< Back Everybody’s Special AP and the Path to Valedictorian Lucia Mejia Education April 28, 2025 at 9:51:26 PM In 2021 there were 24 valedictorians, in 2022 there were 26, in 2023 there were 35, and in 2024 there were 36. The trend suggests that the number of valedictorians will rise again this year. For reference, consider that in 2010 there were only 2. According to Hawai’i State Department of Education guidelines, to become valedictorian in a Hawaii DOE school students are required to have a 4.0 or above GPA and earn one of the three Honor Recognition Certificates. The fastest road to a 4.0 and above is AP, or Advanced Placement courses or college-level classes that add an extra point to your GPA regardless of how you actually perform on the AP exam. Yet, this system creates an inconsistency–while APs are supposedly designed to offer challenging, college-level courses, grades are often equal to completion. In 2024, in all but one subject, Lahainaluna students, on average, failed their AP exam, which means they earned a score of 2 or less. 33.9% or 56 out of 165 AP test takers passed with a score of 3 or better and, of the number who passed, only 18.78 percent of that 165 did so with scores of 4 or better. As Keyla Jimenez recently reported , school-wide test scores are not much better. Recent data compiled in the DOE’s Strive HI report suggests that in the 2023-2024 school year only 28 percent of students demonstrated proficiency in language arts assessments, followed by 17percent in science and 5percent in mathematics. These scores, like AP scores, are evaluated independently by people outside of Lahainaluna. While we lack data on classroom grades for AP students grades across campus, these numbers suggest that there may be a gap between students' academic performance in regular courses and their ability to succeed in more rigorous settings like AP. “...something's wrong, right?” Principal Richard Carosso offered insight into the data, wondering “If you have 30 kids in your AP class, and you've given 25 A's, but your average score is a 1.7 on the AP exam, something's wrong, right?” The problem would simply be grade inflation or a course grade that does not match mastery of that subject. The possibility, Carosso commented, is “not correlating for what I think the rigor of an AP course should be." Students may be taking more AP classes to pump up their grades, but the level of rigor they are encountering may not match the expectations set by the College Board (the organization that develops the AP content and evaluates AP tests). Students may feel they are being challenged, but in reality, they may not be developing the deep understanding needed to succeed on the AP exam. Principal Carosso thinks that it is important to distinguish between learning and doing, because that's the difference between a high AP exam score and just a good classroom grade. “If you're giving all these great points and grades for doing everything, " said Carosso, “you kind of have to switch the mindset of, it's not just about doing. It's about learning.” If the focus is on completion rather than understanding, he suggests, AP grades may be rewarding students for completing assignments or fulfilling requirements, rather than demonstrating mastery in the skill itself. Our AP scores also point to another issue. Students at LHS may have come to expect higher grades for less effort, especially with the trend of grade inflation and the focus on completing tasks rather than demonstrating mastery. Students may feel entitled to grades simply because they showed up or finished an assignment. “I could have been prepared much better.” Transitions teacher Marc Watasaki thinks that AP classes should be open to anyone willing to try. “I think just being a high school student means you are AP ready,” he insisted. “I think everyone should get the opportunity to take those classes. But I don’t think everyone should expect to do well in there.” While AP classes are in fact open to any student, grade inflation may work against students looking to take on bigger challenges. “Students receiving higher grades than their actual mastery in the material might create a false sense of preparedness,” says AP Biology teacher Arica Lynn. Lynn thinks that some students may have come to expect high grades without putting in the necessary effort. They may not have prepared then for the level of work and understanding required in AP courses “when they enter the more rigorous environment of an AP course and eventually face the standardized AP exam.” Junior Juliet Ronen is currently taking AP World History. Reflecting on whether her earlier classes prepared her, she said “some did but some didn’t, I feel like I could have been prepared much better.” “When I went into AP Seminar I was so lost and unprepared,” said sophomore Jersea Borneman. “It was completely different than my previous classes.” Sophomore Brianne Lagazo is in the same class but thinks preparation has little to do with the subject itself. “My biggest problem when doing AP was managing my time correctly,” she said. “Freshman year’s light workload didn’t teach me proper time management, so when sophomore year’s pressure hit, it became overwhelming.” Lynn agrees. While some students have the ability, the “students who are successful are usually organized, plan ahead, and dedicate consistent time.” Sophomore Mina Nagasako adds "I can guarantee that there's many students who want good scores but few who strive to take the action to study and fully apply themselves." “I believe that students are ready and can do the work given,” said Joseph Balinbin. “I think the larger problem is getting them to show effort. Teenagers have lives outside of school and it’s gonna be a challenge to pick 2000 word essays over going to the beach with your friends.” “There's other things in life important as well than just schoolwork,” said Watasaki. “They're really interested in it." Despite the gap between grades and AP scores for most AP classes, AP Art taught by Mr. Schultz is different. AP art students scored an average of 3.71, almost two points higher than every other AP class on campus. While this may suggest that Schultz’ students were simply better prepared, he offers a different perspective on last year’s scores. “I feel like sometimes they were putting students in my class that just needed a credit for art, and they didn't have any of the background for AP,” said Schultz. “That was pretty bad for trying to build up those, the foundation and the fundamentals.” Yet, in 2024, things changed. “There weren't any of those kinds of students, so they were a little bit more prepared when they were going into it.” As a result, most of his students in 2024, he claimed, wanted to be there. "Art is an elective,” he said. ”The people that decide to take art have chosen it, and they're passionate about it, and they're really interested in it." Unlike core subjects where students might feel compelled to take AP classes for GPA purposes or college applications, art students, at least those who have chosen to be art students, are self-motivated. They enter the class with a clear interest and a strong desire to learn, which Schultz believes, makes all the difference. “I just have to be able to regulate my time” Students planning to take AP courses next year already have mixed feelings. Many have heard rumors and warnings about the workload and what to expect. some have taken those rumors and warnings to heart. "I talked to a lot of students, and they all say it's like, really hard and impossible” says one anonymous student. Freshman Murphy Crossman-McGibbons agrees, saying "I've just heard them, like, just complain about the workload a lot. It's like, a lot of reading." One anonymous student has taken these warnings seriously. Describing the challenge of finding balance early on, “I just have to be able to regulate my time with other things and also be willing to make sacrifices for my outside life,” they said. After his experience in AP this year, students like sophomore Harlan Owen are looking at the situation realistically. Next year, he said, “I’m not doing AP classes because I procrastinate too much and I don’t have enough time.” Crossman-McGibbions hopes that his current Honors English class will help him on the AP track as he thinks “the whole class is designed around” preparing him to enter AP Seminar next year. “If everybody’s special, no one’s special” The title of valedictorian has been reserved for those who stand out academically, traditionally with the highest academic achievements in a graduating class, often determined by GPA. But the path to a 4.0 has become increasingly more accessible, and some argue that the system of awarding the title of valedictorian to so many may unintentionally dilute the accomplishment. The growing number of valedictorians combined with our dropping math and english scores also raises important questions about the value of the title. “When we have 30 kids at 4.0 it seems that it lessens the accomplishment,” says Carosso. “If everybody’s special, no one’s special.” Watasaki agrees that “the meaning of valedictorian means less with more and more people achieving that status.” What does this mean for the future of academic recognition? Will the title of valedictorian return to its once prestigious status, or will it continue to be just another box to check off. Carosso emphasized, “we just all have to teach the best we can. Raise our expectations of our kids, raise our standards, you know, for all our kids.” Previous Article Next Article Copy link Lucia Mejia is currently a junior and Treasurer of the class of 2027.

