Kahuku High School alumni have organized an all-KHS reunion luncheon set for Sunday, July 26, to take advantage of an anticipated huge turnout for Kahuku’s very last Bon Dance the Saturday before.

The luncheon is expected to attract more than 200 attendees, which prompted the organizers to switch the venue from the Kahuku Community Center (the old Sugar Plantation Co. Office) to the cafeteria on the KHS campus. Responses are coming in from many parts of the Mainland as well as many of the outer islands and include alumni from as far back as 1945.

Tickets to the catered Hawaiian food (Hukilau Café) luncheon are $15 per head and reservations are being accepted by the organizers. Contact:

• Joan Sato (KHS Class of ’57) at (808) 486-1857 or email nattotak@yahoo.com . Mail checks to her at 98-402 Koauka Loop #1602, Aiea, HI 96701.
• Rena Stant (Class of ’57) at (808) 293-8036 or stantr001@hawaii.rr.com
• Pacita Canque (Class of ’56) at (415) 386-5544 in San Francisco or pau2002@aol.com.

Entertainment will be provided by Ben Baligad (Class of ’72) and his band Northwind. The combo performs music that, according to Baligad, “has evolved and developed a wide variety of styles from Rock to Reggae, Country to Jazz blended with contemporary styling to create a unique sound.”

The Kahuku Hongwanji Mission is closing its temple after this year. A dwindling and elderly membership (there are only 23 members left, mostly in their 80s and 90s) is the reason why a decision was made to have this year’s bon dance be its very last.

Additional contact information:

• For the Reunion-Luncheon: As above.
• For the Kahuku Buddhist Temple: Isamu Tatsuguchi, Vice President of the Hongwanji at (808) 293-9475 or email tatsuguci001@hawaii.rr.com

In a July 8 interview, school athletic director Joe Whitford [pictured at left] told Kaleo what some of those changes are, and how others might shape up.

The following changes have already or will soon take effect:

• Two sports will be discontinued,
• others will be modified,
• a total of 17 coaches have been laid off,
• but five new coaches have been named;
• also, new transportation policies will go into effect,
• the starting dates for the remaining sports have been set,
• and the size of most state tournaments has been reduced.

Sports and coaches cut

"We've had some major budget cuts, and we may still have more," said Whitford. "For example, as we speak today I've had to cut $20,000 in coaches salaries, plus we're going to cut about $25,000 in transportation as well as supply and equipment funds. We're talking about that amount in each of the public [high] schools. The transportation and equipment cuts continue from last year, but the cut in coaching funds is brand new."

Whitford explained this situation has led him to discontinue the varsity bowling and JV tennis teams this coming school year. "Basically, these cuts had to do with costs we could not afford," he said.

He added the shortfall in coaching funds also means cutting:

• Four football assistant coaches. "Football had 13 last year between the two teams," he said.
• Two positions from cross country — "down from four."
• One JV girls softball assistant coach.
• One assistant coach from paddling.
• Two assistant coaches from wrestling.
• One each varsity baseball and softball assistant coaches.
• A JV baseball assistant coach slot.
• A judo assistant coach position.

"This leaves me with 65 coaching slots — down from 82, or about a 15 percent cut," Whitford continued, noting he had some discretion in deciding where to make the cuts. "I made recommendations to the principal [Donna Lindsey], and basically she went with them."

"Collectively, that's what we came up with. Some of the decisions had to do with safety: The number of coaches versus the number of student-athletes. Some had to do with the relative costs to run the sports. We reviewed every sport."

He said other considerations included transportation costs and facility rental fees. "We just don't have the money," he said, "so that also played a factor."

Whitford stressed he does not expect to cut any additional sports this year, but if the budget situation worsens, he might have to cut more assistant coach positions. "There may be other hard decisions ahead, at the school level. I don't know how they might affect other school programs, but I know they will also have to be made."

"Furloughs haven't been finalized," he said, "but if they were to come on Fridays that could mean we couldn't have athletic events on that day, because we could be there working. Mondays might be a better furlough day in this respect, or maybe football games would have to be played on another day of the week besides Fridays."

"Also, budget reductions haven't been finalized. In the meantime, we realize the situation we're in, and we're just fortunate that our remaining coaches want to continue," he said. He added that all the affected coaches have been notified.

The new coaches

To insure continuity, Whitford said he has also appointed five new coaches:

• Ed Davis will succeed Dean Hughes in girls softball. Davis, who served as a volunteer softball coach for the past three years, will also coach the JV team in the fall. "We want to improve what has already been established and we want to make it a fun experience," Davis said. Those interested can call him at 781-8718.

• ROTC instructor Sgt. Donald Glover replaces John Shaw as the air riflery coach. Glover, who previously served as assistant coach, said he hopes to create "a united team and eventually work towards qualifying for the state championships." Contact Sgt. Glover at 271-7155.

