Cast members of “Mary Poppins,” the musical, sang and danced in front of a sold-out house Friday and Saturday night. The production aimed to emphasize the importance of family. “The message of the show is looking beyond yourself, and your own needs, and your own concerns, and you’re part of a bigger world. You’re part of a community and you’re part of a family,” said Cameron Abaroa, a senior in interdisciplinary studies from Arizona, who co-stars as Mr. George Banks. “It’s a really important message for today and one I think will ring with an LDS audience. That’s what we’re taught that life’s all about the family. Having a father and a mother in equanimity raising children together.”Mary Poppins, played by Kaylee Buss, a senior in music from Colorado, flies to the aid of Jane and Michael Banks, two children struggling with the habit of throwing tantrums and running nannies out of the house. Their real struggle, however, is love. Jane and Michael have a hard time seeing their parents as people, people who need love. “Were you ever a little boy, father?” asks Michael in the play, sparking laughter from the audience, but a sadness in Mr. Banks whose hard childhood, a product of Nanny Andrews’ “brimstone and treacle” treatment, has turned him into a bitter, unhappy adult. To teach the children about seeing the humanity in their parents, and everyone else they meet, Mary Poppins sings “Feed the Birds” with Jacosa Limutau-Ainu, who played the bird woman in the BYUH production. Not only does Mary Poppins teach the children to be better, but she also teaches Mr. and Mrs. Banks what should be their roles and priorities with help from Bert, played by Doug Bush, a senior business major from California. Bert sings, “You’ve got to grind, grind, grind at that grindstone. Though childhood slips like sand through a sieve. And all too soon they’ve up and grown, and then they’ve flown.” These lyrics inspire a change of heart in Mr. Banks. The audience saw this change as Mr. Banks embraced fatherhood by flying a kite with his son, Michael, at the end of the play.Through the music in “Mary Poppins,” the audience can experience the characters’ changes more deeply than just a cut and dry list of their changes. “Mr. Banks learns the importance of his family, Winifred finds her place as a mother, and the children find out how hard life is for their parents so they start becoming supports and helps for their parents and you really see the creation of a family unit,” Abaroa said. Abaroa said he has a testimony of the power of music and theatre, paraphrasing a quote from Brigham Young who said if he were sent to a cannibal island and tasked with the education of the natives he would not build a school, but a theatre. The power of the arts cannot be understated, especially at an LDS school built in the name of a man who was an actor himself, said Abaroa. Michaela Bayona, an assistant director for “Mary Poppins,” and sophomore in English from California, said, “There’s something about a show that’s just so magical. There’s just this crazy high you get, a performance high, that’s just so beautiful.” “Mary Poppins’” audience fed off that high three nights in a row this past week as seats were filled by students, faculty, and community members to be entertained and inspired by the family focus of the production. Uploaded Feb. 26, 2015.

From 41 years of experience as a librarian in the Church Education System, Riley Moffat knows about books and has even written them. He said about 10 of his books on maps and history can be found in the BYU-Hawaii Library.“I’ve been mostly a librarian,” said Moffat. “In the South Pacific, I was the director of Library Services for church schools in Tonga, and when they were building new schools in Samoa and Fiji, I would design the library and train the people to work in them.” After retiring from the BYUH Library in June 2014 as head of reference, Moffat said he continues to research and write about the history of the LDS Church in the Pacific and is staying busy in retirement. “My wife and I have been volunteering in New Zealand for the past few months at the new branch of the LDS Church history library down there,” he said, where they have been cataloging oral histories and other assignments. “Over the years you get all these projects you want to do,” he said.In addition to that, “I’m also working on a history of what’s called the Maori Agricultural College. The church had a high school about 80 or 90 years ago, which was destroyed by an earthquake and was never rebuilt,” said Moffat. Moffat is currently working with BYU Provo Religion Professor Fred Woods on “a guidebook to LDS Church history sites around around the Hawaiian Islands. I just got back from Maui, trying to find sites of old chapels and talking to old timers about what it was like when you just had a little wooden church,” he said. Moffat said he is planning to help commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Laie Hawaii Temple, coming up in 2019, and this year’s celebration of the 150th anniversary since the LDS Church bought the Laie Plantation on Jan. 26, 1865. Activities are being planned for later this year to celebrate this milestone.Writing histories and gathering information about the past has been an integral part to Moffat’s life in libraries. That life started with his mother, who was the library director at BYUH when it was Church College of Hawaii. “That is what brought us to Hawaii,” he said.Moffat has continued the family profession. “It was an honest way of making a decent living. Living in the library world for the last 40 years has been fun. You don’t