4798 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS February 28, 1991 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS TRffiUTE TO KONAWAENA HIGH traffic adding to the difficulties for Konawaena para tory Academy and Ann T abieros of SCHOOL'S WORLD SOLAR CHAL­ High School's 32Q-pound car, named "Ka La Farrington High School. LENGE TEAM lkaika" or "The Powerful Sun." Mr. Speaker, tremendous congratulations Added to the hindrances provided by Mother and thanks goes to William Woerner, HON. PATSY T. MINK Nature were mechanical challenges presented Konawaena High School physics teacher and OF HAWAII to the students. Let me take just a moment to head adviser of the school's solar car team. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES cite just one example of how the students Assistant adviser is Konawaena High School Thursday, February 28, 1991 learned life's valuable lesson that success teacher, Geoffrey Van Kirk. Appreciation must doesn't come without overcoming obstacles. it also go to Konawaena High School principal, Mrs. MINK. Mr. Speaker, on October 27 of was during the time trials to determine starting Mae Yamasaki, whose overall support and en­ last year I rose to take note of the hard work positions in the World Solar Challenge race it­ couragement played a key role in this tremen­ and achievement of the students of self. As team after team completed the speed dous effort. Also providing important overall Konawaena High School on the island of Ha­ portion of the trials-brake and stability tests encouragement and support was Hawaii Su­ waii that was about to compete in the World were to follow-the Konawaena pit crew perintendent of Schools Charles Toguchi. Solar Challenge, a race of solar-powered vehi­ worked under a scorching sun at trackside to Performing yeoman's work in generating cles covering approximately 1,875 miles from repair motor and gear problems on their car. publicity, coordinating news coverage while Darwin to Adelaide across Australia's outback Had repairs not been completed by the late the team was in Australia, and playing an im­ midsection from north to south. The race was afternoon deadline, the car would have been portant role in raising funds so the team and held November 11-22 of last year. The eliminated from the race. But to the relief of the Powerful Sun could make the trip was Konawaena High School team, through hard Herb Squires. work, creativity, and persistence, won the right everyone, the repairs were made in time and the Ka La lkaika glided smoothly, silent, and Other adults serving as sponsors, chap­ to compete in the World Solar Challenge by erones, and support team members were: winning the Tour of the Sun competition swiftly across the starting line and into the speedway's measured portion. However, that Mary Beth Hilburn, a teacher at Konawaena among five Hawaii high schools and one inter­ High School; Paul Hilburn; Wayne Fukunaga, wasn't the end of the team's obstacles to mediate school held last summer at Kailua­ Sr.-father of team member Wayne overcome. Motor and gear problems pre­ Kana on the island of Hawaii. Fukunaga; Stephen Murata, owner of a weld­ Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise to update this sented a constant challenge to the team ing company, who contributed mightily to the House, to applaud the Konawaena High throughout the race. Other mishaps included hard task of keeping the car in running order: School solar car team for achieving what I at least six flat tires, a shattered front axle, a Dave Rezachek; Marguerite Rezachek; Sum­ consider to be the truly remarkable, and to minor fire in the cockpit, stripped gears, and a mer Kirn; Budd Steinhilber; and Michele Ste­ thank those who made such an achievement loose wire leading to a multitude of short phen-Hassar~other of Greg Stephen­ possible. circuts. Hassard. After racking up 96 hours on the road and But there were triumphs too. For example, Thanks should also go to the Hawaii De­ a nip and tuck battle throughout the 11-day on the race's second day, Konawaena started partment of Business and Economic Develop­ race with a competing Australian high school, out in last place but in the space of 6 hours ment's [DBED] Energy Division for sponsoring Hawaii's Konawaena High School team fin­ "the Powerful Sun" had left 13 cars in its the Ka'ahele La-Tour of the Sun-Inter­ ished first in the race's high school division wake. scholastic Photovoltaic-Powered Vehicle Com­ and 18th out of 38 vehicles overall. Mr. Speaker, every citizen of Hawaii and petition in Hawaii. This program, believed to This event was much more than a group of each Member of this body can also be proud be the only one of its kind in the country, in high school teams