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

< Back "Cruelty is the Point" Copy link Inside Maui Prep's Anti-Transgender Policy Brianne Lagazo April 30, 2025 at 10:17:41 PM Student Wellness Previous Article Next Article 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.” 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.

Campus Life & Academics List Education Politics Science & Technology Student Government Student Life Student Wellness The Future of Student Voice May 2, 2025 at 9:45:00 PM Will Student Government Survive? Brianne Lagazo "If students don't feel like their voices will actually be heard...they may not be motivated to get involved.” Read More Can we Stall Any Longer? May 1, 2025 at 10:28:00 PM Students Wonder When Our Bathrooms Will Become Usable Gisele Miller “...change the whole restroom so it would be all fixed. Like the toilets, the sinks, clean floors instead of mud and dirt." Read More "Cruelty is the Point" April 29, 2025 at 10:17:00 PM Inside Maui Prep's Anti-Transgender Policy Brianne Lagazo The issue of trans rights closely connects to an important social and spiritual identity in Hawaiian culture. Read More What Can Student Council Do? May 1, 2025 at 1:00:00 AM Between Aspirations and Impact Jersea Borneman "They can't really pass laws and regulations, but they are the representative branch of school governance." Read More Students are Feeling a Chill April 29, 2025 at 10:00:00 PM What Lunas think about the possibility of immigration officers on campus. Trinity Guiza "I would never tell them a single thing about a single student in my classroom.” Read More Everybody’s Special April 28, 2025 at 9:45:00 PM AP and the Path to Valedictorian Lucia Mejia "...the meaning of valedictorian means less with more and more people achieving that status.” Read More Pipe Problems and Fountain Fixes April 28, 2025 at 6:00:00 AM What’s in Your Hydro? Grayson Guzman According to students, not all fountain water comes out the same. Some favorite fountains include H-Building, the Office, and the Gym. Read More Should I Stay or Should I Go? April 22, 2025 at 6:30:00 PM Students Worry About Where They Should Attend College Keyla Jimenez "It's harder to get into schools in the states because of our education system here." Read More Lahainaluna to Implement Strict Phone Usage Policy April 1, 2025 at 10:22:00 PM Students hate the idea Trinity Guiza "Why now, when school is almost over? That’s ridiculous!" Read More 5% Proficient in Math, 100% Concerned March 17, 2025 at 7:00:00 PM Keyla Jimenez Since 2020, educators and officials have accounted for low test scores by blaming the pandemic, but it’s been three years since then, and the problem is only getting worse. Read More You Can't Always Park Where You Want March 15, 2025 at 6:30:00 PM Limited Space, Rising Frustrations, and Calls for Change Jersea Borneman "...he way that students park may be sort of haphazard and that might make it difficult for some kids to get in and out as well." Read More The Fine Line Between Support and Pressure March 14, 2025 at 10:00:00 PM Parental Roles in Student Success Oliana Schur How much parental involvement is too much parental involvement? Read More Valentine's Day February 7, 2025 at 7:30:00 PM High Hopes, Low Expectations Jersea Borneman and Bryson Aquino It's a great day to bake cookies and show love to everyone, not just in romantic relationships. Read More Artificial Intelligence February 7, 2025 at 5:00:00 PM The Future is Here? Trinity Guiza I've used it before, mainly used it for like procrastination. I write down something fast and it writes something for me. Read More It’s Getting Hard to Stay February 6, 2025 at 11:00:00 PM On Our Teacher Shortage Keyla Jimenez The problem gets worse when you consider Lahainaluna’s dwindling student population after the Lahaina fires. Read More Senioritis January 13, 2025 at 7:05:00 PM More than just laziness? Bryson Aquino As freshmen, we have four years ahead of us; as seniors, we face the entirety of our lives. Read More Between School and Extra Curriculars January 13, 2025 at 5:05:00 PM Finding a Balance Jersea Borneman Are students playing or learning too much? Read More Is Procrastination A Good Thing? January 13, 2025 at 5:05:00 PM On the benefits and drawbacks of doing your work on time. Christopher Apilado ...there could be a chance that procrastination could be used in a good way. Read More From the Classroom to the Polls November 1, 2024 at 10:00:00 PM On the Issues, Misinformation, and Parental Influence Keyla Jimenez and Lucia Mejia Students discuss the 2024 election Read More Social Emotional Lying October 2, 2024 at 12:30:00 AM Insincere student answers on the Panorama Survey Jersea Borneman “They’re high school students; I do not think they’re gonna answer them truthfully.” Read More School Lunch: Cutting Waste, Cutting Taste September 24, 2024 at 11:45:00 PM Students speak out about school lunch. Bryson Aquino A student looks down at a bright yellow blob of mac and cheese running into a chunky scoop of rice. Read More Do I Have Your Attention? September 4, 2024 at 10:00:00 PM Why students can't put down their phones. Keyla Jimenez Keyla Jimenez investigates one source of student distraction on campus. Read More Homecoming After the Fire May 31, 2024 at 10:00:00 PM At Lahainaluna, It's All About Pride Sequoia Pelletier-Yamasaki The Lahaina Wildfire on August 8th, 2023 delayed the opening of our school for weeks, leaving students with a difficult decision: transfer schools or wait and hope that Lahainaluna would soon open again. Read More Under a Cloud at Lahainaluna May 29, 2024 at 10:15:00 PM Vaping on Campus Trinity Guiza “I don’t feel pressured at all, I’m a good person, not a delinquent like them,” said a Lahainaluna sophomore when asked whether they felt pressured to vape by others. Read More Student Sells Artwork Inspired by the Fire May 27, 2024 at 4:30:00 PM A Symbol of Strength Sequoia Pelletier-Yamasaki Following the Lahaina wildfire, Devyn Gruber, a senior at Lahainaluna High School, decided to “turn that grief into art.” Read More Kids in the Cafe May 13, 2024 at 5:00:00 PM “a relaxing place to be” Jean Martin Alternado Jean Alternado asks if teacher absences impact student learning. Read More Endangered Kāhuli May 13, 2024 at 3:00:00 PM The Chain of Events Trinity Guiza Trinity Guiza describes the huge ecological impact of one of Hawai'i's smallest creatures. Read More Do you have a work of art or a piece of writing to share? April 29, 2024 at 4:00:00 PM Write for Ka Lama Hawai'i Ka Lama Hawai'i Tell your side of things and encourage others to speak up! Read More