< Back Panliligaw Lyndsay Sultan Sculpture The Work My theme is about Filipino courtship, called panliligaw . Panliligaw is the process where a man tries to woo a woman into dating, eventually leading to marriage. There are many different customs and disciplines that are part of Filipino tradition. Usually, the man tries to show his commitment by giving gifts, writing letters, and even performing harana. The woman remains disciplined, showing no emotion until the man demonstrates an act of true love. In my theme, I often showcase harana because it is very common, where the man sings to the woman outside her balcony or window. I chose this theme to highlight more of my culture. During an art comic project I created in my sophomore year, I watched a documentary about harana. I learned how older generations still remember the songs they sang to their significant others. However, they mentioned how panliligaw has largely faded because our generation is more reliant on technology. I wanted to illustrate the contrast between the past and present in Filipino courtship. The Harana The Harana project is made out of cardboard, modeling clay, ribbon, colored paper, and acrylic paint pen. I was trying to interpret how harana is shown as (without the balcony). I wanted to interpret how harana is shown. Fun fact, there is an option to have either one or two friends to play an instrument while the man can sing to the girl who he is courting. The harana project is made out of cardboard, modeling clay, ribbon, colored paper, and acrylic paint pen. I was trying to interpret how harana is shown as (without the balcony). I wanted to interpret how harana is shown. Fun fact, there is an option to have either one or two friends to play an instrument while the man can sing to the girl who he is courting. The Bulaklak Shop The Bulaklak shop is made out of cardboard, acrylic paint, air-dry clay, ribbons, and marker. I wanted to make this project to create a small replica of the flower shops in the Philippines. I traveled to the Philippines this summer and saw multiple bouquet shops stuffed with flowers. I decided to look more into the costs and the translation to have it put onto the display. The Bulaklak shop represents a good place to get flowers for the person you are going to court. The Aroma The Aroma is a project I made out of modeling clay, cardboard, ribbon, colored paper, paint, and an acrylic paint pen. I wanted to show a girl receiving a bouquet, which is one of the acts of Filipino courtship. I learned that it is one of the ways, and I wanted to show it in a little showcase box. She is leaning closer to the bouquet to smell the aroma. Maniligaw For this project, I decided to go back to using traditional clay. I used the pinch technique on most of the parts and blended them together. I added more clay to sculpt more of the head. I wanted to show the top part of the man wearing traditional clothing. I also wanted to use traditional clay to emphasize the “traditional” aspect. I aimed to create a head sculpture with the top part featuring the man’s traditional clothing. Online Ligaw I decided to make a present project showcasing how dating is now in the present. I used air-dry clay, watercolor paper, ribbon, cardboard, and acrylic paint. Online ligaw means online dating. I wanted to showcase the connection between two phones connecting across the earth, especially with the two points of view where the girl is talking during the day and the guy is talking at night. I was also trying to interpret what long-distance relationships are like. About the Creator I am a Lahainaluna student who strives to think outside the box. As an artist, I experiment with new mediums such as ceramics, drawing, painting, and more. I enjoy exploring different techniques to create art pieces with meaning, often showcasing that meaning indirectly through my work. My goal is to become an animator and share my culture with the world. Previous Next Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Send Email

< Back The Fine Line Between Support and Pressure Parental Roles in Student Success Oliana Schur Student Life March 14, 2025 at 7:59:21 PM “They’re really involved in my academic life, and I probably wouldn’t be taking all these classes if it wasn’t for my mom,” said one sophomore student, who we’ll refer to as “Flax.” Like many students on campus, Flax admits that he owes some of his academic success to parental influence. However, this raises the question: can parental pressure sometimes have the opposite effect? The expectations of parents can give students more stress than the homework they receive from teachers. Yet, according to a 2010 study by David R. Topor, children are more likely to succeed if they have an important role model like a parent in their life. However, the study also mentions that once students establish a good relationship with their teachers, they become less dependent on parental involvement for their academic success. Because they feared repercussions from speaking out about their parents, some students in the article, like Flax above, will be given different names. “…makes me try harder” The connection between academic success and parental involvement varies from person to person. Some students feel like their parents offer them the right amount of support, while others think of their parents as controlling stressors. Junior Victoria Valdez lives in a larger family, where everyone needs to pitch in. She sees her parents as a helpful influence. “They are active with my schoolwork,” she said. “It helps out sometimes because I have younger siblings. They [her parents] help out whenever they can.” Sophomore Dahlia was unclear, saying only that her parents “heavily impact my mental well-being as well as the way I act and behave.” She appeared positive about their involvement, adding that “They reinforce my academic life.” Students like freshman Hoku could go either way on the issue. “I don’t think it would affect me too much,” they said. “At most, I would fall a little behind on English.” Sophomore Sunny Galarita, for instance, thinks parental expectations and involvement need to be balanced. She says that her mother’s influence “makes me try harder,” but if her mother was more involved, “I’d be stressed out,” she admitted. College career counselor Virginia “Ginny” Yasutake helps college-bound students succeed in high school. She spoke as a parent who has two children enrolled at Lahainaluna. “In my experience,” she said, “many students do not share their achievements or academic life with their parents. I think it is always nice when you hear about your child’s accomplishments.” Yasutake thinks that parents can improve their support by communicating better with their children: “I believe families should try to communicate better with their students as well. I am definitely guilty of not telling my children on a regular basis how proud I am of them. I think students need to hear from us too!” “…I lie to them about certain things…” While some students think parental guidance can be helpful in doses, others are less upbeat, pitting their mental health against academic striving. Senior Petunia thinks that parental involvement is “helpful in some ways,” but it comes at a price: “it also makes me feel very pressured and tends to just cause more stress.” Sophomore Lily said that if she “were to be truthful about my academic life,” getting her parents more involved “would have a negative effect on my mental health.” She described feeling strained and burdened: it would “put strain on me to push myself to my limits and die,” she said. Lily added that she fears their disapproval and their “being disappointed in