[intro music] HIKI NŌ, Hawai‘i's   New Wave of Storytellers.

Aloha.

Welcome to HIKI NŌ on PBS Hawai‘i.

My  name is Natsuki Kuroda, and I'm a fifth grader   at Waikīkī Elementary School on O‘ahu.

Thank you for joining us to watch the   work of Hawai‘i's New Wave of Storytellers.

You're in for a special treat this episode.

We're diving into Hawai‘i's premier  annual youth media conference,   Shoots Summit Hawai‘i, which  just celebrated its third year.

Thus, this event was coined the  Shoots Summit Chee for Three!

PBS Hawai‘i professional mentors and staff  are among the many volunteers who lead   educational breakout sessions on journalism, video  production and storytelling at the conference.

We cater our lessons to students from the  elementary to high school grade level.

This statewide school media competition  is organized by Hawai‘i Creative Media,   a nonprofit that was founded  by local media teachers.

The conference attracts students  and teachers from across the   state, and for the first time this  year, a school from out of state.

They entered nearly two dozen contests covering  everything from feature stories to vlogs.

Nearly 700 students, teachers,  and chaperones attended the   three-day event in January.

That's  a record for the third annual event.

I'm excited to share some of the  students’ award-winning work that   was produced during the conference as well.

So first, to give you a taste of the energy,   let's watch a special promotional video made for  the event by high school students themselves.

H.P.

Baldwin High School students  from Maui received first place in   the Shoots Summit promo video category.

[countdown beeps] Welcome to SHOOTS Summit Hawai‘i 2025,  where over 600 students compete in 24   different categories.

Are you ready to be  a part of our SHOOTS Summit experience?

[upbeat music plays] Storytelling, creating and innovating, bringing  together a community built upon inspiration,   competition and learning.

SHOOTS Summit  Hawai‘i serves as an outlet for students   to share our passion in film and media  production.

Three days, three divisions,   at the third annual SHOOTS Summit  Hawai‘i Chee for Three.

Shoots.

[ocean wave] PBS Hawai‘i was on site to speak with  teachers, organizers and students at   the event.

Let's hear more about what the Shoots  Summit means to them in the next special segment.

I love learning new things, and I  got to know how to like, add audio,   put my own graphics, and I love  recording and making my own stories.

It was really fun that I got to edit because  I love making videos at home just for fun now.

It's very organized, though,  despite being so chaotic,   it's nice.

Everybody's got  their own thing going on.

And we're all storytellers.

We're all  trying different ways and different   contests.

These different contests are able  to, like show our vision and our passions.

Just the experience to come out here and see  all the other schools from all over the state   and as well as a school from Texas, so just  getting to see what they do and some of the   things that we can take back to our school  and then get our students more involved.

[cheers] We are here at the 2025 SHOOTS Summit Hawai‘i.

It's our third year here at Moanalua High School,   and it's a three-day event where students  are given the opportunity to compete in   on-site competitions and then learn from  industry professionals in breakout sessions,   and then we close on Monday  with our closing award ceremony.

So, this year we have 43 schools from  across the state.

We thought by having a   state conference we would really help promote  visual storytelling in the state of Hawai‘i.

So, our first year of our conference,  we had around 300 students.

The second year we hosted it, we had about  500 participants.

And then this year,   we are at capacity.

The most we can host  here at Moanalua High School is 700.

It's   just growing bigger and bigger.

In fact,  this year we have a school from Texas.

I've heard about the SHOOTS Summit from a couple  of my Hawaiian friends that I've known through   Student Television Network.

Last year when  my friend from here, Kevin, who invited us,   I'm thinking what's a school, one of the schools,  that wins the most at STN?

Wai‘anae High School.

And every once in a while, us mainlanders  are like, ʻWhat's the secret?’ And when   Kevin invited me, I gotta go see this, I  need to see what the secret is, you know?

We just wanted to extend it to people that  we feel share the same vision as we do.

Um,   yes, we have competitions, but this  weekend is not just about competing;   it's about learning, and all those things that  we look for in young adults to be successful,   like we wanted to just give them  another opportunity to do it here.

Getting to watch them work together, and my kids   getting to see all these other kids how  they work together, that's educational.