A student-run newspaper written by and for the students of Lahainaluna High School. Ka Lama Hawai'i regularly publishes student work on student life, education, and the community of Lahaina. I mua, Lunas! Ka Lama Hawai'i Burning the torch of excellence at both ends Student Government May 2, 2025 at 9:45:00 PM The Future of Student Voice Will Student Government Survive? Brianne Lagazo "If students don't feel like their voices will actually be heard...they may not be motivated to get involved.” Read More Sculpture May 1, 2025 at 3:34:05 AM Panliligaw Lyndsay Sultan "The process where a man tries to woo a woman into dating, eventually leading to marriage." Read More Wrestling February 15, 2025 at 8:00:00 AM Wrestling At King Kekaulike The Lunas are on the road to the State Championship Read More Talk Story Is it Love or Just Jokes? Kaia 15 hours ago 2 min read Secret Crush ME Mar 8 2 min read Hii! I'm Kaia - Write me your questions! Kaia Feb 28 1 min read The Thrift: Embracing Jorts, 90s Fashion for Summer Samantha Shibao Nov 2, 2024 2 min read Student Life & Academics 5/2/25 The Future of Student Voice Will Student Government Survive? Brianne Lagazo "If students don't feel like their voices will actually be heard...they may not be motivated to get involved.” Read More 5/1/25 Can we Stall Any Longer? Students Wonder When Our Bathrooms Will Become Usable Gisele Miller “...change the whole restroom so it would be all fixed. Like the toilets, the sinks, clean floors instead of mud and dirt." Read More 4/29/25 "Cruelty is the Point" Inside Maui Prep's Anti-Transgender Policy Brianne Lagazo The issue of trans rights closely connects to an important social and spiritual identity in Hawaiian culture. Read More 5/1/25 What Can Student Council Do? Between Aspirations and Impact Jersea Borneman "They can't really pass laws and regulations, but they are the representative branch of school governance." Read More 4/29/25 Students are Feeling a Chill What Lunas think about the possibility of immigration officers on campus. Trinity Guiza "I would never tell them a single thing about a single student in my classroom.” Read More 4/28/25 Everybody’s Special AP and the Path to Valedictorian Lucia Mejia "...the meaning of valedictorian means less with more and more people achieving that status.” Read More More Student Life and Academics Articles We LHS Staff Sports The Back Page Social Media Updates Join our community on Instagram

< Back The Future of Student Voice Copy link Will Student Government Survive? Brianne Lagazo May 2, 2025 at 5:47:08 PM Student Government Previous Article Next Article Once a cornerstone of school leadership, the student council is now struggling to attract members. Student council applications were opened for the 2025-2026 school year in February. Students interested in being a part of student government were encouraged to join. As the deadline approached, excitement gave way to silence. Only a small handful of students picked up an application. This left many to wonder: why don’t students care? Of the 11 freshmen who picked up an application, 4 dropped out; Of the 11 sophomores, 1 dropped out; 9 juniors picked up an application but 2 dropped out. Student Body applications were postponed due to lack of applicants. At the moment, we have 5 and 3 remaining vacancies. The same lack of involvement can be seen in voting as well. Out of 190 students in the class of 2026, only 71 voted in the recent April election. For the class of 2027, 93 out of 211 students voted. In the class of 2028, 83 out of 181 students voted. Many at LHS agree that this lack of involvement has become a problem, but we cannot definitively say why. Cassie-Anne Jacinto, out Student Activities Coordinator (SAC) states that “With less applications, it provides less choice for students during elections.” As a result, she worries, “there may be less diversity in student voice.” “Student Voice” According to The Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals “the organization of Student Council grows out of the desire of the educator to make principles of democracy operative in the school.” For this reason, researchers Smith, Miller, and Nadler defined a functioning student government as something that can “provide important outlets for students to be engaged in making decisions for the welfare of the entire campus.” Student Council is designed then to train students “to bargain, negotiate, and advocate for others whom they represent.” Student Council, says sophomore Xeila Santiago, is “a group of students elected by their peers who plan events, represent the school, and try to make their school environment a better place.” For years, we acknowledged the importance of the student council at Lahainaluna. But what will happen if students and educators no longer have this desire? “Student Council is not listening…” For some students, the dismal turnout may be connected to student distrust. “If students don't feel like their voices will actually be heard or that their participation will make a difference,” says senior ASB President RJ Arconado,. “They may not be motivated to get involved.” An anonymous freshman thinks that students may distrust the Council, under the assumption that they, the Council members, “are not being effective in making a change.” He thinks they may be “too lazy to make a change.” Similarly, junior Aden Ross thinks that “people are very bored and people won’t be interested in joining or participating.” This, he added, could come from “students feel[ing] like Student Council is not listening to their ideas.” Recently, Jersea Borneman reported on the student council’s ability to make changes. Emma Batson believes the Student Council lacks transparency and does not let students know what is truly going on. “They’re saying they're gonna communicate with us,” says Batson. “I've never heard any of them coming around, talking to any of us, getting our opinions on things, asking us.” “The possibility of failure” Sophomore Mina Nagasako offers a different view of the problem. She feels that students are either “not committed in general or may be intimidated by competition.” The publicness of StuCo may make students “afraid to be judged by their fellow classmates,” says senior Sarah Cariaga, adding that a student may be judged by “their ideas or just receive comments from students.” “Students are afraid of the possibility of failure,” thinks