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Seven Maui students are ‘My Hawai‘i’ writing contest winners

The imaginative visions of middle school students reveal their insights on the environment in Hawaii today and their dreams for tomorrow.

Twenty-five Hawaii middle school students were selected as top winners for their poems and short stories on May 13 in the annual “My Hawai’i” environmental writing contest for students in grades 6, 7 and 8, sponsored by the Pacific Writers’ Connection, the Hawai’i Conservation Alliance and multiple Hawaii conservation agencies and organizations. Seven of the winners are from Maui.

Their entries were selected from more than 500 submissions from across the state, and for most of the winners this will be their first work ever published.

The anthology with all 25 stories will be distributed to schools and libraries across all islands. “Planet at the Crossroads” was chosen as the theme, to align with the 2016 International Union for the Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress that will be held in Honolulu in September.

The students’ writing represents personal reflections on the environment, cultural values, kuleana, stewardship and place-based writing that contributes to youth literature unique to Hawaii.

Takiora Ingram, director of the Pacific Writers’ Connection and main driver of the writing contest said, “We are very excited to celebrate our 10th anniversary of this highly successful and inspirational annual children’s writing contest with our haumana (students), the people of Hawaii, and with international world conservation leaders who will be gathering in Honolulu for the IUCN World Conservation Congress. The 2016 winners will have an opportunity to showcase their poems and stories at the Congress. Mahalo nui to our winners and our partners and sponsors.”

The 2016 “My Hawai’i” writing contest winners from Maui are:

* Jason Huynh, “Small Choices, Deadly Results,” Iao Intermediate School.

* Joseph Paci, “Everything to Its Proper Place,” Iao Intermediate School.

* Creighton Purdy, “Hokule’a,” Kamehameha Schools Maui.

* Aleina Reyes, “Ohi’a,” Kamehameha Schools Maui.

* Sean Sakamoto, “Kara’s Lesson,” Kamehameha Schools Maui.

* Justice-Lee Vannatta-Kapoi, “Malama i ka ‘Aina,” Kamehameha Schools Maui.

* Kanani Wong, “Aloha ‘Aina,” Kamehameha Schools Maui.

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