"This diverse class has learned so much together," said class speaker Grace Bostock. "Wherever we go, we'll carry with us the knowledge we gained together."

Forty-nine members of the class of 2021 are ready to make the transition to high school after receiving certificates of completion at the Eighth Grade Transition Ceremony held Wednesday evening, May 24, at Gates Performing Arts Center.

(Photos by Bob Fewell Photography)

Patty Walker, interim Middle School principal, welcomed parents, families, and friends, and Stephanie David, English and capstone teacher, offered the invocation. Isabella Police and Jessi Sohriakoff presented the eighth grade video, followed by Bostock's address.

The class recognized Walker, David, and history and capstone teacher Matt Piercy, who are leaving the Middle School at the end of the school year.

The eighth graders then presented their class hula about the beautiful hills of Waimea, Nā Puʻu Kaulana o Waimea.

Class advisors presented this year's Character Virtue Awards to:

Morgan Davis and Nicholas Barrick — Pursuit of Excellence

Raquel McMackin and Ethaniel Wilson — Wonder

Kahalley Anton and Xander Lai — Respect

Malia McKendry and Kelsen-Jaye Walker — Integrity

Piercy, who has been at HPA for 10 years, offered the closing remarks.

"Class of 2021, enter high school full of appreciation...Being grateful is seen as a positive human attribute from Tunisia to Hawai'i. At this exciting crossroads, I hope you think about all that you're thankful for. In doing so, you'll continue to give back, which will bring you more satisfaction. May you keep appreciating and enjoying all that you have."

Eighth graders concluded the ceremony with their lively rendition of Don't Stop Believing and a mahalo chant.

Congratulations, Class of 2021!

On Thursday, May 18th, HPA put on its first campus-wide exhibition of student project work. Running the gamut from art installations to campus sustainability initiatives, robotic hands to genetic research on coqui frogs, the event was a celebration of project-based learning in every academic discipline. Students presented their work in a variety of formats, including seminar discussions, short presentations, multi-media displays, and interactive exhibits. This zero-waste event brought several food vendors to campus, allowing students and parents to enjoy locally-sources meals while exploring the exhibition.

"You are each capable of making powerful change in the world. We are so proud of you."

—Scott Bradley '80, Chair, Board of Trustees

"We are here today to celebrate you. Not only your achievements and your presence, but also your potential; your promise. Celebrating your potential is to celebrate what you will make of it. Not my image of your potential, and not anyone else in this room. The only failure, again, is if you don't dare to pursue it."

—Robert McKendry, Head of School

"Kumu Kuwalu Anakalea said something that I believe sums up this entire year. She said that this moment is important because never again will we be in this place, with this specific group of people, at this specific time, but we will always have the experience."

—Janelle Laros ʻ17, Student Council President

"Seniors, your true character was revealed by your convictions and statements, the choices you made, the promises you kept, and what you did to help others. This defines you and how you will be remembered."

—Lupe Diaz, Upper School math teacher and senior class advisor

One hundred three members of the Class of 2017 were awarded diplomas during the Sixty-Sixth Annual Commencement Exercises on May 26 in Castle Gymnasium.

The Reverend Diana Akiyama offered the invocation and Head of School Robert McKendry welcomed students, family, and friends.

Speakers included Scott Bradley '80, Board of Trustees chair; McKendry, and Janelle Laros ʻ17, student council president. Lupe Diaz, Upper School math teacher and senior class advisor, gave the commencement address.

Laros received the Head of School Award and Sidney Vermeulen was named the Senior Scholar.

During a senior awards ceremony held on May 25, the following seniors also received awards: Janelle Laros, National Center for Women and Information Technology Award; Tanner Riley, Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation Scholarship; Shanae Butler, Founder's Award, Elijah Anakalea-Buckley, Walter Liu '65 Memorial Leadership Award; Adam Pigott, Kevin Kitagawa '77 Memorial Bootstrap Award; Sarah Emmons, Phyllis A. Richards Theatre Award; Jasmine Buerano and Kai Miller, Spirit of 2012 Award; Sabrina Marvin and Noah Wise, Stanford W. Shutes Athletic Award; Taylor Doherty and Braden Kojima, Athletes of the Year.

