CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Karen Mahiko's first-grade class at Kalihi-Kai
Elementary School played yesterday in the area
where new playground equipment will be installed
as Vice Principal Clyde Igarashi, in tie, looked on.

School to get
new playground

The Star-Bulletin and Starbucks
team up to fund the Kalihi project

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By Lisa Asato
lasato@starbulletin.com

Youngsters at Kalihi-Kai Elementary School will get new playground equipment thanks to a joint effort by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and Starbucks Coffee.

From now until Oct. 2, all proceeds from Star-Bulletin sales at Starbucks in Hawaii will go toward a new kindergarten playground for the school's 4-, 5- and 6-year-olds. The students have not had a play structure since 1999, following removal of unsafe equipment at public schools statewide.

"This was a great opportunity to step up, help out and get kids something they can enjoy immediately," said Greg Meier, president of Coffee Partners Hawaii, Starbucks licensee.

The estimated cost of the Kalihi-Kai project is $41,000. Any excess funds will go toward another school playground.

"A lack of funding is a problem for many schools," said Kalihi-kai Vice Principal Clyde Igarashi. "This certainly helps to provide these kinds of safe and developmentally appropriate playground equipment for our students."

Don Kendall, president of the Star-Bulletin and MidWeek, said if not for this project, the Kalihi-Kai playground probably would not have been built for several years.

"We're very excited about the playground project," he said. "We think that building playgrounds will make a difference for our keiki and the education system."

Construction will begin in September, with completion expected by year's end, installing new protective ground covering and equipment for climbing, balancing and hanging.

Schools Superintendent Paul LeMahieu said there has never been such a broad campaign to equip a public school with playground equipment, and he hopes it catches on.

"We don't have funding to deal with everybody, so to have Star-Bulletin take the lead and involve Starbucks in that way is a great benefit to this school," he said.

To kick off the effort, celebrity hawkers and Star-Bulletin executives will sell papers at selected Starbucks tomorrow.

Celebrity hawkers include Miss Teen Hawaii Vakisha Coleman, radio personalities Augie and Lanai of Island Rhythm FM-98.5, and comedian Rip Taylor of "Hollywood Squares."