sophomore Keyla Jimenez, who imagines that challengers have a harder time since “they have to get people to remember their name while the person they are running against is already known on campus.” While this was true for 5 races across grade levels, interest was so low this year that many of the spots lacked an incumbent. Because the Student Council pushes people out of their own comfort zones, intimidation can also stem from public speaking and the possibility of being a known leader on campus. Lahainaluna’s Principal Richard Carosso comments that “there is an amount of courage required to put yourself out there. It’s a little harder for kids to take that step outside of their comfort zone and lead.” “People are just lazy” There are less interesting reasons for the decline in participation. For instance, some students may be lazy or lack the initiative to do something. “Student council can be a very stressful position if you don’t have the correct people helping you,” says junior Aden Ross.“No one wants to spend most of their days planning events, people are just lazy.” “Perhaps students feel overwhelmed with their workload between school, outside work, and outside activities,” biology teacher Arica Lynn suggested. “It might be a challenge for them to stay involved in student council and even other opportunities here.” “The lack of wanting to join comes from laziness,” offered sophomore Kaliyah Cutty. This is less about students and more about timing, she says, since the race “happens towards the end of the year when most students are drained and don’t feel like doing any additional work.” While it is possible that this is teenage “laziness,” students may just believe that someone else will take on the job, meaning they don’t have to. Our student Activities coordinator (SAC), Cassie-Ann Jacinto, believes that student turnout can be chalked up to the“bystander effect,” or a situation in which someone does nothing because that person “expects someone else to step up.” “People would rather just watch people do things,” she added. “We’re still recovering” Jacinto points out that she has learned while talking with other Student Activities Coordinators that “there has been a decrease in engagement, not just at Lahainaluna, but also at other schools” She notes that the recent fall in participation may have started with COVID, but , at our school, it may have been drawn out by the 2023 Maui Wildfire. “We’re still recovering from the fire, and people are trying their best to come to school, go home and keep the cycle going,” Arconado says. “Some don’t even live in Lahaina, so student council is a hard thing to commit to for those not living in town.” Similarly, teachers are also preoccupied with current struggles to the point where they cannot engage with students as much as they used to. Carosso says, “it’s harder for everybody. For all of our kids, our staff, and our families to get involved. It’s just harder all around than it was.” “Like minded individuals” Offering incentives to encourage involvement may play a key role in increasing interested applicants. Recognition, acknowledgement throughout the school year, and celebration of student council members may seem miniscule now, but may go a long way. Arconado adds that one benefit to joining student council is “that you are surrounded by like-minded individuals that if you keep them close you will soon then call your best friends.” “The school can encourage student council participation by recognizing their efforts and planned events,” said an anonymous senior. Moreover, if students see that Student Council is not only working, but also something enjoyable, students may feel more inclined to join. This comes from a council’s ability to effectively plan events that make students feel welcomed. Conversely, if the Student Council appears ineffective and dysfunctional, “our legacy as a student council will go down to the dump,” says Arconado. Carosso says he has “confidence and faith that Lahainaluna–being Lahainaluna–-is the one place that can restore that kind of drive.” “We couldn’t do much this year,” said Arconado, “but I hope that in the future we can get cooler events to showcase what the Student Council has to offer.” “So fun” Because student council is the backbone of school-sanctioned events, such as homecoming and spirit weeks, a lack of involvement may cause planning and organizing conflicts. A year of this may make the situation worse, creating more challenges with filling positions or having dual positions,” said sophomore Treasurer Lucia Mejia. If this current trend were to continue, students who are overly-involved may also experience burnout as they take on more responsibilities. “Events like lip-sync are so fun,” Science teacher Jacquelyn Ellis lamented. This past year, student engagement was so low that lip-sync and assemblies had grade levels forfeiting, or events were canceled altogether. “It used to be a really big deal,” said Ellis, “and it’s been sad to see less students participate.” 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 Can we Stall Any Longer? Copy link Students Wonder When Our Bathrooms Will Become Usable Gisele Miller May 1, 2025 at 10:29:09 PM Student Wellness Previous Article Next Article To students around campus, LHS bathrooms are “dirty,” “gross and unorganized,” “the most disgusting bathrooms that you can think of.” One student in particular remarked on the bathrooms as, “the single most horrific, disgusting thing I’ve ever seen.” Freshman Izaiah Kaleikini calls the bathrooms “disgusting,” and insists “I don't want to use the bathrooms here. And I bet some people actually don’t use the bathrooms here at all.” Other students mention broken locks on the stall doors that prevent privacy, unflushed toilets, trash on the floor and in the sinks—graffiti all over walls, missing toilet paper, and empty soap dispensers. While custodians do clean the bathrooms regularly, constant use by hundreds of students each day makes it hard to keep up. “Students should have clean facilities to use,” says freshman Ashlee Hufalar about bathrooms on campus. “They should feel that they’re not in an unsanitary place--just the reassurance that they won’t get, like, any germs or something.” Students are upset with the bathrooms and looking for change. But a student from 60 years ago says this is not how it used to be. “our bathrooms were clean” Sandra Braun-Ortega graduated from Lahainaluna’s class of 1964. She remembers that “our bathrooms were clean, reasonably