ScholarshipsOfficials say plenty of money is available for scholarships and are pushing for more appli-cants. Page 2

Welcome weekStudents snatch up free bentos offered by ASUH-HCC in first week. Page 3

Biggest losersHonCC is starting its own version of the Biggest Loser challenge. Find out how you can join.

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Valentine's DayIt doesn't have to be expensive. See our tips for an inexpensive, romantic day.

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On the lineStudents in the firefight-ing program get put to the test.

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Students voice excitement, frustration as year beginsBy Ka Lā staffStudents at Honolulu Commu-

nity College are enthusiastic about new friendships, new classes and new learning opportunities as they begin their first week of the new semester

But they are also concerned about the cost of parking, food, the lack of activities and a sense of student community.

“I’m going to have a lot of fun hanging out with friends and I’m looking forward to the new classes and knowing whether I passed the previous ones,” Andrew Akira Azumi, a fourth semester Liberal Arts student.

Students are also talking about learning opportunities like new software and facilities in the Music Entertainment Learning Experi-ence.

“I’m excited about using Pro Tools 9,” said Mele Student Klandon Fetaui.

But not everyone is satisfied with the school.

“This campus is not military friendly,” said Ryan Yamada,

president of the school’s GI Club, which is trying to get a special lounge for veterans.

Students also want better food and better prices on campus, said James Arrada, a MELE student.

They will be getting better facili-ties. Work began this semester on a multi-million project to renovate Building 7.

During the winter break, work-ers began punching a hole in the

ground that will house mechanical features of the building, like the motors for a new elevator.

(Yes the new elevators will stop at every floor.)

Eventually, all the classrooms and offices will be renovated.

The work is expected to be fin-ished by 2014. Reporting for this story by students

in HonCC's Journalism 150 class.

KaLā photo by Chester SorianoRenovation work on Building 7 got under way during the winter break.

Ka Lā photo By MICHELLE CHUN

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Chairperson

Publications Director

Staff members

February 2012

Scholarships available'You'd be surprised at what you can get' By Matthew Ursua

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By Matthew Ursua

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New semester brings new faces, activities

Aloha,The new semester brings

a new outlook on school. We are excited and ready to have a productive semes-ter. The winter vacation has allowed us to recharge the batteries and have provided just enough rest to carry us through to the end of the spring 2012 semester.

Honolulu Community College has some old faces in new places this semester. On behalf of ASUH-HCC, I’d like to formally congratulate and welcome Brian Furuto as the new interim Vice Chancellor, and Wayne Sunahara as the new interim Dean of Student Services. I look forward to working with both of you this semester.

Be on the look out for numerous events this semes-ter on campus. There will be financial aid seminars, bud-geting workshops, as well as events hosted by Student Life & Development or your student government. This semester promises to be an exciting one for everyone as-sociated with Honolulu CC.

As always, continue to strive for greatness and work with each other to raise the level of expectations. Your representatives at ASUH-HCC are always willing to hear your comments and concerns. Our office is located on the first floor of building 2, room 116. Our hours are posted on the door, as well as any other contact informa-tion. Please let us know what we can do to make your time at Honolulu CC better.

Mahalo,

Ryan AdverderadaPresident, ASUH-HCCasuhhcc@hawaii.edu(808) 845-9269

Yes, there is a free lunch -- from ASUH

KaLā photo by Raquel Adverderada Students lined up during Welcome Week activities to get one of the 100 free bento lunches that were given away each day.

By Ryan Adverderada

The first week of every semester often includes anxiety, excitement, and a bit of confusion. New students are worried about finding their next class while many return-ing students are more focused on what instructor they have. This semester the ASUH-HCC Student Government looked to add a new feeling into the mix: satisfaction.

During the first week of school, Associated Students University of Hawaii-HCC provided free bentos for the first 100 students each day, starting on Tuesday and ending on Thursday. Students with a valid Spring 2012 ID were in store for a free lunch courtesy of their stu-dent government. These mochicko chicken bentos were a hit with both new and returning students of Honolulu CC.

“The bentos were really good. It’s too bad I couldn’t get some on all of the days too,” said Raquel

Adverderada, a new student this semester at Honolulu CC.

The free food was part of Wel-come Week, hosted by ASUH-HCC. The three-day event also featured the GI Club and Righ-teous Rainbow, Honolulu CC’s queer-straight alliance.

