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The 7th Annual Onizuka Day of Exploration (ODE) is to be held this year in partnership with the University of Hawaii West Oahu at their Kapolei campus on Saturday April 22nd.

Formerly known as the Scout Makahiki, this is the longest continually running Scout event in the country. This will be the 112th year for the Scout Makahiki in Hawaii – now called Onizuka Day of Exploration. ODE is Hawaii’s largest and most exciting family-friendly STEM event. ODE honors the legacy and memory of Eagle Scout and Astronaut Ellison Onizuka who was born and raised in Hawaii.

Free and open to the public, the Onizuka Day of Exploration is a community-wide, family-friendly festival that features over 100 hands-on activities, workshops, and classes. The event aims to inspire and engage school-aged girls and boys and their families, with a special emphasis on providing an accessible and inclusive environment for all.

This year ODE will be entirely an in-person event. There will be no virtual component.

Both youth and adults are required to register ahead of time. To register, click on the “Register Here” button at the top right portion of this screen.

Workshops: this year we will offer a wide variety of workshops many of which will be led by UH West Oahu faculty and have a focus on STEM, Hawaiian culture, sustainability, career development, robotics, computer gaming, coding, and much more.

Information on the workshops and how to register will be released soon and registration to sign up for workshops will open on April 7. Preregistration for workshops is required and space is limited.

If you have an activity you want to lead, or a skill that you would like to teach, or have other questions about the workshops, please contact Will Hartzell at willhartzell2@gmail.com.

Special Events: the special events this year will include the Pinewood Derby championship, a VEX robotics tournament, a cyber security competitin, a gaming competition, an anthropology dig, sound gardens, nose flute construction, a variety of Hawaiian cultural activities and much more.

Information: see the ODE flyer available in the top right corner of this screen. For more detailed information visit www.onizukaday.com. Questions can be emailed to info@onizukaday.com.

We also have a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section on the website to address any concerns you may have. Our team is dedicated to providing support and assistance to ensure a successful and enjoyable experience for all participants.

Cost: there is no charge to attend ODE or to attend the workshops. It is free and open to the public.

Hours: the opening ceremony will start at 8:00 am. All Scouts, Scouters and the public are encouraged to arrive in time for the opening ceremony. The booths and exhibits will start at 9:00 am and close at 4:00 pm. The workshops will start at 10:00.

Parking: limited free parking will be available for the Scouting community and the public on the UH West Oahu campus. Please plan to carpool to reduce the number of vehicles that will need parking.

Food and Refreshments: Low cost food and drinks will be available at the UH West Oahu cafeteria.

The 7th Annual Onizuka Day of Exploration will be a full day of fun, adventure, learning, and activities that you and your youth won’t want to miss! We look forward to seeing you on April 22nd!