FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM High school students from around the state came together yesterday to put forth and debate legislation during the 2005 Secondary Student Conference at the state Capitol. Jennifer Bonilla took notes while listening to debate about the No Child Left Behind law.

Kids take laws into their own hands

Students debate big issues with real-world ripple effects in the state Senate chambers

>> 'Keiki Caucus' pushing hard for student fitness

STUDENTS from around the islands took aim at a controversial new school funding system yesterday as they kicked off three days of crafting potential school-related legislation at the state Capitol.

In the state Senate chambers, middle and high school students crisply -- if somewhat stiffly -- debated several student resolutions that they hope will become law.

"It's a chance for the students to be heard and to actually be able to do something for their fellow students around the whole state," said Brandon DiPaola, a delegate from Kalaheo High School.

By tomorrow the roughly 150 public and private school delegates to the 2005 Secondary Student Conference will have hammered out consensus on a handful of resolutions. These will then be passed on to the Legislature, Board of Education or other policy-making bodies for possible action.

It is more than a mere educational exercise. In years past the conference, now in its 34th year, has led to policy changes requiring more healthy drinks in school vending machines and putting public-school student activities coordinators on full, 12-month salaries.

This year's resolutions target perennial gripes such as school disrepair, offensive bathrooms and the lack of voting rights for the student member of the state Board of Education.

But they are joined by newer policy concerns over the impact of the No Child Left Behind law and the school funding changes.

One resolution called for the state to provide more funding for needy schools rather than siphon money to those schools from the budgets of other schools, as is called for under the so-called weighted student formula.

Several students said it is time their voices were heard on such issues.

"People need to know that we can do more than they think. We're ready to tackle the big issues," said Francis Choe, a student at Saint Louis School.

Whether or not any legislation results, lawmakers should take heed of the proceedings, said Rep. Pono Chong (D, Maunawili-Kaneohe).

"As a legislator you definitely want to know, What are the concerns from the student perspective? It helps to keep us on track," said Chong, who participated in the conference himself as a Saint Louis School student in 1987.

The conference began yesterday with 65 possible resolutions, which will be narrowed down to the handful deemed most likely to gain higher-level support.

Kellie Tsuyemura, a 10th-grader at Honokaa High, said the conference has given her an appreciation of the long road a bill takes to becoming law.

"It's a lot harder and more intricate than I thought. There are so many stages to go through before your idea is even considered," she said.

Yet Salena Wells of Leilehua High said students should seize the opportunity to make the often-overlooked student voice heard.

"So many kids just complain and complain but it's like, hey, if you're not happy, stand up and be counted," she said.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Cheering on their Kapalama Elementary volleyball team at the Kalihi Valley Regional Park Gym yesterday were Kelsey Ralar-Hetrick, left, Daphne Corrales, Micah Bulosan and Toan Nyugen. Kids were playing volleyball as part of a news conference by the Legislature's "Keiki Caucus" calling for mandatory physical activity time for elementary and middle school students.

'Keiki Caucus' pushing hard for student fitness

THE Legislature's "Keiki Caucus" says students in Hawaii's schools should exercise every day, and it plans to introduce measures in the coming session to make that happen.

Concerned about growing rates of obesity, legislators are calling for mandatory physical activity during the school day in elementary and middle school, although not necessarily daily physical education classes.

"For young people it's important to really set good habits not only in exercise, but also in nutrition as well," said Rep. Dennis Arakaki (D, Kamehameha Heights-Kalihi Valley), co-chairman of the Keiki Caucus, which focuses on children and youth issues.

"We want to encourage healthy lifestyles, and that includes getting the right amount of exercise and proper food. That to me is part of education, as important as reading and writing and arithmetic. It's a lesson to be learned for life."

The caucus has not set a minimum number of minutes of daily physical activity, but Arakaki said he hoped to recommend at least an hour a day.

Most students in public elementary schools have PE class just once a week. State guidelines call for 45 minutes of physical education each week for students in kindergarten through third grade, and 55 minutes for fourth- and fifth-graders. That is far short of the 150 minutes recommended for elementary students by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.

"In many cases, physical activity can be integrated into academic activities and even motivate students to achieve academically," Arakaki said.

He cited as an example the Kids in Sports Program at Kalihi Elementary and Middle schools, which allows fifth- and sixth-graders the chance to play sports such as volleyball, basketball and softball if they read enough books and maintain academic and classroom behavior standards. Students participate in interschool tournaments and receive T-shirts and certificates.