After receiving their diplomas, the Class of 2017 presented their gifts of song and dance—Hole Waimea, No Kohala (chant and hula kahiko), and No Kohala Ka Makani Āpaʻapaʻa (ʻauana).

The Reverend Diana Akiyama closed the ceremony with benediction, followed by a mahalo chant from the class, Hawaiʻi Aloha, and the Class of 2017ʻs Lei O Hilo.

Congratulations, Class of 2017!

HPA coaches recently honored this school year's outstanding student athletes. Student receiving awards were:

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR: Taylor Doherty and Braden Kojima.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY: Ilan Naibryf and Javan Perez, Most Valuable; Tristan Sienkiewicz, Malcolm Davis, and Jason Lee, Coach's Award; Skyler Roque-Sunahara, Jonah Hurney, and Luis Madrid, Most Improved.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY: Sabrina Marvin, Most Valuable; Natalie Klett, Coach's Award; Zoë McGinnis, Most Improved.

FOOTBALL: Finn Richmond, Offensive Back Award; Dane Francis, Offensive Lineman Award; Jevon Flippin, Defensive Back Award; Sean Donnelly, Defensive Lineman Award; Alex Winters, Most Improved; Noah Wise, Holi Bergin Award.

BOYS PADDLING: Etera Teururai, Most Valuable; John Farrell, Coachʻs Award; Sheldon Aribal, Most Improved.

GIRLS PADDLING: Rachel Bonn, Most Valuable; Mikela Parris, Coachʻs Award; Annika Berezney, Most Improved.

BOYS SWIMMING: Frederik Moeller, Most Valuable; Aapo Eerola, Coach's Award; Joar Berglund, Most Improved.

GIRLS SWIMMING: Taylor Doherty, Most Valuable; Tereza Kanalosova, Coach's Award; Kira Parker, Most Improved.

BOYS SOCCER: Braden Kojima, Most Valuable; Noah Wise, Coach's Award; Kama Kahoe-Morrison, Most Improved.

GIRLS SOCCER: Emi Higgins and Rowan Kotner, Most Valuable; Julia Perry and Teah Van Bergen, Coach's Award; Zoë Ganley, Most Improved.

BOYS WRESTLING: Jack Rose, Most Valuable; Jacob Grimme, Coach's Award; Tommy Truong, Most Improved.

GIRLS WRESTLING: Sneha Nair, Most Valuable; Cassidy Majors, Coach's Award; Taryn Bonham, Most Improved.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Jonah Hurney and Michael Hanano, Most Valuable; Dylan Ngango Dikobo, Coach's Award; Matija Vitorovic, Most Improved.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Chyna Hanano, Most Valuable; Emma Saito, Coach's Award; Mikaela Chong, Most Improved; Chyna Hanano, Honoring the Game Award, Coco Shafer, Captains Award.

BOYS TRACK: Ilan Naibryf, Most Valuable; Riki Nims, Coach's Award; Luis Madrid, Most Improved.

GIRLS TRACK: Rowan Kotner, Most Valuable; Sabrina Marvin, Coach's Award; Harley Kell, Most Improved.

BOYS TENNIS: Jeff Marks and Ethan James, Most Valuable; Andy Lee, Coach's Award.

GIRLS TENNIS: Kayla Hollister, Most Valuable; Sora Frysinger, Coach's Award; Anna Morita, Most Improved.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL: Ghar Pautz, Most Valuable; Kai Miller and Zach Chaikin, Coach's Award; Matija Vitorovic, Most Improved.

WATER POLO: Taylor Doherty, Most Valuable; Ava Jean Johnston, Coach's Award; Sarah Houser, Most Improved; Janelle Laros, Hoʻohana Award.

