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A newspaper written by the students of Lahainaluna High School in the town of Lahaina, Maui. Ka Lama Hawai'i is named after the first newspaper in Hawai'i, which was also published by Lahainaluna students in the nineteenth century. Welcome to Ka Lama Hawai'i! News writing is kind of a tradition here in Lahaina. In fact, the oldest school newspaper west of the Rockies was published right here, by students, on the campus of Lahainaluna in 1834. Our paper, also run by students of Lahainaluna, is our way of sharing breath with that past and the students that came before us. All said, do you have a piece of writing to share with us? If so, please submit your writing in the form below. We will consider all submissions as long as they are student-authored and appropriate. First Name Last Name Email What's your idea OR what are you submitting? Upload File Upload supported file (Max 15MB) Send Thanks for submitting!

A student-run newspaper written by and for the students of Lahainaluna High School. Ka Lama Hawai'i regularly publishes student work on student life, education, and the community of Lahaina. I mua, Lunas! Ka Lama Hawai'i Burning the torch of excellence at both ends Traditions May 20, 2026 at 10:00:00 PM A Sacred Tradition for Boarders Behind the Liming of the “L” Cheska Misay You may have heard of the lighting of the L, but have you heard of the liming of the L? Read about the traditions that Cheska Misay shares! Read More Student Life May 20, 2026 at 10:42:09 PM The Stinking Mango Dilemma Lili'a Niles Lili'a Niles discusses the various opinions of the student and staff on the sticky Mango situation Read More Profile May 21, 2026 at 6:43:39 PM Who was Alma Kaiama? A Hawaiian educator and activist Ashlee Hufalar Alma Kaiama, a woman who fought to preserve Hawaiian culture and identity, yet her very existence was unrecognized. Read More Education May 20, 2026 at 11:53:01 PM Time or Pride Will Overcome Zayne Pillow Some hear “assembly today during Po’okela” and imagine community engagement, others panic at the mandated socialization and loss of work time. Read More Talk Story News The State's New Phone Policy Details and reactions to the Hawaiʻi Department of Educationʻs new no-cellphone policy. Ashlee Hufalar and Grayson Guzman 2 days ago Students Recover or Lose Sleep Over Summer Break? Summer break is right around the corner, and many Lahainaluna students hope to catch up on sleep. Freshman Sofiya Cartagena says, “I’m excited to finally fix my sleep schedule over break.” However, some students end up doing the opposite and gain unhealthy sleeping habits. At Lahainaluna, it’s common to see students yawn during class and fall asleep at their desks. Students involved in extracurricular activities, sports, and jobs complain about losing sleep over studying and Drew Briones 3 days ago Kendamas Take Over LHS Sofiya Cartagena talks about the new and "distracting" toy, Kendamas! Sofiya Cartagena 3 days ago Lunas JV Volleyball Eyes Long-Term Potential After Season Opener Despite the loss, Coach Sarah Eubank believes the match pointed to new potential for the team in later years. Mya Heart Valdez Mar 11 Student Life & Academics 5/20/26 A Sacred Tradition for Boarders Behind the Liming of the “L” Cheska Misay You may have heard of the lighting of the L, but have you heard of the liming of the L? Read about the traditions that Cheska Misay shares! Read More 5/20/26 Time or Pride Will Overcome The Trouble with School Assemblies Zayne Pillow Some hear “assembly today during Po’okela” and imagine community engagement, others panic at the mandated socialization and loss of work time. Read More 5/20/26 Misunderstanding in the Classroom What Lahainaluna Students Really Want Stella Pogni Keely Benson Keely and Stella speak out about the lack of understanding for students Read More 5/20/26 The Stinking Mango Dilemma Mangoes = Campus Mess Lili'a Niles Lili'a Niles discusses the various opinions of the student and staff on the sticky Mango situation Read More 3/11/26 Devaki Murch Accidental Archivist Kristina Meguro Kristina Meguro spoke to Devaki Murch about identity, stability, and the "living records" of her survival during Operation Babylift. Read More 3/11/26 The Tardy Toll How "Starbucks runs" turn into Senior Ball bans. Christopher Apilado Christopher Apilado looks at the campus-wide discussion about tardiness policies and "unexpected" detention hours. Read More More Student Life and Academics Articles We LHS Staff Sports The Back Page Social Media Updates Join our community on Instagram

