School's reading through the roof

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer

Principal Wade Araki happily ascended to the roof of Benjamin Parker Elementary School yesterday after his students met his challenge of reading 5,000 books in three months. The students read 7,250 books before spring break. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Araki was happy to comply after his 400 students in kindergarten to sixth grade exceeded their goal by far, reading 7,250 books before spring break, averaging 18 books per student.

The children said they were motivated to see their principal atop the school.

"It's funny to have him up on the roof because he's the principal," said fourth-grader Chanel Ah-Mow. "He's acting like a kid."

School librarian Peggy Kollister devised the challenge and Araki went along, thinking 5,000 books was a good goal for the students in this school that hasn't reached goals to improve. But yesterday Araki said he realized during the challenge period that the students could do better.

"We were hoping they could read 10,000 books," Araki said. "We'll try something different next year and probably set the goal a lot higher."

Araki sat at a student-type desk reading his book, "The Ten Thousand" by Michael Curtis Ford from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The sun was out and hot, baking the roof and Araki. Dozens of students below called out questions during recess, and some classes brought signs with their questions printed on them.

"How long will you be on the roof?" one sign said. Another asked how he got to the roof.

Fourth-grader Jeni Date said she read 25 books hoping for the chance to see Araki do the hula.

"Our teacher had promised that if we read more than 5,000 books that maybe at the end of the school year, he could do a hula and I want to see that," Date said.

Reading so many books was difficult, said sixth-grader Jacqui Noa-Cameron. Students don't usually read so many books but she wanted to see her principal on the roof, she said.

"It's pretty cool," Noa-Cameron said.

Barbara Yamamoto, who teaches the fourth-grade corrective reading program, said the stunt has motivated students to read much more than they normally would. Teachers did encourage students, but Yamamoto said the principal's challenge was the motivation.

Once the challenge was issued, the students did the rest.

"It was their own initiative" that got them to their goal, she said. "They're really enthusiastic."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.