by Jade Takanishi

He brings electricity and excitement into the room. Kids call out his name where ever he goes: "Hey, Lorenzo. How's it going? Take my picture!" They all love him and he loves them all in return. Adults seek him out for technical advice and consultation. Everyone just wants to be around him--to share his fire. He has such a vast array of interest and skills that makes him so popular and just fun to be around. Maybe it's because he's interested in us as well. That's just the kind of guy Lorenzo Gonzales is.

Lorenzo was born in 1972 at Queens Medical Center. He left at the age of 8 months to roam the wide expanses of the earth. His first stop was Miami where his younger brother Paulo was born. Then he and his family moved to Texas, where Lorenzo spent most of his early childhood. During the years that his father attended Yale University, Lorenzo lived in Connecticut. As a kid, Lorenzo accompanied his dad to classes at Yale. ("Yale has the coolest library!") On another stop at New York or New Jersey (or both), Lorenzo developed his fondness for art and culture. He remembers being dropped off unaccompanied at a whole bunch of museums.

Lorenzo spent his teenage years in Utah, where he attended West High School. There he met the greatest video inspiration of his life, his Video Instructor, Mr. Sheridan Prince. Long hours in West High School's studio honed Lorenzo's immense creative skills. He majored in Music at the University of Utah.

Lorenzo moved here to set up the computer system at his father's architectural firm. A self taught computer whiz, Lorenzo accomplished this task and went looking for a bigger challenge. During his stint with Software Plus, he heard about our project.

The rest they say is history... "The History of Waimanalo." Consisting of text based on research and interviews, plus hundreds of archival and recent photographs and video clips all obtained and written by grade 7 and 8 Media and Social Studies students, this multimedia CD ROM is available in DOS format. Although, the product is far from comprehensive at this point, it is the culmination of two years of gut wrenching hard work. Lorenzo played a big part in compiling and programming the CD so that it could be logically accessed.

"Making the CD was a great educational vehicle," said Lorenzo. "All the elements were so much fun: getting the information, interviewing community members, working with the students and going on field trips around Waimanalo. Even though sitting in front of the computer for hours is not the most fun, even that was exciting and challenging most of the time."

Lorenzo considers his time at Waimanalo to be an "awesome, surreal experience. Like wearing a walkman 24 hours a day." In between making the CD, Lorenzo played an important part in helping get the school's Local Area Network up and working, as well as trouble shooting the school's computer problems, editing and shooting video and participating in a myriad of school activities, including yearbook, Mayday, No Hope in Dope, EVERYTHING!

Being here at Waimanalo made Lorenzo realize that his career path should be in Education. He intends to return to Utah and resume his college education. Instead of Music, his major this time will be Education. He hopes to teach Photography (something he is passionate about!) to high school students somewhere in the backwoods of Colorado, where he hopes to settle with his wife Christine and his newborn son, Kieran Keanu Gonzalez, born on October 2, 1995.

Although Lorenzo will miss Hawai'i and his friends at Waimanalo, he is looking forward to returning home to Utah, where he will once again be able to ski, see his old video teacher, go back to school and be with his family again.

Lorenzo, we are sad to see you leave but we wish you the best of luck. We will miss you. Be sure to e-mail us on the information superhighway that you opened up for us!