< Back Who was Alma Kaiama? Kristina Meguro Grayson Guzman A Hawaiian educator and activist Ashlee Hufalar In history, especially at Lahainaluna, there are names who rise to the top. Davida Malo is recognized as the most famous alumni, a pioneering scholar, and a royal advisor; Samuel Kamakau is a historian and an educator who preserved Hawaiian culture; and Timothy Ha’alilio is a politician that traveled to secure Hawaiian independence. These people are leaders in movements, models of virtue, and unforgettable characters documented as the one who changed the trajectory of social norms. While not everyone may know the story behind each individual, these celebrated figures are predominantly men. Women have also stepped up at Lahainaluna. Yet, their efforts are largely unrecognized. Their names are buried alongside dozens of others, and despite the impact they’ve made, most people would never know about them. Amongst these figures stands Alma Kaiama, a Hawaiian educator and activist who spent her life fighting for change. Born in 1930, Alma Mililani Kaiama grew up in Hana, Maui, dedicating her life to empowering students, preserving Hawaiian identity, and strengthening our pride in Hawai’i’s heritage. Though unknown, she became a big contributor towards the Modern Hawaiian Renaissance and was a lasting voice for preserving Hawaiian culture. Her professional journey started at Lahainaluna. Kaiama’s Early Education Kaiama attended Colorado State College of Education and earned her Masters degree in Speech Therapy 1951. This was big news in Maui of the 50s where only 50,000 people lived–just under 6,000 people live in West Maui ( Data Book ). The Honolulu Advertiser & Star-Bulletin celebrated Kaiama’s dedication to pursuing a higher education, giving her a short write up and praising her as an outstanding educator and scholar (6). After her return from the mainland, at the age of 23, she began in 1952 as an English teacher at Lahainaluna. Her time there was brief, lasting only one year, yet she made great contributions. She started a speech and debate club and, most notably, she is recorded as having revived Ka Leo Luna, Lahainaluna's third newspaper, after its four year hiatus from 1947-1951. Her efforts to restore the student voice laid the groundwork to Ka Leo Luna becoming the longest running newspaper at the school (1947-2016). Though her time at Lahainaluna was short, Kaiama arguably revived journalism at Lahainaluna, encouraging advisors and students to continue publishing long after her departure. Her time at the school came to an abrupt end when she won a rotary scholarship for a year of graduate study in England, an achievement reported by the Honolulu Advertiser in November 1952. Newspaper records from both the Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star-Bulletin describe her as an exceptional Maui educator chosen for prestigious international study opportunities, displaying how highly respected she was at a young age. Following these accolades she left the island in September, 1953, to study English literature at the University of Durham and returned to Maui a year later. After she returned to Maui in 1954 with more educational experience and exposure to international academics, she began an academic journey that would take her far beyond the high school classroom. Through her academic journey, she became an instructor at Hawaii Community College starting in 1971. There, she revised the Hawaiiana curriculum completely, building the self-esteem of the Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian students alike, giving them a stronger sense of cultural identity (Peterson and Baker 31). Among her accomplishments at the college was an innovative one-credit course covering Hawaiian chants, music, dance, legends, arts and crafts, food preparation, history, sports and games. The course's popularity among Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians alike showed its value. Scholars, Barbara Peterson and John Baker, examined the period in an issue of Educational Perspectives , “ Hawaii’s Community Colleges and the Disadvantaged Student ,” describing the impact of the course at the time. They noted that it “further enhance[d] the positive sense of the cultural worth of Hawaiiana. Studying topics they are familiar with and enjoy is academically reinforcing to the Hawaiian students.” (30). Kaiamaʻs Hawaiiana course was taught by respected Hawaiian cultural practitioners and soon became an early model for culturally responsive education in Hawai’i. Family Life & Preserving Culture “She has always been very outstanding,” said Frances Duyckinck Cooper Wood in an archived interview. Cooper Wood knew her through her nephew, Alexander Charles “Alika” Cooper, who married Kaiama around the late 1950s or early 1960s as their sons appeared to be teenagers or adults by an oral history interview done in the 1980s. In the years to follow, Kaiama and Alika engaged in various activist projects, including protests against Hawaiʻi National Park service, which had