LIHUE — Instead of a traditional May Day court, Elsie Wilcox Elementary School celebrated the keiki of the land with a “We Are One” theme Friday.
The students were joined by special guests, fifth-grade students from Mamu Primary School from Paenoo, Tahiti, one of Kauai’s sister cities.
“This took a long time to realize,” said Wilcox Vice Principal Leila Kobayashi. “I was in Tahiti and got to see the school. When I heard they had plans of coming to Kauai, I invited them to come see the best school — Wilcox Elementary.”
The visiting Tahitian students, in addition to interacting with their counterpart class, also contributed to the festive May Day programming that unfolded before an audience of several hundred people from the community. The even concluded with the joining of hands and the singing of “Hawaii Aloha.”
Teacher Ronson Sahut said kupuna had asked if there was going to be a May Day court.
“She was happy,” Sahut said when she was told the school was not going to have a court. “She said now we’re going to celebrate the real May Day.”
Parents, friends and relatives had ample time to get snapshots of their keiki decked out in colorful Hawaiian attire and lei.
Hailey Martinez and Kimiko Tsukamoto served as emcees for the event which included each class from kindergarten through fifth-grade performing to a number paying tribute to the island and its colorful lifestyle.
“I’m not nervous,” Martinez said. “But fifth-grade students always have to be the emcee, so we were chosen to do today’s event.”
Following the morning of festive dances and song, the school moved into its Praise Day, allowing the parents to visit their child’s class to see the accomplishments made during the school year.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