clean. And all the stalls weren’t dirty.” But that was 60 years ago. In fact, part of being the oldest high school campus “west of the Rockies” is that many of our facilities are 20-30 years old. According to Vice Principal Christopher Webber, some buildings are even older. “We have older buildings like I-building. That building is probably 40 or 50 years old and the bathrooms haven’t necessarily been updated.” Our facilities are now old, but in the 60s, said Braun-Ortega, it was also easier to keep things clean. “If you had detention,” she said, “one of the things they (the school) would make you do is clean the bathrooms.” Mr. Webber says that this wouldn’t be an option now. “The state has decreed that that’s unfair and we can’t have students working, certainly without pay, but also if they’re underage. It’s seen as draconian if that were to take place.” Despite this, sophomore Alexa Garcia sometimes feels like she should do her part as a student and “clean it up a bit, but like, I can’t really do much either way, but just tell other people as well, like, don’t make a mess--it could just be cleaner.” Another freshman who chose to remain anonymous went so far as to say the school should cut its losses and build new bathrooms. “Burn it down, make sure there is zero existence of it and make a new one, cause you cannot save that bathroom. It’s gone. It’s so, so far gone. The Good, the Bad, and the Smelly “It smells like butt,” said one sophomore while he ranked all the campus bathrooms 1 to 11. His comment was a reference to G building which he ranked a 7. Although it is a new building, the boy’s room apparently already has a weird smell. Despite this, G-building has one of the best bathrooms with clean floors, toilets, sinks and doesn’t lack any necessary toiletries. In the final rankings, G building scored higher than 7. Generally, the scores revealed how both the girls and boys agree that R-building has the worst bathroom while G-building has the best. Girls R-Building X-Building J-Building AA-Building I-Building Construction Stadium Locker Room H-Building Cafe G-Building Boys R-Building J-Building X-Building I-Building Cafe H-Building AA-Building Stadium Locker Room Construction G-Building 1 (Bad) – 11 (Good) R-building, or the AG building, got its ranking because of how the floors are dirty. The sinks have ants crawling out of them. The toilets look too unsanitary to use. “That one is so bad. Oh that one’s terrible. Stuff all over the ground,” said one student completing the survey. “Everybody” Students understand that the causes for the state of campus bathrooms may be split between students and the school. Sophomore Shalom Rios observes that the school “doesn’t really deep clean it.” But also, she feels that “we, like, make it dirty and we don't do anything about it either…sometimes, like there’s people that don’t flush the toilet or they just leave stuff in the sink or they just don’t clean up their trash.” Webber agrees that “everybody” is responsible for the state of the bathrooms. “I think the students and the staff that use them, the custodians, the people that clean them.” Yet, he noted especially that students add significantly to the problem by defacing them with graffiti and writing. A junior, who wanted to be anonymous, agrees that students may be most responsible for the problem. The bathrooms are unsanitary, they said, “mainly because of the students who vandalize the bathrooms and like, destroy them. And also, I don't know. This campus is just not clean.” Junior Jowy Langaman thinks that student vandals are not concerned about how others feel. “The students just don't really care about it,” he said. “An endless box of money” Freshman Ashlee Hufalar thinks that “the school doesn’t have enough maintenance for the bathrooms and it’s not like cleaned as much.” Recently, according to Mr. Webber, there has been a shortage of custodians so some of the bathrooms have had to be closed. There is also the issue of vaping that occurs in the bathrooms. Students go to the bathroom and do all sorts of things from vandalism, to skipping class, to doing illegal activities such as vaping. This creates an uncomfortable environment where students don’t feel safe and clean. Vice Principal Webber explained that “If something’s vandalized then we do fix it. But we don’t have any plans right now to do major bathroom overhaul in terms of getting new facilities like sinks or toilets.” The school’s budget is stretched thin, however. More important expenses such as teacher salaries, textbooks, sports, events like dances and assemblies take priority over renovating the bathrooms. “If I had an endless box of money I found next to the road,” said Webber, “I would want to change some of the sinks in a few bathrooms and some of the tile work in need of attention.” Webber had sympathy for students. “Bathrooms should be clean,” he said. “They should be sanitary because that is not only what the students deserve, but I believe it’s something that has to happen because we don’t want to have students use a restroom that’s not clean or hygienic.” “Is that what they think of you...” If he could fix this, freshman Izaiah Kaleikini said he would “change the whole restroom so it would be all fixed. Like the toilets, the sinks, clean floors instead of mud and dirt—rearrange it and everything.” Rios would “make it cleaner because sometimes there’s people that don’t even wanna go to the bathrooms because they get disgusted.” Fewer students talked about the bathroom locks. One junior, for instance, said she would “change the locks on the bathroom in the stalls because they’re all broken and literally, like in one of the bathrooms, my friend literally has to hold the door close for me. And also, we need toilet paper because there’s no toilet paper in any of the bathrooms right now.” A freshman who wanted to remain anonymous pointed to another problem: vaping. “Everytime I walk in,” they said. “It’s like smoke clouds.” Mr. Webber talked about this, saying “We obviously can’t put restroom cameras in restrooms, that’s illegal.” But he was also “concerned about the amount of vaping that I’m told goes on in some restrooms. I’m trying to get on top of that as well.” Braun-Ortega couldn’t believe that the school was letting students use bathrooms in such a poor state. “If they let you guys use those kinds of dirty bathrooms,” she said, “is that what they think of you, you know? Since you're just high school, you don't matter? That’s what it sounds like to me.”