control over Hawaiian territory. According to Ashtani Shih, the reasoning behind this control originated in 1916, when scientists described volcanic regions as “a ‘perfect natural laboratory’ for volcanology.” This justification was used to transfer ownership of land to the federal government for research. Eventually, federal interest in Hawaiian lands led President Woodrow Wilson to establish the original Hawai’i national park, including the Kīlauea-Mauna Loa section on Hawaii Island and the Haleakalā section on Maui. The National Park Service had expanded significantly in the 1950-1960s, and author Ashanti Ke Ming Shih claims that the Park Service was working under the idea that Hawaiian lands were terra nullius , a legal term meaning empty land. Yet, at the time, there was plenty of evidence of Native Hawaiians still living or occupying the area. Kaiama and Alika advocated against federal control, saying “We are tired of policies that govern our ancestral sites and the management of such areas for they are made and are directed from Washington, D.C. and by a people who are ‘foreign’ to our way of life” (Shih 20). Ultimately, Kaiama and her husband led public critiques and protests against federal control over ancestral lands, and demanded that sacred sites such as heiau (places of worship) and authority in land management be returned back to Hawaiian communities. These protests were just the beginning. Kaiama, who felt the government unjustly overthrew Hawaii and stripped it of self governance, took the fight to the U.S. senate floor in Honolulu in February 1976. There, she testified for reparations for Native Hawaiians, and used the title State President of the Congress of the Hawaiian People. Kaiama also testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, chaired by Senator J. Bennett Johnson, and Senator Daniel K. Inouye. She was one of several people who gave hearings on the big losses of land, sovereignty, and political power of native Hawaiians being acknowledged federally and in the public. She presented five main ideas in her testimony: The Great Māhele of 1848 divided the land that originally belonged to everyone equally. 984,000 acres were understood as Crown lands held for the use of common people. After the Hawaiian legislature fell into the hands of the U.S. government during annexation, those lands were taken unlawfully. The overthrow of Queen Lili’uokalani in 1893 was only successful due to intervention of military forces ordered by Minister John L. Stevens. President Grover Clevelland himself stated that without their military support, the overthrow would’ve failed. Native Hawaiians were politically disenfranchised. Though making up the majority of the population, 9,550 Hawaiians were denied voting rights. This allowed a small group of American businessmen and political interests to make decisions regarding the future of Hawaii without consent of the Hawaiian people. “The United States government accepted the government and lands of Hawaii without the consent and will of Hawaiian natives numbering more than 40,500” (Kaiama 3). “Immoral afflictions and injustices upon Hawaiian natives by the extinguishment of their rights and their Hawaiian Nation may be assigned to the United States government” (Kaiama 3). Because of her testimony, Kaiama’s work contributed to the second or Modern Hawaiian Renaissance, encouraging a cultural awakening that urged people to look at Hawaiian rights and land claims. Eventually, the combined efforts of Kaiama and others led to the creation of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) in 1978, which was created to improve the conditions of native Hawaiians, manage trust resources for Hawaiians, and give them a stronger political voice within the government. One year before the OHAʻs creation, in 1977, Kaiama wrote “Kaho’olawe: A Nation on Trial.” While this source isn’t publicly accessible, it showcases her thinking and her involvement in the Hawaiian sovereignty movement. It also points to the possibility that she was also somehow connected at the time to the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana (PKO) movement. A year later, Kaiama earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Foundations from the University of Hawai’i, and became an instructor at Hawaii Community College. In 1983 Kaiama rose into leadership at Maui Community College, today known as University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC). Eventually, she became the provost and continued her advocacy for Hawaii-centric education and representation in academia. Conclusion Alma Kaiama passed away on July 2, 2017, in Kailua-Kona at age 87. In the later years of her life, Kaiama was recorded in her later years as Alma Mililani Kaiama “Henderson” instead of “Cooper,” suggesting that she remarried