Original air date: 2|27|20

This special edition features stories from the Middle School division of the 2020 HIKI NŌ Winter Challenge.  On January 31, 2020, participating elementary, middle school and high school teams were given four days to complete a HIKI NŌ story based on the prompt: “The wisdom of elders brought to life by the young.”   Teachers could not provide hands-on help.  The students had to conceptualize, research, arrange, shoot, write and edit their stories on their own.  The completed stories were scored by members of the HIKI NŌ editorial board based on the following criteria:

1.) How well did the story capture the essence of the assigned theme?

2.) How well did the entry fulfill the HIKI NŌ Story Criteria (the criteria used throughout the school year to determine which stories are approved to air on HIKI NŌ)?

3.) How much did production values (the quality of the cinematography, editing and sound) contribute to the overall effectiveness of the story?

Based on the cumulative scores, First-Place, Second-Place, Third-Place, and Honorable Mention awards were given in both the middle school and high school divisions. The following Middle School Division awardees will be featured in this special:

–First Place in the Middle School Division:

“Misfit Martial Arts Instructor”
The challenge team from ʻEwa Makai Middle School on Oʻahu tells the story of a martial arts instructor who passes down to his students life lessons he’s learned during his rocky youth.

–Second Place in the Middle School Division:

“Piano Teacher”
The challenge team from Kamehameha Schools Maui Middle School tells the story ofa grandmother who has taught piano to two generations of her family, as well as scores of other Maui residents.

–Third Place in the Middle School Division:

“Coach Jensen”
The challenge team from Waiākea Elementary School on Hawaiʻi Island tells the story of a baseball stand-out who, because of his short stature, channeled his passion for the sport from playing to coaching.  Because there is not a separate elementary school division for HIKI NŌ challenges, elementary schools compete in the Middle School Division.  This is the first time an elementary school has placed in a HIKI NŌ Challenge.

–Honorable Mention in the Middle School Division:

”Ongaeshi: Giving Back”

The challenge team from Highlands Intermediate School on Oʻahu tells the story of a judo sensei who is passing his knowledge of this form of martial art to his children.

HIKI NŌ Winter Challenge stories from Maui Waena Intermediate School on Maui,Kealakehe Intermediate School in Kona, and Kapaʻa Middle School on Kauaʻi are also featured.

First-place winners will receive $500 worth of production equipment for their school’s media program.  Second-place winners will receive $300 worth of production equipment for their school’s media program.  Third-place winners will receive $200 worth of production equipment for their school’s media program.