< Back Forward > Lunas’ Fighting Spirit Overcoming COVID Challenges Samantha Shibao Previous Next “I think it affected us big, because knowing that the younger people haven’t had big boys–and our big boys is like the foundation of our team,” said Michael Rayray sitting in the AD’s office. The AC was blasting, and the other captains waited silently for Rayray to finish. They seemed only a little anxious, searching for something to say about their time during COVID. “Without big boys, they don’t really know everything,” Rayray finished, “They don’t come up ready.” Picture of Lahainaluna’s Offensive line (David Kauvaka 50, Tua Olakauatu 63, Kawika Kaili 53, Simione Olakautua 51, Maaulina Montgomery 46) during quarter four of the Lahaina vs. Baldwin game. PC: Samantha Shibao. In 2020, these five players, like everyone else in the world, were isolated from their friends and stuck at home behind a computer screen all day. They sat in Zoom meetings for 6 hours at-a-time, silent, their only interactions with parents and siblings in other rooms. In this environment, our communication skills began to deteriorate, and anxiety levels soared. Big Boys According to Collins et al. in Medicine , COVID-19-related disruptions created “heightened states of anxiety, isolation, and depression.” College-level athletes after COVID disruptions, for instance, experienced reductions in the “motivation to train and level of satisfaction from training.” Examining high-school athletes found that COVID had given them “increased anxiety, more dejection, and more anger.” These negative feelings and frustrations, associated with a long period of isolation, might have been “magnified in high school student-athletes seeking collegiate-level athletic scholarships,” they add, as older students would have also become anxious about missing out on recruiting opportunities. While this last point is about older players, younger players and our current players, as Rayray noted, came into the sport unprepared, without mentors, guides, or examples to follow. Chemistry and Music “The goal is to improve every day—together and individually,” said Luna’s Team Captain Joe-boy Archangel before Saturday’s Homecoming game. He was referring to the team’s emotional growth over the past three years. “Having discipline was important to getting through [the effects of COVID], but obviously we can always work on it. I already know that, throughout the season, we’re already gonna pick it up, slowly but surely.” Chaser Boaz said simply that success is a matter of “chemistry and teamwork.” Rayray added, however, that success is something more personal: “Honestly, just music. Gotta lock in and be in that zone. Staying disciplined, that’s all you need.” Kawaika Kaili notes that preparation is key. “It’s like a steppingstone into our entire MIL season. We’re just learning, seeing our mistakes in the preseason so we can fix it overall and practice. Then, once we have our MIL season, we’ll be prepared for anything.” On the future and preparation, Rayray said that “lifting helps us with everything and puts us all together.” “I feel like the trainers too,” Archangel added. “Going in their room, making sure that we’re staying healthy, and if we have any injuries we need to take care of, they make sure we get that 200 percent." Training Separately and Together After a recent defeat by Kamehameha, Hoken Hironaka suggested, “Honestly, team chemistry wasn’t really our problem. I would say that we just have to practice harder and smarter.” Picture of Lahainaluna defense (Hoken Hironaka 17, Maaulina Montgomery 46, Kupono Tihada 10, Ezekial Opunui 27, Kahi Magno 5, Kua Balcalso 8) stop on the 50-yard line. PC: Samantha Shibao To train, the Lunas do drills and conditioning on the field, but they also watch videos that the team makes available to all the players. According to Boaz, they do much of this viewing on their own. “Everyone watches films on their own time, and nobody really relies on anyone else to give information.” Athletic Director John Conrad suggests that reviewing game footage is helpful, but something that only the best players do. Comparing it to academic preparation, Conrad notes, “Would you rather be an A student or B student?” Despite the time commitment, some of our players regularly do their (football) homework, which, as Conrad notes, helps our players anticipate the plays of the other team: “If you watch a play of another team before the upcoming game against them, and you can practice on how to go against it, then when you see that play get set up by the opponent’s team, you’ll be ready and know what to do.” Teamwork Teamwork is crucial for the Lunas’ success. According to sport science writer Luke Nielsen , reviewing videos, like anything else, is most effective with guidance. This guidance often comes from coaches and senior players who help younger teammates understand and analyze game footage. A study conducted by Desmond McEwan and Mark R. Beauchamp concluded that effective tams use “multiple teamwork behaviors.” Effective communication, mutual support, and shared goals are essential for the Lunas to perform well on the field. Looking Ahead As the season progresses, the Lunas are focused on continuous improvement. “We always reach a certain point towards the end of the season, but we kind of let the physical part do the talking,” Boaz stated about the team as a whole. When asked about how their preparation had set them up for homecoming, Jackson Hussey, Simione Olakauatu, Enoka Balinbin, and Jeremiah Baybayan all dismissed the question before Simione spoke for the group: “We aren’t going to say nothing like that. We’re Lahainaluna, we don’t talk, we just do.” Heading 6

< Back Pipe Problems and Fountain Fixes Copy link What’s in Your Hydro? Grayson Guzman April 28, 2025 at 5:42:20 AM Student Life Previous Article Next Article When asked if they feel safe drinking from the water fountains here on campus, most students, like freshman Kristina Meguro, replied no. For Meguro, the water fountains are “a bit icky.” She imagines campus water fountains as “somewhere that has a lot of gecko poop. I would just clean them a bit more so it feels nicer to drink out of them.” Similarly, junior Elijohn Agbayani admitted that he doesn’t “feel safe drinking from the water fountains. I feel like they should clean them everyday and change them out after a couple of years." He added that he would only drink from the fountain if he was really thirsty. Students say that regular maintenance may fix the problem. When asked about improvements, junior Marie Avelyn Baptista said they “should be maintained more frequently.” “Regular cleaning and maintenance would be great,” Savannah Mariz Gapuzan added. “I usually bring water from home,” said Robbiel Fronda, a senior. “The water fountains are old,” he added, “you know, most of the time they're like dirty. Dude, I've heard, like, people have even like, like put their body parts on it and stuff to make it like gross and stuff. It's weird.” The “Best” Water at Lahainaluna? According to students, not all fountain water comes out the same. It depends on the location. Some favorite fountains include H-Building, the Office, and the Gym. Students