me, so I lie to them about certain things in my academic career.” “As long as I don’t fail, they usually leave me alone,” said Jade, a junior. “I think it’s because they learned that I shut down when there’s extra pressure put on me. I feel like if they were any more involved than they are, I would feel a larger sense of responsibility in my work but also begin to burn out under the pressure.” Agriculture teacher Nathan Pallett emphasizes the student’s role in all of this. He explains that overbearing parents can be both helpful and harmful: “It depends on the student, though. So like if the student isn’t trying to meet their maximum potential, sometimes having a parent that’s a bit overbearing can push them to do better.” Who Is Responsible? Pallett continues, pointing to the fact that, despite student opinions, it often falls on the teacher to get parents more involved. “We could probably do a better job communicating with the parents […] but that just takes so much time. We could probably have more positive parent involvement if we put in more time to engage with them. But that’s just time, and time is hard to come by.” It all comes down to the attitude and motivation of students themselves, said Galarita. “Parents definitely help, but the student makes the choice to do homework or classwork. There are some parents that don’t really care about how their kids do in school, but that’s why it’s important for kids to be more invested in school. There’s definitely a lot of work, and it’s pretty hard sometimes, but how you approach it definitely helps you get through it easier.” Previous Article Next Article Copy link Oliana Schur is a sophomore at LHS. She enjoys surfing and environmentalism.

< Back The Fair is Back Remembering the Past, Facing the Future Grayson Guzman Arts and Entertainment September 30, 2025 at 9:57:43 PM Lunas past and present are excited for the fair, echoing the sentiment of the Maui County Fair website: “it’s more than a fair—it’s where memories are made and community comes alive.” “When I first walk in, I just see, like, so much familiar faces, and then I see everyone smiling, and I just see a lot of kids having fun, and the community just enjoying themselves,” sophomore Kyrah Pagdilao reminisced, remembering Maui County Fair as an elementary student. Back in 2019, the Maui County Fair drew crowds of tens of thousands of people. Students and staff recalled nostalgic memories like racing down the giant, bright pink, green, and yellow illuminated slides on squishy blue mats, and eating fair foods like flying saucers, funnel cake, cotton candy, fried Oreo’s with ice cream, and popcorn. The wave swinger took them up over the whole fair ground. Sophomore Romie-Lynn Santos remembers riding the Zipper and “hearing, like, all the people screaming and having fun and that thing. And I remember the ride, like, dropping and moving around and all the lights that would flick around it.” “Carnival games and the lights, the lights, the flashy lights!” said senior Lation Pascual. “Screaming, laughter, the sound of games being won. A lot of laughter, a lot of fun.” The fair “was a core memory for me,” said Pascual. “I'm excited that it's back.” It has been six years since people in Maui have gotten to experience the sense of community the fair has brought. Now it is set to open this Thursday, from October 2-5th, 2025 at the War Memorial. “...a core memory…” For many alumni, Luna identity is tied to the fair and their participation in it. Rides, food, games, family and community connections, the parade and more have shaped our students' earliest memories. The fair had “a pretty big impact, honestly,” said senior Jean Alternado who has been in marching band since he was a freshman. Alternado claims that he originally joined because of the fair–after seeing the band in the opening day parade. “That kind of motivated me to join as a musician,” he said. The fair also meant maturity and independence for Alternado who feels like “it made me grow up to not be shy because my parents would usually let me go by myself. And then I would interact with people.” For Pagdilao, the fair embodies community. She remembers “a booth that we had, like one of our family friends, they had a booth and it was just like their whole family helping and like, yeah.” “The Fair has always been a happy place,” said former Student Activities Coordinator, Art Fillazar. It was “like our version of Disneyland but only for the weekend.” “It was the one time we actually had an amusement park,” said Stephanie Rubio Aguire who remembers going with her family in 2019 before its closure. “It wasn't really an amusement park, but it felt like it for me.” Sophomore Jade Cabanila thinks the fair was “a place where you actually got to experience a carnival, especially over here. Not a lot of big, amusement kind parks happen here. So the fair is kind of like a place where it's here and you don't have to spend as much money to go to, like these big amusement parks. It's like a home amusement park.” Kaizan Munemitsu, a freshman, remembers that “it was fun, you know. It made me happy, just, being able to play games, have fun with my family, all that stuff.” “‘We are Lahainaluna and we were proud of it!” This year will mark the 98th year the fair has run. The first ever Maui Fair took place on November 30th, 1916. Since then the fair has been interrupted three times by global events. The fair was paused and cancelled due to both World War I and World War II from 1917-1918 and 1942-1946 respectively. Along with the Covid-19 pandemic, it was not held until this year. In years past, the Lahainaluna community did not only attend the fair. They often participated in it. According to Fillazar, now the Executive Director of the Lahainaluna High School Foundation, staff and students were part of the parade (as Marching and Pep Band, Cheerleaders) and, “on several occasions” he said, submitted to various exhibits. Submissions included student artwork, AG displays, and other things. “FFA members may have also been volunteers with the livestock display,” Fillazar thought. “It was definitely the spirit competitions,” said Ms. Kristy Arakawa, the Early college coordinator about the importance of the fair to Lahainaluna staff and students. Running from 1986-1996, the School Spirit Competition was apparently dominated by our school. Lunas Win 10th Straight Spirit Championship “October 5, 1996 marked the 10th consecutive year that Lahainaluna High School captured the School Spirit Competition trophy” wrote Jana Baybado in Ka Leo Luna , our school’s third newspaper: From the LHS version of the ‘Macarena’ to the chant that is sung after touchdowns– THIS WAS THE YEAR FOR LAHAINALUNA TO SHINE! Some secret weapons used were: ‘Knock You Out’ and ‘1,2,3,4,!’, hand-held torches, and a large banner that popped up at the end featuring the school motto and the words ‘ IMUA LUNAS’ in big bold letters. All of the students who attended the competition wore either red or white tops represented the school’s colors. Those wearing red formed an ‘L’ that stood out in the crowd of white. Traditionally the Lunas waved ti leaves, red pom poms, and held numerous signs to show their spirit. With these spirit boosters plus all of the people who attended the competition, the Lunas were able to bring back the trophy that first made its home here nine years ago. Congratulations Lahainaluna High School–You are #1 in spirit!! Reflecting on this moment, Fillazar added that “LHS always had the true spirit and desire. “As students we took pride in our first-place wins,” said Ginny Yasutake, College and Career Counselor. “The massive crowds, matching shirts, and handmade signs