GOLF: Jaxon Heitz, Most Valuable; Jody Jamin, Coach's Award.

BASEBALL: Braden Kojima, Jonah Hurney, and Finn Richmond, Most Valuable; Tristan Sienkiewicz, Coach's Award; Blake Winston, Most Improved.

SOFTBALL: Vanessa Gary, Most Valuable; Kiaʻi Lindsey, Coach's Award; Mikela Parris, Most Improved.

The following students at Hawai'i Preparatory Academy (HPA) were named to the Dean's List for the second semester:

Middle School:

Grade 6: Gabriel Aiona, John (Jack) Arrillaga, Bianca Brown, Jane-Grace Cootey, Lia Craven, Andrew Fung, Ryder Garcia, Isabella Hodges, Jakob Honda, Bayla Jefferson, Harlow Johnston, ʻAnolani Liu, Aleena Madrid, Caleb McKendry, Roxanne McMackin, Malia Mitchell, Nicholas Sebastian, Maya Slaven, Parker Smith, Laʻakeaokanaʻauʻao Sohriakoff, Ali Wawner, and Chase Zucker.

Grade 7: Sydney Chin, Roisin Darby, Chloe Delos Santos, Briana Harmon, Ruby Helmuth, Emily Houser, Sofia Howard, Lily Kassis, Ava Koepper, Forest McKinney, Catherine Moynahan, Jona Patig, Jordan Perry, Ella Prado, Maile Puckett, Emily Thompson, Cache Van Tassell, William (Bear) Wawner, and Matthew Wiecking.

Grade 8: Nicholas Barrick, Grace Bostock, Kaija Cooper, Morgan Davis, Julian Fried, Malia Honda, Hana Husek, Sara Kimura, Katharine Kuyper, Xander Lai, Malia McKendry, Raquel McMackin, Dominic Pagano, Isabella Police, Kanalumaliemaikalani Shimizu, Jessi Sohriakoff, Kayla Tadaki, Kelsen-Jaye Walker, and Ethaniel Wilson

To receive Dean's List recognition, a student must achieve: a semester grade point average of 3.67 or higher, no semester grade below B, and a conduct grade of A- or better.

Upper School:

Grade 9: Lily Ameika, Ry Bleckel, Madison Bram, Kirra Brown, Hang Bui, Lily Eastman, Sacha Grunberg, Charlotte Head, Kassadie Hurney, Ami Ibaramoto, Ivanni Jamin, Harley Kell, Alyssa Klett, Natalie Klett, Fisher McKinney, Maia Mills, Gabriella Nakamaru, William Nudo, Mia Patig, Jenna Perry, Gabriella Pike, Maria Ramirez, Bess Arielle Rowland, JuliaAnn Salvador, Mark Schiller, Anna Schroedel, Hikari Shaver, and Anna Sorensen.

Grade 10: Seth Beach, Annika Berezney, Yann-Hsiang Chen, Christopher Chock, Mikaela Chong, Yui Chu, Sydney Cochran, Hayley Emmons, Yong Jae Ha, Riley Hiatt, Emalia Higgins, Holly Hoffbauer, Maiki Kawakami, Ted Kim, Maile Kuyper, Jason Lee, Luis Madrid Aguera, Daniel Mark, Delilah McMahan, Brendan Moynahan, Keaton Riley, AnnMarie Ryan, Tess Savage, Jacob Schneider, Xiaoli Tang, Kiawehokua Tarnas, Airi Tomihara, Zachary Vermeulen, Hayden Virtue, Moritz von Buchwaldt, David Welch Keliihoomalu, Mako Yamamoto, and Zixin Yan.