like H building for its convenience and the Gym because it is the newest. Freshman Maximino Arvizu thinks that “the office water is the best, then the one in the gym.” This is because, apparently, office fountain water is the coldest. According to Arvizu, fountains “need to be colder, and like taste better.” Senior Chase Yasutake thinks the water fountains on campus are all fine and uses them “a lot to keep my water bottle filled.” Yet, other students agree on the idea that the quality of the fountain depends on the area it is in. It’s “dirty, by dirty areas,” says sophomore Giselle Ganoot. Similarly, freshman Christopher Apilado seems to agree and thinks that the school should change the location of our fountains “It should be inside to prevent impurities like dirt or dust.” Old Pipes P.E. teacher Cliffane Casco offers one idea for why the water is a bit funky. He thinks that the “pipes on campus is old, so I'm not sure how clean the water is.” Casco usually fills his hydro flask at the gym where he spends most of his day and there are newer water fountains. “That's where I usually fill my hydroflask, but usually I try to stay away from drinking the water here on campus.” The Center for Disease Control recommends that schools “provide water fountains, dispensers, and hydration stations throughout the school,” and to ensure that they are “clean and properly maintained.” They also state “standards and regulations assure that the public water supply is clean and safe as it leaves the water utility. However, lead plumbing parts (pipes, fittings, and fixtures) can contaminate water after it leaves the water main.” Casco thinks that someone should “come test the water to see if it is clean, and that we have filters on some of these drinking fountains, so then we know that we're drinking clean water.” In May of 2023, math teacher Cornelio J. Ancheta asked students in his project-based learning (PBL) class to run tests on our school's water. Looking at the question “Is drinking the water at our school safe?”, his students sampled water from several water fountains located all across campus. “Based from the tests conducted by the staff of the Department of Water Supply,” said Ancheta, “the samples collected from the water fountains were negative for Total Coliform and for E. Coli.” While the tests were negative for E. coli and Total Coliform, which is the name of a group of bacteria found in water, soil, and the digestive tracts of animals, there may still be other contaminants coming from our old pipes. The EPA suggests routine cleaning and posting “a cleaning time card by the water fountains to allow the cleaning times to be recorded.” It is important to note that the results of Mr. Ancheta PBL was conducted before the August 8th wildfires. “That was the only testing. Although, I'm planning to repeat the same project that I had” said Ancheta. 3,000 Gallons Cassie-ann Jacinto, our Student Activities Coordinator offers another possible cause of water contamination. The filters in the fountains, she thinks, are probably old and need to be replaced. “When we got the water fountains installed a couple of years ago,” she speculated, “we had the money to buy them and get them installed, but I don't think it included it getting serviced.” According to Elkay, the company that manufactures the water fountains we have at school, “Genuine Elkay filters are rated for 3,000 gallons, which is about 19,200 20-ounce bottles. Filter life depends on water conditions and usage.” Also, they “recommend changing your filter 1-2 times per year to keep your filter light green” meaning the filter is working. Around campus, the filter lights are not even on. Only two fountains can be read for the number of 20 oz quantities dispensed. It doesn’t seem that the filters have been changed in quite a while. Of the two fountains where you can read the amount of uses, H-Building has filled 36,305 20 oz bottles and K-Building 27,177. H-Building is 189% over and K-Building 142% over what is recommended by Elkay. According to Victoria Zupancic, the water bottle refilling stations were installed by the environmental club before covid. The club also used to do regular maintenance to the filters. Now that the Environmental Club is disbanded and its advisor is no longer at Lahainaluna, the stations may not be maintained as much. When they are maintained, says Vice Principal Christopher Webber, the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) services them. Ancheta, like many, is concerned that “the filters need to be replaced because the filter has not been replaced for how many years.” “Until somebody conducts a thorough testing of the water,” said Ancheta, “it remains uncertain whether our water, drinking water, at Lahainaluna high school is safe to drink.” Grayson is the current 2028 student council Vice President and is running for a second term as sophomore Vice President.

< 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 Forward > Wrestling At King Kekaulike Samantha Shibao Previous Next The wrestling season is coming to a close, and the Lunas are locking in. In their 6th tournament of the season, the Lunas will soon face off against other MIL teams including Baldwin, King K, Maui High, Kulanihako’i, Hana, Maui Preparatory Academy, Seabury, Moloka’i, Lana’i, Kamehameha. This will be a tournament that determines who will advance and secure a spot at State. The last couple of tournaments were rough. The Lunas lost multiple practice days, and some wrestlers were sick or injured. Nevertheless, the Lunas toughed it out this past weekend, scoring multiple wins and getting them pins. Kden Pu, in his 7th year of wrestling, competes in the 215 weight class. Pu said that his personal goal for these upcoming tournaments is to beat Baldwin High and earn more team points. He added that these tournaments will show "everyone that our team has something to prove." "The girls are good. I think they’re gonna get some wins hopefully," said Izaac Pacheco, who is in his 3rd year of wrestling and wrestles in the 165 weight class. Pacheco claims that the biggest challenge he and the team are facing is psychological. "There’s the challenge of regret—regretting not giving it your all." Pu also said, "It’s a mindset game, you have to push yourself and do every conditioning but can’t quit." Jackson Hussey offered some general advice for other athletes: "If you have a bad mindset coming into any sport or anything in life, it’s gonna go down, but if you have a good mindset you’ll do good." Jackson Hussey has been a wrestler longer than any other on the team. He offered some insight on how his own season has been and what the team has prepared for these tournaments. "I don’t want to sound cocky but I know my wrestling ability, and over here on Maui the competition isn’t too bad." Pu added, "I predict Jackson is gonna win all of it," and emphasized the importance of their longtime coach, Terry Shibao, for the team's success. To prepare, many of the wrestlers are sticking to a conventional training regimen. "I just run, but also wake up in the morning to lift then see trainer Mike," said Pacheco. Hussey remarked on how the Lunas "condition hard, practice hard, and practice the moves that work the best for us." The stakes for these upcoming tournaments are huge. This will be the tournament right before The State Championship. In order for any of the wrestlers to qualify, they will need to pass through this weekend's tournament. So come to King K’s home gym this Saturday at 10 am to support the Lunas wrestling team as they face off against all MIL teams. Go Big Red! Heading 6

