KALAHEO — Community leaders took time out of their Tuesday morning schedule to spend some time reading at Kalaheo School. David Yukimura, a librarian master’s degree candidate, said two people were unable to attend due to unexpected events that popped
KALAHEO — Community leaders took time out of their Tuesday morning schedule to spend some time reading at Kalaheo School.
David Yukimura, a librarian master’s degree candidate, said two people were unable to attend due to unexpected events that popped up, but everyone else showed up to spend time with the Kalaheo School students in a “Reading is Funtastic” event.
Margaret Padilla, the Kalaheo School librarian, said the event was coordinated by Yukimura as a practicum for his degree.
This project had to be something he advocated, Padilla said, and Yukimura chose to have some of the community leaders spend time with students in reading.
With some of the school’s classes involved in testing, the guest readers spent most of the morning with kindergarten classes and grades 1 and 2 students.
Kaua‘i Police Chief Darryl Perry came prepared, having selected books from Border’s for each of the two classes he was spending time with.
Additionally, he presented another book to Padilla for the school library because he said it was such a good value, he couldn’t pass it up.
Perry said he is an alumni of Kalaheo School, having grown up in Lawai Valley and remembers the walk commute to and from school through one of the valleys that had steps cut into its sides.
Other readers included educator Keith Amano who spared little effort in bringing along some portable computers and enlisting the aid of the school with some audio visual aids.
Dodd Apao represented Kaua‘i Fire Chief Robert Westerman who was in attendance at the debut of the Ko‘a Kea Hotel & Resort in Po‘ipu, and Doug Sears, general manager of the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa, was glad there were more rooms to add to the visitor industry inventory.
Arnold Meister donned a special Kuhio Week fashion show designer shirt for the event and Pam Brown was checking to make sure her camera functioned before leaving with her student escort.
Other readers included Erik Burkman, the school’s principal, Melinda Barnes, Nathan Eagle and Diana Leone.