weren't just about winning; they were a powerful declaration that “We are Lahainaluna and we were proud of it!” “The moment we won the School Spirit Competition my senior year of high school–” said Arakawa with meaning. “--no class wants to be the class that loses the School Spirit Competition for Lahainaluna so we literally left our voices in that tent–We were all hoarse after that, but it was worth it.” Jalen Baraoidan (Mr. B), the Lahainaluna Band and Choir Director, remembers the fair when he participated as a student. “For the parade, you know, the marchers would always participate and always behind the marchers would always be our cheerleaders. So I guess just having the representatives of our school representing in the county fair was always cool. It's just being able to represent the west side in the county fair, which is so, like Central Maui oriented. So I'm just getting to represent West Maui.” According to Kristina Meguro, a second year member in the marching band, says the marching band was supposed to participate in the parade. Yet, as it was “last minute and confusing, we (the marching band) did not have enough time to prepare. Especially since we have a complicated show to work with this year.” “...in the process of rebuilding…” For some students like Marc Ruiz, a freshman, this will be his first time going to the fair. “What I heard about it was that there's like, a lot of activities, there's a lot of food, a lot of people. There's a lot of rides. It's fun. Okay, sounds fun.” Ruiz says that he only knows the fair from Instagram and his friends' stories. Yet, there is a chance that newcomers to the fair do not get to share that experience that previous students did as families are now facing economic stress from many directions. Yasutake seems to worry a little about the newest generation of fairgoers when she thinks about its most recent instance. “The fair has become so expensive that you have to really think about your finances and if you can afford it,” she said. Our recent struggles, specifically, rising inflation made worse by fallout from the 2023 Lahaina Wildfire, give her even more cause for concern. “The rising cost to attend is a significant concern for many families, like mine, that are in the process of rebuilding their home.” “For its return after a six year absence and with the economy the way it is, I’m not sure how it will ‘fair’,” says Fillazar. “It has always been a challenge with the high expenses.” Junior Makayla-Yuen Barroga sees the fair’s arrival as a solution to tragedy, however. “It's bringing a community back together after the fire happened and letting people have, like, such a good time.” For Baraoidan, the legacy of the Maui County Fair is “something different that we have to offer. I think that still plays into it just because when people announce that the county fair is coming back, like a lot of people were really, really excited, really excited. And I don't know if the kids, like, people in high school now even got to experience a county fair. Maybe when they were younger.” For those who have and have not been, “The return [of the fair] will be different and it’s a fresh start.” Fillazar continues, “I see this is a new beginning.” Sources Bayado, Jana. “Ten Years of Tradition Continues.” Ka Leo Luna , 1996. Previous Article Next Article Copy link Grayson is the current 2028 student council Vice President and is running for a second term as sophomore Vice President.

< Back Forward > Lunas v. Maui High Sabers If they win, the Lunas have a chance at the state championship. Samantha Shibao Previous Next This week, the Lunas play the Maui High Sabers. After their loss two weeks ago against their rival, the Baldwin Bears, the Lunas need to push through with a victory this game to keep the season going. If they win, the Lunas will face the Bears again in a playoff game leading to the state championship. Team captain and offensive lineman, Kawika Kaili, expressed how important this upcoming game is and offered his predictions about the outcome. “I think that we will be slow in the beginning because of the jitters,” he said. “But as the game continues, we should be able to score a lot and win the game.” Hoken ‘Samurai’ Hironaka, a running back and defensive end, also added, “Even though the stakes are high, I predict we will win.” According to Kaimiloa Kaluawehiokealiiokalani Kaina, the team has been preparing mentally for this high-stakes game throughout the week. Fans of the team say that Kaina is a really fast player who is notably agile. A senior who has been playing since freshman year as a wide receiver and defensive back, Kaina talked about how this win is important and how “We’re probably gonna have a slow first quarter, then destroy Maui High after.” Other than the nerves from such an important game, Kaina says that he's excited for the game--as well as senior night. He added his excitement about OC16 (Spectrum Sports) being there to broadcast the game. The Lunas face off against the Sabers at Sue D. Cooley Stadium in Lahaina tonight at 6 PM. It will be their 9th game of the season and also a closing to the MIL season. They aim to secure that win so be sure to show up wearing red and white to support our boys for their senior night and end of the season game! Heading 6

< Back Forward > Lahainaluna vs. Leilehua Lunas Ready for Playoff Clash Against Leilehua Samantha Shibao Previous Next This week is a very special one! The Lunas are set to play against Leilehua after defeating Baldwin with a score of 7-3. Although it was a tough game, the Lunas managed to push through and make it to the playoffs against other D1 teams from all across the islands. If they manage to grab this win, it will push them up a bracket for states, and they will be up against Konawaena. Team captain, senior, Michael Rayray, stated that this game will be a “we go home or they do” type of game and that they simply have to win this. Junior team captain Joe-boy Archangel agreed and added that it is a very important game as it pushes them to the next level in the playoffs. Rayray predicts that this game will definitely not be easy. “It’s gonna be a well-fought game,” he said. “It’s not gonna be easy, but I feel like if we work together and minimize our mistakes, we can end up on top. It’s about how we start and finish the game.” Archangel also added that he anticipates “a hard time with our offense because we have a lot of packages and we do a lot of motions as well.” Yet, he added, “Our defense has been solid all year as well, so I'm excited to see their offense match up against us.” For those unfamiliar, the term "package" refers to a specific grouping of players designed for certain situations or plays. Archangel also predicted that they will win (“knock on wood”) and that “Leilehua will go back and forth. Our team has lots of heart, so in the end, I think we’ll come out with the win.” Team captain, Kawika Kaili, says the Lunas have prepared for this. “We have been watching a lot of films on them, learning what they are going to run, what formations they are going to do, and relaying that on the field, just practicing to win the game.” Collage of photos from the recent game against Baldwin Bears. Lunas won 7-3. Pictures taken by: Samantha Shibao Kaili has been playing football since he was 5 years old. He is now a senior who is notable for having played the most games consistently over his high school career. On the coming game, he thinks that “whoever makes the least mistakes and becomes the most disciplined team will win the game.” The Lunas will be playing at our home stadium, Sue D. Cooley Stadium, this Saturday against the Leilehua Mules at 6 p.m. It will be their 11th game of the season and second game for the playoffs. So be sure to come up and support our boys as they fight for their spot in the next round of playoffs! Go Big Red! Heading 6

