The Hawai'i State Library will host a free presentation and panel discussion on Hawai'i Olympians at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Sonny Tanabe, president of the U.S. Olympians Association's Hawai'i chapter, will lead the presentation.

The panel will include former Olympians Kevin Asano (judo), Brent Berk (swimming), Kathy Hammond (track), Tommy Kono (weightlifting), Barbara Perry (volleyball) and Keala O'Sullivan Watson (diving). The athletes will share their Olympics experiences and answer questions.

Throughout August, the state library will also showcase Olympic memorabilia in a display in the first-floor reading room.

KALIHI SEEKING READING TUTORS

Kalihi Elementary School is seeking volunteer reading tutors for students in kindergarten through third grade.

This opportunity is open to anyone, including parents, family members, high school and college students and community members. Continuous training will be provided.

For more information, contact Susie Suta at 832-3371.

WAILUKU IS TOP COOL SCHOOL

Wailuku Elementary captured the top prize of $10,000 in Queen Ka'ahumanu Center's inaugural My School's Cool Program.

Wailuku and seven other Maui schools participated in the yearlong contest in which they received points based on mall receipts turned in by customers. Schools in the just-concluded contest racked up receipts totaling more than $1.5 million, according to center officials.

Waihe'e Elementary took second place to win $5,000, Pa'ia School won the $3,000 third-place prize; Lihikai Elementary received $1,500 for fourth place, and King Kekaulike High School earned $500 for fifth place.

The 2008-09 contest is now under way.

DAVID JULIAN AT UH TONIGHT

Photographer and mixed-media artist David Julian will present a free lecture at 7 tonight at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's Yukiyoshi Room at Krauss Hall.

His lecture, "Stories, Dreams and Visual Invention," will touch on how to use photos and art to communicate emotions. Examples of his work can be seen at www.davidjulian.com.

UHH DOCTORATE PROGRAM WARNED

HILO, Hawai'i — The University of Hawai'i-Hilo has been told to improve its new Hawaiian language doctorate program or face sanctions.

The Western Association of Schools & Colleges, which accredits schools across the West, issued the warning in a June 30 letter to Hilo Chancellor Rose Tseng.

The commission plans to return to the campus in fall 2009 to check on the school's progress. The accrediting body said the program lacks a published curriculum and objective oversight.

Further, it has only three permanent faculty and four doctoral students, making stability and oversight a serious issue, the association said.

Kalena Silva, director of the College of Hawaiian Language, said the deficiencies are unique to a fledgling program that got its start in 2006 and has faced low staffing while navigating uncharted territory.

He said the school takes the deficiencies seriously and has already taken steps to address some of them.