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NEIGHBORHOODS

By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Spring and summer have brought welcome changes to
Leilehua High School -- fresh paint and floor tiles in school
colors, new termite-proof cabinets and new louvers.
Some rooms are still replacing picture windows.

Cooler, classier
rooms brighten
Leilehua High’s
new season

Returning students and teachers
are thrilled by $2 million
improvements to the
51-year-old campus

STREETWISE

---

By Wilma Jandoc
Star-Bulletin

LEILEHUA High School's 1,700 students began the school year last week in newer, cooler classrooms.

Gone are the cracked brown floor tiles, termite-eaten cabinets and large glass picture windows with poor ventilation.

Now the classrooms sport green floor tiles in keeping with the school colors, green and gold, with metal cabinets and louvers that open to let in the breeze.

Dry-erase whiteboards replaced old chalkboards and new stainless-steel sinks were installed. The 51-year-old school buildings have new coats of green and white paint, and hundreds of student desks have been refurbished.

About 67 classrooms were renovated, said head custodian Leonard Keao. The bulk of the work began May 13 and will continue for about a month, he said.

Both students and teachers were thrilled with the improvements.

"It's cool," said sophomore Cheryl Ferido. And she meant that literally. With the new louvers, "there's more air going through," she said.

By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
These chairs and desk will be refurbished. The school's
renovations, which include new sinks and whiteboards
to replace dusty old chalkboards, are continuing.

Social studies teacher Jamie Young waits for the day her classroom's windows are replaced. Wahiawa is a humid area, she said, and she always has at least three fans going.

But what people notice most is the atmosphere that the renovations have created.

"The (old) paint in the classrooms looked like an institutional green," Young said. Now, with the interiors painted white, "it really livens up the room."

"This is the first major refurbishing since the school opened" in 1949, said principal Norman Minehira.

The school, established on Wheeler Air Force Base in 1924, moved to its present location at 1515 California Ave. in 1949. Most of the buildings date back to that time.

The $2 million project takes care of about half of Leilehua's scheduled improvements, Minehira said. "It caused some disruption of the instructional program, but we weren't about to pass up this opportunity," he said.

Leilehua had more than $4 million in backlogged campus improvements at the end of 1999. After the renovations, the school will still need sewer improvements, roof repairs and concrete walkways, Keao said.

"We often were frustrated that other schools and districts were getting support, renovations, repairs," Minehira said. "(But) overall, we are very pleased."

Streetwise

Roadwork planned this week on Oahu:

LEEWARD OAHU

Ewa Beach
Old Fort Weaver and North roads; Fort Weaver Road from Farrington Highway to Hanakahi Street; Farrington Highway from Piliokoe Bridge to Kahe Power Plant in the vicinity of Tracks Beach Park; and Fort Weaver Road at Renton Road and near Kahua Ranch Nursery.

Makakilo
H-1 from Palehua Separation to Waikele Bridge.

Maili
Mynah Street and Place; Monilial Place; and Heleuma, Okokomo and Okohola streets.

Waianae
Hakalina Road from Pahihi to Puhawai roads.

CENTRAL OAHU

Kunia
Vicinity of Kunia Interchange to Waikele Stream Bridge; H-1 freeway and Kunia and Fort Weaver roads in the vicinity of Kunia Interchange; and Kunia Road from Anonui Street to South Kupuna Loop.

Pupukea
Kamehameha Improvements at Pupukea Road; and Pahoe Road to Kapuhi Street.

Waialua
Intersection of Wilikina Drive and Kamananui Road.

Wahiawa
Ilima Street.

Waipio
Farrington Highway, Leoole to Awanui streets; and Paiwa to Leoku streets.

Mililani
Lanikuhana Avenue.

Waipahu
Lumiaina Street from the Board of Water Supply Waipahu Wells II facility on Kukula Street to its facility on Lumiaina Street; Kahuanui Street between Kahuanani and Kahuahale streets; Kahuanani Street between Kahuanui and Kahu streets; Kahuanui Street from Paiwa to Kahuanani streets; Waipahu Depot Road from Haakoa Place to the Waipahu Incinerator; Pupuole Place; and Awaia, Awanei, Awanui, Paiwa and Pupuole streets.

Aiea
Kaonohi Street between Alania and Kahapili streets; Kahapili Street between Kaonohi and Kaonohi streets; Moanalua Road from the channel to Pali Momi Street; Maohu Place; and Akaaka, Ilee, Kulawai, Neki, Ulune and Kaamilo streets.

Pearl City
Kamehameha Highway from Acacia Road to Honomanu Street; and Spine Road.

HONOLULU

Foster Village
Halupa Street from Haloa Drive to Punihi Street.

Pearl Harbor
Vicinity of Arizona Memorial.

Waiawa
H-1 from the Waiawa to Keehi interchanges; and the Airport Interchange.

Kalihi
Skyline Drive; Ashford, Lima, Kamalii and Hillcrest streets; and Gulick Avenue.

Nuuanu
Pali Highway at Jack Lane; and Ahi to Niolopa places.

Kakaako
Keawe Street on Ala Moana, South and Queen streets, and Nimitz Highway and River Street to end at Hotel Street; and Rycroft Street from Birch to Piikoi streets.

Kapiolani
Kapiolani Interchange; Kapiolani Boulevard between OldWaialae Road and King Street; and South King Street at the Kapiolani Intersection.

Moiliili
Date Street between Isenberg Street and University Avenue.

Punahou/University
H-1 from vicinity of Punchbowl Offramp to Kapiolani Interchange; Bingham from Punahou to Isenberg streets; and Lunalilo Street from Liholiho to Kaihee and Ernest to Pensacola streets.

Manoa
Kahiwa Place.

Waialae
Kaimoku Place and Way; and Kalanianaole Highway from Ainakoa Avenue to Laukahi Street and Ainakoa Avenue to West Hind Drive.

Kaimuki
Narcissus Place.

Waikiki
Ala Wai Boulevard from Ala Moana to Kalakaua Avenue; and Kalakaua Avenue from Kaiulani to Kapahulu Avenue.

Wilhelmina Rise
Maunahilu, Pakolu and Pili places; and Paula Drive between Maunahilu Place and Iwi Way.

Niu Valley
Paiko Drive and Niuiki Circle.

Kuliouou
Kuliouou Road, and Keoki, Pahukula and Wakine places.

Makapuu
Kalanianaole Highway from Makapuu Lookout to Kealahou Street.

WINDWARD OAHU

Kaneohe
Kahekili, Kamehameha and Likelike highways from Waihee Road to Kaneohe Bay Drive; Lihika and Laenani drives and the section of Kamehameha Highway connecting the two streets; Mapele Place and Road; Ahilani, Ahuimanu and Pulama roads; and 45-637 Uhilehua St.

Kahaluu
Ahuimanu, Ahilama and Pulama roads; Kialua, Hoopai and Poomau streets; Mapele Place and Road; and Kamehameha Highway from Lihikai to Laenani drives.

Kailua
Auloa Road from Castle Junction to near Lunaai Street; Halekou to Kaneohe Marine Corps Base interchanges; Kalaheo Avenue between Wilikoki and Kaiholu places; and Aumoe Street.

Waimanalo
Kumuhau Street from Waikupanaha to Mahailua streets; Waipahu Street from Amokii Street to Waikele Road; and Humuniki Street.