< Back The Digital Leash Is Location Tracking a Sign of Trust or a Tool for Control? Ashlee Hufalar Student Life “When we got together, he was like, ‘oh, you want to have one too?,’ And I'm like ‘sure’,” says sophomore Hanan Oleiwan, explaining how she and her boyfriend began to use the Life360 app to track each other’s location. “It was first when we were [band] officers, they made a Life360 for us to join so that they'd know where we are.” Sometime after Oleiwan and her boyfriend became “official,” he suggested having a private circle just for them. “It was like a random decision,” she said. Life360 is a real-time location tracker with over 200 million downloads worldwide. Simply having the device with the app on you allows it to follow your every move. Whether you’re walking, running, driving, or even biking—Life360 detects it and puts a little icon beside your profile for others in your “circle” to see. It’s not unheard of for teen couples to use such apps to share their location. While Life360 is among the most popular, other apps include Apple Find My, iSharing, and even an Android app called Couple Tracker. Social media apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, and even location-based features on other platforms also have tracking features. While Oleiwan mentioned that her situation was simply a “random decision,” the question remains: why would couples share their location in the first place? “... you can keep track…” “I feel like it does have an effect,” says freshman Alejandro Baldez, who shares his location with his partner. He was the one who suggested it, he said, reasoning that it has made him feel closer “because, you know where they are, and that way, you can keep track or just make sure they're safe.” Oleiwan also sees the value of couples sharing locations for safety reasons. While in her case, doing this doesn’t exactly make her feel “closer” to her partner—explaining that “it's just there”—she points out that “couples might want to share their location with their significant other to make sure they're, like, okay and stuff.” “My lady and I share our location,” said John Borge, a U.S. history and participation in democracy teacher. He attributed this decision “first and most importantly” to the fact “we obviously have nothing to hide.” Knowing when his wife gets home and when he needs to leave school are just a few things he uses the app for. It “makes life much much easier,” Borge added, explaining that location tracking helps him juggle family responsibilities, especially with kids. Though the circumstances of high school couples are a little different—it is almost unheard of for them to live together with a family of their own—safety doesn’t seem to be the only appeal of having your partner's coordinates. Erica Domogma, a sophomore, doesn’t use the app herself, but she thinks that its primary value is “To know if they're cheating.” Junior Kaliyah Cutty strongly agrees, saying location tracking lets couples “see if they're like...I don't know at somebody else's house or something.” Cutty offered a short anecdote about a situation she heard of, where “this guy would have his location off when he was on island, but anytime he'd go off island he'd feel comfortable enough to turn it on.” In her perspective, she thought “the fact that he felt the need to turn it off when he was home was a little bit concerning.” “...seems like the couples don't trust each other..” While location tracking is more common with couples to ensure safety or reassurance, for some, the expectation of openness doesn’t end there. Sharing passwords, whether it’s for their phone or social media account, “is also very common,” says Cutty. “For the same reason-–like cheating-–you can access their phone and see who they're contacting and all that.” Domogma suggests that in a lot of cases, password sharing could actually lead to suspicion. She described a scenario where she might like a guy's post and her significant other sees this by logging into her account through her password. “He's gonna assume, ‘Oh, why you like that post? Are you cheating on me’.” Sophomore Tia Faiva mentions that some “people nowadays think if you don't do that (allow your partner digital sharing access), you're not really trustworthy.” She admitted that the reason she started sharing her location and accounts with her partner was only because “he betrayed my trust” “It seems very controlling,” said vice principal Nicole Heinlein. “It seems like the couples don't trust each other, that they want to check each other's messages and notifications.” “I would think,” she concluded, “that you wouldn't check each other's messages if you trusted each other.” Heinlein isn’t the only one who sees this as eroding rather than creating trust. Oleiwan mentions that she’s seen a lot of instances on social media where one person is on their partner's account, “opening every single message that they had.” “It would definitely cause a bunch of arguments, and some of them even did break up.” An anonymous junior shared that a couple sharing an account had once led to a serious misunderstanding. “Someone hacked into my [instagram] account and messaged my friend something insulting,” she explained. Her friend's boyfriend saw this and misunderstood the situation, texting an entire paragraph and calling “me out for insulting his girlfriend, even though it wasn’t me.” “It’s done and over with,” she said. Although, she mentioned it was frustrating and made it difficult for her to properly communicate with her friend, since she had already sent a message explaining that someone hacked her account before her boyfriend tried to intervene. On another note, sharing accounts could be used in a healthy way. “I know a couple that does share accounts,” says sophomore Kristina Meguro, who explained that it’s a necessary situation: “Since one of them lives in an area with poor connection, the partner is able to message for the person.” “...stalker style…” Aria Abut, a senior, thinks that shared accounts and location sharing between couples looks “a lot like paranoia.” “I do know that some couples like to do that, um, to ensure that their partner isn't doing anything weird, but, um, it feels kind of unsafe in a way.” While not in a relationship, she mentioned that she’d be okay with her “hypothetical partner “ looking through her phone with permission, though she feels her trust would be destroyed if they went through it without telling her. “I personally take my privacy very seriously.” “If you were obsessively checking your partner's messages,” said Heinlein, “I would think that that would be unhealthy.” PE teacher Ms. Watson shares similar views when it comes to location sharing. “If you're just trying to figure out where they are, perfect. But if you're constantly tracking them, like you know, stalker style where you're trying to figure out where they are every second of the day. Then that's kind of taking it a little overboard.” Senior Lawakua Haia-Shim, who doesn’t share passwords or his location with his significant other, says he's willing to, though he acknowledges that there comes a point where it crosses the line. “I don't think it’s comfortable if she checks my location status like every what, 30 minutes to see what I'm doing,” he said. Faiva also thinks that there’s a high risk in having constant access to each other's location, statuses, and accounts. “I think it can make them overthink. Makes them more possessive. Toxic, as people say.” An anonymous