I think I'm excited to just learn other  perspectives on how people do things, because I've   just been doing everything, editing, filming the  same way for years.

I was very excited.

I've never   even been to an STN competition, and I've never  been to Hawai‘i, never done anything this cool,   this interesting, meeting a lot of new people,  being able to do things I've never done before.

We're offering a variety of  contests so that we can get   the widest range of students’ interests involved.

You can see the pressure on their face.

I’m entering in the TV commercial  contest and we’ll see how I do.

When you get to experience a competition, you  get to experience a stress, but afterwards,   the immense relief and excitement, and then, of  course, the reflection back on, “I did this,” and   the amazing part of if they place at all, that  moment on the stage is just priceless to them.

[cheers] Seeing the kids was fifth grade, seeing them  come into the auditorium, they're like, “Wow,   this is this is a big deal,” and they've got;  they're really excited.

They're also like,   learning to improvise on the  spot, make adjustments depending   on whether it's the lighting or the  sound or some element in the story.

I'm entering PSA.

And I'm em, entering TV commercial.

Going here without my parents  puts on more responsibility,   and I think it's a really great  way to learn how like, to grow up.

They're making new friends.

They're making  connections, and that's super rewarding   for us to see.

It's more than just coming  here to compete, win a prize, and go home.

I'm so grateful just to attend here.

Just trying some new things, man, for  everything from the equipment to the program,   and also networking, getting to meet  students from across the state and just   learn some things from them, as well  as some of the adults here as well.

When I graduate high school and I go  into college, I want to go into media.

I'm gonna try to attend to West O‘ahu.

I want to try and stay in the state,   because I know there's some parts of my  story that aren't complete without Hawai‘i.

[cheers] You guys are the ambassadors of aloha.

Share your love with the world.

Aloha.

[ocean wave] Now let's get back to the student produced videos.

Remember, students only had five or six hours to   produce their entries.

First up is the high school  division of the broadcast feature story contest,   which gave the prompt ‘Holoholo,’ which means to  go out for a fun excursion in Hawaiian.

Moanalua   High School students took home first  place with this profile on Siena Agudong,   a 20-year-old professional actress from  Kaua‘i who has appeared in shows on Netflix,   Nickelodeon, and the Disney Channel.

We just need exposure so that people can see that  all they need to do is look around right here,   and we have it.

We have the spirit, we have  the work ethic, we have the talent; everything.

I'm an actress, and I work in film and television.

So, my older sister was the one who influenced me.

She started acting before I did, and  we both did theater together and about   the age of eight is when I started going  to California and doing some work there.

I think honestly, like Siena has  been the continual inspiration.

Acting will always be their passion, but the main  challenge is adapting to unfamiliar surroundings.

You have to travel, leave home,  and that was something I really   struggled with for a while because this  is home.

I'm very grateful to be here.

I wish I had this when I was younger.

So, it  feels like a full circle moment to be able to   teach people, or like, help people out, at least  like, and know the things that I wish I knew.

Their passion for acting mirrored  their adventurous spirit when they   came back to holoholo in their hometown.

Holoholo, to cruise.

What I do  to cruise when I come down here,   I like to spend time with family and friends,  and I like to go to the beach as much as I can.

Oh, Hawai‘i is my home, it’s all I’m made of.

I’m Kaia Buck reporting for Now Loading News.

[ocean wave] This next story receives second place in the high  school division of the future story contest.

A   team from Wai‘anae High School profiled a  local teacher with a passion for traveling.

When going holoholo, Luane Higuchi  from Wai‘anae Intermediate School,   is the pure embodiment of its interpretation.

To me, holoholo means to travel or to move, to  not stay in the same place.

What inspires me   is that I just love experiencing new  places and different kinds of foods,   and just seeing like, what's out there  in the world, besides outside of Hawai‘i.

Although Luane Higuchi has a keen eye for  adventure, it still does pay a big price.

I think the biggest struggle for me is just  making sure that I work a second job and just   kind of raising enough money so that we can  continue our travels every single year.

So,   I spend the year doing craft  fairs to raise some extra money,   just so that we can afford to take  our family on these vacations.

Despite this, Luane Higuchi never failed  to make a trip for her family each year,   even inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.