later in life. Kaimaʻs legacy continues through Hawaiian studies, cultural preservation, student empowerment, and the continuation of Lahainaluna journalism today. Through education, journalism, and political activism, Alma Kaiama helped strengthen Native Hawaiian identity during the Hawaiian Renaissance and advocated for Hawaiian self-determination at a time of growing cultural and political change. She will be remembered as an educator, activist, an advocate for Native Hawaiian rights, and a contributor to the Hawaiian Renaissance. At Lahainaluna, we should also remember her as an important female who contributed to our legacy. P 1697 Kaiama Returns Honolulu Advertizer 12-6-58 in Start-Bulletin Index - Kaiama Scholar.jpg P 1697 Kaiama Returns Honolulu Advertizer 12-6-58 in Start-Bulletin Index - Kaiama Scholar.jpg 1/1 FRANCES DUYCKINCK COOPER WOOD the WATUMULL FOUNDATION ORAL HISTORY PROJECT. mauitime.com/bitstream/10524/48658/1/ocr_watumullohp_Wood.pdf “Obituaries for July 26.” Hawaii Tribune-Herald, 26 July 2017, www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2017/07/26/obituaries/obituaries-for-july-26-5/ . Peterson, Barbara Bennett, and John H. Baker. “Vol13#2_Hawaii’s Community Colleges and the Disadvantaged Student.” Hawaii.edu , College of Education, University of Hawaii, 1974, scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/items/2c3960f1-4516-4964-9241-6f5ee2ff747e . Shih, Ashanti Ke Ming. Science and Settler Colonialism in Twentieth-Century Hawaiʻi. Yale University ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2019, www.proquest.com/openview/bd612ff460936a2025f6fe8f5b09b020/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y . University of Hawai’i. “07/02/2017 Obituary Records” Hawai’i Obituary, 2017, https://digitalcollections.byuh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=14201&context=obituaries Previous Next

The Hawaii State Board of Education (BOE) implemented a new statewide policy set to take place for the 2026-27 school year, setting requirements for how public schools manage students’ cell phones. This was developed after multiple rounds of statewide surveys and stakeholder inputs regarding the effects technology (cell phones) has on student learning and wellbeing. The BOE set forth phone restrictions based on grade levels. Elementary and middle school students are prohibited from using their phones throughout the entire school day, and high schoolers aren't allowed to use their phones during instruction time. For High School, the BOE states, “Schools may exercise discretion regarding use outside of instructional time, including before and after school, and during designated breaks, recess, lunch and free periods.” Exceptions include emergencies or threats to safety, authorized use for instruction, health purposes such as one required by a licensed physicist, and when a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) includes phone usage. After hearing about this new policy, many students voiced their opposition to this change. “I think it's kind of stupid” junior Jaylee Vierra says. “I'm someone who goes on her phone, and I still manage to do my work perfectly fine.” Senior Kamahao Frias-Kaauamo believes students should be able to use phones because it helps them be more productive. “For me personally,” he said, “listening to music from my phone helps me do my work and get it done faster. You don’t always know what people are going through, and at certain points, music really helps me.” “I use my phone a lot for school, including interviews (for the school newspaper Ka Lama) and a calculator because I don’t have one, and some teachers don’t provide it,” said freshman Brielle Ramelb who has written for Ka Lama in the past. Ramelb is not sure about whether the policy is necessarily good or bad, as she says she’s heard other teachers talk about this: “they told me the good sides, like how our grades will improve and things like that.” Teachers suggest it will not only create a benefit regarding student habits, but also social life. Mari Finn, technology coordinator thinks “it would be a positive for their mental well-being because now they can talk to others instead of texting things, and they don’t cheat on assignments or tests. They are forced to interact socially instead of staying isolated with their cell phones.” Micah Kawaguchi-Ailetcher, an art teacher, had a unique perspective, citing scientific evidence that points to studies about how cellphones heighten dopamine levels, which is one reason why students are constantly on it. “It’s addictive in nature,” said Kawaguchi-Ailetcher. “You habitually and continuously get dopamine hits and want to come back to it. If that’s the premise, then if you deprive that during class periods, the 30-minute lunch period is going to predominantly