The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 19, May 13, 2007, Article 6

ARTICLE PROFILES STUDENT'S WORK ON HAWAII STATE QUARTER COMMITTEE

The Garden Island newspaper of Kauai, Hawaii interviewed a local
high school student who served on the state's quarter design
committee:

"When the United States Mint introduced the first coins of the
50 States Commemorative Coin Program in 1999, local student Malia
Hitch began to collect them. She had no idea that a few years later
she'd be a part of the process to design the coin that would
represent her home state.

"Now, as a 17-year-old senior at Kapa'a High School, Hitch has
lent her two cents as a member of the Hawai'i Commemorative Quarter
Advisory Commission. The 36-member group was convened by Gov. Linda
Lingle to select, develop and recommend designs emblematic of Hawai'i
to the U.S. Mint for the Hawai'i Commemorative Quarter.

"Hitch was one of five high school students on the commission and
the only one from Kaua'i. The rest of the 36-member HCQAC was made
up of individuals from across the state representative of Hawai'i's
diversity, including leaders from the community, government,
business, education, labor, Native Hawaiian affairs, and culture
and the arts."

"Student representatives were selected through an essay contest
conducted by each island's local newspaper. Hitch's essay to The
Garden Island newspaper earned her the right to represent Kaua'i.

"According to Hitch, ideas that didn't make the cut for various
reasons included the depiction of Hawaiian gods and a multi-racial
group of citizens a la It's a Small World, the Walt Disney Theme
Park ride.

"I spoke up and tried to fight for things that represented the
whole state versus just O'ahu. They wanted Diamond Head on it, but
I said I don't feel like Diamond Head represents me. The people
from Big Island and Maui and Molokai felt the same way. You should
make it fair to everybody.

"Hitch also said she learned how to deal with bureaucratic bumps
along the way. When the U.S. Mint originally suggested that there
wasn't enough room on the coin to include the state motto, committee
members met with them to push the idea through.

"They tried to tell us that it wouldn't fit, but we got them to
put it on there. We thought it was really important.

To read the complete article, see:
Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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