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Happy Camper….

….really! Some people think it’s torture, but I absolutely love it!

Some of my best memories are from Camp Erdman: Frosh Camp, Kalihi Y Summer Fun, Leeward District Leadership Camp, and the Kamehameha Schools.

Camp Erdman has been a sort of an “escape” for me. Not so much an escape from the city, but an escape to my “true self.” Yes, I’m really a camp counselor trapped inside the body of an education technologist.

Yes, it can be hot, dusty, and tiring. (And in my old age, it can even be painful.) But what I appreciate the most about camp is the opportunity to bond with other teachers and students. Friendship, acceptance, teamwork, respect, and positive energy are the the modus operandi at camp. Sign me up!

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Got Spirit?

I guess I do. A student recently told me that I wear a lot of KS clothes. I took a pic of some of it. Yeah, I guess so. I think it has something to do with the fact that I have always been a student council advisor or coach during my teaching tenure.

….but also for the sake of convenience. Now I’m no fashionista. It’s just so easy to slap on a KS polo shirt in the morning. Half the time I’ll wear an aloha shirt, but I feel more in tune when I’m decked out in the blue & white. Game on.

Imua….

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My Australia….

Alan Tamayose

Had the absolute best time in Melbourne. Our hosts from Glendal Primary were amazing. It was a privilege to travel with the JEM Club from the Kamehameha Schools as a chaperone. We made so many incredible friends. Here are some of the highlights:

• getting to know our KS students. they were a blast.
• being with my amazing hosts, Deborah & Henry. enjoyable dinner conversations and cups of long black at the local cafés.
• hanging out with the Glendal staff. such wonderful hospitality.
• meeting up with the students & teachers from Buckingham Friends School. good people.
• seeing the penguins at Phillip Island with Chris. i didn’t expect to experience anything like that. (not much of an animal lover, unless it’s on my dinner plate….)
• the view from the Eureka Tower & the evening stroll along the Yarra River. Melbourne is a world-class city.
• the Footy game at the MCG with Henry. Go Magpies!
• my “mememto” from Sorrento. sorry, can’t explain. what happens in Sorrento stays in Sorrento….
• the walk along the creek with Deborah & her dogs. so relaxing & rejuvanating.
• dinner with Jackie & Roula at her uncle’s restaurant was terrific. friends for life.
• the dress-up birthday party for Nichola was a blast. got to hang out with awesome people.
• the breathtaking vistas along the coastline. so amazing….
• the food! meat pies, fish & chips, coffee & cakes, pizza restaurants, fine wines, Greek, Pakistani, Italian, etc., etc., etc….
• being interviewed on talk radio before millions of listeners. haha.
• as you can tell, pretty much everything. so blessed!

Please visit our school blog of the trip. G’day….

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Random Thoughts from a “Slide Show Maker”

Working on graduation slide shows this summer made me reflect….

I remember making my very first slide show ages ago. It was for the YMCA Summer Fun program. We had a slide projector (the kind with the slide trays) and a boom box for music. Everyone gathered into that darkened auditorium on that very last day. It was magical.

Years later, I experienced the stress of running a slide show for a wedding. Imagine the pressure of possibly ruining the most important day of someone’s life….

Since then, I’ve created slide shows for high school graduations, baby’s 1st birthdays, anniversaries, school banquets, retirement parties, church camps, and charity events.

Now with easy-to-use computer apps like iPhoto & iMovie, anyone can produce a quality show. Because of this, I believe that I’ve just completed the last slide show of my life. Phew….

This is what I’ve learned from my experiences.

Sometimes people ask if they should make a “fast” or a “mellow” slide show. It’s neither. It’s about pacing and flow. You achieve this by making good decisions. As the show comes together, you’ll have a sense on what needs to be axed. (Deleting a picture can be the most difficult thing to do.) It is crucial to have good transitions between songs and a rich assortment of pics. Variety creates interest. Your goal is not to make a “fast” or “slow” slide show. Your goal is to make an “engaging” one.

A good slide show will make the audience laugh, cry, and have “chicken skin” moments. And you have to do this in 12-14 minutes. Anything longer, and you will make them fall asleep.

You may be wondering, “What’s the most important element of a slide show?” If you asked me this a few years ago, I would’ve said song selection (because it’s really the music that evokes all of the emotion.) Now I answer the question more philosophically. I believe the most important thing is that you are “telling a story.” The slide show maker is a storyteller. You use images & music in combination to paint a picture…. or tell a story.

Life lesson learned. Live life to the fullest…. so that someday, your life’s slide show would have an awesome story to tell.

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The Imua Sports Network….

….was a dream come true.

We were able to run a “sports network” (à la ESPN) at our middle school at virtually no cost using web 2.0 apps. We were able to promote, cover, and webcast intermediate sporting events to a “global” audience.

The best part was of course, working with the students. We had a blast! Although we had our share of challenges (attendance during the 2nd semester,) the students asked if we could do this again next year. Hana hou? Probably not, due to the fact that we’re not allowed to repeat performance goals at work. This took a lot of time beyond of the work day.

Still, it was a lot of fun. It opened up a whole new world for me. Seeing what goes on on campus after school (and into the evening) was pretty neat. I was able to experience a side of our school that most employees  never have the opportunity to. I am extremely proud of our school.

Please visit the Imua Sports Network at

Blog: http://blogs.ksbe.edu/imuasports/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/imuasports
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/imuasports (490 fans!)
Ustream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/imuasports

Imua, and Go Warriors!