Education briefs
Advertiser Staff
Kapolei students donate to museum
Kapolei Elementary School fifth-graders collected $1,055.33 in loose change to help the sinking USS Arizona Memorial Museum.
Kapolei is the first school to participate in what the museum hopes will be a nationwide effort by schoolchildren to raise "Pennies for Pearl Harbor."
The penny push is part of a $20 million fund-raising drive to repair or replace the museum.
The students presented jars of coins and a lei to Pearl Harbor survivor Al Rodrigues.
Ma'ema'e pupils tops in giving
Students at Ma'ema'e Elementary School topped schools across the state for donations to Aloha United Way.
The students raised almost $3,000 through pledges, which they wrote on kalo leaves that were pasted together to make a larger leaf.
The fund-raiser, "KALO Kollection" emphasized the school's values: kuleana (responsibility), aloha (love and compassion), laulima (cooperation) and 'onipa'a (determination). Students will be rewarded tomorrow with entertainment from Sassy Inc., prizes and a special award from the Department of Education and Aloha United Way.
Lanikai Elementary principal named
Longtime Lanikai Elementary School principal Donna Estomago will be replaced by Frederick A Birkett, who recently served as an administrator with a charter elementary school in the Harlem area of New York City.
Estomago, who has been Lanikai Elementary principal since 1994, actually retired in 2003 but continues as acting principal until June.
A 1994 state law created charter schools and Estomago spearheaded the effort to make Lanikai the second charter school in the state in 1996 after Wai'alae Elementary School. Another four years would pass before a third charter school would be added to the list.
The process was difficult but satisfying, said Estomago, who is president of the Hawai'i Charter Schools Network.
Birkett, who lived in Hawai'i from 1980 to 1984 while in the military, is a highly credentialed and experienced education administrator, said Joe Gomes, chairman of the Lanikai School board of directors. Frederick earned his master's degree in education from Harvard University.
Talk on demigods by Moloka'i expert
John Ka'imikaua, an authority on Moloka'i history, will give a free presentation on Hawaiian demigods, "Na Kupua O Moloka'i," at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the lanai area of Hawai'i Pacific University's Hawai'i Loa campus.
Ka'imikaua, who is the university's kupuna-in-residence, will be joined in the presentation by his hula students, Halau Kukunaokala, who will perform.
The event is sponsored by the HPU Anthropology Program, College of International Studies. For information, call 738-0084.