sophomore recounts a time where their past partner “would keep constantly checking my location.” And at times, when their partner saw they were home, “he thinks that I'm not busy when I'm really doing my work and then keeps on messaging me even though I asked that I needed space.” Frustrated at the distraction, her partner would insist by saying, “but you're at home. So why can't you just have the time to talk to me?’” “...you don't have to share everything.” In today's digital world, students are navigating a lot of things online, especially through social media influence, comments Borge. “We really don't know fully the extent to which and how bad social media is damaging Gen Z, the first generation to grow up with unbridled access to social media.” Oleiwan sees a pattern in the need to know everything about a partner and the surveillance that comes with constant social media use. “They see people on their social media sharing everything with their friends or partner, and they're like oh that's the norm then we should do it too.” Cutty added a point about the impact of “doom scrolling”: “you'll always find a cheating scandal or story on social media. And I think that makes people worry.” Borge advises that students should “develop healthy habits on how to perceive the information you're seeing on TikTok” or other social media. “Talk about it. Make sure you're both comfortable with it. And find a happy balance. You don't have to share. Like I said, you don't have to share everything,” says Watson. For those that want privacy and prefer not sharing these things with their partner, Faiva states “it should be respected. 'Cause I don't know, what if I don't want you seeing where I am and what I'm doing? Even if I'm not doing anything wrong, why do you need to know? Why is that in the way of our trust?” “I mean, you might be in a committed relationship, but you're not married or, you know, finances that are tied together,” says Heinlein. Rather than sharing things like passwords, she highlights that “it's much healthier to just have open conversations with each other and to be honest with each other and not hide things from each other.” Many students think the same; it’s all about open conversations and mutual respect for one another. “It's just communication. Just talk to your partner. See what boundaries you guys want to set when it comes to social media and your phones and all that,” said Cutty simply. Previous Article Next Article Copy link Ashlee Hufalar is a sophomore and a staff writer for Ka Lama Hawai'i.

< Back Do I Have Your Attention? Why students can't put down their phones. Keyla Jimenez Student Life September 5, 2024 at 3:39:11 AM A teacher is talking and the students are zoning out. Most of them are on their phones. Some might argue that as long as they are getting their work done, there’s really no problem with this scenario. You at least wouldn’t expect students to disagree with the idea. Yet, many of them do. Senior Zhi Clark admits that easy access to social media leads to procrastination. “I feel like once I get on my phone,” she said, “I could scroll for like hours.” Sophomore Jaelyn Galasinao also regrets the effect of phone use on her studies, saying that, without the distraction, “I could have done my homework this weekend…so much earlier.” Senior Kamaile Kulukulualani thinks that phones prevent kids from “getting a full education.” Confidence and Multi-tasking According to a 2022 survey, 41 percent of Lahainaluna students felt that they had no problem staying “quite focused,” despite sometimes being in situations with lots of distractions. Yet, 47 percent said that sometimes they were unable to “pay attention and resist distractions,” and 30 percent admitted to “frequently” or “always” “waiting until the last minute” to complete their assignments. Something is distracting LHS students from their work, though somehow they feel good about their ability to tune out those distractions. Danial Felisoni and Alexandra Godoi argue that students may be too confident about their ability to simultaneously scroll and stay on task as they “often overestimate their ability to multitask, which could eventually lead to academic underperformance.” As a result, when “cellphones are commonly used in class for purposes unrelated to the discipline, it is likely that students may be distracted during lectures or activities.” Addiction While students are generally aware of the problem, they nevertheless find it difficult to put their phones down. As Venice Gallegos describes it, “I think social media is just, like, a really easy way to get stimulated quickly, so when you’re not on it, you can kind of miss that…and have like, withdrawals.” Similarly, sophomore Ariana Lara Rodriguez stated, “When I’m in class, all I think about is watching Netflix and finishing my series or playing dress to impress.” Jack Pope, a new English Language Arts teacher at LHS, says that grabbing a student’s attention is “a problem that teachers have been dealing with since the beginning of time.” Part of what makes this problem difficult now, says Pope, is “the accessibility of having it (the distraction) right in your pocket.” “You do get a lot of that dopamine rush from getting on your phone,” Pope said. “The attachment is something that’s very difficult for kids, for teenagers, to pull themselves away from.” English Language Arts Teacher, Ryan Granillo, has taught at Lahainaluna for 22 years and says that he has noticed a change. “I would really say that once cell phones became prevalent in the classroom, it became really difficult for the students to manage both classroom instruction and discussions and like the desire to be on their phone,” he said. “How many TikTok videos can you go through in like, five minutes?” he added. “They might not think it’s a big deal because it’s only five minutes, but then they just, it’s that addictive quality that makes it really bad.” He added, “It doesn’t help that there’s no real policy, school-wide policy regarding use of phones in the classroom.” Granillo states, “Everywhere you go, adults, kids, everybody in between has them (phones) out all the time, and even to the point where students do their classwork on the cell phone. And so in that regard, you have to, kind of, as a teacher, you just kind of deal with it, but it’s never going to go away. Cell phones are part of our lives.” Annika Yucua thinks that social media can affect you somewhat but that it “is honestly not that bad of a problem.” Taking that idea further, Kimberly Hernandez says that social media is actually of help in a school environment and claims that “you can use social media for, like, many things. You make projects about posts and you just look at the post like to see, to give you an idea.” It’s Me, Hi, I’m the Problem Jack Pope notes that the problem doesn’t just lie with phones since “there are some students that are completely capable of pulling themselves away from that device and holding attention.” Zhi Clark also thinks that “It’s honestly like your own self-reflection on how well you can stay off your phone, how interested you are in what’s going on.” On the other hand, Pope again pointed out, “grabbing a student’s attention” is a teacher’s job. “I need to make this interesting enough to where they want to pay attention to what I have to say and the content that we’re learning, rather than, you know, going straight to their device.” Jaelyn Galasinao says it another way, “If they (teachers) don’t care, I don’t care.” Previous Article Next Article Copy link Keyla Jimenez is a former staff writer for Ka Lama Hawai'i. She is ajunior and currently the president of the Lahainaluna Newswriting Club.

