Film festival fans are taking notice of Kailua student filmmaker John Taschner‘s latest effort, Gen RX, recently picked as a Cannes Film Festival Short Film. It’s a fictional call to action to help Sierra Leone end the spread of the Ebola virus. The republic has honored the former USC film student’s 2014 work, which brought in help and funds …

Kaneohe’s Joe Pelot has earned the distinguished Reserve Specialist designation from Community Associations Institute. Joe is account executive vice president at Associa Hawaii, known for his professional support of condo and homeowner associations. He also helped set up Associa’s maintenance service department …

John Taschner

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Kaneohe’s Tayler Bertelmann has graduated from Army basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. … Do you know where your children are? Yes — last week, anyway. Son Kevin was on Molokai discussing fishing rights and eating poke; daughter Kelly was in Nicaragua researching why youths there are so resilient despite incredible poverty; and daughter Erin Wells was with husband Tyrone in the White House West Wing petting the Obama family dogs, Bo and Sunny. (A fan of his music works there and arranged a special tour and lunch) …

Group 70 International has hired Kaneohe’s Kahealani Winchester as a civil engineer to coordinate projects as well as design and development of plans …

McDonald’s of Hawaii gave out its 2015 employee scholarship awards of $2,500 each April 25, including Brittany Balonzo-Tomas, a Kailua High student who works at the Waimanalo outlet (heading to HPU) …

The steel guitar now has an honored place at Polynesian Cultural Center in the form of a statue of Laie’s Joseph Kekuku (1874-1932), inventor of the Hawaiian steel guitar. The statue was created by former BYU-Hawaii student Leroy Transfelt, a native Maori from New Zealand …

Phi Kappa Phi national academic honor society has initiated two BYU-Hawaii students, Hang Ngo and Oi Tung Helen Cheng, and Kailua’s Angela Khalil, a Cal State-LA student …

Kailua’s Dede Guss has established a scholarship in memory of her dog Bentley for Windward CC’s Veterinary Technology program …

Summer science camps for teens, with curriculum created by Windward CC geology and oceanography professor Floyd McCoy, will start June 29 on Hawaii island. See the whole span of adventures, from the depths of the earth to galaxies far far away, at sciencecamsamerica.com

Laie Elementary sixth-grader Laura Lukov has won the Hyatt Regency Waikiki’s Best for Kids by Kids Healthy Snack Contest with her Bean-Avocado Brownies, which offer low sugar, high protein and other good edibles. “I wanted to take an unhealthy food and make it healthy,” she told the media. She and her mom Tatyana whipped it up in their kitchen in two tries … HPU’s rollicking Rosie musicals will come back as A Rosie Reunion at 7:30 p.m. May 24 at Temple Emanu-El with many familiar faces — director Joyce Maltby and actors Jim Tharp, Melinda and Becky Maltby, Shari Lynn and Dr. Kalani Brady, to name a few (595-7521) … Dr. Takkin Lo is the new lung specialist in Kailua town. Coming here from Loma Linda University Medical Center, Lo is a pulmonologist in love with Hawaii and Kailua, where he now shares office space at Hawaii Physicians & Surgeons and is affiliated with Castle Medical Center. Loma Linda is a teaching hospital, he explains, but he was ready to get back into hands-on medicine (262-6951) … Castle High needs adults for a unique online mentoring program. Call Bridgitte
Daniel of Big Brothers Big Sisters at 695-4556 … Kailua’s Meg Fingert is a new account executive at Bennet

Meg Fingert

Group Strategic Communications, following other PR work and earning her degree from Purdue University in rhetorical advocacy and public relations … Kailua guitarist and HPR Conversation radio co-host Chris Vandercook and his band entertain (and Chris presents) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at HPR’s Atherton Studio along with others on the theme of “Sweet Soul Music” (955-8821) … Kaneohe Elementary students Cassidy Furutani and Michael Quinn earned Honorable Mentions in the Persuasive Essay category of the recent Nene Awards contest. The wrong category was listed in the April 29 column … Waimanalo’s Masami Teraoka will open a solo show May 30, “Feast of Fools: the Triptych Paintings of Masami Teraoka,” at Honolulu Museum of Art. Masami also knows a few random facts, which he shared with museum curator James Jensen (as reported in Lesa Griffith‘s blog): Pope Francis was once a nightclub bouncer, which is why he “knows a lot of layman’s language.” James, by the way, also curated the Windward Artists Guild show, happening May 4-22 at Place Le Jardin Galerie on South Street ❑ ❑ ❑ cchang@midweek.com

Trinity Christian School students apparently possess the tongue and the wit for the national spotlight. Rachel Leong took the state title for Humorous Interpretation at the Hawaii Speech League Championships last month, and the TCS team of Hannah Goda and Joshua Hu took first in Varsity Policy Debate. The Kailua school was the only Windward team invited to the National Speech & Debate Association tournament in June in Texas. (Kahuku High’s Alexandra Walsh placed fourth in the state in humorous interpretation.) The City Council gave them certificates and a sendoff May 6 … On Seattle Pacific University’s winter quarter dean’s list were Kailua’s Natalie Anuhea Frissell and Kaneohe’s Caleb John Ho‘omaluIge … Hau‘ula’s Nicole Brown claimed her MA in education degree May 9 at Chadron State College in Nebraska … Kaneohe’sRochelle LeeGregson was elected to the Hawaii State FCU board of directors during a recent online vote that also raised $10,000 for Make-A-Wish Hawaii.