Grade 11: Jakob Au, Payton Au, Joar Berglund, Soli Boo, Sienna Byrne, Zachary Chaikin, Kristen Cole-Lanier, Malcolm Davis, Emily Fong, Sora Frysinger, Kailer Garcia, Kieran Wiese Gibson, Oliver Grayson, Daniel Groves, Sarah Houser, Jody Jamin, Alice Kirkham, Madison Lee, Pan-Pan Lin, Anna Morita, Sneha Nair, Karly Noetzel, Kira Parker, Caroline Parks, Julia Perry, Silas Rhyneer, Emma Saito, William Savage, Aliya Smigel, Amelia Snyder, Samantha Sponer, Yerden Suraganov, Nahe Texeira, Alexandra Thomas, Minh Truong, Teah Van Bergen, Laney Van Tassell, Matthew Vazquez, Gillian Winston, , Zichun Xia, and Sanghyup Yoon.

Grade 12: Elijah Anakalea-Buckley, Anthony Beetem, Hailey Briseno, Hyunjin Choi, Alicia Chow, Casimir Dahrouch, Viet Tung Dao, Vuk Durdevic, Kevin Durkin, Sarah Emmons, Elyse Fujioka, Vanessa Gary, Chyna Hanano, Chi-Hao Hsu, Tereza Kanalosova, Seungyou Kim, Rowan Kotner, Nicole Lorenzo, Tola Mahoney, Dyllan Millar, Kai Miller, Rachel O'Toole, Gharin Pautz, Adam Pigott, Clara Saalfeld, James Schneider, Millenna Seid, Sidney Vermeulen, Ziyan Wang, Mimi Werdegar, and Thomas Yoo.

To receive Dean's List recognition, a student must achieve: a semester grade point average of 3.67 or higher, no semester grade below B, no honor violations, and a passing citizenship grade.

Head of School Robert McKendry recently announced the following administrative appointments at Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy, effective July 1, 2017:

Dr. Alain Carmen Sykes has been named dean of academics, overseeing all aspects of the school's K-12 academic program. She also will serve as a member of the school's residential life team.

Dana Petteys has been named interim Middle School principal, responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of the Middle School and coordinating curriculum and faculty development.

Sykes, who has roots on Maui, brings extensive administrative and classroom experience in the United States and abroad to her new position. She most recently served as the Middle States Accreditation Internal Coordinator, social studies department chair, and teacher at the American Overseas School of Rome. She previously taught history and English and served as the K-12 director of multiculturalism and inclusion at Chadwick School in California, taught seventh and eighth grade English at the Berlage Lyceum in Amsterdam, and taught seventh, ninth, and eleventh grade English and standard/IB History at Anatolia College in Greece. She served as a site coach for the University of Washington's Teacher Education Program, where she mentored teacher candidates in humanities and STEM subjects. She also taught the theory and practice-based Multicultural Teaching course for the University of Washington's Elementary Teacher Education Program (ELTEP). Sykes earned her Ph.D. in Education from the University of Washington with a focus on curriculum, instruction, and multicultural education. She has been published in the areas of student identity and philosophy for children and has presented at conferences on mixed raced families and teachers and identity.

Petteys joined HPA in 1999 as an ESL teacher at the Upper School. She assumed full-time registrar duties in the 2006-2007 school year and was responsible for the Upper School's overall schedule and working on curriculum, coordinating and leading workshops, and co-advising the Service Learning Advisory Council Club. She most recently served as interim dean of academics overseeing all aspects of the school's K-12 academic program. Petteys, who is a strong service-learning advocate, studied in France at a private Catholic university and earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Washington. She holds a certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language from Seattle University and received her master's in English as a Second Language (ESL) from the University of Hawaii-Manoa.

By Jordan Virtue '16

In an iconic scene from Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams as Sean Maguire adjusts his tweed jacket and sits down in a musty office across from Matt Damon. He asks if Damon, playing Will Hunting, has a soul mate, someone who opens things up, challenges him, and touches his soul. Will rattles off a list of great philosophers, playwrights, and poets, and Sean quickly dismisses the possibility of dialogue with them because they are all dead. "Not to me, they're not," Will replies.

