[ HAWAII'S SCHOOLS ]
KELI'I MORGADO / KAUAI HIGH SCHOOL
Garren Itamura (No. 81) backs up receiver Justin Arakaki (No. 2), who is leaping for a touchdown as he is brought down.
Return to glory
Kauai High School’s victory over
Waimea is the exclamation point
to a rejuvenated fan base
Cheering fans, supportive parents, pep music from the band, and spirited cheerleaders drowned out the announcer at the football game between Kauai High School and Waimea High School on Friday, Sept. 19. The final score:Kauai 26, Waimea 12.
This was the first time Kauai beat Waimea since 1991 -- the last year that Kauai High took the Kauai Interscholastic Federation championship.
Coach Keli'i Morgado was excited to win. He said he always knew they could do it.
"The theme 'Return to Glory' is in honor of the fans, the community and the school," Morgado said. "Our school used to have pride, but it was lost for a while and attendance at the football games had dropped off. But we always had a core group of families and friends, and 'Return to Glory' is more for them, the fans."
KELI'I MORGADO / KAUAI HIGH SCHOOL
Quarterback Kekoa Crowell (No. 7) gets ready to pass while Waimea defenders rush at him.
Team captain and senior Justin Arakaki said this year is different from other years.
"The seniors on the team have been together for four years and have bonded," Arakaki said. "All of them know their part and what they are doing."
Yvette Naka'ahiki, a proud parent of a Kauai football player, explained that the "Return to Glory" theme to her meant that "They must step up and show the community what the team is made of."
Her involvement with the team and her commitment to her son, Keith Naka'ahiki, was apparent at the last football game. She sat among other parents and fans with her Red Raiders "Return to Glory" T-shirt that said "Naka'ahiki" in bold print on the back.
One of the most dedicated and energetic teams at Kauai High School is the cheerleading squad. The cheerleaders rally the fans with their high spirits and loud voices.
Roseanna Jerves, one of Kauai's 22 cheerleaders, says that she's noticed more school involvement from students and faculty since the theme arose. To her, the theme means "bringing back the school spirit and motivation for students to become more involved in school activities."
Jerves expects this year to be filled with more school spirit and encouragement.
This year is full of surprises, like the return of Kauai High alumni in the stands. Former coaches and football players have come out to support the football team. These players and coaches won in years past and now want to support the school's "Return to Glory."
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Teams aid freshmen’s transition
One milestone in a child's life is becoming a teenager and moving up the educational ladder to high school. High school is where new friends are made, freedom is found and the journey to adulthood begins.
For incoming freshmen, a foundation is laid, requiring students to become responsible for their education. While the experience of entering high school is exciting, it also can be overwhelming and difficult.
"This is where most kids tend to fail," says ninth-grade counselor Larry Gardner. "They can get lost in the shuffle."
Kauai's administration launched a special program of freshman "teams" this year to help students make the transition into high school and to prevent failures in the freshman year.
The teams group about 90 students in four core classes with the intent of keeping the same students together with the same teachers. This year there are two teams, but there are other freshmen who are not on any team. Each team has its own set of English, social studies and science teachers, and a special education teacher.
DOROTHY HOE / KAUAI HIGH SCHOOL
Freshman teams were challenged to build the tallest self-supporting tower in a recent competition, learning to cooperate with one another in the process.
A benefit of this system is that it gives students special attention. If a problem arises, team teachers can work together to target the issue.
Most of the freshmen are familiar with teams because they were part of their middle school experience at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School.
"I think it's a good idea that we're starting teams, but it's new and just starting so not everything is organized," freshman Stacey Terry said. "The teams at CKMS were more organized; we knew what we were doing and we had activities to do. Here, we're just on a team and not really doing anything."
But freshmen Laura and Kelly Nichols said: "I think the teams don't really divide the groups of friends during recess, but I think the teams are a good idea to raise school spirit. It's not similar to CKMS because it's not as competitive, and it feels like the teams are unevenly divided because some people are not in them."
Since the start of the new school year, Gardner said, "The teams have been successful and are showing progress."
The school is pleased with the results so far and plans to expand the program next year to include the entire freshman class.
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About this Section
Each week, Hawaii's teenage reporters and photographers tell us about their high school. This week's school is Kauai High School.
Newspaper:
Making Waves
Editor:
Jennifer Schad
Faculty adviser:
Lindsay Kamm
Next week:
Waipahu High School
Red Raider Facts
Established:
Sept. 14, 1914
Address:
3577 Lala Road, Lihue, HI 96766
Phone:
(808) 274-3160
Principal:
Linda Smith
Nickname:
Red Raiders
Mascot:
Chicken hawk
Colors:
Red and white
Enrollment:
1,268
Compiled by Tiana Caylor and Anna Quibilan
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You Asked!
Do you think school is safe?
Jenna Mercado
Junior
"I think that I would be more safe in
my own house, in my own room!"E.J. Resinto
Junior
"Yeah, I guess because there are
the security guards."Ulu Kelekoma
Junior
"School is safe because I feel it is."Cherisse Simeona
Sophomore
"I feel that the school is safe because get plenty
people and everyone know each other."Ryder Mueller
Freshman
"No, because people can carry guns easily."Clarissa Bulosan
Freshman
"Sometimes I feel safe, but sometimes
no, because there's fights."Carie Inouye
Freshman
"No, because there's security guards,
but they don't enforce the rules."Lyle Naakahiki
Senior
"No, because of the drug problems."Chad Nonaka
Sophomore
"Yes, because I have big strong friends."
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