Faculty members at Nanaika-pono Elementary School are excited over a newly built moss rock wall that surrounds the campus' hula mound — a frequently used gathering place for assemblies and May Day activities.

According to school officials, the hula mound — built in 2003 after the school moved from its original location along Farrington Highway — had become uneven recently, forcing dancers to perform on the flat patch of land at the mound's rear. In addition, students had been using the elevated grassy area as another play area, which staff members saw as a safety problem.

But with the completion of the new rock wall, dancers will now be able to perform closer to the audience, and students will also have a physical barrier to remind them that the mound should no longer be played on.

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