I agree with Will Hunting— those authors are alive through their books, and they come to life every time I write about them. I really fell in love with literature and writing in high school, especially in AP Literature during my junior year. I loved it so much that I completed an independent English study with Mr. Braithwaite the following year, studying William Faulkner and Joseph Campbell while working as a teacher's aide.

Literature is filled with stories of glorious victories and stunning defeats, roads taken and roads left behind, epic adventures in far off lands and adventures in the scaled-down life we call ordinary. Writing about the tension between those experiences and "problems of the human heart in conflict with itself," in the words of Faulkner, opened my eyes to the truly miraculous nature of our lives.

I have carried my passion for writing with me to college, where I ended up taking four English courses in my freshman year. One of my Harvard professors, in a lecture hall just down the street from where Good Will Hunting was filmed, told us that a great book never finishes saying what it has to say. It is alive, and it thrusts the reader into an enduring dialogue about what it means to be human.

I enjoy journalism for the same reasons— I love entering into a dialogue with someone and finding the essence of their story. Journalism gives the facts, but it also provides an avenue to demonstrate a human connection. I was privileged to work with Fred Barbash, the former national editor and current editor of the Morning Mix section of the Washington Post, during my senior year at HPA.

Learn more about what it's like working with an editor at the Washington Post

In an internship outside of class, Mr. Barbash asked us to pitch Hawai'i-centered stories that could be published. I decided to write about local foods, eventually settling on the Original Big Island Shave Ice Co. After walking through the door of their turquoise shave ice truck and listening to their story, I was most struck by the sense of family that permeates every aspect of their business. I learned how the Ignacios revived the family business after nearly 20 years, bringing "the perfect shave" to a whole new generation of shave ice enthusiasts. The story was eventually published in the Travel section of the Post and was picked up by other publications across the country. But, like Reggie Ignacio says, it all comes back to family. The desire to write about that human connection has been my inspiration.

The Isaacs Art Center at Hawai'i Preparatory Academy is holding an ArtRageous Summer Sale from 10 a.m.. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 18, through Saturday, July 22. The sale features summer specials on treasures old and new, starting at $5. Browse through paintings, vintage prints, historic photos, rare books, and memorabilia of Old Hawaii. Treasure hunters will find works by legendary artists Jean Charlot, Hon Chew Hee, Herb Kane, and Shirley Russell, among many others.

All proceeds benefit the HPA Scholarship Fund, which assists promising young people from Hawaii in realizing their educational goals.

View some of the artwork below:

Mike Donnelly has been named director of alumni relations at Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy (HPA).

Donnelly, an HPA alumnus, joined HPA in 2014 as assistant director of admission after retiring from the U.S. Army with 27 years of service. As part of the schoolʻs admission team, Donnelly was responsible for grades 9-12 admissions, focusing on the Hawaiian Islands and greater Asia-Pacific region.

In his new position, Donnelly will lead local and regional alumni activities.

Prior to joining HPA, Donnelly was communications advisor for the commander of U.S. Army Pacific at Fort Shafter on Oʻahu. He previously held Army public affairs positions in Hawaii since 2004, and participated in several operational deployments. Donnelly earned his bachelorʻs degree from Gonzaga University.

Currently, HPA has alumni living in and from virtually every country around the world.

Learn more about Alumni events and ways to get involved.

The daily rate for our regular After School Program (3:15pm – 5:00pm) is $15.00. If your child is already enrolled in the After School program under the semester or yearly payment, then you will not be required to pay more for the enrichment activities. The early release Wednesdays will also be $15.00 from 12:15pm - 5:00pm.

For the enrichment program only, the daily fees are $10 per class per week, which includes snack.

Please fill out your interest on the form below and return it to the office or email Mrs. Walker: dwalker@hpa.edu or Lynn Kakugawa: lkakugawa@hpa.edu by Wednesday, August 16 (4:00pm). We will confirm your child's sessions on Friday, August 18.

