"Big Read Hawai'i" will hold a teachers' workshop titled "Using Literature and Biography to Teach History and Reading," from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Chaminade University.

Designed for social studies and language arts teachers, the workshop will feature Mitch Yamasaki, Chaminade University; Craig Howes, Center for Biographical Research; Ruth Hsu, University of Hawai'i-Manoa; and Seri Luangphinith, University of Hawai'i-Hilo, as guest presenters. The free event will be held in Henry Hall.

For additional information, contact Mitch Yamasaki at myamasaki@chaminade.edu or 808-735-4824.

HECKLERS MAY BE AT DEBATE CONTEST

Teams from across O'ahu and the Mainland will be compete in a World Parliamentary Debate Tournament at Hawai'i Pacific University's Hawai'i Loa Campus Saturday and Sunday.

HPU will host debate competitors from the California State University system, Portland State University, the Claremont McKenna Colleges, Northwest University and the University of Hawai'i, among others.

World Parliamentary Debate involves teams of two students arguing about topics that are announced fifteen minutes before the debate round begins. Hecklers and audience feedback are not unusual occurrences in a World Parliamentary Debate.

UH GRANT TO BOOST HAWAIIAN STUDENTS

The Ka'imi'ike Program at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa has received a five-year, $540,000 grant from the Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences Program at the National Science Foundation.

The award will support the program's initiative to engage Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander undergraduate students in geoscience degree programs and careers.

Ten students will be selected to participate each year in a three-week exploratory summer institute geared toward freshmen and sophomore students within the University of Hawai'i system and area community colleges.

More information is available online at http://hbmp.hawaii.edu/kaimiike.

OHA TO SUPPORT WAI'ANAE TEACHERS

A community-based initiative working to help retain teachers on the Wai'anae Coast has received a $750,000 award from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Ho'okul'iwi: 'Aha Ho'ona'auao 'Oiwi (Center for Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Education) works in conjunction with the University of Hawai'i and Nanaikapono Elementary School. Its aim is to improve teacher retention by training people raised in the area to be teachers.

The funding will allow the program "to work more effectively with Native Hawaiian communities and schools to provide improved educational opportunities for children," Margaret Maaka, the program's director, said in a news release.

UH FORUM TO AIR FALUN GONG ISSUE

Two international human rights experts will speak Monday at a University of Hawai'i-Manoa forum titled "China's New Genocide" that will focus on alleged large-scale, systematic harvesting of organs from living Falun Gong practitioners in China.

The forum, set for 3 to 5 p.m. in the Architecture Department's auditorium, will feature David Matas, an international human rights lawyer in Canada, and Dr. Kirk Allison, director of the University of Minnesota's Program in Human Rights and Health.

For information, contact Professor Hong Jiang at 956-8164 or hjiang@hawaii.edu