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< Back Valentine's Day High Hopes, Low Expectations Bryson Aquino Student Life February 7, 2025 at 7:37:48 PM “Valentine's day is absolutely horrible,” said sophomore Marcus John Palacio on the upcoming holiday. Explaining his feelings, he admitted that his dislike is entirely personal: “I am very jealous and very envious of all the people that get to experience love in this young, innocent, and youthful way.” As Valentine's day approaches, students at LHS have mixed feelings about the holiday and the dating culture on campus. We wanted to talk to them about dating on campus and the expectations they (and their fellow students) have for their relationships. Here’s what we found. “...a great day to bake cookies…” While some students may envy the happiness of others, some students still appreciate the 14th of February. Senior Dylan Paul Lat said, “I love Valentine's day! It's a great day to bake cookies and show love to everyone, not just in romantic relationships.” Similarly, Junior Brandon Gonzales said “I feel like it’s good that love is in the air.” Yet, other students may doubt whether anyone really cares about the holiday or takes it as seriously as they should. Freshman Mele Fita Feleta, believes that Valentine’s day has lost its significance and that “not many people really care about the day anymore–no one really does anything.” Similarly, sophomore Lucia Mejia noted that “it doesn't seem like a big deal to guys. I don't really see guys going up to girls and asking them to be their valentine anymore.” Expectations in relationships Despite their feelings about the holiday itself, LHS students are still looking for romance, though many of them have different ideas about what that looks like. “I imagine the perfect guy,” says an anonymous sophomore. “Then when I talk to an actual guy. He’s not what I pictured and it disappoints me.” According to Dr. Lina Guzman, teens tend to begin with high standards for relationships. Nevertheless, she finds, “they don’t always expect to find those qualities in a partner” because they have a pessimistic outlook when it comes to relationships. The teenagers interviewed for Guzman’s study knew few adults “whose romantic relationships were worthy of emulation.” The absence of healthy relationship models creates a cycle, she suggests, in which young people feel resigned to unhealthy patterns. For Guzman, “relationship habits formed in adolescence shape future adult relationships.” In contrast to these findings, students like sophomore Annika Yu-Cua have pretty practical expectations for a teenager. She wants a partner who has “actual goals in life and a plan to succeed.” Freshman Avery English is also just looking for “the minimum effort.” Though, she added: “I don't want you to be mean.” Some students feel that finding a relationship in a small community like Maui can be challenging. Faleta put it simply: “it’s hard to find someone here–especially if your standards are really high.” Sophomore Mia Lee admits to having fairly unrealistic expectations about her future person, though she claims that her ideas are learned. “I'm just way too delusional,” she joked. “My expectations are way too high because of the books I read and the movies I watch.” Sophomore Lucia Mejia also observes a common trend in student preferences: “Everyone here looks for a tall guy.” Gonzales suggested that some student relationships seem temporary or insincere. Among students, especially freshmen, “I see a lot of them dating for a week and then breaking up.” Social Media and Dating It is possible that our dating patterns and expectations may be influenced by the technology that has become such a big part of our reality. Dr. K. R. Subramanian argues that the decrease in face-to-face interactions due to social media use has led younger people to prefer isolation and spending time in their own “imaginary world.” Stuck to their phones, young people sacrifice time with their family, neighbors, and “real friends.” Cameron Leslie agrees, saying, “I judge more because social media makes things look different from reality.” Social media has played a significant role in dating. It has “changed people’s perceptions of what a relationship should be. They see a nice couple on Instagram reels, now they're looking for the perfect person, and think they're entitled to it,” says Senior Tyzo Kaska. Leslie agrees: “I feel like people just start to slip away from, like, the respect part of it because they just fantasize more of the idea of having a relationship.” “People need to be reminded that relationships take work. Some only focus on the good and ignore the hardships,” says Aunty Cass. Senior Jericho Yagin also notices that social media “makes it easier to start conversations with people rather than talking to them in person,” which creates virtual relationships that don’t work in reality. Student Activities Coordinator (SAC), Aunty Cassie Jacinto thinks so too. She warns that “since the internet makes it so easy to connect, it also makes it easy to jump from one person to another, which can create trust issues in relationships.” Mejia points out that a lot of what we see online is not even appropriate or relevant for younger people in relationships. “Everyone online talks about ‘red flags,’ but we’re literally teenagers—were still growing and developing.” V-Day Event Despite these challenges, some students remain hopeful, while others are content with celebrating love in all its forms, not just romantic relationships. Aunty Cass as SAC plans events based on student council input. But, she adds, it is also important to “make the events for the date inclusive,” for those looking for romance as well as those who simply like baking cookies. Previous Article Next Article Copy link Bryson Aquino is a senior at Lahainaluna. He’s a student reporter interested in shedding light on and writing about problematic issues on campus. He likes to interact with school institutions. A movie that he really resonates with him is called Not Without My Daughter because its main idea is how one person will go so far just for someone they love. A funny fact about him is that high blood pressure is hereditary in his family, so don’t make him mad!

