Program Mentors
mentors
Get to know Our Mentors
Administration |
BAM
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Control Systems
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Construction
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Scouting
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Outreach
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VEX EDR
Rhea Mae Arellano
Ms. Arellano is a former student of the program and is currently a student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. As our Lead VEX EDR mentor, she teaches students how to CAD design, assemble robots, and document in their engineering notebooks. Ms. Arellano also mentors the construction sub-team, teaching students how to CAD design and assists in assembling the parts created by students.
2016 | FIRST ALUMNI
William Blaser III
Mr. Blaser, a former student of our program, is a remote mentor assisting our students with competition scouting and statistics. As a remote mentor, he meets our students virtually to aid with creating and analyzing team data collection.
2009 | FIRST ALUMNI
Jefferson bruno
Mr. Bruno is a former student of our program and currently works as an engineer for Hawaiian Airlines. As our Lead CAD Design mentor, he teaches students how to use Autodesk Inventor, Flow Design, and Master CAM to design and build prototypes of functional systems and FRC Robots. He also assists in the assembly of the parts created by students.
2003 | FIRST ALUMNI
Howard Cohen
Mr. Cohen is a remote mentor assisting our students with the FIRST Impact Award, marketing strategies, social media, and mechanical support. As a remote mentor, he meets our students virtually to aid our students through mechanical or non-technical. Mr. Cohen also serves as our team’s liaison with FIRST Headquarters and representative in the Hall of Fame Steering group. All decisions and input are made in support of our team’s mission and goals as we participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition. He also aids in tournament participation, volunteers at events we participate in, and provides remote mentoring to our control systems team during the robot build season. Mr. Cohen works with our team in-person at many of our competitions and events throughout the year.
2021
Joseph Gudoy
Mr. Gudoy is a former student of our program and currently works as a Pipe Fitter at American Piping and Boiler Company. As our lead welder, he teaches our students how to fabricate material into functional parts using MIG and TIG welding.
2002 | FIRST ALUMNI
Rhayvyn Hirayama
Ms. Hirayama is a former student of the program and is currently a student at Grand Canyon University (Phoenix, AZ), majoring in Nursing. As a hospitality and outreach mentor, she assists in assembling team omiyage, fundraisers, and volunteers at outreach events.
2010 | FIRST ALUMNI
Micah Holmberg
Mr. Holmberg is a former student of the program and is currently a student at Honolulu community college, majoring in Aeronautic Maintenance Technology. As a shop machinist, he teaches the students to bring design ideas to life by providing hands-on learning for students in our machine shop. Some of the proficient use in basic fabrication, use of shop/hand tools, waterjet cutting, mini-mill, CNC mill, and the use of a Lathe.
2017 | FIRST Alumni
Paul Hutchinson
Mr. Hutchinson, a Waialuan student and recent graduate of the University of Hawaii, teaches student how to create robot prototype sub-functions, aiding in the iterations of our robot designs. He helps students with all pneumatic and motor assemblies, teaching them how to assemble the parts they create.
2010 | FIRST ALUMNI
Glenn Lee
At Waialua High & Intermediate School, Mr. Lee teaches Engineering Entrepreneurship/ Technology. He serves as the Waialua STEM Learning Center Director, Career Technical Education (CTE) Coordinator, and After-school Academic/Enrichment Program Director. As a lead mentor, he coordinates and manages all sub-teams’ workflow, provides design input on robot functions, and serves as the drive coach. He is one of the original founding members of the Waialua Robotics Program and serves as the main contact for our team. Mr. Lee has helped recruit machining, welding, and engineering partners and does all ordering of supplies, equipment, and materials for the facilities. On his own personal time, he does grant writing to support the program. He serves on committees that leverage support for the team’s initiatives from the school district, the Friends of Hawaii Robotics, and the Hawaii Robotics Community. He is also President of Friends of Waialua Robotics, whose main purpose is to raise non-appropriated funds to support the Waialua STEM Learning Center and travel costs for participating in competitions.
1999
Sean Lunasco
Mr. Lunasco is a self-employed business owner of Outside the Box and a parent to one of our alumni. He loves inventing and creating functional tools, devices, and accessories for existing products, including automotive, fishing, and handheld devices. Mr. Lunasco helps to solicit business partnerships with local entities, providing services to help them as they support our program. Some generous local businesses supporting our program include Oakley, Nike, Xcel Surf Shop, Midas Hawaii, and Hammerhead Spearguns. As a construction mentor, he helps students in woodworking and using shop/hand tools in construction. Our robots are annually powder coated in-house, led by Mr. Lunasco, who shows students creative graphical art designs and the proper prepping of materials and spray techniques for a beautiful, professional-looking color.
