KAPAA — The most important thing is they learn, said Terry Maguire, Kapaa Middle School Honors English teacher Friday. Armed with a goal of “more than $1,500,” more than 600 students from the school took to the sixth-grade playground during
KAPAA — The most important thing is they learn, said Terry Maguire, Kapaa Middle School Honors English teacher Friday.
Armed with a goal of “more than $1,500,” more than 600 students from the school took to the sixth-grade playground during the third Relay Field Day.
“We don’t really know how much we’ve collected, since they’re still counting the money,” said Mary Lardizabal, Relay for Life North Shore coordinator and a cancer survivor. “Last year, the students raised about $1,200, so we’re hoping that’s going to grow. The proceeds go to benefit one of the Kauai community relay events.”
Nathan Aiwohi, Kapaa Middle School principal, said this is one event which won’t go away.
He said the school supports students by helping with incentive prizes, and this year, the media class provided live streaming of the event via Hawaii Stream.
“When we thought of the original idea, we were the first in the state,” Aiwohi said. “But by the time we got things off the ground, we weren’t the first. Every year, there are students who come to ask if we can do this. It’s part of service learning.”
Student Justin Paleka said he would be willing to do this event again.
“The hardest part was the preparation, including ordering the incentive prizes, and setting up the course,” Paleka said. “But I would do it, again. It was fun.”
Joining Paleka on the planning committee are students Tia Lardizabal, whose mom Mary is a cancer survivor, Sheila Bloom, Audrey Garrison, Nevaeh Arruda-Kapu, Brittain McGuinness, Larissa Tsai and Kaylene Iloreta.
Maguire said the hardest part of setting up this year’s relay was losing the Kauai representative who relocated to Oahu.
“Luckily for us, Mary Lardizabal stepped up and helped pull everything together,” Maguire said. “This is all about the service aspect. We have a girl who might do Locks for Love later in the year, and last year, we had a girl who worked with Make A Wish Foundation. Hopefully, they learn a lot while doing this.”
The American Cancer Society Relay for Life is scheduled for May 3 at the Hanapepe Soccer Field.
The North Shore Relay for Life is scheduled for Aug. 15 at the field at the Kauai Christian Academy.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