Both student organizations were happy to take part in Welcome Week and were glad to see so many students taking an interest in their respective clubs, even if it was due to free food. “We passed out a ton of fliers and met some good students,” said GI Club President, Ryan Yamada.

Kaleo Gagne, President of Righ-teous Rainbow, was excited to see the students ask questions regard-ing joining his group. “Students

were very receptive and very interested in what our group stands for. It was fun to speak with all of them,” said Gagne.

Gagne’s Righteous Rainbow group gave away a pair of movie tickets to any student

who could accurately guess how many Skittles were in a jar. The tickets were good for any movie at any time. Students were quick to throw in their guesses.

This semester’s Welcome Week was considerably smaller than ones in recent semesters. The free bentos were a popular choice, following the very popular free shave ice, popcorn, and cotton candy from last semester’s Wel-come Week. Said Jasmine Kamai, ASUH-HCC Senator-at-Large, “it’s about getting the students excited about school. It’s about making them realize that we are here on campus, and that we can help them.”

“It's about getting the students excited about school. It’s about mak-ing them realize that we are here on campus, and that we can help them.”

Jasmine Kamaisenator at large

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Big loser Student leader shares his shedding secrets

The summer of 2011 was the beginning of the end for my body fat. After

years of trying different fad diets, I knew I had to get to the root of the problem. Many people asked me how I did it. So, let me tell you how and why I was able to lose 50 pounds of weight, and how you can do it, too.

Admit your addiction. We already know which foods are good

for us and which foods will make us fat. Yet we choose to eat the foods that are bad for us because we are addicted to the taste, smell, and chemicals in the food. Try to avoid eating all simple carbohy-drates, refined sugars, and meats. No rice, breads, sodas (diet or oth-erwise), fruit juices, and blended coffee drinks. Instead eat fruits in their raw form, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates. No, brown rice is not allowed. Drink only water or unsweetened coffee and tea.

Get serious. If you’re seri-ous about losing weight, then you have to give

your problem a serious name. Admit to yourself that what you have is excess body fat, and that it should be called just that. Avoid cute and soft-hearted names for what years of overeating and bad choices have done to your body. For example, the United States does not refer to serious military operations as “Operation Chubby Baby Fat.” Remember that if you give your problem a cute name, you won’t take it seriously.

Get a routine and go out-side. Now, before you make excuses like “I

have to work too much” or “I can’t find the time,” you should realize that time can--and must--be made. I thought I was too busy with two

jobs and school, but I found the time to swim, hike, or exercise at least one hour every day. You could try to wake up an hour early and go for a walk. On campus, try and avoid the elevator and walk up those flights of steps. You don’t need a gym membership if you are just starting out.

Y ou also have to build lean muscle to improve weight loss. The more

lean muscle you have means your body will consume more calories at rest. I’m not asking you to be a bodybuilder, but you should be able to do exercises that push your limits until your muscles ache. Switch up your workout routine with weights and cardio. At least you should do some sort of exer-cise every day.

Do not justify. Most dieters end up justify-ing their poor eating

habits and fall back into a cycle of being fat. For example, just be-cause you walked three miles and burned 350 calories does not give you the right to eat a doughnut or cheeseburger. Please stop lying to yourself and feeding your addic-tion to unhealthy eating. If you are seeking a reward for your hard work, then look into a mirror and pay attention to how your clothes fit. Over time, if you are following the steps, your clothes will become loose. The upside is that you get to go shopping!

Focus! Most people who have a plan or routine fail within the first 60 days. If

eating right and exercising were easy, then no one would be over-weight, right? You have to learn to be mentally tough. Take the same attitude you have toward doing anything you love and apply it toward your fitness goals. Learn to say “no” to things that make you fat.

By Howard KamFormer ASUH-HCC president

During his last semesters at Hon CC, Howard Kam, now a student at UH-Manoa, decided to get serious about getting healthy. A new diet and exercise routine helped him lose 50 pounds.

Honolulu Community College will have its own version of the popular TV Show, The Biggest Loser, starting this month. The Hon CC "Biggest Loser Challenge" will involve up to 40 participants who will try to lose the most weight between Feb. 8 to April. 4. The contest is open to students, faculty and staff, but only stu-dents will be eligible for prizes

offered at the end to those who lose the biggest percentage of their body weight. During the challenge, Student Life and Development plans to offer activities and information about healthy living. "It's not just about losing weight, it's really about develop-ing healthy living habits," said SLD student worker Ron Santos, who came up with the idea.

