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MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund awards $100,000-plus in STEM grants

By Staff | May 9, 2013

KIHEI – Maui Economic Development Board recently announced the list of awardees receiving more than $100,000 in grants from its Ke Alahele Education Fund.

Awards ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 each were distributed this school year in an effort to expand science, technology, engineering and math education and careers in Maui County.

Maui Preparatory Academy’s Sustainable Curriculum received a $2,000 grant – partial funding for a multi-grade science project to build and maintain a functional aquaponics system using both traditional and solar power.

The project’s focus includes sustainability, system engineering challenges and plant and fish biology.

To date, over $650,000 in grants has been awarded, thanks to generous individuals and businesses that recognize the critical importance of investing in the economic future of Maui County and the State of Hawaii, and through funds raised from the annual MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund Dinner & Auction.

The 2013 fundraising dinner will be held on Saturday, Aug. 24, at the Grand Wailea Resort.

With the support of the MEDB fund, the Molokai Middle School robotics team, the “Molokai Goldeneyes,” captured first place in the Maui County Robotics tournament.

The team went on to win the Hawaii State Robotics tournament with its robot design and project concept for facial recognition virtual display. The team is now preparing for a national competition this month.

For more information on the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund and the Aug. 24 benefit dinner and auction, call 875-2300 or visit www.medb.org.

MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund Grant Awards, distributed from September 2012 through March 2013, include: Global Technology High School, $4,976; ROOTS Progressive Grade School, $2,241; Alaka’ina Foundation, $5,000; Seabury Hall, $5,000; Maui High School, $4,000; Iao Intermediate School, $4,224; Kaunakakai Elementary School, $5,000; Baldwin High School, $5,000; Molokai Middle School, $5,000; Molokai High School, $5,000; Hana Middle School Ecosystem Penpals, $5,000; Hana High School’s Ho`okele Hikianalia (Never Lost), $5,000; Hawaii State Science Olympiad, $1,000; King Kekaulike High School, $4,380; Maui High School, $5,000; Lokelani Intermediate School, $5,000; Baldwin High School, $5,000; Maui High School, $5,000; 4-H Dirt Devils, $5,000; PBS Hawaii, $5,000; Baldwin High School, $2,850; Molokai Middle School, $5,000; and King Kekaulike High School, $5,000.