< Back "Cruelty is the Point" Inside Maui Prep's Anti-Transgender Policy Brianne Lagazo Student Wellness April 30, 2025 at 10:17:41 PM On the 21st of April, a deadline passed by which time Maui Preparatory Academy was asked to respond to the ACLU. On the A CLU Hawai'i website, the high school was asked to “rescind” their new anti-transgender policy, as it violates current law that prohibits gender identity discrimination. From the Maui Prep Handbook, the new policy read as follows: “Maui Prep recognizes biological sex assigned at birth as the basis for determining participation in athletics, overnight stays, and access to facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms.” According to a staff attorney at the ACLU, Maui Prep has not responded to, or even acknowledged receipt of the ACLU letter. Maui Prep continues to receive strong backlash for implementing a policy many say harms students. “bad parenting” In September, Tim Hehemann, Maui Prep Board President, proposed that the school would only permit students to wear clothing, enforce bathroom guidelines, and participate in sports teams according to their birth gender. In their post, the ACLU states that Hehemann described transgender identity as a result of “bad parenting” and as a form of behavioral misconduct. While these policies will not be implemented until the 2025-2026 school year, many people worry about the emotional harm this may cause to students. It is also important to mention cultural as well as legal incompatibility of such a policy in Hawai'i. According to the ACLU of Hawai'i, Maui Prep’s policy is in direct defiance of a current law that prohibits gender identity discrimination by any school that receives state funding. Should Maui Prep fail to comply, the funds that the school receives from the State Department of Human Services, the State Department of Education, and allocations from the Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools program will most likely be rescinded. Because of strong backlash from parents and community members, the West Maui school agreed to respect student’s personal pronouns, but will continue to enforce strict bathroom and sports guidelines. Hehemann’s plans leaked to the larger community in December. Yet, it had been discussed in private throughout the summer of 2024. Once Hehemann and Jim Bozich, a major donor at the school (Maui Prep’s gym is named after Bozich) pushed the policy publically, the school’s nondiscriminatory policy was removed from their website. Board members who opposed it resigned or were forced out. “Those māhū’s were our protectors.” The problem is much larger than the legal battle. The issue of trans rights closely connects to an important social and spiritual identity in Hawaiian culture. According to Kumu Hina, a famous Native Hawaiian māhū kumu hula, the word “māhū” can be used to describe someone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. The tradition was recorded by missionaries when they first arrived in Hawai'i. The word was used to describe a person who embodies both male and female spirit, also known as the gender “in-between”or “third gender.” Despite the term being used in a derogatory way, the word “māhū” in Hawaiian culture means something important to Hawaiians. Hina explains that māhū were known as caregivers and teachers of ancient traditions, keepers and teachers of hula. However, when white colonists arrived from Europe and America, they were repulsed by māhū-identifying people, who they interpreted as immoral and unnatural. A local community member with connections to Maui Prep who we will call Mele, voices her opinion on the cultural aspect and the school’s impact. In terms of culture, Mele states that “growing up here, it is normal even though people may not agree with it.” She told a story about growing up with māhū kane nearby, and how “when we were in the bathrooms, they were in the bathrooms with us and keeping the boys out from causing trouble.” “Those māhū’s were our protectors,” she said. “It is kind of weird for me to hear them [Maui Prep] say that because I feel like they’re almost ignorant or scared of something they don't know,” added Mele who believes that Hawaiian culture, including the concept of māhū, taught people discipline, respect, and the meaning of ohana. By contrast, she said, American culture lacks discipline and can ultimately lead to disrespect and ignorance. “I think it’s interesting that a school here in Hawai'i is so happy to ignore the traditional Hawaiian māhū culture that has existed here as long as people have lived here,” said Kumu Kaui Spitalsky who teaches in Lahainluna’s Kaiapuni (Hawaiian immersion) program. “I suppose I don’t find it very surprising that Maui Prep is the school that would want to ignore Hawaiian culture and exclude those that they don’t agree with," Spitalski continued. "They are a private school. The point of a private school is to exclude the public - to exclude those that don’t fit into their view of the world.” Sentiments are similar among students like senior Kaui Wright Smith who proudly claimed her Hawaiian ancestry during our interview. “It's a very harmful way of thinking, this Western concept of homophobia that was brought on by colonization.” Mina Nagasako also thinks that “This organization is making a decision that excludes a whole group of people and others should know what this organization is doing.” While Maui Prep often integrates parts of Hawaiian culture on campus, Mele noted their tendency of “picking and choosing bits and pieces [...] that they want to incorporate at their school, which does not sit well with me right now.” “Māhū was a very important value,” Nagasako said. “To exclude that and continue to use Hawaiian language terms in your school is so disrespectful.” “cruelty is the entire point” Many Lahainaluna students seem to understand this point, though they may not speak about māhū culture directly. “This being a policy in Hawaii honestly makes us look bad knowing that we’re LGBTQ+ friendly,” says Annika Yu-Cua. Similarly, freshman Ako Peralta thinks that the policy "might be really unfair on their students" and that all this does is make people “feel like they dont belong there.” “We shouldnt be excluding people just because they’re part of the community.” Similarly, as an anonymous freshman noted, the policy “disregard[s] a whole demographic of students.” The school is “wrong in a multitude of ways,” says history teacher Sara Eubank. “It seems like they [Maui Prep] realize that trans and gender nonconforming people exist and they would rather reject and discriminate against them instead of accepting a child for who they are.” If anything, she suggests, the policy will only promote the “internalization of transphobia,” which “causes a lot of harm that can possibly last for years to come if not addressed.” Therefore, Eubank concludes, “It’s an attempt to force people to be ashamed of who they are and to bully them into conforming. The cruelty is the point.” “It is not a step in the direction that fosters acceptance.” says Biology teacher Arica Lynn. She agrees and notes that “these policies do not support a positive learning environment for our student population.” “If a student feels uncomfortable in their surroundings they won’t be willing to learn,” adds sophomore Jaylee Vierra. “I have friends and family that align themselves with the community and it harms their sense of self,” says Senior Kayla Mabalot. Freshman Elijah Cabanilla agrees. “People should also be aware that this hurts the student’s mental health because they can’t get the help they need at school.” “...they can do what they want…” In the spring of 2024, it is possible that Maui Prep approached the MIL asking if they could withdraw from competition with MIL teams with transgender participants. Yet, this cannot be proven and no one is able to confirm this story. Yet, Carosso confirmed that the MIL informed Maui Prep that they cannot withdraw from competition against an MIL team because of their transgender participants. This is due to the MIL’s responsibility of coordinating game and travel schedules. In this one case, said Athletic Director Jonathan Conrad, “They're basically in a situation where they [Maui Prep] need to conform.” Yet, as it is with their general trans policy, “they’re a private school and they can do what they want.” “If they [Maui Prep] are actively violating an MIL policy,” added Conrad, “then they’re not allowed to play.” Richard Carosso added that “we don't have the right to change their [Maui Prep's] policy.” But “if you [Maui Prep] want to play with us, you have to accept MIL rules.” “Fractures that feeling of ohana” A letter sent to all Maui Prep faculty memebers by a concerned Maui Prep parent pointed out that faculty members who have been a part of the community for years will not be returning next school year because of the new policy. According to the letter that Ka Lama obtained from an anoynymous source, Maui Prep’s college counselor, all four preschool teachers, and 17 teachers and faculty, will not be returning next year due to the Administration’s recent mistreatment. Concerned with how alienating and firing teachers will ultimately benefit their children, the parent group also claimed that the school lacks transparency. They criticised the school for failing to explain the changes. Former teacher Vashti Daise was reportedly fired for openly defying the anti-transgender policy. She had emailed faculty and staff stating that “if we are going to enact a discriminatory policy against trans children or any kind of children, I would no longer be able to stay at the school.” Sometime after her email, she told Maui News Now, she was called into the office, where staff informed her that “it was time for us to part ways.” Maui Prep’s administration informed the Maui News that they would not comment on Daise’s unemployment. “This policy has literally fractured that feeling of ohana,” Daise continued. “People are really experiencing low morale and fear.” Carosso says he doesn’t think that an anti-trans policy is “in the best interest of educating kids academically and emotionally. We need to always lean in with aloha and acceptance first [...] and I don't think this policy reflects that.” “The trend of us becoming a kinder, gentler world continues to progress,” Carosso added. “To some extent, this policy is a step back.” While some in the present may not agree with it, said Mele about the long-lived presence of māhū culture in Hawai’i, “we are always accepting. If you don’t like it, maybe you shouldn’t be here.” Previous Article Next Article Copy link Brianne Lagazo is a sophomore at Lahainaluna. She is currently the president of the class of 2027, attempting to shed light on issues inside and outside of her school. She enjoys working with others, being a part of student council, giving back to her community.