have to know all the answers, but you are supposed to know how to find the answers or help people find the answers,” said Moffat. Moffat has seen a lot of change in the library over the course of his career. “When I first came here back in the ‘60s, the wind just blew threw the windows and you’d have to go through the collection periodically and wipe down the leather spines with alcohol because the mold would grow in the books.” They stopped doing that, he said, when the library conditions could be controlled with air conditioning.Cold kills insects and mold, so it is good for book preservation. “In the library, we apologize that it’s cold, but that is the way the books like it. You can put a coat on. The books can’t,” said Moffat with a laugh.Paper books still need to be cared for despite all of the information online, said Moffat. “Be aware that for some of the most important information, you’ll still have to see a paper book.” The reason is not all books will ever be digitized, said Moffat. “New books may come out as an electronic version and paper version, but not everybody, because of copyright laws and demand, is going to go back and scan or digitize the old books, unless they are really old and out of copyright.”“We realized electronic information is more popular and easier to use in some cases. We have been able to replace almost all of our paper periodicals and magazine subscriptions to electronic. That’s where I think most of the students here are going for good information. We always had a challenge teaching that Google can give you a million answers but maybe only two or three are the right ones,” he said. Students need to learn “how to be discerning consumers of digital information,” he continued, “and how to recognize a scholarly journal instead of pulp.”He explained why hard copy books can be more reliable than Google. “When you are putting up money to publish the book, the printer usually has quality control. Especially if, for example, the book is published by a university, they’ll be very careful to make sure that they are not going to publish anything that is really bad and get a bad reputation. They are not going to spend the money to print it and try to market it unless they are confident that it is providing the most accurate information.”Uploaded Feb. 26, 2015.

Hundreds of youth from across the island of Oahu gathered together to participate in BYU-Hawaii Department of Educational Outreach’s Keaulani Enlightening Youth fireside. The theme of this session was “You are the Light,” referencing Doctrine & Covenants 50:24. The event, which was held in the CAC, included special guest speakers Darin Southam and his wife Michelle. Southam is an LDS actor and movie producer who displayed his acting skills in the recent Mormon produced film, “Ephraim’s Rescue.”Darin said, “I love the thrill of being able to influence others. The lights go off in the theater and there is just a captive audience. There is nothing like it. To be able to help people feel emotions and influence people and inspire people. When they forget they are watching a performance, that’s why I do what I do. I feel like it is really important which roles I chose to do.” Having this passion for acting has led him to influence others, especially the youth, who were eager to hear him speak about being the light. The fireside started off with a brief introduction of Darin and Michelle Southam. Michelle attended BYUH 13 years ago and shared her thrill to be back on campus. Michelle related the theme “You are the Light” to her own life by sharing her spiritual path and how she overcame her issues through focusing on the Savior and temple attendance. Michelle emphasized one of the principles of Christ’s teachings: that He may make weak things become strong. She told the youth that, when they are strong, they are the example and the light to others. Michelle also shared that, “If you want to know value, pray for Heavenly Father to show you.” Students were entertained by Darin’s sense of humor and acting skills. Darin spoke to the youth about being the light as he related the principle to his life and acting experiences. Southam explained, “To be the light you have to first have the light. The only source of light is Christ. Once you find him and come to know him, you begin to be filled with Christ-like attributes.” He linked most of his talk to a talk given by Thomas S. Monson titled “Decisions Determine Destiny.” Darin’s advice to youth was to choose friends with caution, plan for the future with purpose and to frame your life with faith. Youth participant Malie DaMate, from the north shore area, said, “I liked the part when he told us that we should choose our friends wisely.”After the talks were given, the youth had the opportunity to go meet Southam, ask questions and take pictures. The rest of the night included dinner, a movie at The Hub for the participants 13 and younger, and a dance for the kids 14 and older. The eventful evening was put together by the BYUH Department of Educational Outreach, who has plans to hold another similar event in October of this year. Uploaded Feb. 26, 2015