Miss Higuchi has really inspired me to be a lot  more adventurous with my life, especially with   all the trips that we have taken to the mainland,  from competing in media competition.

And hearing   the stories of her family trips has really  inspired my family as well to go on more trips.

It's easy to tell that putting yourself  out there isn't a solitary mission,   but a way to make a connection  with the people around you.

I just love sharing that passion  for travel with other people.

This is Tabella Chantacum  reporting from Searider News.

[ocean wave] We'd also like to share with you stories from the  middle school division of the broadcast features   story contest.

Maui Waena Intermediate School  students covered a small volunteer organization   based in Salt Lake, O‘ahu, dedicated to  finding permanent homes for dogs in need.

Dogs like this and domestic dogs  they need the humans to survive.

Located in the heart of Salt Lake O‘ahu,  Hope for Dog Rescue is an organization for   dog adoption.

Today, they're using this event as  a chance to start a new journey for these dogs.

Our mission is to reduce the rate  of euthanizing dogs here on O‘ahu.

And this mission couldn't be more  vital with the statistics of only   one dog being adopted each  month from their organization.

Holoholo could also mean journey.

So, each of  them are looking for a new journey, because what   their old journey was, it was they were either  abused or they were abandoned.

They were strays.

[barking] They had unhappy lives.

So, to go holoholo,  we're trying to get them to go to a new life,   a new journey, where, you know, they'll  receive the life that they deserve.

With this event, these dogs will be looking  forward to have outings with their new owners.

Reporting for Maui Waena Intermediate School for  Shoots Summit Hawai‘i, this is Layla Magsayo.

There was also a Nat package contest.

In  this category, students were challenged to   produce broadcast stories without narration from a  reporter.

The prompt was ‘The Art of Having Fun.’ Check out this first place NAT package in  the high school division from Moanalua High   School on O‘ahu.

They interviewed  employees of Twiddle Productions,   a multimedia production and an  animation studio based in Honolulu.

We're creating important stories that will  resonate with people or will teach people   something.

When you animate as an individual  person, right, it's bringing something to life.

It's a fun process.

Sometimes it's a little tough,   but the fun comes from seeing  things work out in the end.

What I enjoy most about drawing is being   able to create and design certain  things that you have in your mind.

So, either it comes from your brain, through  your body, to your hand and you draw it,   or you're animating it, and it's the  excitement of seeing that come to life.

I find it really therapeutic, and it's  probably the number one thing I do for fun.

It's that excitement that comes through.

I think the most satisfying thing about  animating is seeing the final product.

So,   I think part of enjoying what you do is making  sure that you're not doing it for anybody else.

So, it's very important to be true to who you are.

I think you need to showcase who you are,   and that means you have to love what  you're doing, and love what you're drawing.

It's the afterwards, when we're done, where we can   really appreciate to know whether we  succeeded by the audience's reaction.

It's the best and worst career  you could ever have in your life.

[ocean wave] In the middle school division of the NAT package  category, students stepped up to the challenge.

Again, NAT is TV lingo for natural sound, so  students are challenged to use only natural sounds   and interviews in these stories.

First place went  to students from Maui Waena Intermediate School.

My art helps people have fun by giving  them a memory of where they were at,   what they were doing, or if it's a  silly design.

We are at my tattoo shop,   Sacred Art Tattoo.

My art inspires people  because it's fun and bright and colorful.

[tattoo needle buzzing] You can get whatever you want, and  it makes you feel good, really,   like it's kind of like you look at it  every day and you're like, “This is nice.” I try to get, like, tattoos from everywhere I  travel.

So, I have one right here from Costa Rica.

This one's from Mexico.

What do I have, one from,   like Argentina right here, and then, like all  different states that I've traveled to.

So,   I think it's more about kind of  like collecting memories too.

They come in for all kinds of reasons, whether  they're having a rough spot in their life, or, you   know, they need something, to feel like they're  a part of something, and if that can inspire them   to do better or, you know, go on another day,  you know, we see it all the time with people.

They get emotional.

You do a cool portrait.

[ocean wave] In the middle school division of the NAT  package category, Wai‘anae Intermediate   School took home second place.

This piece  is about a young artist who loves drawing.

