Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Saturday, June 11, 2016

NEW FINDINGS SHOW PROMISING trends in Hawai`i student health behaviors. Hawai`i Department of Health, Department of Education and University of Hawai`i released high school data from the 2015 Hawai`i Youth Risk Behavior Survey for the state and each of the four counties. The YRBS is a bi-annual voluntary survey that regularly monitors the health risk behaviors of public, non-charter school students statewide. Over 12,000 Hawai`i students in grades six through 12 participated in the 2015 survey.
      Topics covered in the survey include unintentional injuries and violence; tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection; unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical inactivity. The survey also monitors the percentages of students affected by obesity and asthma.
      The 2015 YRBS results show trends toward less-risky behaviors in many important areas and highlight needed improvements in others.
      Physical fighting continues to decline, with 15 percent of high school students reporting that they were in a fight at least once during the 12 months before the survey. Bullying has stayed relatively steady, with one in five high school students reporting that they were bullied on school property during the same time period.

      Consistent with objectives outlined in the state’s Physical Activity and Nutrition Plan, many YRBS indicators suggest an increase in youth behaviors that support healthy lifestyles. Only 13 percent of high school students report drinking at least one can, bottle or glass of soda at least once per day, compared to 23 percent in 2007. The survey does not cover drinking other types of beverages with added sugar such as sports drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks (other than 100 percent fruit juice) or sweetened tea and coffee. The proportion of high school students meeting physical activity recommendations remains steady, with 20 percent achieving the national recommendation of at least 60 minutes per day on each of the seven days before the survey. However, sedentary time continues to increase, with two in five high school students spending three hours or more per day playing video games or using a computer for non-school purposes.
      Alcohol use has declined among Hawai`i’s youth, with one in four high school students reporting that they drank alcohol within the 30 days before the survey. Smoking continues a steady declines; 90 percent of Hawai`i’s high school students do not smoke cigarettes. However, many have tried using electronic smoking devices, with one in four reporting that they currently use electronic smoking devices.
      One area that remains a concern is adolescent mental health. In 2015, 29.5 percent of high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row at least once in their lifetime. Rates of attempted suicide over the past 12 months has steadily decreased since 1993, but remain unacceptably high at 11 percent.
      “The results reflect our recent initiatives to raise the bar at all levels in education,” said Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “The downward trend of students engaging in risky behaviors and an increase in healthy choices is testament to the work done by our schools and the commitment of our students to strive higher.”
      For a comparison of Hawai`i’s data to national rates, see http://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline/App/Default.aspx.
      For more information on the Hawai`i YRBS, see http://apps.hidoe.k12.hi.us/research/Pages/YRBS.aspx.
      The full survey report, including more detailed data reports by county, gender, grade and race/ethnicity, and the survey questionnaires are available at the www.hawaiihealthmatters.org.

A LONG-AWAITED PROGRAM to reunite aging Filipino World War II veterans with their children and families is being implemented. Under the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Filipino World War II Veterans Parole program, Filipino veterans whose service has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense, or their surviving spouses, may apply to bring children and certain other family members to the United States.

      “Today is a victory for the thousands of Filipino World War II veterans and their families who will finally be able to be reunited in the United States,” Sen. Mazie Hirono said. “This announcement is only possible because of the hard work of so many, and we are only beginning our work to reunite these families. I will continue to plan outreach events and coordinate with USCIS and advocates to ensure that as many veterans and families take advantage of this program as possible.”
      Filipino World War II veteran Rudy Panaglima shared his family’s experience of waiting 20 years to be reunited with his sons and his hope that they will finally be able to come to the United States under the FWVP program.
      Filipino veterans were granted citizenship in recognition of their service to the United States during World War II. Many of their children, however, were not. Due to backlogs in the U.S. immigration system, it can take more than 20 years for immigration applications to be reviewed. Under the FWVP program, families, some of whom have been waiting decades, can finally be together in the United States while their applications are processed.

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the free Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Cultural Festival & BioBlitz, Saturday, Aug. 27.

      This year’s festival honors the park’s centennial anniversary and connects visitors and the community to the culture, biology and geology of the park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.
      Themed E Ho`omau (to perpetuate; to continue in a way that causes good to be long-lasting), the 36th annual cultural festival invites people of all ages to engage in authentic Hawaiian cultural practices and learn how native Hawaiians lived closely to the land as its stewards. Enjoy hula and music, watch skilled practitioners demonstrate their art, and try Hawaiian crafts. Performers include Halau o Akaunu with Manaiakalani Kalua, Kenneth Makuakane, Kai Ho`‘opi`i and Diana Aki, plus many more.
      This year’s festival will again include a BioBlitz, a hands-on opportunity for families and individuals to observe and document the biodiversity that thrives in the lava flows and native rainforests of Kilauea volcano. In mid-July, participants will be able to sign up for any of the BioBlitz field inventories, which include Hiding in Plain Sight: the Insects and Spiders of the Park, a birding excursion called Feathers in the Forest, and Na Mea o Kanu o Ka Hula (The Plants of Hula), on the Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park website. The field inventories are led by experts at the forefront of conservation, science and traditional Hawaiian culture.
      The BioBlitz runs from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the cultural festival is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entrance and all events are free.

      2016 is the 100th anniversary for Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. To find out what’s happening throughout 2016, see nps.gov/havo. It’s also the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and to learn about centennial events at other national parks, see FindYourPark.com.
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HIKERS ON PU`U KAHUKU TRAIL explore realms and divisions of the traditional Hawaiian classification system tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Kahuku Unit Of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

THE EIGHTH ANNUAL VOLCANO Pottery Sale continues today until 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.