< Back From the Classroom to the Polls On the Issues, Misinformation, and Parental Influence Keyla Jimenez Lucia Mejia Politics November 2, 2024 at 7:02:04 AM Most students do not meet the age requirement to vote, but this election still greatly affects us. It still “affects the whole United States,” says senior “Mary,” and “as long as you're a citizen of the United States, no matter what, you're affected by who's president.” Students will be impacted greatly in various ways depending on who wins this election. It's important for us to understand what’s going on with the people who have our future in their hands. Everyone has the right to their own opinion. The following statements from students are their own opinions that they freely offered. That’s the whole point of this article, and frankly of Ka Lama Hawai’i . Giving a voice to those who typically don’t have one is important. It gives us and others a different perspective on the topic. In the following, we were sure to respect students’ privacy by asking them if they preferred to speak anonymously or whether they wanted to be publicly associated with their opinions. Instead of using their real names, students were given names inspired by famous Americans, including US presidents. “...what are we doing at this point people?” “I love Kamala and I hate Trump,” states one anonymous freshman. We can call him “Jefferson.” “Literally, just watch the debate,” he said. “He's like a convicted felon on multiple accounts, like, how is he allowed to be our president?” “What the heck? Like, what are we doing at this point people?” For Jefferson, Supreme Court appointments are crucial. The Supreme Court, is “a lifetime position, so since Donald Trump, he appointed a bunch of Republican Supreme Court judges, they're gonna be there for a lifetime and determine the outcome for the next 50 years.“ “Donald Trump is too egotistical and a felon,” said another anonymous student, “Tyler,” who added that Trump has been “proven to be a sexual abuser and made many racial remarks against minorities. He’s just a bad person.” Tyler suspects that Trump’s policies favor the rich and, like many democratic voters, sees abortion as a crucial issue. “A bunch of old men shouldn’t have the right to control what women do with their bodies.” “If you include abortion with all that, with healthcare, it's really restrictive and only certain people can get it. I feel like everyone should be able to,” said “Martha,” a sophomore. While Martha wants Kamala to win, she thinks that “both of them have some qualities that can benefit us, but in different areas.” “Ida,” a sophomore, also thinks Harris and Trump “have their strengths and weaknesses, but because of what Kamala’s offering then I would vote for her.” The deciding issue for Ida was climate change. Describing the importance of the environment, Ida was emphatic. “Moral of the story is that we're not gonna have immigration, we're not gonna have violent crime, not gonna have anyone on this earth if we're not taking care of it.” The “OG” “Warren” also thinks that “climate change is the biggest factoring issue in today's world because of how much it affects our world right now.” Yet, when asked about his candidate, he stated, “They both suck genuinely as people,” but “Donald Trump would be the lesser evil. I feel like Kamala isn't really fit to be president.” “Donald Trump is the OG. Donald Trump is the best!” said one freshman who was “against abortion.” “That’s like killing the baby,” he said. “It’s messed up.” “I want Trump to win,” said “Caroline.” “I think he just has his facts straight. And I don't think he's trying to pretend for anyone.” “I think Kamala is just a likable idiot,” said “George,” a sophomore. “People aren’t voting for her, they're voting against Trump.” “The way the Biden and Kamala administration runs the border is very poor as thousands of people illegally come into the country every day. America has legal ways to enter the US.” While George agrees that “Immigrants don’t harm the economy,” he still thinks that “they shouldn’t be able to just walk into the country.” While George admits that Kamala and Trump are “both idiots honestly,” he nevertheless favors Trump. “We have seen Trump run already and he honestly did not do that horrible of a job.” In his opinion “Kamala just doesn’t seem to really know what she is doing and she fumbles more and more every day and it is depressing to watch.” Unlike the other students interviewed, Mary is less certain. However, she did say she was concerned about violent crime. “Everyone deserves the right to go outside safely, knowing that they're gonna come home.” Neither candidate seemed to be right for her concern and she thinks that Trump and Kamala are “both good candidates. They both have their issues. They both deserve the equal amount of respect.” Overall, she added, “This election is a very tough one.” Misinformation A freshman, “Madison,” stated “I wish there would have been, like, a little bit more [media coverage] so that more people can, like, understand what's going on, because otherwise they don't really know who to vote for, and or they just won't vote at all.” Madison added, “We should know what is going on with our country.” “As far as students are concerned, whoever has the loudest voice on social media may be able to affect the thinking process of the student,” says Math teacher, William Tatro. Like many voters, Tatro has noticed the increased importance of social media in elections. Yet, this information is not always trustworthy. Science teacher, Kevin Tennison said that “If students choose to be informed, there's plenty of information, and they can access that." Yet, he also thinks that “they're [students] more so influenced by social media.” “Politics is so extremely complicated,” says Social Studies teacher, John Borge. “If I do not spend hours and hours researching the things that I see on Instagram or TikTok or the things that I hear my community saying, then the misinformation has won.” Mike Landes teaches AP Government at LHS and says that “most people, not just students, but most people in general, are not highly informed.” Tackling this lack of information, he continued, is “part of why we have classes to teach it in school, because they know that educating people about it makes people more likely to be informed voters. We tend to get most of our information from social media and from ads, and neither of those is a good source of information or reliable.” Tennison agrees, “Schools should inform students, teach students both sides” so that they are able “to make up their own minds.” Landes argues that civic education is important because “How are we supposed to continue to have a functioning democracy if we don't know how it works?” He continued, “It's been shown statistically that the number one thing determining what your political beliefs will be is your parents’ political groups.” Rather, as Tennison notes, students mostly learn from their parents about politics when they (politics) are “discussed at the dinner table.” Sophomore George thinks that “kids honestly just believe what they see on social media” and that “kids probably age 1-10 who can’t formulate an original opinion will just agree with what their parents agree with. But as we grow we generally distance ourselves from our parents and what they agree with.” “This is the most important election of our time” “People think that their vote doesn't matter, but if everyone thinks that then we're gonna have no one to vote,” states Caroline. “A lot of impacts will eventually affect our rights when we're older.” To secure our future, she said, “It's important for everyone to know what's going on in the election.” Warren thinks that “this is the most important election of our time” because it “would affect the many generations of today and even the ones ahead of us. It could set off a really big change in the country.” “It's just good to know as a citizen, to be well informed about these topics,” says Madison, since being informed “will make your life easier.” Ida warns that “if you were to ask someone our age or 18, they wouldn't have, let's say, enough knowledge to be able to make a good decision.” “One of the greatest failures of politics is that it does not bring in that group, that 18 to 25,” says Borge. “If you do not vote, you are allowing someone else to care for you, and those people that are making those decisions are expecting you to sit down, shut up and do what you're told.” Previous Article Next Article Copy link Keyla Jimenez is a staff writer for Ka Lama Hawai'i. Lucia Mejia is currently a junior and Treasurer of the class of 2027.