Remember, their prompt was  ‘The Art of Having Fun.” A fun activity I actually really like  enjoying is drawing.

It kind of allows   me to use my imagination to create a lot of  things that you know, are really beautiful.

I think the most funnest thing about drawing  is the way I'm able to open up my mind and   relieve myself from the amount of stress I get  daily.

I kind of do have a busy schedule while   managing student activities, and when  that moment does come in time, I draw.

Honestly, knowing I have a reliable source  of fun, it kind of makes me feel better   about my dependency, knowing that like, I have  something to cope with my problems like stress,   it kind of makes me feel 10  times better about myself.

Another thing I really particularly  learned from this process was that,   like you know, it's all  about the act of having fun;   it's all about doing things that make you  happy for you to grow more as a person.

[ocean wave] Students of all ages were also invited  to enter Public Service Announcements.

This next one stood out for its impressive  animation by a student from Hilo High School.

[ding] [sigh] [dings] [ocean wave] Now, here's the first place award winning  live action public service announcement   from Kamehameha Schools Maui High  School about addressing stress.

Sometimes life can feel overwhelming.

Stress may cause depression and anxiety,   resulting in Rise of heart rate and  blood pressure.

Acknowledge your stress,   step away and take a breath.

Talk it out.

Adjust your stress, take it one step at a time.

[ocean wave] Just because we're in elementary school  doesn't mean we can't produce great   videos.

At the SHOOTS Summit, elementary school  students were often producing work just as good   as middle and high schoolers.

Let's watch  the first place elementary school awardee   of the short film category from students  at Pōmaikaʻi Elementary School in Maui.

[fast orchestral music] A key.

Hmm, I wonder what it unlocks.

[music continues] Hmm, not that one.

Lost key?

[music continues] Not that one.

Hmm, please use another door.

[screams] Whoa, how did I get here?

Wow,  it's just such a cool place.

[slow music] I forgot my book.

There's my book.

Hey, Adriana, I just found a lost room.

A lost what?

A lost room, you know, like a hidden door.

What?

Just come with me.

[screams] Look it just right here.

That's a wall.

No, look.

Aw dang it, I think I might have lost the key.

The key, what?

You're just crazy.

Hmm, what is that?

Interesting.

[ocean wave] Before you go, let me tell you about the 16th  annual Hawai‘i STEM conference coming up in   March.

PBS Hawai‘i will host a highlight video  competition and offer a storytelling workshop   for teachers.

Last year, Kaua‘i High School took  first place in the promo category.

Check it out.

Welcome to STEMworks 2024.

Bringing together 345 students, 86  teachers, 33 schools and 6 islands.

Building up to one conference.

Now,  it's time to reach your full potential.

[upbeat pop music] STEMworks brings people from  all over Hawai‘i together,   building the future by fostering relationships  between students and industry professionals.

I'm excited to be at STEMworks  because I want to try new things out.

What makes me excited about it is just how I can  learn from it and implement that in the future.

Just learn about all the different  opportunities that come from STEM.

It's something new every time.

Industry is driven by STEM.

So, it's preparing the  pipeline of students.

Teachers are in the middle,   they're the bridge.

They're preparing our  students for successful careers in industry.

This conference provides opportunities  like their breakout sessions,   the STEM playground, and keynote speakers,   giving them confidence to pursue the field of  STEM while creating an engaging environment.

What I want to be when I grow up  is probably a robotics engineer.

I would like to be a software engineer.

I want to be an aerospace engineer.

Well, what I want to be when I  grow up is probably a doctor.

Be a nurse or a pilot.

I want to be an entrepreneur.

I want to do aerospace  engineering along with astronomy.

Unleash your inner artist,  scientist, mathematician,   storyteller, innovator, entrepreneur.

Your future is limitless.

[ocean wave] Well, that's it for our show.

Thank you for joining us to   learn more about the incredible  next generation of storytellers.

You can keep up with Hawai‘i's New  Wave of Storytellers by subscribing   to PBS Hawai‘i on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

Find the HIKI NŌ episode and more  at pbshawaii.org.

And of course,   please tune in next week for more proof  that Hawai‘i students HIKI NŌ, can do.

[outro music]