Students and children were the focus of both Governor Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James Duke Aiona as they both had whirlwind tours to become acquainted with the activities Kaua‘i’s students were involved in. Aiona started the tour shortly after
Students and children were the focus of both Governor Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James Duke Aiona as they both had whirlwind tours to become acquainted with the activities Kaua‘i’s students were involved in.
Aiona started the tour shortly after lunch with a stop at the King Kaumuali‘i School in Hanama‘ulu where he spent some time talking with the fifth grade students there about the dangers of underage drinking and the consequences of young people ignoring the law and drinking alcohol.
This was followed by a trip up to Kalaheo School where Aiona saw firsthand the miraculous recovery Erik Burkman and his staff and community volunteers accomplished in the face of losing their administration building to a fire over the weekend.
“It was the heart of the school,” Burkman noted the central role the administration building played at Kalaheo School.
“When you came down Pu‘u Road, it was the first thing you saw. The central design of the centennial shirt featured the building that is now hydro-mulched and crisscrossed with an irrigation system.
As a gesture of support, Aiona presented Burkman with a set of flags, one American flag, and a Hawai‘i State flag, that he said was obtained from General Robert Lee, commander of the Army National Guard.
Aiona lamented the fact that it takes a disaster to bring out the goodness of community, but was thankful and inspired by how the community banded together to reopen the school’s doors to students in just two days following the fire.
From there, the lieutenant governor motored back to Lihu‘e to spend some time reading stories to preschoolers at the Lihu‘e Hongwanji.
On a different route, Governor Lingle’s first stop was at Island School where she spent time answering questions and talking to some of the students there before heading to a special meeting with Kaua‘i Island Utility Coop officials.
Going back to her roots as an age group swimmer, Governor Lingle stopped off to visit the Learn to Swim program conducted by Coach Orlando Anaya and the Mokihana Aquatics staff.
While there, she met with parents who had concerns over the uncertainty over their use of the pool situated on the grounds of Kaua‘i High School.
With a time trials weekend facing them, Governor Lingle encouraged the aspiring swimmers to swim hard and practice diligently.
It was just a short walk to the General Learners Outcome (GLO) Celebration taking place in the courtyard of Kaua‘i High School, and the governor came prepared as she had commendations for the school’s mock trial team that recently returned with the nation’s runner-up trophy following a tough court battle with a California school.
Acknowledging their efforts in this arena, Lingle also presented commendations to Larry MacIntosh, the school’s music director and director of bands, for his 40 years of teaching excellence.
MacIntosh has earned the school numerous awards and national recognition for its participation in the 2005 Tournament of Roses parade in Pasedena, California.
He is scheduled to conduct his final Spring Concert on Thursday, May 20.
The band boosters are inviting former Kaua‘i High School band members as well as former band booster members to join the community in paying tribute to the maestro for his 40 years of excellence.
Overlapping MacIntosh’s recognition, Lingle also presented a commendation to the Kaua‘i High School Jazz Ensemble which has consistently returned with high honors during their yearly participation in the Spring Music Festival held in Laie and featuring competition that come from all parts of the mainland.
The governor and lieutenant governor will be spending the weekend for the state GOP convention that is taking place at the Kaua‘i Marriott with Friday’s whirlwind tour serving as a prelude for their convention appearances.
- Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) and dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
