Sophomores dine, dance, shake in ‘Aqua’ night

The sophomore class of 2015 celebrated their banquet at Keʻeaumokupāpāiaheiahe Dinning Hall on March 2, 2013. The night’s theme was Aqua.

“It was fantastic,” Kameryn Pupunu from Maui Prep said.

The sophomore class government came up with the theme to be completely different from their freshman banquet where the primary color was black. Balls with streamers hanging from them represented jellyfish while blue and white balloons littered the floor, giving the students a feeling of being in the water.

“We wanted a happier color,” sophomore class president Shai Ibara said.

Each table had a centerpiece with a jar of water with a goldfish inside. A student from each table was randomly chosen to take the centerpiece home. The idea was brought to life by sophomore Maile Sur.

“The inspiration came from Mehana Lee’s centerpieces at senior ball,” she said. “I thought this would be an innovative and cute idea.”

Unlike the other banquets and balls this year, the sophomore banquet was catered by Kamehameha Schools Maui’s very own food services director, Mr. John Cadman. The class presented the theme to Mr. Cadman who more than welcomed the idea of catering for the sophomore class.

“It’s what I love to do,” Mr. Cadman said. “I like it when people enjoy my cooking.”

After eating dinner, the sophomores enjoyed an award show. Students were nominated for things such as Best Sneeze, Best Laugh and Most Native.

After the award show, students and their guests watched a video presentation of their high school life so far, including homecoming, sophomore sleepover and candid pictures of the class on campus.

“It was a tribute to the class,” chaperone Mr. Kaholo Rickard said.

Music was provided by DJ’s Mackie Mac and Sherwood. The dance floor was off to a slow start, but students filled it as the night went on.

“It was pretty lame that a lot of people didn’t dance a lot at the beginning,” sophomore Jonathan Lum Lung said.

“I hope they make as many memories as they can,” Ibara said. “Sophomore year is almost over.”

Freshman stars, starlets walk the red carpet

On February 11, the freshman class of 2015 got spiffy to make their debut on the red carpet at Keʻeaumokupapāiʻaheʻahe Dining Hall, the scene of their freshman banquet. The theme was “Walking the Red Carpet” and with an added layer of Hollywood glam, the freshmen were looking like stars.

The evening started off with the freshmen getting to walk down their own personal red carpet to enter the transformed dining hall. Each student received an ID lanyard containing a personalized VIP pass to the event.

Their black, white and red color scheme was evident in the decorations inside: swaths of fabric swooping down from the ceiling, black tableware with red flowers and ribbon accents, balloons on the dance floor, and a large display of the word “Hollywood” accented with a giant paper filmstrip and twinkling white lights, as well as other decorations throughout the dining hall. The decor became a quick favorite of all in attendance.

“The decorations are beautiful. I like the Hollywood theme. It was easy to dress up for,” freshman Jessica Mendiola said.

Shai Ibara, 2015 class president, headed up the decorations committee with other government officers.

“We stayed after school yesterday until 6:00 p.m. setting up everything as much as we could. We came back this morning [Saturday] and have been here [setting up] since 9:00 a.m. I love freshman banquet because our class can spend quality time together and have fun,” she said.

Students had photo-booth style pictures taken by Bayez Photo. Freshman class adviser, Mr. Kaholo Rickard, said students had expressed worries about taking intimate boy-girl photos, which prompted him to use Bayez Photo, whose casual, fun style he was familiar with. Bayez Photo gave students props - like hats, glasses, and boas – and took four posed shots, which were printed out for them as soon as they finished.

Once everyone was seated, the dinner was open and the students helped themselves to a Hawaiian plate-themed dinner and delicious treats from a chocolate fountain dessert table. The food was catered by Maui Style Seafood Catering.  Each table came with two bottles of sparkling apple cider.

The announcement of the Hall of Fame winners was one of the evening’s highlights. Tiana Sakumoto was among the students awarded for her outstanding qualities. She won the Future Olympian award.

“I play softball and volleyball. I’m glad that I got be recognized for that tonight,” she said.

Also recognized were three students who were celebrating a birthday at the banquet: Sakumoto and twins Cody and Kyle Fushikoshi Wago, who turned 15 that night.

Sakumoto was happy that her birthday coincided with the event. “I get to hang out with all my friends!” she said.

As soon as the award winners had taken their seats, the freshmen took a walk down memory lane and watched a lengthy slideshow of photographic memories.

Feeling closer than ever after that, they took to the dance floor. Next Level Entertainment Dj’ed and played music videos on the big screen while students danced.

Though the night had begun with some of the girls receiving detention for attending in dresses that were more than four inches above the knee, the rest of the night went by smoothly.

“I am proud of the production of the freshmen banquet. We didn’t have as much help as initially promised, but those who did stay did an amazing job. They pulled together and worked hard to the end. There weren’t really any major problems; everything fell together nicely,” Mr. Rickard said.

Other KSM high school staff and students helped make the event possible. Teachers chaperoned, and Mr. Rickard attributed a lot of the success of the event to senior class adviser, Ms. Ronnelle Suda. Senior class leaders were also there to set up and monitor the buffet line all night.

KSM guys take a walk in women’s shoes

KSM faculty rallied together with the peer mediation team on Oct. 28 to support domestic violence prevention. Male peer mediation students as well as male teachers got in touch with their feminine side and limped, tottered and flopped around the quad in women’s high heels as part of a stunt to “walk a mile in her shoes.”

The Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event is marking its tenth anniversary this year. In 2001, founder Frank Baird organized the first walk in Northridge, Calif. Today, the event’s goal is ”to take a stand against sexualized violence,” according to their Web site.

The school’s peer mediation team adapted the event to become Walk Around the Quad in Her Shoes. Male students and teachers circled the sidewalk accompanied by female peer mediators and staff spotting them so they wouldn’t fall and cheering them on.

Peer mediators kicked off the day by holding anti-violence signs outside school on Haleakala Hwy. to raise awareness among the passing public before school started. Students paused to read signs and posters with statistics about sexual violence against women, which were also posted around campus throughout the day.

Senior Jordan Nauka strapped on his heels and joined in on Friday. “It’s nice to see the girls smiling and laughing at us men trying to be ‘in their shoes,’” he said.

Many of the guys struggled as they tried their best to strut their stilettos, but some looked like they had gotten some practice in beforehand. Kumu Lokahi Antonio was even seen running (check it out on our video)!

“It was fun, but I think I like slippers better,” Nauka said.

Nazareth Thibodeaux was one of the first males to make it to the finish line, and Vice Principal Leo Delatori rounded everything up coming in last at the end of the walk.

Though the men and boys approached the walk good-naturedly, Nauka said that the experience also served another purpose, to teach guys a valuable lesson: “Girls have it harder than guys,” he said.