Join the HonCC 'loser' challenge

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Valentine’s Day can be expensive: $20 for chocolates, $50 for roses. $100 for dinner. But it doesn't have to be that way. The perfect Valentine’s Day gift is something everyone always has: their imagi-nation. So, here are some money saving ideas for Valentine’s Day.

Say it simply

Make your own card or gift

You can start off with a favorite picture that you and your loved one took together. Inside the card, you can write the date of the picture, why it was your favorite moment, and express exactly how you feel. Or you can make your own designs. Add some glitter or stickers. You can also make your own gift. Go to Walmart.com and customize a calendar, coffee mug, even a huge blanket with photos that you love. Or go to Pricebusters to buy a basket, the wrapper to cover it, and things that your loved one would like inside. Not only is it budget friendly, but it also lets your loved one know that you do pay attention to the things he or she says, and it is very thoughtful.

Nothing says romantic like watching a sunset, then having a picnic under the stars by candlelight. You could put together a basket of homemade food such as sand-wiches or something more like chicken and noodles. Basically, anything both you and your loved one loves to eat. A plus could be cooking your favorite meals together. After all, Valentine’s Day is about being with your loved one.

Plan a romantic picnic for just the two of you

Skip the roses -- or get just 1

If you must buy flowers, try some-thing other than roses. Try some-thing local like anthuriums or ginger.To save money, you could buy the fake ones; they do last a lot longer than the real ones. If you really want

to impress your loved one, you could learn how to make origami flowers. Instructions can easily be found online. If you just have to have roses, some-times less is more. Instead of spending dozens of money on a dozen roses, just buy

one. Explain that picking out a single perfect rose is like picking out your loved one. There may be many, but only one catches your eye.

Everyone is tech-savvy these days. So, for this one special day, turn off all the phones, PDAs, computer, and all the other electric devices and spend some quality time with your loved one. On the other hand, if you like video games, spend the whole day playing them together. Either way, show your loved one that you have his or her full attention on this holiday.

Turn off your electronics

Leave a love note or couponSure, it's corny, but .... homemade love coupons make a statement that

comes from the heart. The best part is you get to pick what the coupon says, but make sure it is something that your loved one – not you -- will want. The love coupon can be anywhere from a free massage to watching a movie you really do not want to see. Anyhow, just be creative and have fun with it. You can leave love notes for your loved one all over the place: in the kitchen, on the bathroom mirror, in their locker, basically every-where and anywhere you can think of.

Are there songs that say how you feel about your loved one?

Well, make a mixed CD of those songs and give it to him or her. Does your loved one have a car?

If so, then sneak the CD into the CD player for him or her to listen to. Don’t forget to include your love song of each other.

Make a mixed tape CD

By Leilani Kimura

Native Hawaiian Center Malama Aina Day: Waipio

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Criminal Justice Club bake sale, campus mall.

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The HCC Farmer's market day has changed. The market is now open from 4 to 80.m. on Sat-urdays in the Dillingham Boulevard parking lot.

Experience,the univer-sity's preview day and ithe premier on-campus academic event of the year, will be held Saturday, Feb. 25. All areas of the university, ranging from academics to campus activities, will be showcased.

HCC calendar of events for January and FeburaryAnnouncements

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14Heroes'Righteous Rainbow/Awareness Day

Native Hawaiian CenterMala Day

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Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

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Hawaii Community Foundation and HonCC Scholarship Application Workshop.Native Hawaiian Center Building 20 Computer

31Last day to DropWithdraw with 50% Tuition Refund

Jan.30

Presidents Day No classes today. but Hon CC group will participate in Great Aloha Run

Sheet metal program coming up roses By Ieva BytautaiteKa La staff writer

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Valentine's Day Fashion Tech and AEC fund-raisers.

Sheet metal roses are again available this year for Valen-tine's Day from the sheet metal shop in Buiilding 17, but supplies are limited.

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Native Hawaiian Center Hula Flowers Work Shop 1p

Biggest Looser Contest Begins - see SLD

Biggest Loser Workouts at Student Life and Development (SLD)

Biggest Loser Workouts at Student Life and Development (SLD)

Excellence in Education Day

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Award aims to recognize best teachers By Adina Murakami

Excellence in teaching is a tall order. During my time here at Honolulu Community College I have had the opportunity gain information, knowledge and skill from several phenomenal teachers. How can I possibly discern who the best teacher is?