< Back Replanting Our Legacy Boarders Replant Liliʻuokalani's Famous Palm Kristina Meguro Keiko Wegner Traditions November 7, 2025 at 9:05:57 PM On November 2, 1906, Queen Liliʻuokalani visited Lahainaluna to plant a tree. “This popular lady, though out of office, still reigns queen in the hearts of her people,” reported Maui News in its coverage of the event. Event Agenda in Maui News article, Nove 2, 1906. Queen Liliʻuokalani was here for Arbor Day and to witness one of Lahainaluna’s specialties: the throwing of poi. As Valerie Monson wrote for Maui News a century later, “the students would lop up poi on a finger or two and fling it into the bowls on the table.” Apparently, our students did this with “such speed and accuracy” that they “never spilled a drop. Their talent became something to see.” While the Lahainaluna “boyʻs string band” performed “a number of pieces,” the royal palm was planted “by Her Majesty’s own hands” on the spot in front of what is now the principal’s cottage. “Its verdant leaves,” the reporter concluded, “will help to keep ever green, in the hearts of her people.” Today, there are at least 22 royal palms spread out around campus. Some of the most significant areas where you can find these magnificent trees are the pathway leading up towards the main office near the bandroom and boarders field. But none of them are believed to be the queen’s royal palm. Around 2007, the queen’s royal palm, it is suspected, was knocked down. Yet, no one is certain about that. Tara Nakata, the librarian and member of the Archive committee, says “because the royal palm was never properly documented, we could only theorize what might have happened to it”--or where it even was. “...it would be an honor to replace it.” To restore the palm and connect to this important legacy, the Lahainaluna Boarders Alumni Association, Lahainaluna Boarding Department, Kanaeokana, and Kamehameha Schools Kaiāulu are working together to hold the Lahainaluna Boarders Ho’ike. This event will take place on November 22, at our very own Hale Pā’ina from 2 to 8 pm. The Boarding Department will plant a few royal palms to honor our history with Queen Liliʻuokalani. A new tree will be planted and the history will be covered in depth. According to Holly Chandler, Vice President of Boarding Operations, the event has a deep purpose. We can’t preserve what is lost, or even really confirm that the tree was removed, she suggested, but “it would be an honor to replace it.” “Aunty Jane” Casco, a cafeteria staff member, agrees. The revival of the royal palm story and its ties to the Hawaiian kingdom will do us good, she said, because we are able to better acknowledge the rich history of the school. Casco added that “The royal palm is a way for us to mālama, y'know take care, the land. It is a way for us to teach the younger generation to care for each other. Technology doesn’t do that for us.” “There is a saying”, said Agriculture Teacher, Nathan Pallett: ”the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago so you may bask in its shade today.” Pallett admitted “I do not know of any significance royal palms have to Lahainaluna,” but if he were to “guess,” he added, “they have become a symbol of our school due to their regal appearance and age. So many have seen the palms over the many years that it seems everyone may recognize them as a symbol of our school similar to the torch in our school seal.” Some other students think that the history of the royal palm makes is really why it's worth planting them. Annette Kohlepp, a freshman student thinks that planting could become a “tradition to bring back the history,” a reminder of Queen Liliʻuokalani’s legacy. Jaiden Rante, another freshman student, says “I come to Lahainaluna, I see these royal palms the most.” After being informed of the history, Rante exclaims “it’s really cool that Queen Liliʻuokalani planted one of these before and that makes it even better that these are called ‘ royal palms.’” “...most of it is all just either dirt or dead.” Senior border Kden Pu, thinks that there are more obvious reasons for an event like this. He mentioned how the area where the planting will take place “is all just either dirt or dead.” For this reason, he sees replanting “all the natural plants back and everything” as an act of “trying to give it back.” The campus, although filled with an abundance of plants, can be brighter. Pu believes that they are “doing it to try to revive what is mostly there. And try to make it green again.” Kaimana Borges, a sophomore, also agrees with Pu. Borges says replanting the royal palms can “add some color, as long as you guys water, keep on check.” Pallet, who again, knew very little about the event, notes that there are real benefits to this kind of thing. “Planting trees, or any plant, in a space with intention and for a reason allows others to later benefit in many ways,” he said. “Productive landscapes can feed, heal, and create a source of income. Forest rehabilitation with native plants on a macro scale can fight the impacts of climate change, reduce soil erosion, and provide habitat for wildlife.” “...I hope that they will grow also, strong and noble…” On the original Arbor Day event, the queen, after the planting ceremony, allegedly turned to the principal, then C. A. McDonald, and said, “Tell the boys that as that tree grows up in strength and beauty, so I hope that they will grow also, strong and noble, and that they will be a pride to their parents, to the school, and to the country.” This November we stand as proof of those feelings and as the school who has inherited this important legacy. Previous Article Next Article Copy link Kristina Meguro is a sophomore and a staff writer for Ka Lama Hawaiʻi. Keiko is a staff writer for Ka Lama Hawaiʻi. She is currently a junior at Lahainaluna High School.

