The 28th Annual Great Aloha Run was held on Monday, February 20, 2012. The Great Aloha Run covers an 8.15 mile course from Downtown Honolulu to Aloha Stadium. One of the main objectives of the event is to raise money for various charities. Among the more than 28,000 participants who woke up early for the 7:00 am race were 33 HTIC/TES faculty, staff and students. The top three finishers from the HTIC/TES contingent were faculty member Rosalie Paradise (1:03:05), Tokai University Takanawadai Senior High School student Kentaro Miura (1:04:12), and Tokai University Urayasu Senior High School student Maona Abe (1:05:12), whose time put her in 6th place for her group (Females 15-19).

Congratulations to everyone who participated!

On February 9, 2012, a reception was held at Hawaii Tokai International College to honor all Hawaii participants and award winners in the 23rd Annual Shizuoka Friendship Postcard Art Contest sponsored by Tokai University Junior College Shizuoka Campus and Hawaii Tokai International College.

Hawaii Tokai’s International Department hosted a Japanese/English language exchange pizza party on February 15 for students from its Global English program, HTIC's academic programs, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Students had the opportunity to make new friends while conducting language exchange.

The twenty Global English students are currently studying Information and Telecommunication Technology at the Tokai University Takanawa Campus in Tokyo Japan. They are now participating in a two-week intensive English and speech communication program at HTIC. Their program includes excursions to Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor, a visit to Mid-Pacific Institute, a company visit, and math and environmental workshops.

The HTIC Polynesian Culture Club performed at the 2012 Hawaii TESOL conference held at HTIC on Saturday, February 11. This was the Polynesian Club’s first performance of the year. Our lovely hula girls Tomomi Hibikiya, Mikako Kuruma, and Asako Nishi, under the direction of our resident Kumu Hula, Ms. Tammy Silva, were excited to get back on the stage and perform to the over two hundred attendees at the TESOL conference.

Attendees were also treated to an a capella performance of a Hawaiian doxology by the SHIP (Senior High Intercultural Program) students who are participating in an intensive short-term ESL program for students of the Tokai Educational System in Japan.