competing in a solar-pow­ of how the students conducted themselves a sense laid the foundation from which the ered vehicle race. This was a truly inter­ during their trip to Australia. I would challenge Konawaena High School World Solar Chal­ national event. It included entries from, or any Member to cite a group that has con­ lenge team built its success. The program en­ backed by, some of the world's largest autcr ducted itself with more maturity and poise as courages high school students across Hawaii makers-like Honda and General Motors­ ambassadors from their home State and their to build and design solar-powered vehicles some of the United States' most prestigious home country under sometimes very trying cir­ with the overall goal of providing multienergy universities, and several large multinational cumstances. The team received worldwide at­ education to Hawaii's young people. DBED corporations which had millions of dollars tied tention from more than 250 journalists from 12 provided technical assistance and the seed up in their vehicles. In short, Mr. Speaker, the countries. Wearing leis and aloha shirts, the money with a $12,000 grant to each participat­ students on the Konawaena High School team was always the center of attraction at ing school to apply toward designing and World Solar Challenge team was pitted the many prerace and postrace functions. building a solar-powered vehicle. against some of the best engineering brains Their behavior and deportment was flawless. I As I said earlier, the Konawaena solar car and best financed teams in the world. But that do not overstate the case when I say, Mr. team competed with five other schools last fact did not faze our team from Hawaii. What Speaker, that the students behavior brought July to win the Tour of the Sun competition, the Konawaena team lacked in financing it great honor to themselves, their community, which gave the team the right to represent Ha­ made up with creativity, ingenuity, hard work, their State and to this country. waii in Australia. The other schools competing and persistence. Of course congratulations must first be in last summer's Tour of the Sun competition The World Solar Challenge was a gruelling given the members of the Konawaena High were Hawaii Preparatory Academy and event for any vehicle, much less one designed School solar car team making the trip to Aus­ Na'alehu Intermediate School from the island and built by high school students with limited tralia. They are: Dominique Amae, Melita of Hawaii and Pearl City High School, Rocr resources. Let me describe a little of what Bunghanoy, Tammy Delatorre, Wayne sevelt High School, and Farrington High achieving such an honor involved. Imagine Fukunaga, Jr., Adrianne Grace, Erik Johnson, School from the island of Oahu. The students traveling on Australia's only cross-continental Denet Lewis, Leslie Lowe, Mandy McCasland, on these other schools' teams had at least an highway 9 hours a day through some of the John Orr, Yuni Politz, and Sylvia Silva. indirect hand in the success of the most isolated and desolate regions of the The Konawaena High School solar car team Konawaena team. world, stopping to camp in the barren outback members also invited students from other high Credit should also go to Jonathan Tenny­ each night. Imagine fierce headwinds, 106-de­ schools to make the trip to Australia. They son, a fan and designer of solar-powered vehi­ gree temperatures, flies, heavy clouds and were Greg Stephen-Hassard of Hawaii Pre- cles from the island of Hawaii. It was largely • This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words insened or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. February 28, 1991 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 4799 his idea for a solar-powered car competition in examples where labor played an instrumental He later served in Japan with the Occupa. my State in the first place. That idea is what role in social progress. As a former union offi· tion Forces and also in Korea during the war led to the worldwide honor and acclaim that cer who worked his way up through the ranks, from 1950 to 1952. His other assignments has been accorded the Konawaena High I am proud of that history; the 8--hour day, were at Mitchel AFB, New York; the University School World Solar Challenge Team. child labor laws, workplace safety, and civil of Pittsburgh; the Pentagon; 20th Fighter The late Tokutaro Amea, who passed away rights are some of the ways unions advanced Wing, Wethersfield, England; and Warner in April of last year, should also be recog· the dignity of labor. Robins AFB, GA, where he retired as Lieuten­ nized. He had been the Konawaena solar· The freedom of workers to voluntarily form ant Colonel in 1967.