Robert Stevens has been at Radford High as a coach, teacher or administrator every year except one since 1970, so he understands the uniqueness of a school with an enrollment that is 65 percent to 75 percent military.

Stevens has been with the Department of Education for 42 years, 11 as principal at Radford.

"One-third of the kids who are here on the first day are not here on the last day, but our enrollment numbers are about the same," Stevens said of the constant in-and-out movement of military students at the school. The movement begins as early as two weeks into the new school year, he said.

To assist incoming students, Stevens pushed for the creation of a transition center at the school. The center, now about five years old, is manned by three part-time employees, normally military wives. The transition center includes volunteer student facilitators who assist newcomers in making academic, social and cultural adjustments to life at Radford and in Hawai'i.

Over the years, Stevens recognized that lunch, for example, was an important time for new students. He included it in the facilitators' program when he read a comment from now-retired Gen. Eric Shinseki, the former Army chief of staff, that the hardest part of the day for a military child in school is lunch.

"We knew that new kids congregated in the same area until they became established in the school," said Stevens, who encourages facilitators to eat with newcomers once in a while. "I can't tell you how many of the new students turn around and become volunteers themselves."

Radford and Leilehua High were recently presented with the Joint Venture Education Forum's first Norbert Award for their "outstanding attention to the needs of transitioning families and students." Norbert comes from the first names of Stevens and Leilehua principal Norman Minehira.

What are you most proud of? "Our student transition center," said Stevens.

Best-kept secret: The words discipline, respect and responsibility are posted next to the clock in every classroom and represent what the school expects from its students, said Stevens. "It's what good decisions are all about," he added.

Everybody at our school knows: Education assistant Enrica "Luz" Guerrero. "She works in the college career center and helps kids plan their college career," Stevens said.

Our biggest challenge: Finding resources for repairs, technology and textbooks, said Stevens. "Because we don't qualify for Title I funds based on free and reduced lunch programs, our resources are limited," Stevens said. The military has donated resources to help the school, he added.

What we need: A multipurpose building for meetings. "We've outgrown our library," Stevens said. Large meetings are currently held in the old auto shop building that has been converted for multipurpose use.

Special events: This fall's football game between Leilehua and Radford, which will be played at Mililani, will be the 50th renewal of the rivalry between the O'ahu high schools with the largest military student bodies. Starting this year, the game will be called the "Spirit of Freedom Bowl."

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.