Type Private Established 1996 Campus type Outdoor Mascot Warrior | Religious affiliation(s) Protestant Grades Preschool–12 Phone +1 808-982-0000 Number of students 1,120 | |
Principal Lehua Veincent (high school) Address 16-714 Volcano Rd, Keaau, HI 96749, USA Motto ʻImi na ʻauao; (seek enlightenment) | ||
The Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi Campus consists of an elementary, middle and high school operated by Kamehameha Schools on the island of Hawaiʻi.
Contents
History
The Kamehameha Schools were established in 1887 from the estate of Bernice Pauahi Bishop. The first campus was built in the Kapālama area of Honolulu, then a Maui Campus, and finally, the Hawaiʻi Island Campus. Plans were announced in 1999 to move from a smaller temporary campus.
Located in Keaʻau, roughly 10 miles (16 km) from the seaside port town of Hilo, Hawaii, the Hawaiʻi island campus opened in August 2001. As of 2006, the 300-acre (1.2 km2) campus served approximately 1,120 students from grades K-12. Students attend from the entire island, although those on the western side between Paʻauilo and Naʻālehu have the option of apply to the main Kapālama Campus as boarders.
The Keaʻau campus is located on land formerly owned by William Herbert Shipman, who, along with Captain Elders and Samuel M. Damon, acquired the property in 1881 when it was auctioned by the estate of King Lunalilo, a grandnephew of King Kamehameha I.
In addition to classroom buildings at the elementary and middle school division, shared buildings include a learning center, administration building, and a cafeteria/band facility. Construction of the Hawaiʻi Campus cost roughly $225 million. Like its sister campus in Pukalani on Maui, the Hawaii Campus graduated its first class in 2006. Ninia M. E. Aldrich became principal of the high school in 2002. About 100 students were in the first high school class in 2002.
Traditions
The Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi started traditions apart from those adopted from the older Kapalama Campus. Among these are:
Hoʻike: Annual student-produced performance of dancing, singing, and drama.
Elementary Concerts: concerts directed by music teacher, Cynthia Debus. They hold concerts in Haʻaeamahi Dining Hall for their Spring and Christmas Concerts.
Junior Class Greek Day: A Greek Culture Day with games, food, music, and dance. Students are split into competing "city-states" with cheers, Greek costumes .
Freshmen Makahiki (A Hawaiian Culture Day): students play Hawaiian games and learn to dance hula.
May Day: Every year on May 1, High School, Middle School, and Elementary School students participate in the festivities of hula. All elementary students participate in their show, and Hawaiian Ensemble puts on the show for middle school. Normally, middle school and elementary school watch and support each other's shows.
Ho'olaule'a: Every year the school puts on a Hoʻolauleʻa which consists of games for kids, delicious local foods, booths by local vendors, entertainment from the elementary choir and a local band.
Curriculum
In addition to providing a comprehensive curriculum, with the focus on career academies. The school will draw upon the unique resources of the island, including branches of the University of Hawai'i and Hawai'i Community College, as well as astronomical observatories. The forestry, geologic, marine life, and agricultural aspects of the island also play an important role in the curriculum.
Kamehameha Schools offers a wide range of extra curricular activities and sports, including Band, Computer Activities, Chorus, Art, and Theatre. The marching band appeared in the 2008 Tournament of Roses Parade.
Sports include Swimming, Diving, Water polo, Biking, Rugby, Yoga, Basketball, Badminton, Tennis, Track, Cross Country, Wrestling, Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, Baseball, Football, Cheerleading, Softball, Lacrosse, Judo/Martial Arts, Volleyball, and Mandatory Physical Education Classes.
The school offers Hawaiian language in middle and high school as well as Japanese and Spanish in high school. The other campuses offer Arabic, German, Mandarin, Korean, Russian, French, Italian, Latin, and Spanish.