Dr. James Roberts, in his article on Yahoo.com, claimed cell phone addiction is similar to computer or gaming addictions after researching the topic. “Anything that can produce pleasure in your brain has the potential of becoming addictive. Loss of control is the essential element of any addiction,” Dr. Roberts reported. The article continues to name six indicators of a possible cell phone addiction; salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict and relapse. Dr. Roberts offers the following 12 statements that readers can use to determine whether or not they have a cellphone addiction by answering “yes” or “no.” 1. The first thing I reach for after waking in the morning is my cellphone. 2. I would turn around and go back home on the way to work if I had left my cellphone at home. 3. I often use my cellphone when I am bored. 4. I have pretended to take calls to avoid awkward social situations. 5. I find myself spending more and more time on my cellphone. 6. I spend more time than I should on my cellphone. 7. I become agitated or irritable when my cellphone is out of sight. 8. I have gone into a panic when I thought I had lost my cellphone. 9. I have argued with my spouse, friends, or family about my cellphone use. 10. I use my cellphone while driving my car. 11. I have tried to curb my cellphone use, but the effort didn’t last very long. 12. I need to reduce my cellphone use, but am afraid I can’t do it. Each of these questions can indicate a different aspect of the addiction. Questions 1 and 2 can indicate salience; questions 3 and 4 can indicate euphoria, which is a sign of mood modification; questions 5 and 6 can indicate tolerance a major factor in addictions; questions 7 and 8 can indicate possible withdrawal symptoms; questions 9 and 10 can indicate conflict that is caused by the addiction; and questions 11 and 12 can indicate relapse. If you answered "yes" more than eight times, Dr. Roberts suggests setting an appointment with a clinic. For those on campus, the counseling services can help. If you answered "yes" five to seven times, you are headed towards and addiction. If it was three or four, It is time to start analyzing your cell phone use, and if two or less of the above 12 statements were true for you, you are afraid of technology.No matter what readers scored, Dr. Roberts said that cellphones are not going anywhere, so we should all learn how to manage our use. Dr. Roberts suggested finding a time each day to “unplug” from our digital lives and devote time to what really matters, “friends, family, and being in the moment.” Alyssa Asplund, a sophomore from San Diego studying Graphic Design, couldn’t agree more with Dr. Roberts. “In society we focus so much on instant gratification. We want information right away just because it’s more convenient.” Asplund continued, “It’s a very impatient and crazy way to live. I find it absolutely inhuman and it’s like we’re turning into a bunch of robots.” Uploaded Feb. 26, 2015.

William Arnett, a junior in music from Arizona, is working with a group of returned missionaries and Vanuatu natives to bring education and the gospel to Vanuatu. In Vanuatu, education is in short supply. “Families can send one, maybe two of their children to school,” said Arnett, who served a mission in Vanuatu. “The islands and atolls are mostly subsistence farming and people are only able to reach a high school education, if that.”“Everyone in the country is just so vivacious that want to have education. They’re a very new country — only 30 years old. They got independence in 1980. They know to become a powerful country and to be the country they want to be is through education,” Arnett added. He and other returned missionaries have seen the need for education and have a plan to help provide it.On Crowdrise, you can watch a video called Houses for Hope, which explains their project. Through donations they will fund the building of a house for missionaries to live. The LDS Church will rent the house and give that money to the community, which will help fund for school. According to Arnett, a large portion of that money will be spent in paying teachers, buying school supplies and building a schoolhouse. By putting money into building these houses, the members of Houses for Hope are putting money into the education system of Vanuatu, as well as boosting its economy. Other portions of the rent money will go toward building more homes in outer regions of Vanuatu for missionaries to proselyte and serve the people. All it takes is one house to get it started.Maklen Kapulu, a project organizer for Houses of Hope and a senior in political science from Vanuatu, will be going back to her home to begin preparations on the ground this summer. “I know that this program will really help the children and especially the communities in Vanuatu,” said Kapulu. “We’re trying to help the country out, to get them what they really need,” said Arnett, echoing his Crowdrise video. “They don’t have the money to build the houses to rent them to missionaries to get money cycling through.” Arnett said housing would help missionaries to get out in the field, helping and serving the people. He added, “If we get the benefits of the gospel to them, it will also help them get educated and developed. This is one way it can go directly into their communities. It’s a win-win on both sides.” “As the children go to school they will be able to get a high school education, which is really the end of the line for them in their country, but then they can come to BYU-Hawaii and be able to have the miracle that is this church school to help them out,” said Arnett.He continued, “I feel like it’s a way — and I don’t want to sound cheesy — a way we can establish peace internationally. I think the school was made to do something like this and this is something we should do,” said Arnett.Houses for Hope is dedicated to their cause and backed by a generous donor who will match whatever money is raised from Crowdrise (up to $8000). While they are hoping to find success in the Empower Your Dreams competition, “we are going to do this anyway. The contest is just a way to do it quicker within the next two years,” said Arnett. “It’s going to happen, it’s just going to happen so much faster and so much better with your help,” said Arnett.Uploaded Feb. 26, 2015

