{"id":158921,"date":"2022-05-11T11:44:29","date_gmt":"2022-05-11T21:44:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=158921"},"modified":"2024-03-14T23:15:40","modified_gmt":"2024-03-15T09:15:40","slug":"journalists-journey-to-anchor-desk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2022\/05\/11\/journalists-journey-to-anchor-desk\/","title":{"rendered":"A young journalist\u2019s joyful journey to the anchor desk"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Hiʻilawe<\/span> Neves, with UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Provost Michael Bruno and College of Social Sciences Dean Denise Eby Konan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What happens when the Waiʻanae<\/span> High School class of 2020 valedictorian enrolls as a journalism major in 2021 at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa College of Social Sciences<\/a>? Amee Hiʻilawe<\/span> Neves<\/strong> became the host\/anchor of a four-hour livestream of the 2022 M\u0101noa Experience<\/a> open house that drew 3,000 registered attendees. The exciting news assignment in the College of Social Sciences Digital Studios also cements the 19-year-old\u2019s dream to earn a bachelor\u2019s degree in journalism<\/a>, so she can one day return to Waiʻanae<\/span> High and teach budding journalists.<\/p>\n

I am motivated to change stereotypes and stigmas about Waiʻanae<\/span>.
—Hiʻilawe<\/span> Neves<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“It was stressful but fun,” said sophomore Neves about her key role as host\/anchor, where she interviewed VIP<\/abbr>s between throwing back to live segments by other School of Communications<\/a> students at the April 2, M\u0101noa Experience. “The first time I heard that I would be the anchor was a couple weeks before, and only about a week out that it would be a livestream—for four hours! It was scary, but I was appreciative of so much support from my classmates and staff.”<\/p>\n

Added Nikki Chun<\/strong>, vice provost for enrollment management at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa, “I was really impressed with the communications students\u2019 coverage from the Digital Studios and the livestream on McCarthy Mall, and Admissions\u2019 social media fellows under the leadership of Jennel Sesoko<\/strong>, director of branding and marketing. I was particularly impressed with the Digital Studios\u2019 main studio anchor, Hiʻilawe<\/span>.”<\/p>\n

Journalism passion sparked early, fueled at M\u0101noa<\/h2>\n
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Hiʻilawe<\/span> Neves (center) and the student production staff<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Neves has wanted to become a journalist as early as her days at M\u0101ʻili<\/span> Elementary School, because the Waiʻanae<\/span> community is home to Searider Productions. The high school\u2019s integrated multimedia program has a stellar reputation as the state\u2019s top student-run film production entity. At Waiʻanae<\/span> Intermediate, she was a student broadcast reporter and, by the time she moved on to Waiʻanae<\/span> High\u2019s Searider Productions, her career path was clear.<\/p>\n

“I am motivated to change stereotypes and stigmas about Waiʻanae<\/span>—to tell positive stories and highlight the good things about the area and the people,” said the Filipino-Hawaiian first-generation college student.<\/p>\n

Neves was accepted as a freshman in fall 2020 at the University of Washington, but never flew to Seattle due to nationwide COVID-19 restrictions. Instead, she spent her entire freshman year taking virtual classes from home on Oʻahu<\/span>, which she found disappointing and somewhat demoralizing. Meanwhile, one of her high school friends attending UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa sent frequent emails to Neves about how great the journalism program was at the College of Social Sciences. “She kept telling me, ‘You should transfer here. It\u2019s so much fun!’” remembered Neves. “So I did.”<\/p>\n

Her selection as M\u0101noa Experience host\/anchor brought initial apprehension, “because I like control and it was only me on camera, and you have to think on your feet.”<\/p>\n

It was especially unnerving because she was interviewing VIP<\/abbr>s including UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Provost Michael Bruno<\/strong>, College of Social Sciences Dean Denise Eby Konan<\/strong>, department chairs and faculty.<\/p>\n

“Toward the end I got more comfortable with the role,” said Neves, who was trained and encouraged by Sherrie White<\/strong>, Digital Studios director, and Bernadette Baraquio<\/strong>, a veteran journalist and former KHON2<\/abbr> news anchor who is the creative director and executive producer for the UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa student-driven news magazine show, UHMtv<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

But her biggest fans are her family—her parents, Gerald and Elina Neves, who watched the entire livestream, and her older sister, Renee, who was also a Waiʻanae<\/span> High valedictorian and is now an 11th-grade English teacher at the school. While Neves would like to work at a TV<\/abbr> news station after graduation, her long-term goal is to return to Waiʻanae<\/span> High for a mentoring role at Searider Productions.<\/p>\n

“I love the aspect of storytelling, and would like to do Native Hawaiian stories, especially those highlighting Waiʻanae<\/span> and a lot of good stories inspiring youths,” said Neves, who anticipates graduating in spring 2024. “I owe everything to Searider Productions and would like to help them keep competing on a national level.”<\/p>\n

Neves\u2019 work is an example of UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s goal of Enhancing Student Success<\/a> (PDF<\/abbr><\/span>), one of four goals identified in the 2015–25 Â鶹´«Ã½<\/a> (PDF<\/abbr><\/span>), updated in December 2020.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hiʻilawe<\/span> Neves was selected as the host\/anchor of a four-hour livestream of the 2022 M\u0101noa Experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[301,661,692,1466,741,1026,660,9,1626],"class_list":["post-158921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-college-of-social-sciences","tag-communications","tag-journalism","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-school-of-communications","tag-social-science","tag-student-recognition","tag-uh-manoa","tag-women-of-uh","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t