CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Ann Marie and AJ Abalos spent their last day of summer break fishing with their father, Andy, near Magic Island yesterday.

Kids enjoy summer's last days

Kalihi-Kai Elementary fifth-grader AJ Abalos unhooked a tilapia from his fishing pole at Ala Moana Beach Park yesterday, where he spent his last day of summer vacation.

Abalos and his sister return to school today, along with one-fifth of students attending public schools in the state. More than half will return tomorrow, and about 97 percent will be in school by Monday.

Most students and parents geared up for school and agreed that the last day should be one to remember, especially with summers being shortened by year-round schedules.

"I wanted to have fun outdoors because the whole summer I just watched TV," said 10-year-old AJ, who fished all day with his father and sister on the cement wall in front of Magic Island.

Parents Andy and Rose Abalos took the day off to spend time with their children. Both worked full time during the weekdays, leaving the two at home in Kalihi.

"It's more than just catching fish. This is family time for us," Andy Abalos said. He said he taught his two children to fish on their summer breaks two years ago.

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Classes begin today for about one-fifth of Hawaii's public school students. Ann Marie Abalos, 11, and her brother AJ, 10, spent their last day of summer break fishing with their father, Andy, near Magic Island yesterday afternoon.

"I don't want to say we procrastinated," Kimura said with a chuckle. She took her three daughters to buy school supplies yesterday afternoon at Pali Longs Drug Store. "I just really couldn't do the uniform thing and supply stuff and work. I'm not Supermom."

Kimura's daughters will return to Kalakaua Middle School today.

The hot summer months kept some students in air-conditioned places, watching movies and shopping at the malls.

Tenth-grader Arielle Neves of Kaimuki High School and her friends cooled off at Ward Stadium Theatre to watch "Little Man."

"We're going to celebrate our last night of summer by having a sleepover with makeovers and all," said Neves, who planned to make fried chicken for dinner. "This is the first time I'm cooking, so hopefully we make it to school on Friday alive."

Going to school provides more opportunity for students, where they can get involved in school athletic teams, clubs and other activities.

Neves hopes to practice speaking Hawaiian again once she is in school. She did not get a chance to speak while at home since no one in her family speaks the language.

The end of summer was welcomed by some returning students, like 11th-grader Rosanne Tran of McKinley High School, who thought summer went by too slowly.

"I pretty much worked every day because I had to pay for my cell phone," Tran said. She spent her summer scooping ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery in Ward Entertainment Center. "At least I learned to speak some Japanese and to have better customer interaction."