Principal perches
By Harold Morse
on school roof
Star-BulletinBobby Broyles is high on Trinity Lutheran School -- about as high as you can get, in fact.
We're talking rooftop.
Broyles, principal of the Wahiawa institution at 1615 California Ave., starting camping out on the roof of his one-story school yesterday after students met a fund-raising challenge he offered.
The deal was this: If Trinity Lutheran's 161 students sold $22,000 worth of gift wrap, he would spend 24 hours where only birds usually roost.
The students sold about $25,000.
So Broyles made the ascent at noon yesterday with a two-man tent, a futon mattress and other supplies.
"I have a cooler with diet Coke, and I have a radio and cellular phone," he listed.
Add to that a lantern and flashlight, umbrellas, a raincoat, "four pairs of clothes to change into up here" and, of course, sustenance for his lofty endeavor.
"I have a dozen chocolate chip cookies," said the 6-foot, 235-pound man, speaking over the cellular. "I have some beef jerky. Someone has already delivered a turkey sandwich. I got to pick my dinner for this evening, which was German sausage, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut."
Broyles, you see, is of German descent on his mother's side.
What did his students think? Well, some joined him in his 22-foot-high perch.
"It's cool," said Melinda Ryan, 9, a 4th grader. "I hope it rains." And then there were other opinions, expressed with the blunt honesty of youth.
"I think it's stupid," said 6th grader Kaitlyn Miller, 11.
"I think it's kind of weird, because other people that's walking by, they give you a funny look when you're on the roof," said Jenna Teijeir, another sixth grader.
The school's portion of the Christmas wrap sale, under a promotion available to schools, is 50 percent. Fifteen percent of the proceeds will be dedicated to scholarships.
Other proceeds will go toward computer purchases, a new school sign, athletic uniforms, and items such as play money, blocks, cubes and stickers that teachers can use to reward the preschool through eighth grade students.
Broyles did more than just take in the view. Despite some rain, he was working on the school schedule, and took a book with him: "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work," by Richard Carlson.
"The whole thing of me on the roof is helping morale," he said. "Students are enjoying seeing their principal in this experience." And what did the principal himself think of it?
"I'm anxious for 12 o'clock noon on Friday," he admitted.