Each member’s vote put $5 into the pot for the nonprofit. The credit union, which has a branch at Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center, figures it also saved about $50,000 in printing and mailing costs. Rochelle, meanwhile, is retired from heading the Board of Realtors … Kapunahala Elementary fourth-grader Joshua Tsugawa placed first for Oahu in the 2015 FCE-sponsored Character Counts Essay and Artwork contest, then took second at the state level — total prize was $125 cash. His essay, “Uhh … School Again,” followed a young boy’s journey from lazy to responsible, from bad grades to good ones. And in the end (spoiler alert!) he got an A and “was very happy now that he was responsible by doing his chores, homework, being prepared, taking care of yourself and doing well in school!” … Laie’s Ariana Bean and Kailua’s Daniel Yoshiki have won the Frank Der Yuen Aviation Scholarship at Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor. It’s awarded to outstanding students pursuing aviation studies. Ariana, a Kahuku grad, attends Windward CC and is aiming for a degree in aeronautical engineering. Daniel is majoring in professional flight at University of Nebraska at Kearney … Noel Nedli has expanded his Room Service in Paradise business to include Kaneohe customers, who might like to order meals straight to their door from their favorite restaurant by phone app (941-3463) ❑ ❑ ❑ cchang@midweek.com

John Tanner

Kaneohe’s Sierra Hirayama is one of Hawaii’s two U.S. Presidential Scholars for 2015, earning high SAT and ACT scores and glowing recommendations. The Kamehameha Schools senior will be honored in June at the White House during her allexpenses paid trip there. Sierra says her most influential teacher is Darren Kamalu … Dr. Beach (Professor Stephen Leatherman of Florida International U.) put Waimanalo Bay Beach Park at the very top of his top 10 list for 2015, calling it “a little gem” with great beachcombing potential … Kailua’s Laura Smith is a special guest of the YWCA of Oahu today (May 27). Laura has been president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Hawaii since 1994, and she and three other inspirational women leaders are honorees at a Sheraton Waikiki luncheon for “extraordinary women who exemplify the mission of the YWCA” … John Tannerwill become the 10th president of BYU-Hawaii July 27, replacing Steven Wheelwright, who has served since 2007. John currently is first counselor in the Sunday School general presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a role that has taken him and wife Susan from Provo to Southeast Asia and around the U.S. . … Castle High’s Makana Mele took first in Music Groups at the 2015 Brown Bags to Stardom finals. Members are Kuluwai Punahele, Kalehua Zuttermeister and Pomai Punahele. Placing fourth for his song Thinking Out Loud was Knight Tristen Hegwood … Kailua’s Allison Mullen made the spring dean’s list at University of Vermont in Burlington, where she’s studying natural resources … Kathie Wells of Community Helping Schools knows there are readers out there ready with items to give. For Castle High: a slow cooker, restaurant-sized warmers, large rice cookers, cooking utensils; and for Kailua High’s FSC class: a blender, dish rack, kitchen towels, spatulas, stirring spoons. Something’s definitely cooking in the public schools. Call 225-2621 … Castle alum Mitchell Fong is now a graphic design major at UH Manoa, where his talent is displayed on the cover and section heads of the school’s 2015 catalog. (Look for the green swoosh) … Civilian Marksmanship Program awarded Kailua High School’s Kayla Hooker a $1,000 scholarship based on her high academics and sharpshooting skills … Kailua’s Sara Allen graduated cum laude from Missouri’s Culver- Stockton College May 16 with a degree in elementary education

Kailua’s Brian Kaji-yamahas a new UH scholarship named after him, Heart of a Warrior. Supported by donations to June Jones Foundation, the first grant will be made in 2016 to a UH student who has overcome great personal challenges. Now a doctoral candidate and instructor in UH Department of Special Education, Brian was the first person with cerebral palsy to serve on a Division I college football coaching staff. As he told all those teary-eyed Rainbow Warriors at the ceremony in his honor, “Our purpose here on Earth is to make things a little better for the next generation” … Kailua’sKielan Fedorkahas claimed his bachelor’s degree in computer science and business at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. … Award-winning music teacher Micah Hirokawa, a Kalaheo grad and former Le Jardin music director, is now teaching at Island Pacific Academy in Kapolei, where his students are winners of the national Rock Your School 2015 song competition, sponsored by GRAMMY Foundation and Jostens and judged on school spirit and talent … In a sentimental trip back to New York in remembrance of her late husband, Kaneohe’s Laurie Bachranfound out something she never knew about Bill Bachran (a golf media director here for decades). He was the 1948 Mr. Iona at his alma mater, Iona College. They were married for 67 years … Not often does a future canonized saint visit Ahuimanu, but Jozef Damien De Veuster definitely did. During his study for the priesthood, Father Damien spent about a year at Ahuimanu College — the starter campus for Saint Louis School on the slopes of Ahuimanu valley, way before Kahekili Highway. Does anyone know where the seminary buildings once stood? … Adept Laie performers Jeralee Galeai and Achilles Tafiti placed second and third, respectively, in the junior division May 8 at Polynesian Cultural Center’s World Fireknife Championships … Waimanalo singer and minister Kawika Kahiapo collected two more Na Hoku awards May 23 for best Slack Key Album (Ho‘omaluhia) and Island Music Album (Ku‘u ‘Aina Aloha) … Kahaluu’s Ukulele Band plays Saturday at 2 p.m. at Ocean Fest at Turtle Bay. Plan your day accordingly for a real treat … Kailua Intermediate School students Sean Aoki placed first andThatcher Fernandez fourth for grades 7-8 in the Board of Water Supply’s 2015 Water Conservation Week poetry contest.Maddison Matthews of Le Jardin Academy placed third among grade 11-12 entries. You can see their work for yourself at Windward Mall June 15-25 … On the dean’s list at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, is Kaneohe student Quincy Woo(cinema and media major) ❑ ❑ ❑ cchang@midweek