Centennial Friday Reflection Assembly

By Spencer & Lila

At the assembly last week we talked about Centennial Friday. We learned that our school was started as an experimental school. We tried this out on Centennial Friday and we think it went pretty well. Mr. Hirokawa took over 600 photos and walked around six miles to capture all the activities. After we watched the video he created about the day, we listened to reflections from students and adults. Noah said this day helped us bring out our true colors. Mrs. Guy said kids want to start a knitting club. At the end of the assembly, Kamalei led all the students in our Mahalo Song to thank everyone who helped make this day possible. The 6th graders thank all of you again! Centennial Friday was a great day. 

6th Grade Camp at Camp Mokuleia

Camp Mokuleia is the special way for the 6th graders to start off the school year!

Assembly Blog

September 28, 2018

Hello! Our names are Star and Matthew. Our most recent Sixth Grade performance was the Sixth-Grade Camp Assembly. In this presentation we split up into five groups: group A, B, C, D, and E. Each group did one of the trust exercises we did during camp. A did the Trust Fall, B did Toxic Pond, C did Giant's Finger, D did Wireless Communication, and E did Half Pipe. In preparing for the assembly, most of the groups had to find objects that were similar to the tools we used at camp. Since the objects were different than what we had at camp, we had to figure out how to make the activity as challenging as it was at camp. We used our acting skills along with our courage and responsibility to show what we did at camp without giving away the experience. We all enjoyed sharing our knowledge from camp to get the other kids excited for their future Mokule'ia experience. 

Cooke Family Assembly: Sophie and George Cooke's Legacy

Our Friday, September 21, 2018, our Assembly was an exciting, historical one! To launch our Centennial Year, it was fitting to remember and honor our school’s founders, Sophie Judd Cooke and George Paul Cooke. It was thrilling to welcome on campus 14 family members of the Cooke ‘Ohana who represented different branches of the family of Anne Charlotte Rice Cooke, and, husband, Charles Montague Cooke. George Cooke was one of their sons.

Amber Strong ‘89 Makaiau, a Cooke descendant, current parent and PDC Director, organized a wonderful assembly of the Cooke family. Thanks to Mrs. Makaiau, the teachers were able to prepare the children for the assembly by introducing them to a number of primary sources, such as family photographs, books, and a timeline. The children then generated questions they wanted to ask the Cooke panelists, John Derby ‘52 (grandson of the founders), and Caroline Bond ‘66 Davis (great-granddaughter of the founders).

The students took charge of the Assembly by posing very interesting questions curious to know more about the founding of our school and its founders:

Aiden, 6th grade asked: What was your favorite memory of Sophie and George Cooke? Mr. Derby responded how much he enjoyed visiting his grandparents on Molokai where they had a home. It was in Kauluwai where they had 42 cows. At 3:00 AM he would hear a big bell, he put on his boots and supervised the milking of the cows. Mrs. Davis said she remembers vividly how she taught her great grandmother how to back shuffle cards at 82 years old, and how this is a remarkable example of Sophie as a lifelong learner.

Pale in Kukunaokala inquired “what was here before the school? Why did they. build the school here? Mr. Derby shared it was a 2-acre vacant lot and “grandpa” moved 2 buildings to this lot — 1 was the classroom and 1 was the Shop. Hanahau‘oli started with Shop!

Nahina in JK wondered, “why are there so many traditions at Hanahau‘oli? Mrs. Davis said this is a way to remember things of the past. She shared that her Great Grandmother Sophie had the chance to shake the hand of then President Theodore Roosevelt. Sophie never forgot his firm, strong handshake. This memory endured and explainswhy at the end of each school day, the students shake hands with the Head of School!

There were so many great questions with so many interesting answers, filled with information about the history of our school.

The assembly ended with the school’s tribute to the Cooke Foundation because if its wonderful support each year. Ms. Woo presented to Greg Wrenn, Mrs. Baclig’s brother and President of the Cooke Foundation, a plaque that had a picture of all the Cooke Foundation Trustees on the school’s Dome on the playground that read:

The Cooke Foundation
Ho'omau Hanahau'oli: Perpetuating a legacy of Lifelong learning
With deep gratitude for the aloha and support
Centennial Year 1918 - 2018 (with Centennial logo)

What a special, unforgettable morning!

