The Science of Cuddle Parties; The Benefits of a Plant Based Diet; Update on the Every Student Succeeds Act; Modern-Day Micronesians in Hawaii
The Science of Cuddle Parties: Paul Thornton
A night cuddled up with the one you love or your snuggling your kids as you watch a family movie or tell stories under a dining table fort may be fairly routine scenes in your life. Going to a party of strangers to hug and puppy pile probably isn’t. The social phenomenon has been around for a decade and as we talked about early this month, now in Hawaii. And while most people know that humans crave touch, we wanted to know how a psychologist assessed the cuddle party. Dr. Paul Thorton is the lecturer at the University of Hawaii and he’s with us this morning.
Intro Music: The Solar System Song by The Singing Walrus
Outro Music: Cuddle Up A Little Closer by Russ Conway
The Benefits of a Plant Based Diet: Grace Chen
Most of a have a general idea of the benefits of a plant-based diet, but many of us are reluctant to commit. Dr. Grace Chen is a physician whose career has focused on lifestyle medicine; she says the benefits go well beyond what we might expect. She’s giving a talk this week to the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii entitled “Miracles Of A Plant-Based Diet,” and she’s with us this morning.
Intro Music: Miracle-Instrument by LaurahGuillen Aka IshahWright-Swenk
Outro Music: Even Flow by Cappo Slide
Update on the Every Student Succeeds Act: Darrel Galera
In a recent survey, Hawaii’s schools were asked whether they should continue in the same direction they’ve been headed in the past five years under Race to the Top and state flex waivers, or whether Hawaii should change direction. Where Hawaii’s education system goes from here will get clearer under the state’s process for creating its education plan under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. The plan is due next July. This past weekend, educators, parents, students, legislators and school thought leaders in the community gathered for the Governor’s ESSA Summit. Darrel Galera is the chairperson of the Governor’s ESSA team.
Intro Music: Promised Land by Tony L
Outro Music: Go On by Jack Johnson
Modern-day Micronesians in Hawaii: Ova Saopeng
Micronesians, the most recent immigrants to Hawaii, are the invisible minority in our midst… a story that’s especially troubling, given the reasons they came here -- many of them forced from their homes by United States nuclear testing. Ova Saopeng, himself a refugee, is at work on a collaborative theater project called Masters of the Currents, created with the participation of the local Micronesian community, aimed at giving voice to those who are seldom heard from. Ova Saopeng and Leilani Chan are the catalysts for a collaborative theater project.
Intro Music: Micronesia by Matt Jackson
Outro Music: Microneseren by Bobby Hughes Combination