• Amanda Whitford, the athletic director's daughter-in-law, will guide the cross country teams. Amanda recently graduated from BYU–Hawaii where she was a two-time Pacific West Conference cross country women's champion and Academic All-American. "I hope to show the student-athletes that running cross country is fun and, in the process, they can continually lower their times," she said. Contact Coach Whitford at 371-4535.

• William Mahoni will direct the girls soccer program. Mahoni, who directed the BYU–H women's team to the PacWest title last year, said he plans "to provide a great experience both academically and athletically. Call him at 782-0364.

• Yvette Yadao, who will lead the competition cheer team, said she "plans to improve on past performances," and added that tryouts are set for August 10. Contact her at 293-8950 ext. 223.

New transportation policies call for parent participation

Whitford said another budget-related issue, which he will discuss at the upcoming meeting with parents, "has to do with transportation: Yearly costs come to about $35,000, but our budget is only about $11,500 — a $24,000 problem."

"We will cover all week-day sports transportation costs," Whitford continued. "But what we're going to institute this coming school year, and hopefully the parents will buy in, is that they must transport their student-athletes to all Saturday sports except for football, wrestling, judo and track; plus all student-athletes will also be assessed a bus fee."

He explained that judo and wrestling are exempt because "the student athletes have to get to a particular site ahead of time because of weigh-ins. If a parent takes the student-athlete and is late, the student will be disqualified for that activity.

But Whitford also said, "When we get together with the parents, they may decide collectively to pay a fee to rent a bus on Saturday, so they don't have to take the kids. If they pay, we'll have a bus on Saturday, but it can't be subsidized by the Athletic Department." He noted such buses currently cost $145 "to go anywhere on the island. The bus company we deal with has decided to maintain last year's prices to help us in this effort."

"We'll talk, but as it stands now, the parents will be responsible for taking their student-athletes to Saturday games."

Whitford also pointed out that bus transportation capacity is also behind a decision to limit the size of the football teams. "I also told the volleyball coaches they have to limit their three teams to 42 people; and in another transportation-related measure, he noted that air riflery teams will not travel, but rather each school will shoot at their respective home ranges and then scores will be virtually matched to determine winners and places.

He stressed, however, that if such a riflery match is scheduled for a Saturday, "they cannot shoot on a Thursday or Friday and use the best score. They have to shoot that one time; and, of course, that's going to take a lot of integrity on the part of all the coaches."

Whitford also said that 18-hole golf tournaments might only be held during Spring Break, "because this past year our students missed nine entire days of school in the spring to play rounds of golf. Now, the plan is to play nine-hole-rounds after school at satellite City courses. So, for example, maybe Leilehua and Waialua would come over and golf with Kahuku."

"What we're trying to do in tennis is send three teams to a site, so team-A will play team-B, B will play C, then A-and-C will play. That will help reduce the costs. And baseball and softball will all play double headers on Saturdays," Whitford continued. "That will reduce the costs and the number of trips the teams have to make."

2009-10 sports offerings

HIADA proposes reducing size of state tournaments

Whitford explained that the Hawaii Interscholastic Athletics Directors Association, which met in Waikiki from June 11-13, has proposed reducing the size of state tournaments as another way to help control costs.

"This still hasn't been voted on," Whitford said, noting if accepted the decision could mean that teams who come in third, fourth or fifth in their respective leagues would not go to state tournaments. "That was the main issue."

"We also understand that many of the tournaments are held on Oahu, which means neighbor island teams have to travel; but sometimes 10 teams have to travel to Maui, for example, and only two stay there. Fortunately, air fares are still relatively low, but these are some of the other issues being considered."

Other Kahuku and local sports news

• Whitford said that the 2009-10 Kahuku Athletic Pass will cost $20 and buys entry into all six regular season football games, all 48 regular season boys and girls volleyball and basketball games, and a $3 discount on all OIA playoff games in these sports. He added the passes will be sold at registration on July 22-24, and that with every purchase students will receive a free athletic tee shirt or cap. All sales proceeds help fund Kahuku athletic programs.

• Students who wish to participate in any Kahuku High sport must turn in physical and consent forms to the respective coaches, AND must clear all obligations with the school business office.

• Whitford noted that six of the eight light poles illuminating the Kahuku football field are being replaced, "so the field is 'condemned' until the project is done, and the football team will be practicing on the upper field; but we hope to get the project finished by our first home game, which is September 4th.

• "We will play our preseason football game at Castle on August 15th, and on the 22nd we'll play at the Aloha Stadium against Punahou," Whitford said. "We'll start our regular season against Kailua the following week. All of our home games will be in September."

• Two Kahuku girls were among five Hawaii high school seniors who earned All-American honors from Wrestling USA Magazine: Kala'e Johnson, who finished second at 108 last year, and fourth this year; and Ione Kamakaala, who came in fifth this year at 125.