Our Young Authors -- Joyous Traditions of the Orange and White

As part of 2017-18 Kulāiwi studies on community with a special focus on the Hanahau‘oli community, the Kulāiwi students decided to study the traditions at Hanahau‘oli School. The young authors described how they loved having a choice to select which tradition they wanted to research. They used resources, visited Archives with Mrs. Ho, interviewed Dr. Peters, parents, and other teachers. Together, they brainstormed how to present the information.

The students came up with diverse ways to share what they learned, e.g., art, fun facts, poetry, and posed questions, such as “should the tradition of assemblies continue or what will the Children’s Fair look like in the future?” The beautiful illustrations by each of the students vividly bring to life their writing!

Finn and Riley made a special presentation to their parents, Ian and Jane Gillespie. Mrs. Gillespie is a publisher and book layout designer. She took all the children’s artwork and text and did the layout design of the book and published the book as well as a donation to the school. The students also acknowledged Mrs. Ho who worked with them in Archives and helped them with their research.

The students hope to keep our traditions alive for the next 100 years!

Special Story and Teacher Promos for Centennial Friday!

Friday Assembly on 9/7/18 was so fun! Following a tradition of starting the new school year with a story, Ms. Woo selected a wonderful book called Three Questions. This was Dr. Peters’ birthday book one year!

The story is about a boy named Nikolai (played by Mr. Prellberg) who wants to be a good person but was not always sure about the best way to act. He asked his friends, Sonya, the heron (read by Mrs. Wong); Gogol, the monkey (read by Mrs. Rosen); and Pushkin, the Dog (played by Mr. Gillespie) 3 questions: What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? and What is the right thing to do? Their answers did not seem right to him.

Nikokai’s experiences with Leo, the Turtle (read by Ms. Woo) and Panda (read by Ms. Gabby) helped him discover the answers! Read the book to discover what they are! And Mrs. Galdeira was such a great narrator throughout the story.

This Assembly had a Part II! Everyone is excited about Centennial Friday that will occur on 9/21/18 following the Assembly on the Cooke Family. Students got to hear “promos” from teachers who will be leading the fun sessions in the morning and in the afternoon. The teachers enjoyed creatively presenting their short promos. The students eagerly watched them thinking about their top 3 choices. Out of the 3 sessions, 2 will be selected for each student.

The workshop sessions are diverse and it will be so difficult deciding between choices such as Cooking Fun, Book Skits, Bugs, Rock-n-Chalk, Old-Fashioned Games, EZ Lei-Making, Sign Making/Giving Back, Paint by Numbers, Stomp it up, Forts, and Yarn Bomb, just to name a few!

Tribute to Mrs. Lillian Noda '32 Yajima!

We planned a perfect start to our Centennial Year 2018-2019! Our first assembly was a joyful one featuring our beloved Mrs. Lillian Yajima '32.  Each time she visits us on campus, she inspires and awes us with her vivid stories and special memories of her learning at Hanahau'oli.  She was a student here 92 years ago when she entered our school is 1926! 

The school is so lucky that she frequently comes to school throughout the year! For example, we may see her celebrating Halloween with the children or teaching origami to faculty.  Because she is such valuable resource to the school in a multitude of ways, this Assembly was dedicated to her.  How appropriate she was our special person in Sunshine Chair!  We had the wonderful opportunity to hear her remarkable stories and pay tribute to her.  

She shared her framed wedding invitation and her 25th wedding anniversary announcement.  These were important events in her life and she recounted that she invited then Hanahau'oli principal, Mrs. Louisa Palmer, to her wedding.  She was astonished because not only was each invitation was carefully guarded by Mrs. Palmer but also adorned artistically along the edges with an assortment of hand-cut, tiny flowers.  They were gifted to Mrs. Yajima by Mrs. Palmer to commemorate both events.  Mrs. Yajima described how touched she was with this act of kindness, thoughtfulness, and love.  Mrs. Yajima said, "this is Hanahau'oli."  

Mrs. Yajima also shared 2 key life messages she learned while being a student here:  Always try and girls can do what boys can do!

We showed slides from Archives of Hanahau'oli during the years 1926 - 1932 and we were all pleasantly surprised that we found a photo of Mrs. Yajima wearing kapa and lei!  

As a tribute to Mrs. Yajima and all she does for the school, she was presented with a plaque given with love from the school. The inscription read:

Lillian Noda '32 Yajima
Hanahau'oli School's Centennial Year 1918 - 2018
With deep appreciation of her aloha and dedication

It was a lovely tribute and expression of gratitude to Mrs. Yajima from the entire school. We can look forward to seeing Mrs. Yajima at the Birthday Bash on 9/22/18!