My little brother graduated from Kahuku High School last night.
How did that happen?! (So quickly, I mean )
The commencement ceremony ran smoothly (if a little rowdily, as usual), and even started on time! The seniors ran the entire show, singing the National Anthem and Hawai’i Pono’i, giving valedictory addresses, and even performing a group song and dance for the crowd adapted from their songfest routine earlier this spring.
During their performance, the seniors pulled out signs thanking parents, relatives, teachers, coaches, and various community members.
I really enjoyed the remarks given by Marie Jeanne Napa’a, the Senior Class President. It was apparent that she worked extremely hard to make sure her classmates had a memorable senior year–and from the standing ovation her classmates gave her, I’d say she did a pretty good job.
Congrats to the class of 2008!
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Of course, once the commencement ceremony ended, the madness began. The area outside the CAC was a mass of humanity struggling to find all the graduates they brought lei for. Most families made large signs to wave over their graduates, however, which definitely helped. Here is the one my sister Jamie and cousin Christine made for Evan:
The sign combines Evan’s middle name, favorite phrase, and a picture of a tako he caught while diving in La’ie.
Congratulations to the 2008 Kahuku graduates, who have been awarded over $1.7 million in scholarships to date.
Congratulations to the 6 valedictorians (those students with a 4.0 or higher cumulative G.P.A.): Ana Reidy, Nicholas Sirlin, Kristian Au, Tiffany Polk, Amanda Stratton, Carlyn Hubner, and Samantha Thee. I know how much work you put in to earn those medals!
Congratulations to my cousins who earned degrees last night: Jocelyn Beaver, To’a and Tilo Hill, Amanda Soliai, and Shiloah Te’o.
And most especially, congratulations to Evan for a job well done. I’m proud of you!
My brother Evan and I after he received his diploma.
Good luck, graduates, as you go on to college, jobs, and life as adults. Now is when things really start getting exciting. Again, congratulations!!
Happy Aloha Friday!! Have a great 3-day weekend, everyone.
Plans have been made and orders are being taken for a huge Memorial Day plate lunch sale to benefit Daniel Mapu, a Hau’ula resident who was hit by a car while waving signs in Ka’a'awa during an anti-drug campaign in 2003.
Mapu, who sustained brain injuries that have hampered a full recovery, has the opportunity to meet with a specialist in Salt Lake City, Utah. His family hopes to raise enough money to pay for his travel and treatment there.
Here is the menu–get plenty options, and hey, it’s for a great cause:
PLATE OPTIONS - $7 (good portions)
PLATE #1: Laulau, mac salad & rice
PLATE #2: Fried fish, mac salad & rice or banana
PLATE #3: Sua I’a, mac salad & banana
PLATE #4: Roast pork w/gravy, mac salad & rice
PLATE #5: Bento: spam, chicken, mac salad & rice
PLATE #6: BBQ Chicken, mac salad & rice
SIDE ORDERS - $3
Poke, Tahitian Po’e or Samoan Puligi
The sale goes from 7 a.m. until noon. Pick up is at the corner of Wahinepe’e St. and Naniloa Loop in La’ie. Just turn mauka across from Hukilau Beach–can’t miss it.
If you would like to preorder or arrange to send a donation for Daniel, please contact Kingsley Ah You.
If you’ve visited La’ie Bay this month, you’ve seen the wa’a kaulua (Hawaiian double-hulled canoe) ‘Iosepa floating offshore at Hukilau Beach.
Look for the ‘Iosepa, anchored in La’ie Bay, the next time you’re at Hukilau Beach. Photo by Feki Po’uha
The ‘Iosepa, first launched in 2001, was funded by a grant from the W.K.Kellog Foundation and built by community members and students from BYUH’s Hawaiian Studies program.
Most of the community showed up for the ‘Iosepa’s first launch in November of 2001. Photo: Advertiser File
It is currently being used as a ‘floating classroom,’ with possible trips to the Big Island and along O’ahu’s coastline scheduled over the next few weeks.
The ‘Iosepa, built of Fijian dakua wood, was brought to life by area residents and master carvers Sione Tui’one Pulotu and Kawika Eskaran. It was truly a community project, with residents and students lending helping hands, providing meals, and performing small chores.
In addition to providing invaluable cultural experiences for Hawaiian Studies students, the program hopes to use this sailing to expand its base of experienced crew members through training.
When the ‘Iosepa returns to land at the the end of June, it will move into its new home, a halau wa’a currently under construction at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The dedication will take place on June 27th, and PCC will hold a Family Day on the 29th, where members of the public can visit the exhibit and participate in cultural activities.
This halau wa’a is currently under construction at the Polynesian Cultural Center to become the ‘Iosepa’s new home at the end of June. Photo by Feki Po’uha
For more information on the ‘Iosepa, or to share your experience with the canoe, check out part of BYUH Hawaiian Studies senior Feki Po’uha’s Senior Project. He started three blogs to help him with his project, which involves collecting photographs and oral histories from crew members and the community:
The ‘Iosepa project is one that the community holds great pride in–and one that has helped to strengthen ties between the large Hawaiian community in Ko’olauloa and BYUH. Best of luck to the crew as they sail over the next few weeks!
The We Are Samoa Festival wrapped up late tonight with the annual World Fireknife Competition at the Polynesian Cultural Center. I went over to the Center earlier in the morning, however, to check out the high school We Are Samoa festival.
The participating schools included Kahuku, Kapolei, Leilehua, Radford, and Wai’anae. While all of the schools did a great job, I wanted to make sure I posted some pictures of the Kahuku students on this blog. It was apparent that many hours went into costuming and rehearsal:
Crystal Apelu danced beautifully as Kahuku’staupou (princess)
In the past, the high school segment of We Are Samoa was staged as a competition, where the participating schools competed in various cultural events such as dancing, speaking, weaving, and husking coconuts. This year–in an effort to increase camaraderie–it was restructured as an exhibition of the schools’ talented youth.
All of the schools did a wonderful job, and it was great to see all of the community support for these hardworking students.
The students performed for a packed house at the PCC’s Pacific Theatre
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In other news, the Ko’olauloa Children’s Chorus held their fundraising Garage Sale at La’ie Elementary school Saturday. The kids are trying to pay for a trip to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York next summer, so please support them in their efforts!
I love summertime in Hawai’i. I particularly love summertime on the North Shore and in Ko’olauloa. If I didn’t have to work every day, where would I be? Yep, at the beach.
This past weekend, surf was definitely NOT up on the North Shore, so my friends and I packed some food–chips & salsa, pake cake, sandwiches, and drinks–and headed down to Waimea Bay around 11 a.m.
It was absolutely beautiful–not quite summer hot, but warm with a nice breeze and crystal clear water.
We weren’t the only ones who decided to take advantage of the great weather
The appearance of this rainbow over Waimea Valley was our cue to pack up–just in time to beat the rain!
We stayed there on the beach for six or seven hours, laughing, eating, swimming, and laughing a little more. Pretty much my idea of the perfect day. Hooray for summer!
Some of my favorite summer beach spots around here: Hukilau, Kekela (for camping!! But we’ll save that for another post), Castle’s (part of Malaekahana State Park–on a good day has some fun waves for longboarding), and on adventurous Saturdays, Ehu Kai, Three Tables, or Waimea on the North Shore. I tend to prefer Ko’olauloa beaches for hanging out, since they usually have a nice on-shore breeze (it’s HOT on the NS). Still, you can’t beat the crystal-clear, lake-like summer conditions on the North Shore for casual swimming. Plus, you can stop at Matsumoto’s or Ted’s on the way home…winnah.
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