< Back Social Emotional Lying Insincere student answers on the Panorama Survey Jersea Borneman Student Wellness October 2, 2024 at 9:10:57 PM “Well firstly, I don’t really want to get put into like a psych ward,” said sophomore Grace Anderson while reflecting on her SEL survey answers. “If you are honest on that survey,” she said, “your counselor tells your parents or the school or whatever, and they take it to the extreme.” The Panorama survey has eight categories: “Supportive Relationships, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Perseverance, Growth Mindset, Emotion Regulation, Sense of Belonging, and Self-Efficacy.” According to Vice Principal Nicole Heinlein, the survey’s purpose is to “make our school a better place for students” by telling its administrators “what the students think.” The data from each of these sections “lets us know areas where we are doing well as a school and areas that we need to improve,” said Heinlein. Heinlein says that “the survey results help drive professional development for teachers, topics we focus on in Po‘okela, and assemblies we might schedule for the year.” The Hawai’i Department of Education has been giving student perception surveys since 2011, but the Lahainaluna Panorama survey has been used at Lahainaluna since the 2019-2020 school year. Misidentifications While the survey is meant to reflect student perceptions, Mia Lee complains that it distorts her feelings. “I’m not depressed,” she said, “but like those questions make it look like I am.” “You either look like you are a robot and have no feelings or you’re depressed. I personally feel like there is no in between.” Sophomore Jaeyln Galasinao thinks that these distortions are to be expected. “They’re high school students; I do not think they’re gonna answer them truthfully.” She is sure that “no one tells the truth on them. Most of the time they just quickly click through it because they want to get it done with and move onto whatever they’re working on in Po‘okela or whatever.” Freshman Eli Hegrenes thinks the survey falls short in other ways. “[The questions] don’t relate to students’ actual life at school,” he said, “most of the questions don’t even apply to that student.” Eli suggests that “if there was diversity in the questions depending on how the students answered them, then students could feel more compelled to answer them truthfully.” “I think some of them are good because they do reflect, like, me, but some of them are, like, actually stupid,” says Lee. “Do you think people at your school understand you?” she said, mocking one of the questions. Faking Happy “Everyone’s just answering to make the school look better,” said sophomore Kaliyah Cutty, who worries about getting “called into the counselors or something like that because my answers on a survey.” “We see trends,” says head counselor Darcie Webber. “We see information that, you know, would help us, ostensibly, to be able to support kids that have a need for support, not individual names.” Asked about bringing flagged kids in for questioning, “I’m not gonna say that we can’t,” Webber said, “but I don’t know that we can. So I never have.” “I think where the confusion might be coming in is that last year, after the fire, the state came in with some other kind of survey,” Webber said. “Those children were brought in for individual counseling sessions, or at least interviews because they were flagged as children that needed immediate attention and support.” “There is the possibility, rather, that there are kids who went through that experience and conflated that SOS training and survey with the SEL survey.” Results from the spring 2024 SEL survey report that 35 percent of students agreed with the statement that they belong somewhat at the school and 8 percent of students said they feel like they belong a little bit. This data could suggest that a significant number of students don’t feel connected to other students at our school or that they don’t feel accepted. It can also suggest that our school is doing something good because more students than not have a positive sense of belonging. Yet, student opinions on the data could be the result of students clicking random answers to get the survey done and avoid a visit to counselors. Galasinao says she just wants “to get it over with. I have stuff to do and that’s just an extra burden.” She says that Po‘okela “helps because it’s right after one of my most stressful, heaviest work-loaded classes.” Nothing Changes Students like junior Cora Gruber have taken the option to opt out of the survey, explaining that “my mom doesn’t want me to do it because she thinks it’s a waste of time.” Cora says that her mom “would rather have me do school work and something more valuable like learning.” She thinks it is isn't valuable because “what I say doesn’t matter and the school doesn’t change anything.” Senior Zhi Clark states, “I don’t think they’re really effective. I don’t really see a lot of change happen, like socially.” The only growth in the survey results was “sense of belonging,” up 1 percentage point from 41 percent in winter of 2024. Clark feels that “at the end of the day, no matter how I say I feel about teachers, nothing really changes.” Previous Article Next Article Copy link Jersea Borneman is a staff writer for Ka Lama Hawai'i.

< 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 School Lunch: Cutting Waste, Cutting Taste Students speak out about school lunch. Bryson Aquino Student Life September 25, 2024 at 1:56:33 AM A student looks down at a bright yellow blob of mac and cheese running into a chunky scoop of rice. A damp side of frozen vegetables sits in a nearby indent of the plate. The milk sitting nearby expires the next day. “The cheese looks faker than McDonalds cheese,” says senior Jackson Hussey, gesturing at his lunch. According to nutritional facts on the county menu page , this dish (see image) provides 710 calories, assuming there was also a side of fruit. This would need to sustain students for 6 to 8 hours on campus each day. And some students often stay later for extracurricular activities. According to credible estimates , the average teen may burn over 115 calories an hour doing less than moderate activity. A person who is thinking hard may spend 100 more calories a day . Free and Unwanted This year the Hawai’i DOE has expanded a USDA program that provides free “nutritious school meals” to all students regardless of household income. Earlier this year, the school released a letter stating that they would be participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program in which all students are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch, even if some of them do not qualify. According to the Hawai’i DOE , any qualifying school has “a minimum of 40 percent or more of its students eligible for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program.” However, many of these lunches are going uneaten. According to a 2023 survey conducted by the Food Research and Action Center, students in Hawai’i are now 17 percent less likely to eat school lunch. KHON2 investigated this in February and found that students around the state saw school meals as unhealthy, unappetizing, and small. Kids interviewed claimed that “they’d take all of what was offered if it just looked and tasted consistently more edible, more local and fresh.” “I don't want to serve this,” says John Alexander, our Cafeteria Manager, who orders food for the Lahainaluna cafeteria. “I don’t get much say in the food we get,” he explains. “The food portion is held by a national standard.” Also, the DOE, he said, “is the one sending out the menu.” According to Alexander, portions are determined on a USDA portion method called Offer Versus Serve (OVS), which is meant to cut back on waste and allow students to choose the foods they want to eat. It is meant to give students “all five food components in at least the minimum required quantities” according to a USDA OVS memo . LHS students are “actually receiving a half cup more than the minimum requirement,” Alexander added. Nevertheless, students like Vi Nguyen, a senior, think that “the school’s lunch portions aren’t enough for growing teens especially since we are nearly adults.” She added that “the school should put more quality into the food they provide as students may be able to perform better and have a more energized attitude throughout the day.” “Prison food” Student Alexa Torres Perez, thinks that some school lunch items are enjoyable such as the kimchi cucumber or Korean chicken. Yet, some items are “almost inedible or taste artificial.” “School lunch isn’t consistently bad,” said Perez, “the meals that are higher quality are so much better and make me feel better, but when certain items are obviously frozen or low quality they make me feel gross.” Differently, senior James Queja thinks that school lunch “looks like prison food half of the time.” Band student Dhennico Cabading said that while “the food at school is proportionate to last me through a normal school day as a small meal,” he thinks that it is “hard to finish because I genuinely think that the food is not appetizing.” He added that he thinks “the DOE should give us more food with better quality.” “I’ll eat it if I’m hungry,” says senior Dylan Paul Lat, “but I’d prefer something else.” Taking the loss Athletes on campus are particularly concerned with the size and quality of school lunch. Or, as senior Jackson Hussey said, “If I were to only eat the school lunch I would probably be malnourished.” Hussey stays after school almost every day for football practice so his calorie needs are much higher than the average student. According to a fact sheet hosted by NBC Sports , “energy needs” for student athletes can be “as high as 3,000 to 5,000 calories per day.” This is 3 times more than what school lunch offers. “This stuff is bad, it's dry,” said senior students Micheal Rayray and Kawika Kaili when discussing school lunches they’ve eaten. Micheal and Kawika are both football players that spend as much as 12 hours in school because of afterschool practice. When asked if they think the school lunch is enough to sustain them throughout the day, they said “No, we need more.” To questions about improving the quality of school lunches, they just said “automatic.” What we can do Mr. Alexander felt for the students, but explained that fixing the problem was out of his power. He encouraged students to take their complaints a step further. A poll asking what food options students want would be helpful, he said, “I can make as many suggestions to the DOE about what the kids want to eat but it's more likely they will listen to students rather than me.” Previous Article Next Article Copy link Bryson Aquino is a senior at Lahainaluna. He’s a student reporter interested in shedding light on and writing about problematic issues on campus. He likes to interact with school institutions. A movie that he really resonates with him is called Not Without My Daughter because its main idea is how one person will go so far just for someone they love. A funny fact about him is that high blood pressure is hereditary in his family, so don’t make him mad!