< Back "A shame I had to deactivate her..." Ari Abut Comics The Work This is the first of several comic strips. Enjoy. About the Creator Communication is not my strong suit. I would like to interact with you, but I must admit that first meetings are almost guaranteed to be awkward. I enjoy philosophical and psychological discussions and finding out more about how people work. I also enjoy analyzing media such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and Madoka Magica . If you’re interested in either of these masterpieces, contact me immediately. I look forward to hearing your insights. Previous Next Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Send Email

< Back The Soul of the School is Spirit Lahainaluna Celebrates a Powerful Return to Normalcy Seilala Samisoni Arts and Entertainment October 1, 2025 at 7:41:52 PM Lahainaluna has just concluded its 2025-2026 homecoming week after students of all grade levels came together to participate in school-wide activities. After the Covid pandemic of 2020 and the Maui Wildfires of 2023, isolation and then trauma hindered student morale, but with time, students are experiencing a rebirth of school spirit. Speak to any student, teacher, or alumni, and chances are they’ll have a story to tell about the impact school spirit had on their lives. Spirit encourages community engagement and gives students a sense of belonging. “My experience in high school all came down to my peers and I’s school spirit,” says Linda Ortiz, a 2018 Lahainaluna Alumnus. Ortiz remembers dance fever and that there was “a ton of participation,” which “bettered the experience.” Yet, right after Ortiz graduated, Lahaina experienced the Covid pandemic and devastating Maui Wildfire, leading to decrease in student participation and student morale. Noah Dela Cruz, 2024 Lahainaluna alumnus reflects on the impact of “the trials class of 2024 had to endure.” According to Cruz, this resulted in “an extreme lack of school spirit.” “Honestly,” he said, “our participation sucked and our class felt so distant.” According to student Council members, this year’s participation rate reached an impressive high across all grade levels, an impressive resurgence given the turnout in recent years. The successes of homecoming week are proof of how committed our school leaders are to reassembling the Lahainaluna community. Compared to previous years, this one feels like “we’re coming back to normalcy,” junior Class Treasurer, Lucia Mejia, said. Last school year, the freshman class only had one volunteer for the Dance Fever event. This resulted in the sophomores and freshmen creating a combined team for the activity, due to the lack of participation. The spirit that one freshman leader showed seems to have had a powerful effect on their peers and this year the sophomore class had all the volunteers they needed to win first place in the Dance Fever competition. Sophomore, Constance Kaniho is proud of herself and her class “for building up the courage to perform in front of the whole school.” Confidence like this is contagious. Freshman, Khloe Dela Cruz said “I will definitely participate in the next dance fever,” and Freshman, Ferdinand Palacio admitted “imma join next dance fever,” despite the fact that he “was lowkey scared to join this one.” Despite this success, students still tend to back out of school-planned activities fearing embarrassment or the inability to juggle busy schedules. Though once they manage to overcome these initial doubts, they will note that the experience was valuable. The benefits they receive from participating in these activities outweigh their fear. Freshman Shantelle Semillano spoke about how fear held her back, though she feels proud of everyone who participated. “I wish I would’ve joined, but I was too scared.” Similarly, freshman Shari Silao regretted not being more involved after the performance, saying “Man, if only I weren’t so busy.” The performances of Homecoming Week may have recruited new participants. “Bro, im so glad I joined dance fever last minute,” said freshman Lindsay Saturnio who danced to Disney hits, trending songs, and pretended to be characters from nostalgic shows. Students watching also approved of the choice of music such as “Falling For Ya” from the iconic “Teen Beach Movie.” Some in the audience even felt that they had missed an opportunity. “I regret not joining, I didn’t know it was gonna be that fun,” said Freshman, Kendyl Talaroc after the performance. Many students overthink the high school experience, or the reputation they must uphold. But what these students fail to realize is that time waits for no one. By participating in school-planned activities, students gain and build community pride, respect from their peers, and even trophies. “It made me so happy being able to create core memories with my friends,” said junior Alise Tufaga who performed a Samoan cultural dance during the event. Freshman, Augustine John Doctor, spoke about the benefits he and others gained from having school spirit, and how “it shaped students’ emotions and reactions.” Students on and off stage felt empowered by school-planned activities and many kids stated that they felt a greater sense of belonging at school. When students have pride in their school and who they are, it improves their well-being. Freshman Drew Briones thinks that “the soul of the school is spirit.” “We want participation,” says freshman Travis Utrillo, a Dance Fever choreographer and a part of StuCo Leadership Team. Utrillo danced to every song in the freshmen line up and played the part of several eye-catching roles. “We only have four years of high school together and we should make the most of it,” he said. Previous Article Next Article Copy link I am Seilala Samisoni. I enjoy playing guitar, I love reading books, and I am the freshman Class President.