Community is a core foundation that defines the HPA experience, and creating it requires purposeful strategy, curriculum, activities, and a sense of curiosity. Those first opening days of the year help to create and reinforce a culture centered around 'ohana (family) and participation. Dean of Students, Fred Wawner, states, "It's critical to the student and parent experience that we prioritize their initial relationship with the school. Creating a sense of comfort of care first, involves layering critical information, the language we use, and joy."

At the Village Campus, lower and middle school students and their families arrive on the first day to a welcoming party made up of, teachers, current parents, school administrators. New parents are able to have last minute questions answered, and begin the process of integrating into the HPA community.

As one parent relates, "I think the drop-off was more nerve wracking for me than for my 5 year old kindergartner, and it was wonderful to have a group of people who could laugh with me and show me the ropes of HPA Lower School."

At the Upper Campus prefects and student ambassadors arrive a week before school begins and go through intense training and orientation to create a school culture that is inclusive and supportive for all new students.

As soon as families of boarding students step on to campus, they are greeted by friendly faces. Families are taken to their rooms, with student leaders answering many lingering questions that both parents and student might have. Tessa '18, a boarding student in Robertson Hall states, "The most interesting part, is to watch all the new students from all around the world, and of each grade, find their new friends and not just mold themselves into the HPA culture, but change and make it even better."

That evening, new and returning families come together in Kennedy Square for our E Komo Mai Welcome Reception. A new day student coming from Los Angeles, Dylan '18, reflects on what made him feel welcomed, "HPA is an incredibly inviting place. When I met my new classmate Sarah I was blown away by her level of enthusiasm, it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Also, the diversity of the school first came to light when I asked a classmate where she was from and her response was "Kazakhstan". I never thought I would meet someone from such a far away country and it was at this moment that I knew HPA was my home."

The HPA family directory will be available to all HPA families in the Family Access Module on Friday, Sept. 29. We encourage families to sign in to their Parent Information Center/Family Access Module account before Wednesday, Sept. 27 to check their settings for any information they do not wish to have published. Families can opt out of having their information published by checking the "Please exclude family from directory" box on the top right of the Household Family Info pages. There also is an option to check the "DNP" (Do Not Publish) blocks in the Household, Parent A, and Parent B family sections if you only wish to exclude certain contact information. Please remember to click submit at the bottom of each page for any changes that are made.

To access your family directory information and review your settings, please follow these steps, using your parent login information:

Please use the following link to access the HPA website: www.hpa.edu
Click or hover on "Community" on the top right of the page.
Click "Parents". Then login with your username and password credentials.
Click on "Family Access Module" button on the left of the page. This will redirect you to your Family Access Module Account.
Click on the "Household" tab below your child's name to access your "Family Info" page

For assistance logging in to the Parent Information Center/Family Access Module, please contact Webmaster Aaron Schorn at 808-881-4025 (webmaster@hpa.edu)

The HPA Outdoor Program's 2017 maiden voyage was an epic three day backpacking trip to Waimanu Valley. Ten students representing eight different states and countries joined HPA's new Outdoor Program Director Renee Jenkinson '98 and headed to the northern coast of the island to spend three nights connecting with one another and with a breathtakingly beautiful, historic, culturally significant part of Hawai'i.

Jenkinson reflects, "By the light of our headlamps, 13 of us hiked down into Waipio Valley Friday night to camp at a colleague's farm and rest up for our 4:30am sunrise climb up the steep switchback trail. After nine miles of gulches, several waterfall swims, and an encounter with the biggest, angriest prawn any of us had ever met, we descended 1200 feet into Waimanu Valley."

The group spent Sunday enjoying the wonders of this magical, isolated place, swimming beneath the thousand foot drop of Wai'ilikahi Falls. The Monday return was filled with laughter, encouragement, and many high fives, and topped off with a malasada from Tex.

By Kaisei Mochizuki '22

My classmates in grade eight and I recently went on a field trip to the lo'i kalo (a wetland taro farm) at the Kohala Institute for the first time. We pulled the grown kalo out of the lo'i, and separated, de-leafed, and re-planted the kalo. Throughout the day we were able to learn and also have fun, a novel concept. Our class got to work in a nature-filled environment, and we were able to make connections with the land of 'Iole, each other, and our instructors. We all had a great time and had a fun experience working in the lo'i kalo at Kohala Institute.

