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COURTESY OF KO'OLAU BAPTIST ACADEMY Ko'olau Baptist Academy students from seventh through 12th grade bond and counsel one another in the Lord through eight fellowship groups. Clockwise from top left are group leaders Julie Goodale, Elizabeth Surface, Kardyn Flores, Tiara Ka'awa, Chad Hilweh, Dylan Dane, Taka Abe and Morgan Mackenzie.

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Fellowships
of the King

Eight school groups foster devotion
to Christianity and charitable love
for others

Ko'olau Baptist Academy is founded upon our relationship and faith in Jesus Christ the King. We strongly encourage the school body to be united in our faith and to grow together in the Lord.

The school has eight fellowship groups for seventh- through 12th-graders, which help the students bond and counsel each other in the Lord. Each group has a student leader and an assistant leader.

Ko'olau Baptist Academy Name Na Alii News Faculty adviser Rob Pitts Editor Kimi Matychowiak Address 45-633 Keneke St., Kaneohe, HI 96744 Phone number 233-2900 Principal John Goodale Nickname Aliis ("Royal Ones") Colors Blue and white Enrollment 211 (K-12) Faculty 16

The fellowship groups meet once a week during school hours and teach about the great love of our Savior and answer life questions the younger students might have.

Principal John Goodale believes that students need to be guided and encouraged to live a Christian life by their fellow students and peers. There has been a dramatic change in the student body's attitude towards school and others since the fellowship groups began.

Each leader has chosen a name or title describing their group and sets the goal to fulfill their title. These fellowships serve as life-changing opportunities to bond with one another, love one another, and serve with one another.

Opportunities to bond

Chad Hilweh is the leader of Ike' Pono, which means "Righteous Ones." Hilweh describes the members of his group as being loving and open with one another. He realizes that he has many weaknesses and strengths as he guides the students towards Christ.

Elizabeth Surface is the leader of Akeakamai, or "seeker of knowledge." Surface has fun teaching her group and likes to bring all her students together. She has noticed her influence on the younger students and strives to be a godly role model.

Taka Abe leads Na Kamali'i O Ke Akua, "children of God." He enjoys competition with the other fellowship groups like the flag football challenge in November. He has learned to be a better example and leader for the younger students.

Julie Goodale is the leader of Mana'o, "faith." She likes the fellowship groups because they bring together people of different ages and character.

Morgan Mackenzie is the leader of Na Koa, "bold ones." He appreciates the honesty and trust within his group. He has learned of the problems and trials that teens can face in their daily lives.

Kardyn Flores leads Ku Kamaehu, "to stand firm." She is meeting people she did not know before the fellowship groups. She feels that the students are able to be open to share their concerns and they feel trustworthy.

Dylan Dane leads Na au Ali'i, "forgiving ones." He has fun when he is together with the students and competing with other groups. He has learned that setting the right example is important.

Tiara Ka'awa leads Imi'pono, "to seek after righteousness." She has been able to break the barriers between the older and younger students at Ko'olau Baptist Academy and she enjoys getting to know others better.

Opportunities to love

We, as Christians, are commanded in the Bible to love our brothers and sisters in Christ and to encourage each other daily in the Lord. Proverbs 27:17 says, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." God tells us to strengthen each other to grow spiritually closer to God. In Hebrews 2:11, we are to sanctify or lift each other to holiness. In 1 John 3:14, God tells us to love our brethren and to care for them in their relationship with their heavenly father.

KBA has also recognized that our faith and love for one another needs to be spread to others in our communities.

Opportunities to serve

Last Thanksgiving, our school had a day where each fellowship group had an assigned task to strengthen our community. Hoku Kauanoe, an eighth-grader in Goodale's group, made keychains for women suffering with cancer. She now appreciates the hard work put into making keychains and the thoughts behind the actions.

Ryan Kawakami, a sophomore from Abe's group, painted fences that were chipping and falling apart, seeing the hard work that goes into a simple job and the meaning and love behind it.

Kyle Twogood, a seventh-grader in Hilweh's group, pulled weeds at Kaneohe District Park. He understands that work can become fun and that it is all about the testimony to the community.

Each fellowship group successfully completed their tasks and had a wonderful time. Ko'olau Baptist Academy hopes to continually be a testament to Hawaii and looks forward to the wonderful future God has in store.

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Upgrades a hassle
for some students

Amidst the chaos and confusion of the construction of the new sewer connection and rock wall in front of the auditorium at Ko'olau Baptist Academy, the students still maintain a strong learning environment.

Nevertheless, some do have their worries. Junior Miste Senfeld says construction work is dangerous and dirty. She and several other students say that it should have been accomplished during the summer.

Senior Kardyn Flores misses the shorter walking distance between the lower and upper campus, and cannot wait to be rid of all the mud that seems to find its way onto her clothes and slippers.

English, history and girl's Bible teacher Melissa Clymer said the construction is "good for the benefits we will receive from the work."

Although the students do not like the noise and mud, they see that the work will upgrade the campus.

Before construction began in December, students expressed elation about the improvements to the church and school property. For the annual gingerbread house contest before Christmas vacation, the freshmen built a replica of the church and school grounds, with details of the buildings painted with white frosting, the parking lot layered with crushed Oreo cookies, and the new rock wall constructed with Hershey bars.

"The school property may seem like a mess with the mud, rocks and construction equipment, but it is the mess of progress," said Rob Pitts, the journalism faculty adviser and a Bible teacher.

In all this, we are reminded about how God is continually working on us as His spiritual project; we are currently under construction as He builds us with the bricks and materials from the Bible until our final upgrade in heaven.

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You Asked...

"How can you be a good example
outside of the classroom?"

Verona Brennan
Seventh grade
"Only use your words to encourage others."

Josh Wagar
Eighth grade
"Have a good attitude, and do not blow your temper."

John Pobuck
Sophomore
"Pick up your trash, take notes, obey the rules, and don't challenge the teachers."

Tiffany Haggith
Sophomore
"Dress right and talk to people about salvation."

Dayton Fujihara
Junior
"Be a leader. Ask those around you to respect each other."

Melanie Crowley
Junior
"Do not be a hypocrite. Act the same as you do here."