OUR SCHOOLS • KAIMUKI HIGH SCHOOL
Performing arts program reaches islandwide

Mandy Maghanoy and Michael Ng perform in the Kaimuki High School Performing Arts Center production "Godspell." The musical features students from 16 public schools — from elementary to college. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

Kaimuki High School's Performing Arts Center offers students from all over O'ahu lessons not available at most public schools. Students are given a chance to stretch their acting talent, vocal range and stage production skills while presenting plays, musicals and special events throughout the year.

The center is now staging the musical "Godspell," at the school's theater featuring a cast of 38 students from 16 different public schools — elementary through college.

Center director Peggy Anne Siegmund said the four productions for the year were selected in August, including "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves," but after Sept. 11, a play about Arab thieves was no longer considered a good choice.

"We wanted something uplifting," she said. "'Godspell' is a good show for kids this age because it is about the kinds of values you would like them to have. Like being kind to each other, honest and trusting each other and getting along with people that are different."

"Godspell" tells the story of the last seven days of Christ's life, with updated parables and flower children as his followers.

Principal Gary Oyama said performing arts, technology and human services are the three academies offered at Kaimuki to give more individual attention to students.

"The Performing Arts Program gives the kids all kinds of opportunities to show their talents," he said. "It is a very powerful tool to reach kids. It's terrific. We have so much talent here."

• What are you most proud of? "The teamwork and collaboration between staff members," Oyama said. "This school has learned to work and struggle together to teach the kids."

• Best-kept secret: Our location, Oyama said. "We tell them across from Sekiya's Restaurant and then they know."

• Everybody at our school knows: Linda Omura, a retired teacher who returns to volunteer. "She has done so much to bring this school together."

• Our biggest challenge: "Our greatest challenge is to coherently mold our Technology, Performance Arts and Human Services Academies into small, personalized learning communities conducive to student learning," Oyama said. "There is a special kind of challenge in reshaping a big school into smaller learning communities called academies to help kids reach the state standards."

• What we need: Upgrading the facilities; many buildings are 50 years old.

• Projects: A three-year, $700,000 project to build, install and use technology. The goal is to provide teachers and students with opportunities to use the tools of information technology so that all students will be able to meet the challenges of a highly technological, information-based society.

• Special events: Shakespeare Festival, May 2-3, and the annual Kanikapila, May 18.