Ann Keller, Carl Lindquist, Lori Ululani Sablas, Shan Steinmark and Gail K. Takeuchi.