Mishina Guides Kapolei Middle Students To Artful Success

Students at Kapolei Middle School have made a lasting impression on the West Oahu community, and it’s all thanks to art teacher Daryle Mishina.

Under his direction, more than 20 students have gone on to win art contests this year alone, and many have won more than one competition.

Mishina’s love of art began as a child, and it was something that came naturally to him.

“I think the fact that … my dad was also talented in art helped,” he said. “I entered my first contest when I was in the third grade … I won first place in (a) national contest. My school received money for it, and I got a huge trophy out of it.”

Now his students are winning contests, too. Mishina has been teaching at the middle school since 1999 and became art teacher in 2006. He currently teaches the gifted and talented art class.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of this job is seeing the end result,” Mishina said. “Students would come into my class and say, ‘I’m no good at art.’ And at the end of the semester, they look at the actual work of art they created and they are very proud of what they’ve done.

“When I first started teaching art in 2006, I entered my students in the Leeward Young Artist competition,” he explained. “We didn’t win anything, but I saw the incredible works that did win, and I knew I had to do a better job teaching them the skills they needed to compete.

“I am proud of my students whether they win or not, as long as they put in their best effort.”

Below are some of his winning students from this year:

Sienna Namohala won the Kapolei City Lights grand prize, the Legacy of Life Calendar Contest and the 2013 Prince Kuhio Art Contest.

Ariel Villanueva won the Watanabe Easter Art Contest grand prize.

Johnson Campos won the American Hiking Society Coloring Contest, the Keiki Kalikimaka Contest grand prize and first place in Beneath the Sea Regional.

Mailani Wendt was the Legacy of Life Calendar Contest winner and the Zippy’s Grades 6-8 Category winner. Wendt also won the 2013 Tsunami Awareness Month Poster contest, and her work was on display at Honolulu Hale during April.

Krisheree Shimamoto took first place in the Hawaii School Bus Poster Contest and won the Kapolei City Lights grand prize.

Desmond Zadlo won first place in the Cricket League Holiday Art Contest.

Sophia Cleek was the sixth-grade winner in the 2012 Haunted Lagoon contest.

Kiani Alvarez was a Kapolei City Lights Grand Prize winner.

Jaimin Keliiho’omalu was a Zippy’s Grand Prize winner and an American Recorder Society Contest Cover winner.

Danielle Gantz was an overall winner of the Hawaii School Bus Poster Contest.

Johnny Macas took first place in the ASSE Poster Contest Hawaii.

Isaac Badua took first place in the Hawaii Radon Art contest and was a category winner in the Chevron Poster Contest.

Joseph Payongayong was a winner in the Jason Project Greener Ships Poster contest.

Leoghan Cook was the Kapolei High Exhibition Middle School winner.

Angelica Adina was a Legacy of Life Calendar Contest winner.

Rachelle Lariba was an American Hiking Society winter contest winner.

Alema Lowe won first place in the CSI 2013 Coloring contest.

Kamea Au took first place in the Mangrove Calendar Contest.

Kelsey Niitani was a grand prize winner in the Kapolei City Lights contest.

William Byrd was a Lil Teammates Coloring Contest winner.

Nicholas Ono was a Kapolei City Lights grand prize winner.

Shannen Calio was a Pancake Lady Design Contest winner.