5-year-old Chelsie Neves, who attends The Children's House, chose colors that make her happy. She won the preschool-through-kindergarten category.
Educators and politicians and parents are rethinking the school uniform concept, wondering if school uniforms would cut down on gang activity and social-caste consciousness while making it easier on the pocketbook.
5-year-old Chelsie Neves, who attends The Children's House, chose colors that make her happy. She won the preschool-through-kindergarten category.
School uniforms came in different colors in Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World," a kind of code to divide children in camps. The "hypnopaedia," which played while children slept, would say things like: "Alpha children wear grey. They work much harder than we do, because they're so frightfully clever. I'm really awfully glad I'm a Beta, because I don't work so hard. And then we are much better than the Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid. They all wear green, and Delta children wear khaki. Oh no, I DON'T want to play with Delta children."
What will the future bring? Will we go anti-fashion, a la "Star Trek," where the personality inhabits the clothing, or swing the other way, into fashion entropy - "Blade Runner" - where all cultures and styles are equal? Or continue with today's school uniforms - logo T-shirts, designer jeans, marquee athletic shoes?
We asked Hawaii's kids what they thought school uniforms should look like in our latest Quick Draw contest, and they responded with bright colors and humor.
Jace Mitsuka, 6, drew "N" like a lighting bolt for Nuuanu Elementary School uniforms. He won the first-through-third-grade catgory.
Her school is The Children's House.
The first- through third-grade winner was Jace - pronounced like mace - Mitsuka, 6, whose parents are Michael and Liz Mitsuka of Mokapu. Jace's uniforms are for Nuuanu Elementary School, and feature a stylized "N" zig-zagging like a lightning bolt across the front.
"It's cool, because it has a big N for Nuuanu," said Jace. Boys' version is Army green and the girls got pink editions.
The fourth- through sixth-grade winner was Jonah Okano, 9, of E.B. DeSilva School in Hilo. Jonah's parents are Calvin and Lauren Okano, and Jonah must be some kind of Big Island legend by now. He's won Star-Bulletin drawing contests before.
Jonah Okano, 9, of E.B. DeSilva School in Hilo, designed vests with pockets for school supplies to complete his ensemble. He won the fourth-through-sixth-grade category.
"Everyone like to wear comfortable slippers so I put them on the shorts. I'm not a girl, but I think most girls like lady bugs and butterflies. Well - they can have a vest too."
Other suggestions from the 204 entries include jet packs, rocket-powered shoes, reversible pants and T-shirts - "when it gets dirty, just turn them inside out" - and a variety of hats, including one with a propeller for flying to class. Angel Ladao, 10, of Wahiawa Elementary had a uniform that prepared a kid for any eventuality; bullet-proof vest, a TV set, a backpack with water, an air tank, a jet, a parachute and, oh yeah, lunch too.
O brave new world that has such children in it!