< Back Brandiann Tartios Custodial Staff “The People.” That’s what Brandiann Tartios, a custodian here at Lahainaluna, said when asked what she likes about working here. Confidently but with a serious tone, she added that without the people, Lahainaluna would be “Just another place to work.” Tartios thinks that “The people here make Lahainaluna.” Tartios has worked here for over 10 years. She jokingly emphasized the amount of time by mentioning that she’s worked under 7 principals. Originally from Oahu and a town somewhere between rural and urban, Tartios prefers being at Lahainaluna, an “Isolated from town." She enjoys the fact that it’s “kind of laid back.” Community is important to her and that’s why she likes Lahaina and Lahainaluna so much. “Community makes Lahaina. Period.” Tartios spends most of her free time with her family. She explained that she is passionate about “appreciating who I have in my life.” Like others at Lahainaluna, she lost a great deal in the recent fire. Like many in Lahaina, she’s also “passionate about trying to get back home and try to rebuild.” I asked her again what she is grateful for and she said that she’s “Grateful for waking up.” Even though she now drives from Kihei to come to work, she uses this time to reflect and “concentrate and think about the past, you know, and what I'd like to accomplish in the future.” “Lahainaluna is like a second home,” said Tartios. Keyla Jimenez is 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 staff writer for Ka Lama Hawai'i.

< Back Monique Blando Custodian For Monique “Mo” Blando, a custodian at Lahainaluna High School, her job is more than a way to earn a living—it's a way to connect with her roots. A proud graduate who was born and raised in Lahaina, Blando followed in the footsteps of her mother, who was also a Lahainaluna alumna, and her uncle, who previously held a custodial position. "I'm proud to be from here," she says. "I look forward to making him proud." Her passion for family is clear. The seventh of many siblings, Blando has embraced her role as a doting aunt. “I have all older brothers and sisters, and I don't have any kids, thank goodness, so I just take care of theirs,” she shares with a laugh. Her day begins with a clear routine: “take the doggy for a walk, make sure my mom's got her meds and eats a little bit,” and then it's off to work. Once on campus, her goal is to “make sure that everything’s around is clean, looks good and safe for you guys.” This sense of responsibility extends beyond her official duties, as she also tries to “make sure the students are in the right areas.” While she likes her job, she finds that “communication between the generations is probably the most difficult.” She's learning that kids on campus today are different from when she was in school. "We got to learn how to talk to you guys differently," she says thoughtfully, "because you guys don’t always respond the way we were taught to.” Blando's deep community ties are meaningful, but there are some drawbacks to being so connected. A self-described "big talker," she says she's always trying to "make sure I don't embarrass any of my nieces and nephews while I'm working.” Jersea Borneman is a staff writer for Ka Lama Hawai'i.

< Back Kawehi Kaina Custodial Staff Daven Kaina, or Kawehi, as he is called, is one of six custodians at Lahainaluna High School where he has worked for almost two years. He is one of the friendliest people you will ever meet, and always has a smile on his face. Behind this genuine smile, I learned that he is a man of faith. When Kawehi is not at work, he is helping out at his church with the youth. He is very passionate about helping the next generation thrive and is working towards becoming a youth pastor. In fact, the best part of his job, he said, is being able to connect with teenagers. He loves that he can “be God’s light in the school environment.” The worst part of Kawehi’s job, in his opinion, is the pay. But this doesn’t dim his passion for what he does. Kawehi loves his job at Lahainaluna High School and says his “mental state is thriving”. I asked Kawehi about the craziest thing he had seen in the campus bathrooms. He told me about how the custodians had to call a plumber because the toilets weren’t flushing properly and when “the plumber took out the toilet, and at the bottom where everything leaves the toilet, there were four vapes tetris'd together clogging the pipe.” At this time, all the schools on Maui were dealing with this issue, “but Lahainaluna won for having the most vapes clogging the toilet at one time.” The job is more than this kind of thing, however. As Kawehi sees it, his work is about “creating an atmosphere that people feel welcome in.” Of course, this includes cleaning and restocking the bathrooms, cleaning the classrooms, and beautifying the plants around campus. But it also means making the school a safer and more welcoming environment to be in. Kawehi loves his job at Lahainaluna, but he didn’t always see it as his future. When he was a teenager, he attended Lahainaluna and claims to have been “the naughtiest kid in school.” In high school, Kawehi wanted to be a Fireman. Custodian or fireman, Kawehi has always felt called to “service.” When Kawehi sees kids not in class, he has to tell them to get to class. Yet, as the former “naughtiest kid in school,” he sometimes feels “hypocritical.” Afterall, “I was the same way when I was in high school.” Yet, he does his job, he explained, because he just doesn’t want people making the same mistakes he did. When he skipped his classes as a teenager he knew all the best hiding spots for ditching. “Sometimes I’ll drive by those spots in my golf cart and just laugh to myself,” he said. Sequoia Pelletier-Yamasaki is a contributor to Ka Lama Hawai'i and was a junior at the time she wrote this.

