In a recent show of solidarity, the Maui Police Department has teamed up with a local high school to actively battle bullying through a creative project. Maui High School's Digital Design Work-Based Learning (WBL) class and MPD have put to use the talents of Senior Ivy Bulosan to voice a collective call to action. According to a social media post by MPD, they are eager "to share a powerful message of unity, respect, and resilience."
The collaboration, described by MPD's post, leans heavily into local culture, with Bulosan integrating the symbolic weight of Hawaii's beloved surfing culture into her artwork. According to MPD's announcement, the senior wants to implore her community to come together and move forward to overcome hardships, placing emphasis on bolstering each other rather than tearing down. Her sentiments are echoed visually in a scene featuring two peers, surfboard in hand, standing unfazed against the breakers of adversity.
"Surfing is Hawaii’s largest cultural sport. The sport reflects the importance of community pride, personal growth, and leadership. All values that Hawaii holds dear," Ivy Bulosan was quoted in the MPD post. Her design features a boy and a girl at the beach, with the girl brandishing her surfboard as a sign of strength, while the boy offers a friendly shaka sign—a gesture of camaraderie and hospitality.
Bulosan aims to connect with her peers using sports-themed imagery and anime-style art, highlighting both the “don’ts” of bullying and celebrating the “dos” of kindness, respect, and unity. The Maui Police Department praised her and the Maui High School Digital Design WBL class for their creative, youth-led efforts to promote a positive and supportive community.