< Back The Tardy Toll How "Starbucks runs" turn into Senior Ball bans. Christopher Apilado Student Life March 11, 2026 at 7:37:27 PM The detention room, currently room K-101, is empty. The chairs and tables are circled, facing blue walls on which posters display the official detention rules. Computers with dark screens fill the tables, and a sign-in sheet sits heavily on one of the tables in the middle of the room. The AC is quiet because many of the students who were supposed to be here serving detention are missing (again). At the front of the room, a rolling whiteboard displays a suggested reflection: “Why I have detention today,” and “action plan to improve so it doesn't happen again.” It seems most students will not follow what is recommended for them to do. On March 6, 2026, no students showed up for their detention hours. However, whenever there are students present, Vice Principal Nicole Heinlein, who hosts detention, “feel[s] proud of them for doing what they need to do and taking care of their responsibilities.” 7:45 AM The problem often starts in the morning. As the bell rings at 7:45 a.m. for the first period of the day, most students head to class in a timely manner. Others, like junior Tayana Faiva, saunter in late, long after the tardy bell. Everyone has five minutes before the second bell at 7:50 a.m. One or two slips are fine, but constant tardiness eventually adds up to detention. This is how Faiva began the process of working off her detention hours. After going through it, she planned to “try my best not to [get detention hours].” But she added, it still isn’t certain she’ll be on time. As of December 19, 2025, according to Heinlein, there have been 201 detentions assigned. Students are assigned detention hours, she said, when “they receive a behavior referral from a staff member.” The school is required to follow Chapter 19, the State of Hawaii’s Discipline and Behavior Code. The purpose of this, states Heinlein, is to “teach students that negative behaviors have consequences. It is also a time to reflect.” Beyond encouraging reflection, Heinlein also shares tips with students about how to be proactive learners and how to maintain “a good relationship with your teachers and speak with them if you have issues with tardiness or class cuts.” The Awareness Gap Faiva knows very well about detention from having had it. However, some students, like junior Willem Alden Palacio, claim to have never heard of it. “Wait, can you explain what detention hours are?” Palacio asked. Many students know what detention is, despite having never had it. Yet, they do not know all the norms. Questions like how do you get detention hours, how do you check if you have them, and where do you go to work them off remain a mystery to some. This lack of clarity may cause last-minute chaos for students as they try to work off their hours before they are allowed to participate in school events. Lena Granillo, a senior, feels that students should be better informed about detention hours. Some of her peers around the time of senior ball “were completely unaware that they had detention hours they needed to work off.” She offered an example of a classmate who discovered well after the fact that she “had two hours from freshman year that she didn’t know existed.” Despite this, Granillo claimed, the student was still able to attend one prom but not the other. “Why was she able to go to junior prom with those hours but not senior ball?” she asked. “How are we supposed to serve those hours if we don’t know we have any?” “If I do have some, I am not aware of them,” says sophomore Kristina Meguro. “I don’t know the rules of detention hours.” Heinlein, however, is sure that “students ARE well-informed about their detentions, actually.” Whenever she issues a detention, she says, “I email the student and send the parent a TalkingPoints message.” TalkingPoints is a messaging app that sends communications directly to parents’ phones. She adds that students could also find out about detention policies via the student handbook, the notices taped to her door, or the signs hanging in K-101. She added that herself, Principal Richard Carosso, and Vice Principal Christopher Webber are available to answer any further questions. Real-World Roadblocks Knowing about detention is one thing, but avoiding it is a real challenge for Granillo, who thinks that the school should be more lenient and “make it more understanding for first period classes.” Getting to school in the morning is hard, she explained. “It can be annoying—between younger siblings, picking up friends, and having your parking spot taken!” Faiva agrees with Granillo about younger siblings, noting that “I had to drop off my little brothers in the morning… I missed a little of the first period.” Yet, she believes it still shouldn’t be an excuse because “I feel like it is something I could have, maybe, planned for earlier.” “I Think It Is Stupid” Students are split on whether detention hours are an effective way to teach responsibility. Some say they don’t need to go that far since some don’t take it seriously, while others from difficult homes might not want to share the real reason they are late. Others say it is a good way for people to take ownership and learn from their mistakes. “I think it is stupid,” says senior Hailey Jade Napora. When it comes to detention hours, she thinks the school should replace them with a “warning from my teacher.” “They texted my parents that I would have gotten detention hours if I kept doing that,” said Napora, who claimed the warnings were enough to help her show up on time. While it can be an opportunity for students to learn responsibility, Granillo also understands that “not many students take it seriously,” and they “end up stressing because it’s prom soon and they have four detention hours they need to work off in a week and have no time.” Asked about unexpected detention hours, Faiva says she “would deal with it by figuring out how many hours I have, and then figuring out what days I could do them.” She would use this time to be productive and “do homework.” Likewise, sophomore Judson Talana, who has gone through the process of working off detention hours, feels “it’s a good way to catch up on work,” but it is also “really boring and really quiet.” When asked if he reflects during detention, he stated, “no, not at all.” Ms. Heinlein understands that “detention doesn’t work for everybody... so, if you guys have other ideas, we’re open to hearing it.” Some students' reluctance to share the real reason they are late creates an environment where students are being punished for personal reasons they are not comfortable disclosing. Math teacher Andrew Akahi says that if people are late and they don’t wanna share why, they should “try to build a strong relationship with at least one current teacher or counselor.” While teachers and staff “are compassionate about special cases,” says Akahi, “students also need to take ownership and understand that walking in 25 minutes late because ‘the Starbucks line was long’ isn't an acceptable excuse.” Meguro wraps it up, saying that “if they have a ton of unexcused absences, I think they deserve it... I hope they learn from their mistakes and strive to be better for the future.” Previous Article Next Article Copy link Christoper Apilado is a contributor to Ka Lama Hawai'i and is in his first year at Ka Lama Hawai'i.

< Back Do you have a work of art or a piece of writing to share? Write for Ka Lama Hawai'i Ka Lama Hawai'i Education May 11, 2024 at 12:30:21 AM Submit an article to our Student Life & Academics section, a piece of written or visual art to our Back Page section, or a short opinion to our Talk Story section. Have something important to share about Lahainaluna sports? Submit an article to our sports section. We will consider all submissions as long as they are: student-authored, appropriate, and, for articles, in some way relevant to student life. All submissions to Ka Lamaʻs Campus Life section: must report rather than make or advance opinion; must begin with an engaging lead; must be focused on something relevant to campus or student life; must be grounded in the voices of/interviews with LHS students and community members. Topics are not limited and may be focused on art, entertainment, education, school administration, etc. All articles are subject to a thorough review process. Any submission may be rejected if it fails to meet quality standards established by Ka Lama student staff and faculty advisors. Submit to the contact form on this site or send it to kalamahawaii.info@gmail.com . Previous Article Next Article Copy link This was posted by the editorial staff of Ka Lama Hawai'i.