Students, locals, and tourists alike gathered at the Polynesian Cultural Center for the grand opening of the Hukilau Marketplace last Friday, Feb. 20. to participate in several activities, as well as try out the new shops and food options. Before the festivities began, a brief opening ceremony was held at the entrance. PCC President and CEO Alfred Grace took the stand, addressing the public about the exciting new opportunities and experiences the marketplace provides. “How do you make this marketplace different from any other marketplace?” Grace asked rhetorically. “You tell a story.” He explained the Hukilau Marketplace is symbolic of the values and traditions that have been part of Hawaiian culture for years. According to Pres. Grace, the first Hukilau was held on Jan. 31, 1948 as a fundraiser to rebuild the chapel in Laie. Hukilau means to “pull the leaves,” and Laie residents worked together to catch fish using woven nets. Residents used the extra fish from their catch to create a luau to raise funds. Although profit from tourism in Hawaii was not as prominent as it is today, the community pulled together and created a long lasting tradition eventually leading to the creation of the PCC. Along with a hula performance and lei untying, the public was invited to peruse the shops and events. Everyone in attendance was provided a free dinner of rice, beef stew, and manapua, with a sweet pake cake for desert. VIP guests were invited to an exclusive dinner at Pounders restaurant before its official opening. A statue of legendary Hamana Kalili was unveiled to commemorate Kalili as the originator of the shaka. According to the Honolulu Advertiser, Kalili lost his three middle fingers in sugar mill accident; he then became a security guard on the sugar train and his waving pinky finger and thumb become known as the shaka sign as he waved to tourists. The Kalili statue represents this and preserves his memory and story. Kahuku High School also did a series of performances, including the haka. “It’s really family oriented,” said Jordan Wilder, an undeclared freshman from Idaho, when asked her opinion on the new marketplace.The event was filled with students and friends who checked out the shops and food. Seven Brothers opened their new Seven Brothers Surf location in the Marketplace, as did Tita’s Grill. Seven Brothers Surf manager Shez Hannemann said, “[Hukilau Marketplace] promotes the locals to come out more.”Uploaded Feb. 26, 2015

Students at BYU-Hawaii are attempting to pull together funds to create a feature-length film. They created a page on Kickstarter, and have been seen fundraising outside the BYU-Hawaii Counseling Center with their “(almost) free ice cream,” camera equipment, and laptops for willing passers-by to pledge at least $1 to their cause. “We are currently in the fundraising process,” said Jacob Moss, a junior from Oregon majoring in music composition. “We are on Kickstarter with 81 followers. We hope to meet $35,000 which will be enough to pull it off to be professional looking and sounding film.” “If we don’t get the $35,000 we don’t get anything,” added Jacob’s older brother, Preston Moss, a junior majoring in fine arts and anthropology. Christopher Wiley, a sophomore music major from Oregon, clarified that “the credit cards aren’t charged until the goal is reached.” According to Preston, they are not just looking for money backers. He explained, “we also need help with the cast and crew. If you are interested or feel like helping, please back us on Kickstarter. Share it with your rich parents and bishops!” Jacob jokingly added, “Take out a loan for us! We will be extremely grateful!” “We need a lot of help from other students. It will be a significant step for us in our film careers,” said Wiley.Their film will be called “The Sandman,” Preston shared. The movie is “based on a short story written in the 19th century by E.T.A. Hoffman.” When asked a brief synopsis of their film, they directed to their Kickstarter page, which reads: “Nathaniel is happy. He’s successful in school, engaged, with a grand future ahead of him. Things turn however, as he suspects one of his professors of being a deranged serial killer, who harvests the eyes of his victims. Split between planning for his wedding and bringing this criminal to justice, Nathaniel embarks on an adventure that reveals the world to be a far more wild, and frightening place than he wished to imagine it.”“All of the cast and crew are students,” said Preston. Participating in such a project would provide students “experience and creativity in a team.” “We are dreamers. We are believers. I mean that we want to go out and work and do something with our lives. We want to move people, create meaning, beauty within people’s lives. This is an idea that captivates us as a group. We want to make (something) entertaining for the film. Something beautiful. We want to make something beautiful,” Jacob elaborated.“If we reach the quality of audience we are hoping to reach,” said Jacob, “it will be nice publicity for us and the school. If you are involved, it could be a catapult to a career. Of course, in order to reach that level is going to take a lot of effort by our cast and crew, and sheer good luck.”Jacob said in closing, “I think everyone should do things like this. We are super grateful for all of the help and support we receive. We are making a movie.” Uploaded Feb. 25, 2015.

