Maryknoll students give a cheer in support of Jasmine Trias who made the final four in "American Idol."
Trias is
a class act
The class of 2004 at Maryknoll School is in a bit of a quandary. One of its members, a certain Jasmine Trias, is doing some extracurricular, off-campus work in Los Angeles on some TV competition called "American Idol." But even though she's been physically away from school, the National Honors student has fulfilled all her major requirements, and come June 4, Trias will join her fellow seniors in graduation.
The question is, Will she actually be with her classmates onstage at the Blaisdell Concert Hall for the ceremony, and will her appearance upstage other deserving seniors of the Class of 2004?
"American Idol": Airs at 7 p.m. today
Theme: Boogie down because it's "Disco Night"
Free "American Idol" viewing party
Where: Maryknoll School, Rogers Hall, 1402 Punahou St.
When: 7 to 8 p.m. today
"Breakfast for dinner" theme with free, donated milk, waffles and breakfast meats available
First, let's see how she fares during tonight's show, featuring the songs of disco diva Donna Summer. But in talking with some of her friends and classmates at the modest campus on Punahou Street last "Free Dress Friday," the students say they really want her to join them on their graduation walk.
"I know she will make it to the top 3," said a confident Andrea Bucci -- who should know. She's sung "Islands in the Stream" and "Miracles" with Trias at previous school assemblies and been her best friend since their freshman year.
"We've given each other a shoulder to cry on when it was needed," she said during lunch period. "Her singing's gotten better but she's still the same person.
"She's worked just as hard as a student, so she deserves to walk with us on graduation day."
Even though Trias and the now-gone George Huff were last week's lesser vote-recipients, Bucci wasn't worried for her friend. "I'm so confident in her, it doesn't faze me when something like that happens because I know she will still be saved."
Two classmates from Trias' senior advisory (homeroom), Pauline Chan and Jessica Greenwood, said they had all planned to attend Hawaii Pacific University after graduating to study nursing.
"We didn't know she could sing until she entered 'Brown Bags to Stardom' when she was a freshman," Chan said.
"And she's gotten stronger as a singer," said Greenwood. "Listening to her on 'American Idol,' she has a more powerful voice now."
Even though Trias left for Hollywood just before the last trimester was starting, "the one day she returned to school was so cool," Chan said. "She was signing autographs for us."
IN A CLASS of 130 out of about 570 students -- schooled in basically one building overseen by the Catholic order of Maryknoll Sisters -- it's not hard for anyone on campus, both student and faculty, to have some kind of connection to Trias.
But it's evident while touring the campus that the singer's notoriety is downplayed. There are only two "American Idol" banners on display, with only one visible from the street on Rogers Hall's topmost floor (an earlier one was stolen when it was strung up near the ground entrance).
"This is still pretty much transparent to the kids, who are busy continuing to do their own work," said Camille Michel from the school's office of development and alumni. "While we embrace Jasmine as one of our students, they're all talented and gifted in their own right. It's just this national spotlight on Jasmine that's different.
Maryknoll seniors, co-valedictorians Brian Klein and Tiffany Loo, senior class president, hope Jasmine Trias will be able to join her classmates on graduation day.
"But something like this is a good opportunity for both Jasmine and Maryknoll to show the capacity of the kids both inside and outside the classroom," which includes required community service.Every Tuesday night during the competition, viewing parties are held in the school's common area for students who can break away from their homework.
"Some of the students have been very diligent in coming every week to watch and vote for her," said Michel. "Even a lot of parents, faculty and alumni show up as well."
Every party has a theme -- tonight's is "Breakfast for Dinner" (see info box). Once they had a "Nacho Night" that included a piñata with disliked "Idol" judge Simon Cowell's face on it.
It apparently was hard to break.
"It's touching to see a contingent of people, both young and old, all text-messaging their votes for Jasmine after the show, with some even double voting on cell phones in each hand," Michel said.
Jasmine Trias, below, third from left, graces the cover of a recent Entertainment Weekly, along with fellow "American Idol" contestants. John Stevens, left, and George Huff, right, were cut from the competition after the photo was taken.
DEPENDING on how Trias performs this week, Michel said there's a chance that the young idol might make it to graduation practice. Although she's kept up with her schoolwork while in Los Angeles, she's missed part of the fun of high school, including the prom back in March (which she reportedly would've attended with a boy from outside the school -- no additional information was given on that front).The last all-school assembly she "attended" took place May Day weekend when she spoke to classmates via long-distance phone call and even sang the alma mater with her fellow students.
Co-valedictorians Tiffany Loo and Brian Klein have shared a couple of classes with Trias.
"She's smart," said Loo. "We're both in the National Honors Society, and she's good doing her schoolwork. She's a good writer, too."
"We're hoping the show will give her back to us," said Klein. "If we can, we want to give her a welcome-back party. Hopefully, that won't be too far away. Her classmates miss her."
Michel said that in spite of the distraction that comes from being part of a national phenomenon, Jasmine has completed all of her graduation requirements, including receiving a distinguished honor for her senior project, which, not surprisingly, was about writing and singing a song of hers.
"We want people to remember that she's just 17, just a high school senior," she said. "In person she's still kind of shy and sweet, not at all like a show-biz type."
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