2012
Kobe Lunasco
Mr. Lunasco is a former student of the program and is currently a student at the Academy of Art University (San Francisco, CA), majoring in Animation and Visual Effects. Mr. Lunasco mentors the documentation sub-team and is responsible for animation, graphic design, and is occasionally a website editor. He regularly mentors our students and assists in all areas of documentation, providing support in our areas of need. His efforts have helped our students with visuals during award presenting, our website, and any animation and videos created by our program.
2012 | FIRST ALUMNI
Melvin Matsunaga
Mr. Matsunaga is a retired Machinist from the University of Hawaii Physics Department. As our Lead Machinist, he teaches the students to bring design ideas to life by providing hands-on learning for students in our machine shop. Some of the proficient use in basic fabrication, use of shop/hand tools, waterjet cutting, mini-mill, CNC mill, and the use of a Lathe.
2006
Clyde Miyataki
Mr. Clyde Miyataki is a retired general manager at Servco Toyota Hawaii and a substitute teacher at Waialua High & Intermediate School. As an outreach mentor, Mr. Miyataki volunteers at outreach events and helps as a judge for robotics competitions.
2010
Cody Miyataki
As a former student, Cody was an influential member, pioneering new and innovative forms of organization and leadership, motivating his peers and underclassmen to strive for excellence. After graduation, he pursued a career in the Air Force while simultaneously coordinating a youth program to protect and give back to his community. Now as an alumni/mentor, Mr. Miyataki has returned, giving current members the best chance at success by sharing his knowledge and wide range of skills.
2010
Sarah Miyataki
Mrs. Miyataki is the parent of a program alumni and current student of the program. She assists in assembling team omiyage, fundraisers, and volunteers at outreach events as a hospitality and outreach mentor.
2010
Malcolm Menor
Mr. Menor is a former student of our program and currently works as a nuclear engineer for the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard (PHNSY-IMF). As a construction mentor, he teaches students how to use Autodesk Inventor, Flow Design, and Master CAM to design and build prototypes of functional systems and FRC Robots. He also assists in the assembly of the parts created by students. As the Lead Electronics mentor, he teaches students how to wire and fabricate robot parts and the control system correctly and efficiently.
2003 | FIRST ALUMNI
Carson Moniz
Mr. Moniz is a former student and a current shop mentor on our team. He assists our other lead mentors and provides training to students in the use of hand tools and machines in our shop, especially our Waterjet. He also works on our Entrepreneurial Special Projects which helps our program work with partners, raising funds for our program.
2003 | FIRST ALUMNI
Ryden Omine
Mr. Omine is a former student of Team 3721, Pearl City High School. He is currently a student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. As our VEX EDR-Lead Engineering mentor, he teaches students how to CAD design and assemble robots.
2022 | FIRST ALUMNI
Cody Smith
Mr. Smith is a former student of our program and currently works as a mechanical engineer at NAVSEA Warfare on Ford Island. As the Lead CNC Machinist of two of our most important machines, the FLOW Waterjet and SHARP MiniMill, he teaches students how to successfully create tool paths and G-code to use our machines’ CNC capabilities. Mr. Smith also mentors the construction sub-team, teaching students how to CAD design and assists in assembling the parts created by students.
2005 | FIRST ALUMNI
Linda Souza
Ms. Souza is a part-time teaching assistant at Waialua High & Intermediate School. She serves as the Lead Hospitality mentor, assembling team omiyage and organizing fundraisers. As travel team mentor, Ms. Souza plans the itinerary and handles competitions and outreach events logistics. Her extensive duties include handling DOE-required paperwork, reserving hotels, rental cars, and activities for students as she works with parents on a collection of funds.
2004
Randy Wood
Mr. Wood is a retired and the former owner of an Engineering Company in Newport Beach. As the Lead Control Systems mentor, he mentors students in electrical, pneumatic, Java and C++ programming to utilize each component of the robot.
2008
Manda Yeung
Ms. Yeung is a former mentor and parent on Team 1678. She currently serves as a remote mentor on our Documentation and Media teams, while serving as a technology and logistics support on our team’s competitions and trips throughout the year. She reviews many of our team’s award submissions and writeups, while conducting many remote workshops and training for both mentors and students in our program on regularly scheduled meetings. Ms. Yeung works with our team in-person at many of our competitions and events throughout the year.
2021
Yoshio Yoshizumi
Mr. Yoshizumi is a former student of our program and currently works as a mechanical engineer for the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard (PHNSY-IMF). As a prototyping mentor, he teaches students how to create prototypes of robot subsystems, aiding in the iterations of our robot designs. He also assists in the assembly of the parts created by students.
2021