By Oliver Grayson '18

Walking into the Gerry Clark Art Center for yet another "social event of the season", HPA's Fall Lava Lounge open mic event felt energized, with performers getting ready and friends cajoling each other into going up to take the stage.

"We just started jamming as people came in", says Silas Rhyneer '18, guitarist for the new band Toasted Radish and MC of the event. The band kicked off the event with a great retro selection, hyping up the performances for everyone else. By the time they finished, the audience was very ready for more.

"Everything really came together that day", says Rhyneer. He told me that the band hadn't been able to practice together until that day because of sports and other time requirements, but they still pulled off an amazing performance.

The night continued with solo acts from other students and a few spontaneous groups forming. "It gave people a lot more confidence", Rhyneer said, referring to the new venue. With all of the instruments, sound equipment, and other tech floating around, more artists were able to throw together impressive performances on a whim. Rhyneer described it as "cozy", since it was all inside, and unlike at previous events everyone just sat together and listened to the music. More performers and audience members arrived as the audience ate hot dogs prepared by Assistant Director of Student Life, Hamilton Ford, and aspiring artists mixed and matched three part stamps (exquisite corpses) to hang on the wall. With the new Lava Lounge venue, art of all types could be represented, not just music.

With the stage running out of artists, the band went up one last time to give an instrumental closing piece, wrapping up the night. Unlike in previous years, Lava Lounge ended with a full audience remaining - the community wanted more music, but unfortunately there were no artists left. I, for one, can't wait until the next one, and I think the rest of the school would agree.

Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy (HPA) is hosting a series of admission events for prospective K-12 day students.

A Preview Day for Middle School students entering grades 6-8 will be held at the Village Campus from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 10. Students and parents will meet school administrators and faculty members, learn about HPA's philosophy on academic and social development during the Middle School years, observe Middle School classes, and tour the Village Campus.

A kindergarten Open House will be held in the kindergarten classroom at the Village Campus from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 4. Parents and prospective kindergarteners are invited to drop in and meet administrators and faculty members, learn about the school's philosophy on academic and social development during the kindergarten year, and tour the Village Campus.

Registration is required for the Upper and Middle School events; registration is encouraged for the kindergarten event. To register, visitwww.hpa.edu/admissions/events. For more information, contact Jackie Jefferson at 808-881-4091 (email: jjefferson@hpa.edu).

HPA was one of three schools selected nationally to receive a 2017 Healthy School Award from The Healthy Facilities Institute (HFI), in partnership with School Planning and Management and College Planning and Management magazines. An expert panel selected winners based on submitted applications, interviews, and a strong commitment to facility health and practical steps. Health factors assessed included indoor air quality, chemical exposure, water quality, sound levels, lighting, cleaning and disinfecting, sanitizing and food service, integrated pest management, and ergonomics (musculoskeletal, strains, slips/falls). "We're very pleased to be recognized for our efforts to achieve environmental excellence and to make our school environment better and safer for everyone," said Robert McKendry, head of school. Hawaii Preparatory received the Healthy Facilities Advocate award "for its mission to promote healthful, place-based learning on a site with access to 80 percent of the world's ecosystems." HPA was commended for:

-Making standing desks and anti-fatigue mats available to employees.

-Using dry steam vapor for cleaning and disinfecting, and a hydrogen peroxide-based cleaner, having reduced annual spending on chemical cleaners by about $4,000.

-Using low-toxicity plant-based intervention to control insects.