become cell phone use.” This is written about by Keyla Jimenez who found that 47% of Lahainaluna students are unable to stay focused in classes, particularly due to the dopamine of being on your phone watching social media or other entertainment. “It makes students want to pull out their phone more,” said sophomore Edgar Ortiz. Ortiz shared an example where other schools have phone boxes “and people come up with a way to keep their phone or take their phone out. So I feel like that can, like, sort of happen like where students find a way to, like, go past the policy. So I don't think it would work.” “I mean, there's obviously going to be people that don't follow the policy,” mentioned sophomore Kai Guzman. Even so, he thinks “it's fair because you still have the ability to go on your phone. It prevents people from not paying attention.” Finn also thinks the policy could lead to a positive change in habits. “I think we rely on our devices way too much, and that students not being able to use them in the classroom will hopefully help them become more well-rounded learners and people, not just keyboard warriors.” “With how teaching is right now these days, I feel like we kind of do need our phones in class,” said junior Wesly Hallems who thinks there’s no problem with cellphones but with how teachers are teaching. Vierra explains “I think people will find other ways to not pay attention, 'cause I don't think it's necessarily the phone. I think it's just a problem of the curriculum, like if students really care enough to pay attention. And I think phones are just a way for them to just not.”

You can hear the clicks and clacks everywhere. Kendamas aren’t just trending toys, but an item of obsession for students. Due to their popularity, there is a new debate on whether kendamas are distracting students from their education. “Students are enamored in achieving difficult kendama moves rather than school work”, says Jon Shigaki, digital video technology teacher. Disappointedly, Shigaki noticed that the quality of his students' work dropped since they are more interested in playing with their kendamas. Marc Watasaki, a transitions-to-high-school teacher agrees, stating that kendamas “take peoples’ focus on their studies” since they tend to get distracted and use their class time to work on assignments unwisely. Whether kendamas are an issue remains to be seen. They are so prevalent right now, however, that many wonder if they are a positive tool for students looking to blow off some stress or a distraction. Originating during the 17th or 18th centuries, Kendamas are versions of a classic Japanese cup-and-ball game. It consists of a handle (ken), ball (tama), and three cups (sarado) that are all connected with a string. The ken (handle) consists of a sarado on one end while the other end of the ken forms a spike (kenasaki) that fits the tama. Although kendamas started as a simple toy, hallways and classrooms are now filled with them because students enjoy challenging each other with their skills. Teachers have noticed this recent trend has been especially disrupting during class time. “Just the noise that it makes, it’s very distracting”, explains Zachary Bularon, a long-term substitute. Bularon often moves from class to class and he realizes that the clicking and clacking of a kendama affects nearby students. “It should be contraband,” said Bularon. Nolan Redaus, a freshman, concurs. The “loud clacking noise and swinging movements distract me,” he claims. Carlitobv Lopez, a freshman, has noticed how annoying his kendama has become to others. During class time, more teachers “tell me to put it away.” Although teachers believe that kendamas distract students from their school work, students think otherwise. Abram Castro, a freshman, thinks kendamas help him “throughout the day because I get to take my mind off of working.” Because of the pressure that is being put on students, kendamas "relieve stress especially from school work”, explained Walter Sunio, a freshman. John Paul Yabo, a sophomore, agreed: “it not only acts a distraction…but also a fidget in a way.” Another problem has followed distraction. Some students are stealing kendamas, claims Watasaki, who thinks that this could lead to a “crime life” as it influences students to steal each others’ kendamas. He believes that this further shows why teachers should consider taking them away. Regardless of whether or not students understand the distraction or effects kendamas cause, they cannot separate themselves from “an addictive toy,” as Yabo calls it. Even though it is an addictive thing for students, “it gives me the opportunity of less screen time during class hours”, says Redaus. Jane Francis, a long-term math substitute, agrees. At least “they don’t use their phones a lot and they use their brain and hands.”

