KEKAHA — Ke Kula Ni‘ihau O Kekaha Learning Center, Kaua‘i’s first public charter school, celebrated its second commencement exercises late Thursday afternoon at the Waimea Theatre. Graduates Chassidy Ann Ku‘ualohalani Kanahele and Kurtis Kawainoelani Ka‘aumoana Kanahele not only received their
KEKAHA — Ke Kula Ni‘ihau O Kekaha Learning Center, Kaua‘i’s first public charter school, celebrated its second commencement exercises late Thursday afternoon at the Waimea Theatre. Graduates Chassidy Ann Ku‘ualohalani Kanahele and Kurtis Kawainoelani Ka‘aumoana Kanahele not only received their diplomas, but they also delighted a gathering of family and friends with songs and hula.
Diplomas were presented to the graduates by the school’s administrator, Paul Koki Williams, who also bid farewell to the students and families. Williams is moving to another school to complete requirements for tenure in the Department of Education system.
Incoming administrator Haunani Seward was also in attendance at the graduation and is looking forward to taking over the administrative duties of the school on July 1.
Graduating senior Ku‘ualohalani Kanahele has already taken early-admission classes at Kaua‘i Community College and plans to continue her education there in the fall.
Kawainoelani Kanahele is looking forward to taking classes at KCC, but plans to visit his family on Ni‘ihau for quite awhile before continuing his education.
Ke Kula Ni‘ihau O Kekaha was established in order to help meet the special needs of the Ni‘ihau community.
A main goal of the school and one of the primary needs addressed by the school is to perpetuate and strengthen the Ni‘ihau dialect of the Hawaiian language, especially among Ni‘ihau children living on Kaua‘i. The K-12 program at the school which is mostly taught in the Hawaiian language, is adding a preschool component this fall with the assistance of funding from a federal grant from the Native Hawaiian Education Program.