< Back Haunted Halls The Haunted History of Lahainaluna Kristina Meguro Student Life September 30, 2025 at 8:20:21 PM Stories of the supernatural are unsurprisingly common among students and staff at Lahainaluna, which is nestled at the base of Puʻu Paʻupaʻu (Hill of Struggle). Founded in 1831, Lahainaluna High School has been around for nearly two centuries, a span of time in which the campus has shifted and expanded. Nevertheless, something has stayed the same, unaffected by the construction of new buildings that occur from time to time. Spooky stories are a legacy as strong as the traditions we pass down from generation to generation. But are they more than stories, or are we just superstitious? According to various accounts from students, staff, and alumni, several areas of our old campus are rumored to be “haunted” or “spiritually active,” as Librarian Tara Nakata corrected me. “The campus is a little bit up in the mountains, right?” she said. “It’s not odd to believe there is paranormal activity.” When asked, staff and students had lots to share. At the top of their lists were the Hoapili & David Malo dorms, Samuel Moʻokini Music Building (band/choir room), the Hale I Luna (aka J-Building), and the MacDonald Building. There have also been spiritual sightings from the cafe. “...something was watching.” Ag teacher, Nathan Pallett, tells a story about a felt presence outside the MacDonald building. As he describes, it was late at night, around 10PM sometime during the 2018-2019 school year. Pallett was in the MacDonald building, thinking about working for another hour when suddenly a feeling of dread came over him. As he describes it, the feeling was telling him “it’s time to go home.” Listening to the feeling, he decided to leave. After cleaning up, he headed over to the box on the side of the building in order to set the alarm. “As I was walking back,” said Pallett, “I felt like something was watching.” Trying to disregard the feeling, Pallett continued to walk back to the front. Still, he continued looking over his shoulder, not turning all the way, and trying to fight an almost eerie feeling coming over him. “It felt like something was gonna, like, rush from behind. I walked much faster, almost to a jog.” He kept the fast pace as he continued to feel the pressure of the entity. The closer he got to the truck, he felt the presence strengthen. He hastily squeezed through the narrow space between the building and the red gate and finally a hint of salvation occurred. The presence disappeared after passing the red gate. He describes the situation as something that you experience in films. “It felt like in the movies where the bad things are about to get the person… and all of a sudden the ghost or whatever disappears when the people turn around.” “...G-Building wasn’t blessed…” After Pallett’s scare by the MacDonald building alarm box, the presence, he said, never came back. But he did tell me about another odd incident where he stayed late on campus. At the MacDonald building again, Pallett was doing his usual routine of going down to feed the animals, when he heard a TV blaring loudly from one of the classrooms in G-Building. “I knock on the door,” he said. But “no one answers, the door is locked. I can see that the lights are flashing.” He decided to call Principal Carosso to unlock the door. Carosso arrived at the scene shortly after to shut the TV off. Thinking the problem was resolved, Pallett went back to his room to grab his things. Unknown to him, Carosso decided to check the classroom again and found the TV still on. He walked around the room, checking the backrooms to confirm there was no one in the room. A little later, the two were talking when the fire alarm suddenly went off in the cafeteria. “They (the people at the cafe) thought they could smell smoke and it looked kind of hazy… you could smell stuff.” The fire department arrived at the school and examined the building, but couldn’t find a trace of fire anywhere. “They checked every outlet, all the heat sources,” Pallett reports, “and nothing was abnormal.” Pallett spoke to “Uncle John” Alexander, our cafeteria manager, later that evening who suggested that G-Building had not yet been blessed and this was the source of the abnormal occurrences. G-Building was eventually blessed, which had been already planned, and “everything just stopped,” Pallett says. “I haven’t heard any stories since.” The Unsettling Melodies of the Band Room Students and staff often stay late at the band room playing music. But some unusual rhythms, they claim, cannot be explained. According to the Director of the Band & Choir, Jalen Baraoidan, “Mr. B,” there have been multiple paranormal encounters at the Samuel Moʻokini Music building (aka band/choir room), many of which he has experienced himself. During his four years of teaching, one of the most significant spooky events he experienced was when he heard drums, specifically Hawaiian drums. “I heard these very loud drums just playing,” he said. “I thought to myself ‘huh, Hawaiiana club practices on Sundays?” Baraoidan had been working on choir tracks and got up from his desk to check it out. Moving toward the sound of drums, Baraoidan approached the choir room. “When I walked in,” he said, “the room was pitch dark, no one was there.” He quickly thought, “maybe someone snuck into my side of the room” and circled around Kumu’s room for a bit longer before going back to his side. But again, no indication of anyone else that was there except himself. Baffled, and a bit alarmed, he thought to himself, “Okay, maybe it’s time to leave.” So he did. The drum sounds could have come from anywhere, but what about an unsettling melody from a piano? According to Isikeli Tafea (Assistant to the Director of BAC), a former student, Carlito Justin Luben, “CJ” (Class of 2015 Alumni), and Baraoidan, they once heard the band room piano playing when no one was around. Years ago, said Baraoidan, he decided to give the school’s grand piano to Maui High School choir, replacing it with a smaller piano. Though the piano was gone for a short duration, students often reported hearing it play in the area it was once located, and he also heard it from time to time. Isikeli heard the story from boarding students who cleaned areas of the campus after school. A group of them were assigned to the band room as their area to clean. According to them, they could often hear the piano being played, but when “they would look, there’s no one inside. The band room’s pitch dark…” According to Luben , multiple people have reported hearing “like a trickling on the piano… It would usually be at night with all the lights off.” Until the new piano was installed, the melody continued. All three interviewees claim that there is a little girl spirit attached to the piano. Baraoidan said “...a girl spirit, a ghost spirit LIVES in the piano and when I got rid of it, she got agitated.” These encounters with ghosts at the band room are odd as it is more modern compared to other buildings. The band room finished construction in 1977 and has only been around 48 years since Lahainaluna has been here. Nevertheless, many say the band room is one of the most haunted spots on campus and, one reason, apparently, is the water. Lahainaluna Campus map drawn by Robert Andrews, son of Rev. Lorrin Andrews, the first school headmaster, circa 1840. There were multiple waterways. While many were demolished alongside the sugar cane fields, some water canals remained, such as the one by the band room. According to an anonymous staff member, “water attracts spirits” and many cultures have entities associated with water. Perhaps this was a reference to Japanese culture in which mischievous water demons/spirits called “Kappa” harass people. The kappa are also sometimes saviors who save people from drowning. The staff member is not too sure, though. 