COURTESY OF KAISER HIGH SCHOOL Kaiser band members Rayna Hirata, left, Jaime Yoshino, Michelle Ip and Amber Nakachi take a break to pose for a picture across the harbor from the landmark Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Band Down Under

The Cougars’ band and orchestra
trade tunes with a Pacific neighbor

Coming off a successful tour of New York just two years ago, the Kaiser Cougars' 84-member band and orchestra were optimistic for their week-long trip as ambassadors of aloha to the land down under, Australia. The trip was the first experience for many in a foreign country.

Kaiser High School Name Cougar Connection Faculty adviser Pam Ellis Editors Elizabeth Kataoka and Kelly Furuya Address 511 Lunalilo Home Road, Honolulu 96825 Principal Larry Kaliloa Mascot Cougar Colors Blue and gold Enrollment 1,007

"I was expecting it to be different," said freshman Christopher Yuen. "I thought Sydney would be like a paradise, but it was more like a big city."

The trip offered students a myriad of new sights and experiences that have changed their outlook on the world and will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Although the trip's original purpose was to perform in the International Music Goodwill Festival at the Sydney Opera House, the event was left out of the final itinerary for financial and organizational reasons. But the group still managed to get a taste of international hospitality during their exchange with Australia's Turramurra High School.

On March 22 the school bands gathered in the Turramurra cafeteria/auditorium and performed for a student assembly. Turramurra's Junior and Senior Concert Band played several songs, and the Cougars' combined band and orchestra ensemble performed selections that showcased Hawaii's unique spirit and culture. Kaiser music director Michael Bataluna chose the pieces in Kaiser's program to "highlight the European ties between Hawaii and Australia."

Following the concert, Turramurra's principal, Graeme McMartin, spoke a few words of welcome and appreciation and presented Kaiser with a watercolor portrait of Sydney Harbor. Then, to the enjoyment of the Cougars and Turramurra students in attendance, the faculty and staff were invited to participate in a little hula lesson to an encore of "Maile Lei."

Turramurra's McMartin, music director Jim Wiseman and head teacher of creative arts Hedley Harwood were encouraged by the audience to don plastic hula skirts and coconut bras as they awkwardly imitated the flowing movements of the Kaiser girls.

"It was so funny," senior Yvonne Pottenger said. "They were very enthusiastic about trying something that was strange and unusual and embarrassing themselves in front of their students."

With the concert finished, band members of both schools lined up to meet and trade gifts of chocolate-covered macadamia nut leis and clip-on koalas and key chains.

"When we gave them their lei and hugged them, they kind of took a step back," said sophomore Kimi Harada-Kato. "They're not used to our culture."

With formalities out of the way, the two bands exited to the school's outdoor basketball courts, where an Australian lunch of chicken, steak and onions "on the barbie" had been prepared for them.

The student exchange at Turramurra was only a small part of the Cougars' experience in Australia. The students also spent time sightseeing at places such as Double Bay, Bondi Beach, the Sydney Opera House and Darling Harbor's Sydney Aquarium, and shopping for souvenirs.

After what seemed to many like a short trip, on March 26 the group caught a flight back to Sydney, where they boarded the nine-hour return flight to Honolulu.

Bataluna considers the trip to have been a great success. "The whole purpose of taking students on a trip is to foster their independence and allow them to interact with people from other places in order to find some common ground."

School rallies to aid of
teen with leukemia

Ryan Kitamura, a freshman,
seeks a marrow donor

Described by friends as easygoing and smart, Kaiser High School freshman Ryan Kitamura is a normal teenager but for the fact that he is suffering from a second bout of leukemia.

Want to help? The Hawaii Bone Marrow Registry's next donor drive is scheduled for May 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Saint Louis School, 3142 Waialae Ave. For more information on the donor process, call 547-6154 or toll-free 877-HI-DONOR (443-6667).

Despite the obvious struggles that go with cancer, it goes against Kitamura's nature to be pessimistic.

"Now I just look at all of this as a giant obstacle that I'm bound to conquer," Kitamura said. "I feel that from this terrible ordeal I will gain inner strength, a better sense of value in life and a strong faith towards God."

Kitamura has had his share of challenges. For each course of chemotherapy he endures, Kitamura spends five or six days in the hospital, three of which are spent in straight chemotherapy. During these sessions, he suffers from nausea and finds it difficult to eat.

"During this therapy I was given radiation, which is really hard on the body. It destroys your taste buds and makes the patient really nauseous," said Kitamura. "I had six courses of chemotherapy over a period of six months."

But through these struggles, Kitamura has found entertainment in watching TV and reading newspapers and magazines, and solace in his family and friends. Friends have visited him in the hospital, including Joe Kostylo, who recalls a time when he had no friends until he met Kitamura.

"He's a really dependable friend, no matter what," Kostylo said.

COURTESY OF KAISER HIGH SCHOOL Students Jonathan Chin, left, Ryan Kitamura, Xavier Koide and Nina Ho hang out in the school's publications room.

Kitamura's friends have now returned the favor, supporting him in his time of need. Friends have written cards, and one of his classes pooled money to buy him a sweater.

But what he needs most now is a bone marrow transplant. Several people connected to Kaiser High School came to the Kaiser teacher lunchroom on March 4 to be added to the National Bone Marrow Registry.

While the response was limited due to the minimum donor age requirement of 18, the Hawaii Bone Marrow Registry considered the turnout of 62 to be successful. Among those who donated were Kitamura's teachers Tanya Ashimine and Julie Tamura, and Principal Larry Kaliloa.

"Our class really misses Ryan, but he has such a positive attitude about the situation. We hope that a donor will be found," Tamura said.

Friends are anxious for Kitamura to find a bone marrow match so he can return to school. He has been absent since January, when he learned that the leukemia had returned after 2 1/2 years of peace.

"No one is more deserving," said Xavier Koide, a close friend of Kitamura, of his need for a match. "He does a lot for the community. We want him to come back to school so we want to find a donor, so he could come back and be happy."

Until then, Kitamura will remain away from school, but although he isn't there he can't completely escape it. Kitamura continues with homework and discusses the irritation that invariably accompanies it with friends like any normal kid. But despite what others kids might expect, Kitamura truly misses attending classes.

"I miss everything about school, especially my friends and even the homework," he said. "I also miss staying in the JROTC room and having fun up there, and getting involved in practices."

What makes you proud
to be a Kaiser Cougar?

Annelise Duran
Freshman
"It's just great that we have so many different types of people. You never know who or what type of person you'll meet next."

Marty Elm
Sophomore
"We're really lucky to have the kind of sports facilities we have. I mean, we have a gym, a track and field, a football field and so much more that other schools don't have."

Jessica Kim
Junior
"I like the fact that everyone seems to know everyone. There's not really too much emphasis on cliques, because you can hang out with pretty much anyone you want."

Jamie Hung
Senior
"We have really nice, kindhearted people, and we're located in a friendly neighborhood."

Tanya Ashimine
Teacher
"It's really nice to be able to teach at my alma mater, work with crazy, fun-loving kids and contribute to my community, all at the same time."