Awards 2012-2013

KAILUA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL'S AWARDS - 2012-2013

Received a Six-Year W.A.S.C. Accreditation and Passed A.Y.P.!

KIS Students and Faculty Are Quality Producers and Effective Communicators

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Sheridan Wilkerson - School Talent Show Champion

Kailua Intermediate School is so proud of Logan Jordan who has been selected as Hawaii's Middle Level youth volunteer in the 2013 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program! Logan will receive a $1,000 award, an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. in May. See Logan's Congressional Awards

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Congratulations to Kailua Intermediate social studies teacher, KAREN KUTSUNAI who is the Windward District's 2013 Teacher of the Year. Ms. Kutsunai will be recognized at a ceremony at Washington Place on October 26 and is in the running for the State Teacher of the Year award, along with six other nominees. This exceptional educator was selected by her colleagues as our school’s most outstanding teacher last school year and will serve the Department of Education well as a role model for all teachers. She encourages her students to become active citizens as they participate in real-world contexts - tunneling to the spine of O'ahu, following the election trail, and playing the role of a plantation worker in early Hawaii. Ms. Kutsunai is humbled by this recognition and credits the collective efforts of our entire school community for this honor. Go Jr. Surfriders!

Congratulations to Mrs. Ringuette: 2013 DAR Outstanding American History teacher!

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Karen Kutsunai was presented the 2013 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year at Washington Place.

Kutsunai has been teaching at Kailua Intermediate since 1999. She teaches social studies. As part of the honor, Kutsunai wins a cash prize, instructional software for her class, and a free one-year lease on a new car from the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association.

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KIS Middle Level Educators of the Year:

Mrs. Kathleen Nullet (2006), Mrs. Cindy Jenness (2011), Mr. Bill Budenholzer (2010)

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National Board Certified Teachers:

Mrs. Karen Frato-Hildebrant and Mrs. Kathleen Nullet

Ms. Kutsunai has been nominated for the 2012 Windward District Teacher of the Year

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Zoe Campora won Second Place in the Junior Research Division at the Windward District Science Fair. She will be competing in the Hawaii State Science Fair on April 8 at the Blaisdell Arena. Her award-winning project was titled "Beach Bummer: Bacteria in the Sand."

Forty seven KIS students participated in the 2013 District History Day. Five projects will be competing in the State History Day in April.

-Olivia Wyckoff (8th grade, Mrs. Ringuette) Research paper

-Ripley Quebral (8th grade, Mrs. Ringuette) Research paper

-Patrick Leonhardt, Connor Barber, and Cassandra Frenzel (7th grade, Ms. Kutsunai) Website

-Julia Boykin and Sarah Tingstrom (8th grade, Mrs. Ringuette) Website

-Zoey Johnson (8th grade, Mrs. Ringuette) Documentary

Congratulations to all of our students who participated in the Windward District History Day competition at King Intermediate School on Saturday, February 23, 2013!

7th graders: Eryka Hairston, Patrick Leonhardt, Connor Barber, Cassandra Frenzel, Tucker Erickson, Noah Casey, Robert Lemon, Mitchell Quinn, Kai Samiere, Harrison Wallace, Shane Robertson, Hudson Lockette, Miwa Hyatt, Hailey Young, and Jovani Sierra.

8th graders: Julia Boykin, Sarah Tingstrom, Mikaela Foehr, Emily Shon, Chevy Oshiro, Max Arakaki, Alicia Nawatani-Dias, Natasha Vega, Hannah Ritchie, Keanu Kini, Nathan Anderson, Tyler Wilfahrt, Olivia Wyckoff, Angyl Magbee, Ripley Quebral, Nicolas Irons, Seaenna Correa-Garcia, Michael Palmer, Ford Erickson, Cloe Christensen, Zoey Johnson, Colin Carpenter, Timothy Shinners, Freddy Elley, Liliana Molina, Katie Vinzinski, Koa Tomich, Joseph Spataro, Akira Allen, Samantha Tritt, Nikos Foundas, and Paul Fortunato.

Congratulations to Ruby Ranoa for winning HECO's Sustainable Gift Contest! Ruby earned her classroom $100 and also received an iPad mini for her own personal use. In addtion, a Hawaiian Legacy Koa Tree will be planted on the slopes of Mauna Kea in her honor by Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods. KIS 7th grader, Deborah Beatty was a semi-finalist.

