Limited funding still is progress

There seems to be some confusion over the elimination of junior kindergarten, as outlined in Lyla Berg’s commentary ("Don’t delete junior kindergarten yet; no child should be left without," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, April 28). 

In 2010, the Legislature mandated the change in age for kindergarten, noting that younger children may be more appropriately placed in a pre-kindergarten program. 

In 2012, the Legislature eliminated the junior kindergarten program, since most late-born children were entering first grade unprepared following their junior kindergarten year. 

Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s vision increases access to quality pre-kindergarten opportunities for all 4-year-olds through the existing mixed-delivery system, which includes private and public providers. The Legislature’s decision last year to partially fund the administration’s requests made it impossible to reach all those affected by ending junior kindergarten. 

However, the $6 million provided by the Legislature last year and the $3 million this year bring us closer to a prekindergarten program for all of Hawaii’s 4-year-olds.

Georgenne "GG" Weisenfeld
Director, Executive Office on Early Learning

Robotics teams did a great job

I want to give a huge mahalo to each of the Hawaii robotics teams for the great work performed this season. We are so very proud of each and every one of them for what they accomplished from the build season to local competitions to state finals, and in some cases, a world championship run. 

The 2013-2014 seasons were, in a word, outstanding. We’ve watched, assisted, hosted and worked with schools as we pulled together as one team to deliver positive results in overcoming the particular game missions. 

No obstacle was too large. No task too great. And no work was too hard for all the Hawaii teams. Led by enthusiastic teachers, the students, mentors, parents and volunteers inspired all of us. Along with local corporate partners, we are now planning for the 2014-2015 seasons and we encourage new students to get involved.

It’s not just about building robots. It’s about coming together as a  team to learn how to solve real-world challenges.

Lenny Klompus
President, Friends of Hawaii Robotics

College sports rarely profitable

Every time there is a new revelation about the state of University of Hawaii athletic facilities, or the lack of support for student-athletes, we hear why UH can never hope to be athletically competitive. 

We don’t hear that just 23 of 228 athletics departments at NCAA Division I public schools generated enough money to cover expenses in 2012. All 23 of those schools are from conferences that automatically qualify for the Bowl Championship Series, where the real money is. 

Other programs in these top conferences remain far from self-sufficient, however, and even the few financially self-sufficient athletics departments receive subsidies from student fees, school or state support.

If we want first-class UH athletics, we must provide the support to make it possible. If we don’t, we should make that clear, but we cannot continue along the path we are on without serious consequences for the athletic future of our flagship university. 

Alan Ewell
Tantalus

Smooth talkers bilking seniors

There are many smooth-talking sales people in Hawaii who are taking advantage of senior citizens and those who are not fluent in English, especially immigrants from foreign countries. They knock on doors and ask to do odd jobs and bill them for services that were not needed nor rendered. This is an ongoing problem that needs to be stopped.

Toshio Chinen
Pearl City

Dylan older but as good as ever

Even after 50 years, Bob Dylan can still rock it! 

So what if it took most of the first 45-minute set to warm up that throaty crust of his? It got hot and as musically lyrical as vintage Dylan ever was.

Newer songs, reworked classics: It was all there with a deadly good band backing up this enigmatic troubadour from the ’60s.

The only thing missing was an encore, with Dylan playing guitar with his harmonica fastened around his neck; but at 73, and after an hour and a half of classic Dylan, who could blame him for not revisiting that? 

A true American icon played Honolulu and I’m glad that I was there to experience it.

Michael O’Hara
Kaneohe