The civic spirit of Kiewit Pacific Co. and other companies on the Windward O'ahu coast who stepped up to help Ka'a'awa Elementary School should be applauded. The contracting firm and its suppliers are building an outdoor stage and making other fixes on the Ka'a'awa campus, donating the $30,000 cost. The tiny school had asked lawmakers for a new cafeteria and administration building, but ended up receiving nothing.

Until now, the school had staged shows in a small cafeteria that couldn't accommodate all the parents, many of whom would not attend.

It's great that businesses serving the close-knit community rushed to the rescue, but elected officials must not be let off the hook. Indeed, all of these companies that stepped up to help deserve kudos for their generosity and their exemplary aloha spirit. Still, providing schools with the means to fulfill their mission is the responsibility of lawmakers and education officials — and it's one they must not forget.