KEKAHA — Kekaha Elementary School students were rewarded with a wide range of electronic products for their attendance efforts as well as their creativity in a poster art contest. Waste Management of Hawaii, represented by District Manager John Ruiz and
KEKAHA — Kekaha Elementary School students were rewarded with a wide range of electronic products for their attendance efforts as well as their creativity in a poster art contest.
Waste Management of Hawaii, represented by District Manager John Ruiz and Mackey Dela Cruz, were joined by Lenny Rapozo, the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation director, in making the announcements and presenting the hardware during the school’s Winter Celebration on Friday.
Ruiz said during the school year ending in 2013, Kekaha had 41 students with perfect attendance.
“This year, we have 82 students who have perfect attendance,” Ruiz said. “That is double of last year’s numbers.”
As a reward, each of those students’ names were placed in a bag and five were drawn to receive premiums from Waste Management.
D. McCockett was elated, exploding from his seat and flying onto the stage as his name was called.
“I did it all by myself,” he said, excitedly waving his RCA tablet when a parent came to check on him.
Other attendance premium winners included Daniel Abreau, Xavier Machado, Riley Torres and Emerson Ochoa, none of whom were present.
Ruiz said the highlight of the presentations included the announcement of winners for the “Together we can keep Kekaha Clean and Green!” poster art contest which was held in observance of America Recycles Day on Nov. 15.
“The art contest was designed to engage local students in the beauty of their surrounding environment and their responsibility to care for it,” Ruiz said. “Through artistic expression, our hope is that it encourages youth to take care of their community through civic involvement and environmental conservation.”
Unlike previous years, this year’s awards went directly to the students in grades kindergarten through fifth-grade, Ruiz said.
Owen Yamamoto and Khloe Frasco were awarded Chromebooks; Keanu Silva waved a Nextbook; Milana Schaefer was happy with her blue iPod; Cailey Delanoza-Vea was overwhelmed with a new laptop computer; and RCA tablets were presented to Kymrie Eguchi and Swede Sandblom as winners in the kindergarten and first-grade level.
Second- and third-grade winners included Hailey Mata (pink laptop), Josey Ann Mattos (iPod Touch), Hayden Sugahara (Chromebook), Rhaziah Tacub-Taniguchi (Nextbook), Tristan Raposas (Chromebook), and Jessica Sarmiento (RCA tablet).
Fourth- and fifth-grade winners included Kainoa Blaze Silva (blue laptop), Hallie Frasco (iPod), Kyara Kenney (pink laptop), Ryson Waalani (Chromebook), David Kaio Tsuchiya (iPod Touch), Areck Yamamoto (iPod Touch), Mareta Egan (Chromebook), Kimberly Vidinha (iPod Touch), Safina Sandblom (iPod Touch) and Haweo Akeo (iPod Touch).
The winners represented only a portion of the school’s 327 students, Ruiz said, who is hopeful more students will take part in the next art contest to earn valuable electronic prizes.