At the onset instructor Tim Cubero assisted me in English 22 and helped to break down the basic differences between APA and MLA styles of writing term papers. He, along with Bebe Davis who taught biology, laid the foun-dation which ignited a passion for education.

In addition to the physical campus and the experience of a classroom, I also gained the funda-mentals about our planet and the “rock” we live on and how it was formed from Professor Richard

Brill. Assistant Professor Patrick Patterson, gave insight into and our past in History 151 & 152 and provided understanding about where we have been.

Later I encountered Glen Ten-gan, Linda Lane and Michael Kaczmarski, who helped me un-earth a drive to develop a personal relationship with math. Nealson Sato revealed thought provoking topics in English 100 and broad-ened my limited perspective about our environment and the value of research and its impact on my opinion.

There have been several other faculty members, including Jenni-

fer Higa-King, Sharon Ota, Marcia Roberts-Deutsch, Judy Sokei and Larry Mecham, who have not only altered my thinking on ethical issues but also assisted in my aca-demic journey and increased my thirst for knowledge.

I must admit that Margo Mc-Grath is in a class of her own, spending countless hours repeat-ing the basics of Española for those of us who dare to seek to speak another language.

However, this list would be vast-ly inaccurate if I did not mention my mentor and chief supporter Mike Leidemann, who provided a forum in his Journalism 150 class

to ask the dumb questions and al-low my small hope of becoming a journalist to shine through.

My dreams of pursing a journal-ist career have moved to a more holistic version, but the skill, knowledge and talent gained from

live with me forever. Mahalo Nui Loa to all the staff, faculty and teachers who have made my edu-cation at Honolulu Community College a memorable journey.

If you have a favorite teacher or know of someone who de-serves recognition for their tireless sacrifice nominate them for the Excellence in Teaching Award. All submissions are due on or before March 9th, 2012. Applications can be found in the Library, Student Life Office, College Skills Center or the Records office.

“The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.”

-- Khalil Gibran

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Fire program like a 'brotherhood'

By Ieva Bytautaite

The pressure is on as students of Honolulu Community College’s Fire & Environmental Emergence Response program race against the clock to properly put on their gear.

Although this is only a drill, a lot is at stake, not only for the stu-dents but the instructors as well.

The HonCC fire program is the only “structural fire program in the state,” said Richard Rhode, the chief instructor. The instructors who teach and train the students are full-time Federal Fire Depart-ment firefighters, Rhode said, and they are the ones who have to prepare these students to be ready to go fight fires and save lives.

The F.E.E.R. program generally takes two to five years to com-plete, but most students “take things on a part-time basis,” said Rhode. “We have a cooperative agreement with the federal fire department,” said Rhode, and any student with 47 credits and a 3.0 GPA average qualifies to be in a pool of candidates to be hired by the Federal Fire Department.

And that is the goal of many current students.

Merick Ito, who has been in the program for three years and is originally from Maui, plans on graduating at the end of the semester and hopes on getting re-cruited by the Federal Fire Depart-ment.

“This program is great because you get inside knowledge from actual people who work in the field,” Ito said.

Jordan DeLaura, also a third-year student, is following in the footsteps of his father, who is a fire chief.

Besides the hands-on experi-ence, students get to know the instructors and each other quite well.

“It’s like a brotherhood. We cre-ate a great bond,” DeLaura said.

Malia McClung and Carolyn Cornwell, the only female stu-dents in the program, praised the

support and respect they receive from their fellow students. “It doesn’t matter if we’re female or not. Everyone is looking out for one another. We all have our weak and strong points, so we bal-ance out,” Cornwell said. Besides completing classes ranging from chemistry and hydraulics to legal aspects of firefighting, students in the Fire & Environmental Emer-gence Response program have to have certifications in various fields such as Hazardous Materi-als Awareness and Operations and Emergency First Responder. Although the work load is tough both mentally and physically “the work pays off in the end,” De-Laura said.

KaLā photos by Ieva Bytautaite

Students aim for jobs with federal force

“It doesn’t matter if we’re female or not. Everyone is looking out for one another."

-- Carolyn Cornwell