What started as one surfer’s desire to document his surf trip has turned into a globally recognized billion-dollar company: GoPro. BYU-Hawaii students said they think GoPros promote action sports and encourage people to be active. Today GoPro is a household name, and can be found on the beaches, in the mountains, and in the skies. “It gives you the ability to capture a wave from inside the barrel from a surfer’s point of view, which we never used to be able to do. It’s pretty much the eyes of the surfer. It has taken surf photography to a new level,” said Trey Fortucci, a senior studying exercise science from Oahu. “I think, just like Apple, GoPro is coming out with new products that are attractive to consumers and fit their needs. It’s a ‘life-proof’ camera that is cost effective and geared towards a person’s lifestyle, whatever that lifestyle may be,” said Fortucci.The small camera is almost indestructible and easy to always have with you. “I love the photography from GoPro. It is really unique and it is easy to carry with you wherever you go. There is nothing else like it,” said Megan Tiritilli from California. “A lot of the shots that we are getting with GoPros today would not be possible with a $3,000 camera set-up in hand. It all comes back to costs and mobility. The size and cost of the GoPro is unbeatable. I can fit it in my pocket and still have a good camera that can get the shots that I want,” said Fortucci. The world of action sports is getting flooded with photos and clips from GoPro users around the world. “I think GoPro has put action sports a bit more on the map. Now we have footage of so many different sports and new angles that we did not have before,” said Chris Hoer, a junior from Utah studying business. “Action sports are receiving more exposure and are in the spotlight more often because of GoPro.”Hoer said he believes the exposure can motivate people around the world to follow their passions and show others the joys of living. “It is definitely a good thing. I think it encourages more people to get out there and capture their moments and be active. People will try different things and film it. Ultimately it’s very cool,” said Hoer. Because GoPros are so small, it allows people to get a new perspective from the athletes in the sports they follow. Most of the action sports around the world are using GoPros to capture their most exciting moments. “It’s cool to see exactly what some of these guys are seeing with the point of view angle. It makes you want to do what they are doing,” said Hoer. Uploaded Feb. 25, 2015

The recent deaths of three Muslim students at North Carolina State in Chapel Hill may be ruled a hate crime.“We know this is a hate crime. We know that Islamophobia is real and very much alive in this country,” said William Gyles, a senior majoring in biochemistry from Illinois. Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23; his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21; and her sister, Razan Mohammed Abu-Salha, 19, were found dead on Feb. 10th at the newly married couple’s apartment. A grand jury has indicted Craig Hicks on three counts of first-degree murder, according to the Durham County Clerk’s office. Hicks was also charged with using a firearm inside of an occupied home. County police told media outlets, “an ongoing neighbor dispute over parking” may have been the cause of the fatal altercation, but officials are not throwing out the possibility of a hate crime. Barakat graduated with honors from N.C State in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Barakat’s wife Yusor graduated from N.C. State last fall with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences. Yusor had just recently been accepted into the UNC dentistry program. Razan, Yusor’s younger sister, was a sophomore in N.C. State’s college of design, majoring in architecture. “Needless to say, these three young people had so much ahead of them. It pains me to think that this is happening to my brothers and sisters everywhere. It’s always the same headline, they just change up the campus every now and then,” remarked Karima Selah, a Muslim student at the University of Hawaii Manoa.The FBI defines a hate crime as, “a traditional offense like murder, arson, or vandalism with an added element of bias.”CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin said, “To qualify as a hate crime, all that matters is that the crime was motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias.”According to the university’s recent press release, N.C. State has created a scholarship program called “Our Three Winners” that will provide annual support to students in N.C. State’s Poole College of Management, College of Sciences and the College of Design. Chancellor Randy Woodson said along with the announcement of the scholarship, “Deah, Yusor and Razan exemplified the best of N.C. State and will forever serve as role models for our student body.” Woodson continued, “Each was not only an outstanding student, but individually and as a family lived their lives bringing joy to others, helping those in need and making the world a better place.”Prior to his death, Deah Barakat created a GoFundMe site to help provide medical care for Syrian refugees. Since his, his wife’s and sister-in-law’s passing, the page has received more than $335,000. According to Barakat’s cousin, Rula Dweydari, the money will be used to set up clinics for Syrian refugees in Turkey in memory of the three Muslim students.Uploaded Feb. 25, 2015