KAPAA — White roses with a singular red rose sat in the fork of a recently-pruned kukui nut tree Monday at Kapaa High School. “The tree is being dedicated to the memory of Bernadine Enrique,” said Brandon Fujita, a Kapaa
KAPAA — White roses with a singular red rose sat in the fork of a recently-pruned kukui nut tree Monday at Kapaa High School.
“The tree is being dedicated to the memory of Bernadine Enrique,” said Brandon Fujita, a Kapaa High School instructor. “Bernadine planted this tree when this area of the school was a jungle with koa.”
Bernadine started working at Kapaa High School in 2003 as a special education teacher in the Work Place Readiness program. She died Aug. 6, 2011, at age 67.
“She truly believed that all students could learn, given the time and opportunity,” said Kealoha Enrique, Bernadine’s daughter and a teacher at Kapaa High School for nearly 20 years. “Each student, in their own way, at their own pace, would be able to become successful in school.”
Bernadine had students planting, harvesting and learning how to prepare the crops they grew.
“She also taught them how to cook, using the vegetables they picked from the garden,” Kealoha said. “She taught them how to start and maintain a garden, how to harvest and eat the food they grew.
Fujita said the area was hot, and following Bernadine’s passing, thought dedicating the tree to her would not be enough.
“This was a hard project, five years in the making,” Fujita said. “The students built this pavilion and the park bench. They sweated in the sun, but this is now a cool place where students and teachers can cool off. They built it and they’ll care for it.”