2006 campus map of Lahainaluna. *Highlighted in yellow are the water ways, highlighted in blue is the band room area. “…the student she thought she saw was outside.” Many of the borders have attended Lahainaluna for generations. They have inherited a love for their school as well as stories about their predecessors’ experiences: the good, the bad, and the haunted. Hearing about ghostly experiences may sound ridiculous to some people, but generations of borders on campus claim that our ghosts are real. Hilinaʻi Sodetani, is a freshman border who talked about a haunting experience by her auntie, 2016 alumni. Sodetani’s auntie claims to have heard chains dragging in the halls of the Hoapili Dorm. “They say,” said Sodetani, “it’s like a legend that it’s David Malo’s dog walking down the hallways.” It is also a tradition that if you ever see a lady in white in the hallway, you must go back into your room. Although Sodetani has not encountered the spirits that her family members told her about, she says that she recently had some chilling experiences at the Hoapili Dorm when her roommate and herself were on their phones heard a knock coming from the door. Sodetani describes the situation as odd because she thought “Was I the only one hearing the knock?” Her roommate had not reacted at the time. Sodetani decided to ignore it and laid back down when the knock came again, “like three knocks. And then I opened the door, but nobody was in the hallway.” Her roommate told her to ignore the knocking, but later, Sodetani went to discuss the situation with a friend, a fellow freshman border, who also heard knocking and coincidentally her roommate had told her to ignore it too. Sodetani mentions, her father, a 2001 alumni of Lahainaluna, who claims to have heard the toilets in the David Malo dorm flushing while he was in the bathroom, but there was no one else there. LeiAloha Amram, a sophomore border, has many little occurrences to share that happened here and there. One encounter happened to her dorm attendant who saw someone walking into a dorm room. The dorm attendant thought it was one of her students but soon after leaving the dorm “the student she thought she saw was outside.” Amram also mentions that “someone’s lights were flickering and turning on at night, and there’s doors shaking, opening by itself.” She added that her friends had seen a tall, long figure in one of the dorm rooms but once they turned the lights on, it disappeared. “...things would break or the lights would fall down.” In 1990, the original Hale I Luna burnt down. Five years later, a two-story and ten classroom-building was established in order to replace it. The new building kept the name “Hale I Luna” aka J Building. Anne Cook, the English Department Head and 10th Grade English teacher thinks the fire was “kind of strange” since “they never ever found out the reason for it.” Once the new building was built, it opened up strange encounters in the classroom, claims Cook. “I was downstairs before--I was in J104. There were times where things would break or the lights would fall down.” It made her get shivers like chicken skin. Cook describes how she heard the bushes and trees rustling, "but, there was no wind. Why were they rustling?" Importantly, perhaps, Hale I Luna connects on its north side of the campus where the night marchers start their path. Yellow: Night Marchers path The stories of paranormal activity were apparently frequent enough that school leaders asked custodian “Uncle Nalu” Naleieha to perform a blessing on the building. Naleieha told Cook that the location was a hot spot for spiritual activity as it is where the night marchers would walk down the mountain. Their path apparently takes them along the old stream after they reach the front office. Sodetani adds, “They say that the night marchers' pathway goes into boarders field but one thing that they always tell us is to try to ignore them, and verbally say out loud sometimes to tell that we’re here… they only come and go…” Cook said “I felt like they weren’t harmful spirits, but there were spirits here.” Many on campus believe similarly. While there are wandering old souls and scary entities, there are also guardians that keep the place safe. According to the ELL Coordinator/Spanish teacher, Ashley Olson, two ghosts appeared to her in her first year of teaching. Working during the school day in K14 of the Hale Puke building, Olson was sure that a couple of students had walked past her door wearing rugby uniforms. She remembers wondering to herself: “Why are there students out during class?” Rushing outside to remind them to head to class, she was met with an empty field and no students. “I walked around to the back of the building,” she explained, “and there’s nobody. That happened a couple of times…” Discussing her situation with Naleieha, he told her “Those are warriors that are just keeping the campus safe.” Olson added that because of what he said to her, she made sure to appreciate them, and said thank you. “After that,” she claims, “it didn’t happen anymore.” Alexander claims that every morning, whenever he opens the gate and drives past Sue D. Cooley Stadium, he sees shadows at the fence. “I would call them like a guardian of the campus… I don’t think most of the things that I’ve seen here are evil or wicked…” Breakfast is Served!… to Nobody? Alexander has encountered many ghosts or spirits. They come around when he arrives at school to set up around four-thirty to five, and around the time he leaves campus, which is sometimes as late as 11:30 or midnight. Though the majority of his encounters weren't horrifying, he claims, there are times where he gets chicken-skin. “There are two types of encounters you can experience on campus,” says Alexander. “I would call it a presence type where you can sense and feel their presence. Then there's another one that you can feel a form of fear or borderline terror like something's not right here.” Alexander has only experienced one spirit that gave him a “I shouldn’t be here” feeling. That was when he first started working here, and at the time, there was random equipment that hadn’t been transferred from the old cafeteria (currently ʻEpekema aka H-building) to the newer cafe (Hale Pā’ina). One morning, he went down to grab some of the equipment that they needed for the day. As he attempted to unlock the door, all of the hair on his body stood up. “It was not friendly at all… my skin started tingling.” That is the only feeling of terror he has gotten from ghosts in his decade of working here, he said. His chicken-skin experience may have ended there but, at the Hale P ā ’ina, the “wandering” ghosts of the cafe continue to appear before his eyes. “I have seen shadow figures walk across the dining room and I hear chairs moving from time to time… Usually I say good morning, aloha.” Alexander explains that he does not feel the same terror with the ghosts that just wander. They are “friends of his”: “I feel that they are all very old souls… It’s not scary. At least not for me.” Again, not all ghosts are scary, Alexander insists. He explained one encounter he had experienced with “Auntie Jane” Casco, the cook for the cafe, as proof. It was a normal morning and their usual routine. Turn the computers on to check if they were available to scan for ID’s, clicked through the them and to see if the search bar was working–in case they need to find a student’s name. After this, they turned away from the computers when they heard a beep. It was the sound that was only heard when an ID had been scanned. They hastily turned back towards the screen to see the search bar popped up on the screen. And in the search bar, the initials “DM” appeared. In this brief second, they looked at each other and said “David Malo.” Alexander laughs as he explains the encounter, “It’s like ‘Oh! David’s here’... Not to make joke or any disrespect, but it’s just a thing that we’ve accepted. There are, and I truly believe there are, past spirits on campus.” “Some would say you’re never really seeing what you’re seeing, and like that’s okay,” Alexander concluded. “You don’t have to agree with me.” Previous Article Next Article Copy link Kristina Meguro is a sophomore and a staff writer for Ka Lama Hawaiʻi.