LEADERSHIP: IT'S NOT ABOUT REWARDS; IT'S DOING WHAT IS RIGHT EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE ACKNOWLEDGES YOU!

2022 MOANALUA HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE (above) The Moanalua High School Executive Council is made up of fifteen volunteers. VOLUNTEERS! While officers are elected, they choose to run knowing that if they win, there is no physical reward, no letter grade, no incentive other than the pure satisfaction of doing a good job and representing the student body. At times, we achieve great success while at other times, we achieve somewhat less, but it is always a learning process. While we can take away much satisfaction from doing a good job, we can also learn from mistakes and try to better ourselves the next time. And so, at the end of our terms, while we do not earn a credit, a letter grade or even a certificate of achievement proving our accomplishments, we can take away the self-satisfaction in knowing that we did our best for the students, school and community, and that positive experience is something we can really use as contributing adult members of society.

Tuesday

11/10-20: THANKS!

Is there really any other more appropriate word at this time of the year?  As Thanksgiving approaches, our annual Links of Thanks activity allowed students to jot down their thanks to whomever or for whatever they wished on a strip of construction paper which was then "linked" to other students' thanks to form a long chain.  This year's final chain was 210 yards long, short of last year's record-breaking 250 yards, but still a significant length!  The links will be displayed in the Mene Square courtyard.  Thank you to all who participated, and hope that everyone has a....
 
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Joining shorter homeroom links together!

Measuring in front of the SA Office since the football field is under construction!

Sorting out and untangling the links!

Kylah:  I am NOT doing this by myself!

Links grace the Mene Square courtyard!
 

Thursday

11/20: FALL FOOD DRIVE TOPS THE 10,000 ITEM MARK!

The Fall Food Drive topped the 10,000 item mark, well over this past spring's 6000 items, and just short of 11,000.  While every grade level did its share, much of the success in reaching this high mark was due to the senior class who donated almost half of the total.  Congratulations to the senior class along with Ms. Sablan's senior homeroom who won the individual homeroom contest, donating over half of the seniors' total.  Thank you to everyone who made a donation, and special thanks to parents and staff members who also made huge contributions!  We know that the Hawaii Foodbank will put the donations to good use and that many needy families will have at least a few good meals thanks to our donations!
 
1st:  SENIORS, 5286 items, 11.27/student
2nd:  SOPHOMORES, 2168 items, 4.30/student
3rd:  JUNIORS, 1865 items, 3.70/student
4th:  FRESHMEN, 1572 items, 3.08/student
 
HR Winner:  Ms. Sablan (Grade 12), 2705 items, 96.61/student
 
GRAND TOTAL:  10,887 items!
 
That's a LOT of Vienna sausages!

Ms. Sablan supervises the huge senior donations!

The still growing donation stash!
 

Tuesday

11/18: MENE STARS SHINE BRIGHTLY!

Once again, the annual Mene Stars Talent Competition featured some outstanding student talent!  This year's show was shortened because of the new bell schedule, but that didn't mean there was a shortage of particpants.  At try-outs, fifteen acts were vying for eight spots, and it was difficult to eliminate some.  Still, the final eight were all outstanding!  In addition, three guest alumni judges were on hand to determine the top two, including former Talent Show committee chair Jennifer Domingo, former Talent Show participant and now UH Rainbow dancer Kamryn Ziegler, and former Talent Show winner and  professional singer Erika Elona.  Congratulations to second place winner Aliyah Bell and first place winners C.J. Lacuesta, Chloe Ishikawa, Dyllan Hipol and Ciera Lihilihi, and to ALL the participants who really gave us a great show!  Check them out on OC 16's Brown Bags to Stardom coming soon!
 
Our esteemed judges (l-r):  Jennifer Domingo, Kamryn Ziegler, and Erika Elona! 
 
Queenique Dinh
 
Alaina Santos
 
Marjorie Dingle
 
Shyanne Dela Vega
 
Temoananui Keith
 
Second Place Winner: Aliyah Bell!
Jennifer Mead
  
First Place Winners (l-r):  Ciera Lihilihi, Dyllan Hipol, C.J. Lacuesta, and Chloe Ishikawa!
 

11/11: ON TASK FOR CAMPUS BEAUTIFICATION DAY!

Usually, on Campus Beautification Day, there are many hard working volunteers.  And usually, we get anywhere between 175 and 200 volunteers.  This year, only 126 came out to work, but while fewer in number showed up, each and every volunteer worked extremely hard and stayed on task the entire time, getting each job done within the two-hour time period!  Part of the reason may be the decision to serve refreshments on site throughout the day as opposed to having volunteers come to the meeting area, but the real reason was simply that those who showed up were extra enthusiastic!  Thank you to all the classes, clubs, advisors, parent volunteers and administrators who came out to support this event!
 
Sophomores (left) refresh "No Loitering" stripes!
 
Freshmen tackle recycle bin cleaning!

The Japanese Club tries its hand at redoing the "M!"

The Robotics Team cleans dirty classroom fans!

A Junior takes a break while repainting Mene Square tables!

Seniors handle some yard work!

Cleaning windows was the task of the day for the Mock Trial Team!

After bin cleaning, Freshmen get down and dirty scraping gum!

SA Officers kept everyone "refreshed" throughout the day!

Senior Jennifer sneaks into the Freshman pose!

Japanese Club gets the job done....yokudekimashita!