Educators, filmmakers and arts organizations asked the Maui County Budget Committee to continue county support for STEM education, nonprofit transportation and local arts and film programs that provide hands-on learning, workforce experience and community storytelling.

Kavika Gonzales, a Molokai teacher and 2024 teacher-of-the-year in his complex area, described how Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) support enabled students to attend an engineering day, engage with industry professionals and build devices including a Bluetooth radio. Gonzales also credited MEDB for app-development software that allowed fifth-grade students to design Oulumika (Hawaiian bowling) apps and simulations.

Filmmaker Matt Yamashita, an Emmy-winning Molokai native who now serves on the Molokai Arts Center board, supported a county budget item that would fund video-production assistance for nonprofits and local creators. “How do we not just encourage big film Hollywood to come and do business... but how do we support our local filmmakers, our local storytellers, our local content creators, and simultaneously boost our local economy and support our non profits?” Yamashita said. He also praised the newly appointed film commissioner as a connector to keep production dollars local.

Alice Kabaoka Hanui, executive director of the Molokai Arts Center, thanked the council for prior support and said the arts center’s programs — artists-in-residence, classes and a Saturday market — strengthen local culture and economy. She noted county Office of Economic Development funding helped the MAC’s Hawaiian arts programming this year.

Why it matters: Speakers said sustained county support helps educators reach students with hands-on STEM and arts programming, helps nonprofits tell stories that attract funders, and helps local filmmakers and artists build skills so production work hires island-based crews rather than importing labor.

Community-level funding requests included continued support to MEDB, MEO transportation for student travel, county grants to the Molokai Arts Center, and a proposed program in the budget for video production services for nonprofits. No formal action was taken during the hearing.