Congratulations to the following faculty and staff members who were nominated for recognition:

Teacher of the Year: Kristi Kusunoki

Staff Member of the Year: Roylynn Ajala

Team of the Year: EAs and the Study Hall

Friends of Hanauma Bay presented Seventh Grader, Zoe Campora, an award for Best Project in Marine Related Research in the Junior Division and $100 at the 56th Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair on April 9, 2013. She also won Third Place in Junior Research from the NOAA Pacific Region.

Congratulations to Brenden Martin who was selected as an honorable mention winner for his artwork in the Mayor's Memorial Day Poster Contest. Brenden's poster will be on display at Honolulu Hale, 3rd floor from May 1 - 31.

Congratulations to Zoey Johnson for SECOND PLACE in the Jr. Documentary category for her History Day project. She is eligible to move on to National competition in June. In addition, she was awarded the Hawaii Association of School Librarians award for excellence in historical research using primary documents AND one of the Hawaii Nikkei History Editorial Board awards for outstanding use of primary sources in a history day project. She will also get their book.

Ripley Quebral, paper " The Battle of Midway: Turning the Tide in the Pacific," won one of the Hawaii Nikkei History Editorial Board awards for outstanding use of primary sources in a History Day project. He gets a book, Japanese Eyes, American Heart: Voices from the Home Front in World War II Hawaii, Vol 2.

Olivia Wyckoff paper "China's intervention: Lasting Problems," won the Associated Chinese University Women's award for outstanding project in Chinese or Chinese-American History.

7th Grade students Julien Azelart and Shane Robertson were chosen as finalists in the 10th Annual Olelo Youth Xchange video contest. For more information, visit the KIS Awards page.

Julien and Shane’s video was chosen as a finalist from over 658 entries from schools involving over 1,500 students from O'ahu, Kauai, Maui, Molokai and the Big Island of Hawaii.

Youth Xchange is a statewide student video competition that began in 2003 to encourage dialogue among Hawai’i’s students on community issues. Participation has grown exponentially, making Youth Xchange Hawai’i’s largest and only issues-oriented student video competition in the State. More than a contest, Youth Xchange creates a way to engage, educate and empower students, providing them with a compelling voice for positive change and community well being.

Students in Ms. Romfo’s Digital Media action period made videos to enter the Youth Xchange contest. Julien and Shane choose to enter the “Start Living Healthy” category. Their video presented different healthy and active ways to get to school, (running, biking and skateboarding) and they demonstrated each method while using proper safety gear.

You can see their video, and all the finalists online at: http://www.olelo.org/yxc/

Their category is: “Start Living Healthy” and their title is:

“Get Your Move On! Start Living Healthy!”

Band students, Tyler Wilfahrt and Max Arakaki , were chosen by audition for the O'ahu Band Directors Association Middle School Select Band.

Congratulations to seventh grader, Deborah Beatty, whose essay was selected by the Kailua Elks Club for 3rd Place in the Hawaii District. Her essay was titled, "What Does the National Anthem Mean to Me?"

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Deborah Beatty won 3rd Place for her Elks' Essay

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Isabella Pasa (1st place) written description. My drawing is supporting the theme "thrive" because it shows young adults practicing the things they love so they can have it as a future skill. The boy on the left hand side is practicing skills to be a doctor. The girl is practicing to be a professional clarinet player and be in a band. Finally, the boy on the right is practicing football to be in the NFL. Isabella will be presented her award ($50 check) in person at our school's Awards Night Ceremony on Thursday, May 16 (6:30 pm - 8:00 pm). It is held in our school's cafeteria.

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Alyssa Rasmussen (2nd place) written description. Today in society we thrive in part, due to our technology and attitude towards others. With technology and music, we can break through barriers and create amazing digital animations, art, and music that inspires people to dream, create, and thrive. Today there are so many ways to communicate, help, and inspire. Alyssa will be presented her award ($25 check) in person at our school's Awards Night Ceremony on Thursday, May 16 (6:30 pm - 8:00 pm). It is held in our school's cafeteria.

Congratulations to Eighth Grader, Abigail-Grace Inamasu-Haoatai, for the Senator Laura Thielen’s Kukui Award: Lighting the Way to Literacy for promoting literacy through her volunteer activities and outstanding library service at Kailua Intermediate School Library.

Hailey Young (3rd place) written description. My poster is about a middle school student doing a beach cleanup to help the environment and the animals who live in it. It relates to the theme "thrive" because the student is thriving to make the world he lives in a better place. That is how my artwork relates to the theme "thrive". Hailey's award ($25 check) will be mailed to her as she is not available (family moved) to accept it in person.