< 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 Students are Feeling a Chill Copy link What Lunas think about the possibility of immigration officers on campus. Trinity Guiza April 30, 2025 at 10:58:07 PM Politics Previous Article Next Article On February 4th around third period, an Instagram post created by a student at Lahaina Intermediate spread through our school: “ICE immigration is at lis today and are supposed to come up here to lhs tomorrow. don't get deported” (sic). The caption appeared on top of an unrelated image: a glass cylinder sliding away from a student’s hand across a counter in a science class. The message was quickly dismissed by some as entirely fabricated. Yet, many were concerned and still are. “I heard a rumor about ICE going to lis but I don’t know if it was actually tea or not” said a sophomore who chose to remain anonymous. They will be referred to Anna below. “The scary thing,” Anna said, “is that it’s easy to believe something like that can actually happen because it is something that is happening on the mainland. I think we’re lucky to live in Hawaii where we aren’t as affected but I definitely worry about my friends and family on the mainland.” Recent events suggest that these worries might come closer to home than Anna and others may think. In March, an elementary student was removed from Konawaena Elementary in an immigration operation. The boy's father was detained due to immigration violations. With no one to pick him up, officers delivered him to his father. To concerns in the community, Lucia Cabral-DeArmas was sure to mention that “the two were never separated, other than during school hours.” Principal Richard Carosso sent an email around this time containing state guidelines for responding to ICE on campus: politely inform them that they are not allowed access to any information or room and call and wait for an administrator to handle the situation. What is ICE? According to the US Immigration and Customs Website (ICE), the agency’s mission is “To Protect America through criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety.” Students and teachers shared different impressions, however. History teacher Ruth Mathis described ICE simply, as “an immigration system that gets people without their own proper documentation, and they send them back home.” “It’s a federal agency that investigates people if they are here in the country illegally,” said Junior Aleksandr Lucas. “Search their background and identify them. Eventually arrest them, interview and most likely deport them.” “It’s a government group coming and taking illegal American citizens of this country,” said Koryn Moury. “Their job is to find some illegal immigrants,” offered Science teacher Jacquelyn Ellis. ICE will “detain them or find out any more information about them and then they help with the deportation part of it as well.” A bit different, math teacher William Tatro thinks ICE’s primary focus is on “people who are convicted or charged with severe criminal activities.” “It's a private space” Talk about immigration on campus comes after Donald Trump’s recent executive order allowing immigration officers to conduct enforcement actions in or near sensitive areas such as medical facilities, places of worship, and schools. Following these announcements, Maui teachers looked for guidance on what should be done if ICE agents come to campus. The Hawai’i Teachers Association (HSTA) coordinated an information session with the Maui immigrant advocacy group, Roots Reborn, at Kulanihako’i High School in February. Leading the session was Aparna Patrie, an immigration attorney on Maui who works closely with the organization. “These are folks who are really important and essential to the fabric of our community,” said Patrie, who understands that a large percentage of Maui is foreign born. “They are terrified, and we've seen folks be afraid to get health care, afraid to go to school, afraid to go to church, afraid to go to the store and it's really unfortunate.” Ellis was one of several teachers who attended the information session. Afterward, she said that it was “useful” and that “it just helps you know what your rights are, because even immigrants who are here, not legally, have rights through our constitution and that's an important part of our nation.” Reflecting on what she had learned, Ellis described what she would do it ICE came to her classroom. “I would tell them that it's a private space. They cannot come in here and they need to go to the front office with any of their questions. I would never tell them a single thing about a single student in my classroom” Carol Holland, a History teacher at Maui High, also attended the info session. According to Holland, she would go to extreme measures to protect her students such as locking them in the bathroom to protect them. “The bathroom is a private space,” said Holland. “They cannot get into it without permission, so I will squeeze them all in there in my personal teacher bathroom, lock the door, slide the key under the door so it's inside the bathroom, so there's no way they can get in there.” “I would just wanna see their papers [warrants] and examine it,” said History teacher Ruth Mathis at the session. “People need to be educated in here, and you can’t come to my room. You can't take a child out of this room.” On the possibility of ICE agents on campus, Tatro, who was not present at the info session, “would have to ask them ‘did you go to the administration first?” However, he added that there are situations in which you might want ICE agents in your room. Tatro painted a scene in which there is somebody “holding somebody hostage or somebody’s in here with a gun, threatening us. I’d want them to come in.” Yet, he circled back, noting that “if somebody comes in and it's not that threatening a situation, I would say ‘did you go to the administration first?’” He insisted that, minus the hostage scenario, he would “be a little bit uncomfortable with that particular circumstance.” “I Know My Rights” In a hypothetical situation if ICE were to arrive on campus, Principal Carosso said, he would “not give full and unfettered access to our campus.” Instead, in accordance with state policy, he would hold them at the admin building and “call our superiors, our complex superintendent.” It is likely that the majority of students on campus, like Moury, “wouldn't know what to do.” Junior Angel Sana says that she has “only heard of ICE through online. I have never seen them in real life, which I would be afraid to.” “I wouldn't say anything,” said junior Val Medina-Tellez. “As somebody whose parents immigrated here, there would be no point in saying anything. They would automatically assume you are illegal, [and say] ‘I'm gonna detain you.’ They wouldn’t actually care.” Some students were more assertive. “I know my rights, I would only say what is needed to say and stay silent,” said junior Aleksandr Lucas. “I would never help an agency that does horrible stuff to innocent individuals that only try to make their own lives and their children's lives better.” “For some reason citizenship doesn't mean anything to them.” said freshman Mele Faleta. “There are many requirements that have to go with living in the US” yet “people still don’t think that it's enough for people to stay here, then i think maybe just get something else to worry about.” Dezmond Jace “Dezzy” Longgay, a senior, said “I'd actually lowkey be afraid.” The reason he’s afraid is “because of the fact that even though I am a United States born citizen, because of my race, I will be deported back to the Philippines.” Longgay believes the possibilities of ICE coming to camps are high because “Hawai’i is one of the well-known diverse states in the U.S., other than like California.” Since we're all isolated on one small island Longgay thinks “they might see it as an advantage to find people.” “They're clearly not looking for criminals” Tatro believes that there are people who come to “destroy” the country he loves. He mentioned how in the last four years crime rates and violence have risen because of illegal immigrants. “I'm talking about the violent illegal immigrants,” he said. “I’m talking about the ones that have a history of crime.” Offering an example, he encouraged me to imagine “a group of individuals from a country that is in conflict with us, and you see single men 26 years old with their backpack and their jeans and their sneakers, their $200 sneakers. You wonder what they're coming here for–especially when you see many who look like this, no family, just themselves. Charged with various heinous crimes, you know what they're coming for?” He answered his own question: “they're coming here to bring destruction and chaos to our country.” “ICE in the past, or at least the last administration was supposed to be just targeting the top people with any criminal records, right?” said Ellis. “If Donald Trump is letting them come to schools, they're clearly not looking for criminals. They're looking for any and everyone.” Holland (who said that she would lock her students in the bathroom), agrees. I sat with her in a nearly empty Kulanihako’i cafeteria as teachers had begun to leave, most of their questions answered and some of their anxiety eased. Soft spoken, yet bold and confident with her words, Holland talked about this common connection between crime and immigration. “Less than one percent of the crime in this country is committed by immigrants” she insisted. “So the statistics and the facts don't back up that.” referring to others opinions on immigrant crime rates. According to a 2024 report on crime rates in Texas, a border state, the National Institute of Justice found that immigrants did in fact have a lower crime rate than citizens. Using FBI data, the American Immigration Council also notes that the idea that immigrants bring crime to America is a myth. The results from the population data in relation to crime rates showed “no statistically significant correlation between the immigrant share of the population and the total crime rate in any state.” They conclude that: “higher immigrant population shares are not associated with higher crime rates” Sana sees some of this and thinks that ICE is “sending people home where they are from because of their colors or race.” Yet, she still thinks that “some immigrants did come here without papers and still yet committed crimes, including rape, murder, theft, and other crimes. I would be very much happy if they sent those people who committed crimes.” Sana added, however, that, “for others who came here with papers and have the right of residency, and yet still getting sent home is far too much.” “I think that it is being used to push certain agendas and deporting people like Kilmar Garcia who have little to no criminal record,” said Anna. “To me it shows that the government doesn’t need a reason to take someone you love who might not be a white person and send them to a federal prison in a whole other country.” Lucas thinks ICE “has really turned into a whole racist organization,“adding that it’s “despicable and shameful to the country.” Ellis thinks that ICE “should never be a worry for these kids who are at school to learn. It should be a safe space.” “I feel like ICE shouldn't even exist,” said Holland. “The whole principle of the country of America is built by immigrants, so the fact that a bunch of xenophobic old men are trying to hold onto their privilege by implementing immigration policies is an affront to everything this country stands for.” Mathis offered similar sentiments. “It's always been discriminatory from the beginning,” she noted. “[N]ow the situation has changed in the country where the minority groups–they come together to become the majority, and the people who are the majority now they become the minority. It's the fear, the fear that all these people would come together and maybe they will take over.” Angel Sana is a junior who thinks the situation is “messed up.” For Angel, ICE is just a group trying “to take advantage of humans that are not Americans.” They “do whatever they want,” Sana continued, “but they do it in their own way. They don’t follow the rules.” “Honestly because they put a bunch of racist, bigoted people in charge and we’re just seeing the effects of our country’s ignorance,” said Anna. “It’s important to understand the impact that they have on our communities and the actual threat that they pose,” she said. “I have friends and even family members who are immigrants who are worried about this kind of thing and it’s horrible to see.” “I think everybody wants it good for the country” “I think everybody wants it good for the country, so nobody is gonna take over, so let it be cool on immigration and encourage ingenuity of the immigrants," said Mathis, who offered a history of immigration in America that “dates back to the coming of the settlers. Everyone that came from Europe, especially the United Kingdom, were immigrants.” “Immigration is very important. We have to support it and not discourage it. Because that's how we got all these brains that we have, all the inventions, everything. It's immigrants' knowledge that built this country and you can't do away with immigration.” Mathis went on: “These children, one of these children, they could help you tomorrow. That's the blessing of immigration. We all have different skills. So no ICE person can come to my door and take anybody.” Holland hoped that our generation “would live in a world where you didn't have to fight these struggles anymore.” She said “you guys are gonna have to stand up. You're gonna have to resist, you're gonna have to push back against tyranny, against authoritarianism. Against the rise of fascism again.” “It's time for people to stop being ignorant about important issues like these,” said Lucas. If you are feeling distressed about current events, the Ka Lama staff recommends you seek out your grade level counselor. Trinity Guiza is a staff writer at Ka Lama Hawai'i.