You may recall that we started our Adopt-a-Class project when we learned that Keaukaha Elementary School does not have enough funds to take its students on regular field trips. Because they have no funds, they only took walking excursions around the community.

So we started the Adopt-a-Class project, where individuals or groups could adopt one class for $600. Three hundred dollars would go for bus transportation and the other $300 would go toward entry fees to ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, should the teachers want to take the kids there, or other destinations.

That was in May, and in these four months we have had enthusiastic support from the community. Just $300 more, to sponsor the second graders for the second semester, and all the classes are adopted and can go on excursions this school year.

For their first excursion, some of the students recently went to see Cinderella, a stage play at Hilo High School. As the school’s principal Lehua Veincent pointed out, many have never seen a play or other stage production, and it may open up a whole new world to them. We will post some photos here soon.

We have had several organizational meetings with Kumu Lehua, the school’s Adopt-a-Class coordinator Lynn Fujii, Tutu Momi Wakita, who is president of the Keaukaha School Foundation and Terry Crichton, secretary. All administrative tasks are done for free, and one hundred percent of the donations go to the Keaukaha Elementary School Foundation for the children’s excursions.

Aunty Momi told us that she had been planning to retire. But the Adopt-a-Class project generated enough work that she decided to work on it instead of retiring. She was smiling when she told us this.

Every time we meet with Kumu Lehua, we learn more about the school. For instance, he told us recently that the school’s enrollment is increasing significantly. For a while parents were taking their kids out of Keaukaha Elementary and sending them elsewhere. Now parents are bringing their kids back, because they feel like the kids are getting a good education.

He said that when he started there as principal two-and-a-half years ago, the student attendance rate averaged 92%, as compared to the state average, which is 95%. Keaukaha Elementary’s attendance rate is now above 97%. These kids must want to come to class.

I was floored when he told me that they have a monthly ‘Ohana night that draws 150 or more parents. I know of much larger schools where only a handful of parents participate.

Leslie asked about writing a press release about the Adopt-a-Class project and Lehua suggested she do it after the ‘Ohana night they have planned for November. That’s when the students will show where they went and what they did on their excursions and aloha the donors, who will be invited to attend. He said that the students’ acknowledging and thanking the Adopt-a-Class sponsors who help them is part of the education process.

We know this will be a special, unreal occasion. Roland Torres of the television program Kama‘aina Backroads told me he wants to film this event. Chicken skin time!