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$2 donation secures
early yearbook

Question: My child attends Kaiser High School. On Friday, May 20, the students were allowed to pick up their yearbooks early if they each paid $2. I understand the normal distribution was done last week, with seniors getting their books on Monday, juniors on Tuesday, sophomores on Wednesday and freshmen on Thursday. Yearbooks are paid for at the beginning of the school year, and I find it ridiculous that the kids need to pay an extra $2 just to get their books early. Why is this, and what is the extra money being used for?

Answer: It seems your child did not understand the explanation or did not pass the word on to you.

As you mentioned, students got their books as scheduled last week. But, many do like to get them earlier, said Pam Ellis, Kaiser's yearbook adviser.

Those who do had the option of donating $2 each to attend the May 20 yearbook-signing event, which was held as a fund-raiser to help defray the costs of publishing the yearbooks, she said.

In addition to yearbook signing, refreshments are served, and students also get a chance to buy book jackets and autograph pages -- with all proceeds helping to defray the costs of producing the yearbook.

Ellis said students are charged $45 for each yearbook, although it costs $55 each to produce.

"We don't get money from the school -- the school does not allot us any funds for the yearbook," she said.

The yearbook staff relies on various small fund-raisers to make up the difference in costs and to help pay for such things as film, cameras, toners, paper and computers.

Senior collages, in which seniors can buy a page in the yearbook to personalize, also help to raise money. Ellis noted that because senior collages are so popular, lotteries have to be held many years to determine who can get them.

"But, this year, for some reason, only 12 people" decided they wanted a senior collage, she said.

Q: Can you recommend whom to contact to help diagnose why my lei-making pikake bushes are dying off? I've had them in my yard for nearly 15 years now, and the bushes are slowly dying one by one. The leaves on the plants seem to by withering/drying out, then falling off. The middle section of the hedge is healthy, but the two ends are dying off. Lots of branches but not many leaves. I've fertilized and have watered normally but have not sprayed malathion as once recommended to me to keep bugs away. I live in Aiea and have noticed a lot of red ants in the area. I'm wondering if the ants are killing the pikake. The ants are already (I think) responsible for killing a couple of hapuu ferns.

A: Try calling the Urban Garden Center In Pearl City, which is part of the University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

The number for the master gardener hot line is 453-6055. Call between 9 a.m. and noon Monday-Friday and leave a message. Trained volunteers are available to answer questions about gardening problems.

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