The school's Energy Lab achieved Living Building Challenge certification by the International Living Building Institute (ILBI) in 2011 and also received Platinum-level LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Schools 2.0 certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2010. In 2012, HPA also was one of a select group of schools throughout the state of Hawaii to receive the Green Ribbon Schools (GRS) award from the U.S. Department of Education. Other 2017 Healthy School Award winners were Aurora Public Schools in Aurora, Colorado, and Elk Grove USD (EGUSD) in Elk Grove, California. Winners were announced in the July/August 2017 issues of School Planning and Management and College Planning and Management magazines. Winning schools will be featured in a webinar on November 2, Thirty Days to Healthy Schools at Lower Cost. The webinar will focus on how healthy schools promote learning, savings, and attendance-based funding, and how any school can develop a framework for a healthy facility and budget within 30 days.

About 85 Kindergarten through Grade 5 HPA students took part in a day of swimming, biking, and running as part of the school's annual Keiki Triathlon.

The event also featured a special appearance by HPA senior Malcolm Davis, who recently represented Team USA in the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, where he placed 8th in the 18-19-year-old age group. Davis participated in the Lower School Keiki Triathlon himself as an elementary student and encouraged the students to keep pursuing their goals in swimming, biking, and running.

Congratulations to all the K-5 participants.

By Ashley Souza '18

One of the classes that I am taking as a senior at HPA is English 12 Food Literature with Mrs. Clark. The experiences I've gained so far while taking this course are based around connecting with the cultures and practices of growing and preparing food through not only books, but other forms of literature like poetry and theatre.

Our first project began when we started planting and getting some soil underneath our fingernails We began planting an area within the school's garden that was entirely based around Shakespeare's plays, stories, and plants. We started off with a list of plants, fruits, and vegetables that have been referred to in Shakespeare's work. Our class as a whole put a lot of thought into what goes into the garden and why it's relevant. For example, we compiled quotes of plants referenced in Shakespeare, researched scientific information regarding the plants description, properties, Latin names, as well as what we might be able to do with them, meaning their culinary uses, potions, and medical uses of plants. The plants that we found to be most useful for our class included oranges, lemons, fig, rosemary, lavender, onion chives, garlic chives, daisies, ginger, rhubarb, and marigold.

We then started our hands-on experience planting the foods and vegetables we'd chosen to put in the garden. This has added up to about 4-5 days of work. As a reference, the class read and reflected on material from the book Food Rules by Michael Pollan. Some of the "rules" mentioned in this book discuss eating foods made from ingredients that you can picture in their raw state growing in nature, or eating well-grown food from healthy soil. My first thought was that the best way to know that your food has been "well-grown" is to do the job yourself. Not only was I able to understand the value of eating home grown foods as well as being aware of exactly what I was putting into my body, but I was able to gain a new appreciation for literature. Before this experience, I had never considered the relationship literature could have with the earth, specifically plants and food.

Friday, September 29 was a special day for HPA. For the first time since the construction of the Energy Lab in 2010, the school celebrated the official dedication and naming ceremony of a new building on campus: Hale 'Īnana. Made possible by a gift from members of the HPA 'ohana who wish to remain anonymous, this multipurpose facility on the Village Campus (VC) provides a weather-sheltered space where students are able to play, compete, perform, and convene for any range of activities during and after the school day.

Joined by 15 members of the school's Board of Trustees, Head of School Robert McKendry presided, while Kumu Kuwalu Anakalea, HPA's Hawaiian language and culture teacher for the VC, and HPA parent Sipa Shimizu led the students from kindergarten through eighth grade in a traditional Hawaiian ceremony and blessing. Members of the building's design and construction teams were present, along with members of the faculty and staff and many current parents.

At the conclusion of the blessing, Mr. McKendry offered his gratitude and conveyed enthusiasm for the opportunities made possible by Hale 'Īnana. "To the members of the HPA family, whose financial support of this project has made this dream for our students possible and whose aloha for our school knows no bounds, we are indebted to you for your partnership and generosity. Thank you sincerely.

"Today, we say e komo mai to the newest member of the HPA 'ohana - Hale 'Īnana. As the name suggests, we expect the activities taking place inside to inspire our young people to soar, bestir, become animated, and launch into flight!