Summer break is right around the corner, and many Lahainaluna students hope to catch up on sleep. Freshman Sofiya Cartagena says, “I’m excited to finally fix my sleep schedule over break.” However, some students end up doing the opposite and gain unhealthy sleeping habits. At Lahainaluna, it’s common to see students yawn during class and fall asleep at their desks. Students involved in extracurricular activities, sports, and jobs complain about losing sleep over studying and homework. How much is sleep loss impacting their energy, mental health, and academic performance on campus? Freshman Lucia Granillo believes that having a good sleep schedule is important because sleep gives students “better focus, less stress, and more energy.” She shared her exhausting weekday routine, which often involves going to sleep at 1 a.m. only to wake up five hours later. “I am tired at school and that makes me feel less motivated to do my homework,” she said. “I go to sleep around 12 a.m. and wake up around 6 a.m.,” said junior Faith Andres. Despite getting little sleep, she believes that she performs well academically. But, she admits, “I could perform so much better if I got more rest. I feel more clear-minded whenever I have enough sleep.” While some students use weekends, holidays, and breaks to catch up on sleep, others continue to stay up, falling more deeply into bad patterns that become difficult to adjust to once school starts. Seilala Samisoni, a freshman, states that she was inspired by getting better grades to fix her sleep schedule. “School has helped me get a healthier sleep schedule after summer break… School set up a regular wake-up schedule for me. Over the summer, I woke up at random times, but now I consistently wake up at 6:30.” According to Jessica Solodar, a health writer for Harvard Medical School, it is important for students to get enough rest. “One-third of young adults in the U.S. don’t get enough sleep,” Solodar writes. “Common struggles like digital distractions, inconsistent schedules, and what and when you eat can significantly disrupt sleep.” Freshman student Khloe Delacruz notes, “Ever since I started using my phone more and began procrastinating on my assignments, I’ve noticed a drastic negative impact on my sleep schedule.” To prevent sleep loss, Solodar writes that the best thing is to have a consistent wake-up and sleep schedule, or practicing good “sleep hygiene.” Student Maya Weeks says, “I noticed that it’s harder for me to sleep these days. Recently, I’ve started drinking energy drinks more often and I’ve eaten my dinner later than usual.” Experts recommend lowering caffeine intake and eating two to three hours before you sleep. Math teacher Michelle Brummel sees the value in recharging over break. “Students often seem more rested after summer vacation,” she said, though many of them seem to “struggle to transition back into healthy sleep schedules once school begins.” Junior Leilani Sa-Weeks says that her sleep schedule has stayed healthy and consistent. “Throughout the entire year, I’ve slept for around nine hours every day,” she states, adding that she performs her best inside and outside of school. “You can prevent yourself from being exhausted at school and when summer break starts if you just have a consistent sleep schedule.” Adjusting sleep schedules after summer can be difficult, says junior Jannel Leah Palacio, who thinks that it depends on what you do during break. “Going on vacation in a different time zone can make it hard for students to return to early school mornings,” said Palacio, whose family often uses breaks to travel internationally. While summer break may help some students recover from months of exhaustion, others return to school with even worse sleeping habits. “Students can always catch up on assignments, but it’s harder to catch up on months of lost sleep,” said transitions teacher Marc Watasaki. As Leilani Sa-Weeks puts it: “Whether students recover or lose sleep over summer break depends on the habits they create when school is out.”