ROBOTICS

KUDOS TO FUTURE SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS

The VEX Robotics Pan Pacific Championships occurred recently at the Convention Center. Eighty-eight teams competed, including 60 high schools and intermediate schools from all over the Islands and several from the Mainland and the People's Republic of China.

Team-built robots compete under time limit doing tasks to garner points, and the excitement and enthusiasm on the competition floor was amazing.

Participation in robotics offers students exposure to rich learning experiences in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), but equally important are the invaluable lessons in collaboration, teamwork and critical problem solving.

I was a volunteer judge at the competition and want to offer my congratulations to the organizers, the teachers and mentors and especially the kids for making the event a huge success. Our future scientists and engineers are in the making and they are absolutely awesome!

EDUCATION

CAMPBELL HIGH'S PROGRESS IMPRESSIVE

Accolades to The Honolulu Advertiser! You featured good news about Campbell High School on the front page of the Wednesday, Dec. 10, edition. How refreshing to see positive articles about our public schools.

I am a retired teacher from Pohakea Elementary adjacent to the Campbell High School campus. I am impressed with the progress of Campbell since Dr. Awakuni became their principal. I have attended the graduation ceremonies of my former fourth graders and am very proud of their achievements at Campbell.

Thank you for this wonderful article, and please keep publishing positive stories about public schools!

SUPERFERRY

VESSEL OFFERS A VALUABLE SERVICE TO MAUI, O'AHU

The groups and attorneys on Maui who are trying to derail the Hawaii Superferry should consider that their actions will eventually bring harm to all of the people living on Maui and O'ahu.

Economically it will eventually affect all residents of the state. I cannot think of another business entity that has worked as hard to comply with the law and satisfy those who oppose its operation as the Hawaii Superferry while at the same time trying to serve the public by providing a greatly enhanced mode of transportation between the islands and with a much greater payload.

Due to the fact that military equipment and personnel are now carried by this great vessel, the federal government should step in as a "friend of the court" to support the state of Hawai'i in the upcoming court action.

BAILOUT

LET PROFITABLE CAR COMPANIES MOVE ON

Let me see if I have this correct. Once we determined that we would saddle our children with a $700 billion debt to bail out the economy, they let it slip that it might be $1 trillion.

"The Big Three" jumped on the band wagon. Suddenly they are not able to survive the month without a huge influx of cash. Now these same managers who could not see the forest for the trees are willing to work for $1/year to bring "The Big Three" out of crisis.

If any management cannot guide its company through technological changes and financial slippery slopes, then I say let the company fail and have the profitable car companies pick through the rubble, take what is worth investing in and let's move on!

WAYNE HARADA

MAHALO TO ADVERTISER ENTERTAINMENT WRITER

It's with sadness and happiness at the same time that I want to express my deepest mahalos to the man whom I feel so much admiration for everything he has done for so many different people in the so many fields of entertainment.

I'm personally so grateful for his kokua for me, my music and my bands through the 22 years of my musical career in paradise.

We will all miss him, miss his writings, his musings and, most of all, his willingness to support all artists of all genres and just people in general.

Thank you, gracias, mahalo to you, Mr. Wayne Harada, for everything.

I know we will all miss you, but I also know that I will see you around as we have all these years!

My best wishes go to you and your familia! Good luck and enjoy life to fullest, my friend!