• Senior graduates Irwin Ah Hoy and Christian Feagai were named to the OIA East Boys Volleyball All-Star Second Team; and Shairone Thompson, Jericho Malufau, Kohl Nauahi, Nicholus Gouveia, Kaholo Kauhi and Keelan Barcina received honorable mention.

• Four BYU–Hawaii women and one man were recently named 2009 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II All-Americans: Elwen Li, Yuan Ji, Jenny Chin and Wen-Lin Wang; and Rong Ma.

— By Mike Foley

[Editor's Note: Former Laie resident Reg Schwenke is currently living in Auckland, New Zealand. Right photo: Schwenke, far right, on the front cover of Newsweek Magazine depicting a story about Hawaii's Asian-Pacific cultural diversity.]

The year was 1985. I was home alone, but that moment of relative solitude was irrevocably shattered by a random TV commercial that caught my eye.

The public service spot depicted a montage of captivating but depressing video images of a rusting Statue of Liberty with a weary sounding female voice-over declaring how tired, worn and downtrodden she was. That 30-second commercial touched my heart and soul.

The voice pleaded for public support to raise millions of dollars to repair and restore it to her former glory of a 100 years earlier on Liberty Island in New York harbor. In the intervening century, she had become America's most significant symbol and icon for all immigrants to these United States.

There I sat, a Kiwi-born Samoan who did not complete high school, unexpectedly transfixed and emotionally transformed. I was then Director of Public Relations & Promotions at the Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii's most successful visitor attraction. I later left and returned some years later to become a Senior Vice President at the Cultural Center for another five years.

After watching that commercial, I was deeply moved and silently vowed I would do something… anything I could to demonstrate my support to this worthy cause.

I learned that U.S. President Ronald Reagan had enlisted the aid of Chrysler Corporation chairman Lee Iacocca to serve as volunteer chairman of the national fundraising effort to raise $250 million to cover all costs associated with the restoration of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island monuments.

I was not a U.S. citizen at the time, but simply a "Green Card"-carrying immigrant and a grateful beneficiary living the so-called "American dream." I had been blessed with numerous opportunities I would NOT have received in my birth country of New Zealand. I know… because I tried.

Days later, I approached my top boss, [the late] Ralph Rodgers, president of the Polynesian Cultural Center, with a concept I had created seeking his blessing and support to start a nonprofit foundation to raise funds from Hawaii, the U.S port of entry for all Pacific Islanders and Asian immigrants. He agreed as long as I continued to perform my responsibilities for the Center.

To make a long story short, I became president and founder of the Aloha Liberty Foundation, enlisting an impressive board of 40-plus dignitaries that included Hawaii's entire Congressional delegation of two U.S. senators and two Congressmen; Governor George Ariyoshi, Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi, current Mayor Mufi Hannemann, and top business and community leaders. The Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaii's largest daily newspaper (where I previously worked as a reporter), became our major news media sponsor.

Our foundation raised more than $250,000 — with every cent going directly to the New York-based Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. Unusually, nothing was kept to cover operating costs or expenses. It was later hailed by Lee Iacocca "as the most comprehensive grassroots fundraising campaign in America."

Though it wasn't planned that way, the most notable of our Foundation events was an elementary through high school essay competition for Hawaii students with the topic, "What the Statue of Liberty Means to Me" in 250 words or less. The winner, selected by Department of Education judges, was Hue Cao, an 11-year-old Vietnamese refugee, who received the grand prize of a brand new Nissan Sentra car arranged through some friends of mine.

Because Hue's family was receiving welfare benefits as her solo mother was raising her children by herself, their federal benefits were jeopardized by her prize and I made sure her story immediately became a national media sensation. How could it not? Federal government threatens to discontinue welfare benefits for refugee solo mother and young children because her 11-year-old daughter wins statewide essay competition detailing what the Statue of Liberty and freedom meant to her and the family.

I contacted the White House and the national media and the matter was eventually resolved with her car sold at auction to the Polynesian Cultural Center above list price and the proceeds set aside in an educational scholarship for Hue. President Reagan even called Hue during our press conference I set up in Honolulu. That required quite a bit of effort and coordination, but it turned out perfectly since it was a surprise to Hue and the assembled media.

Furthermore, I arranged to also have Hue read her winning essay during the global TV broadcast in New York, where we were personally hosted by Donald Trump. In typical Trump fashion, "The Donald" held a press conference at Trump Tower with us to broadcast his involvement as our New York sponsor.

Two other close friends, world renowned environmental artist WYLAND, and Hawaii's foremost fine art photographer [and Hauula resident] Kim Taylor Reece, both agreed to donate an exclusive oil painting and a photographic image they created specifically for our Foundation. We printed them as numbered, hand-signed limited edition lithographs given for donations of up to $1,000.00. The original 6×4-foot oil painting and 4×3-foot photograph were donated for display at the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island foundation museum in New York.

The "Liberty Weekend" grand unveiling of the completely refurbished New York monuments was scheduled for July 3, 1986, as a worldwide television broadcast on ABC TV with an estimated viewer ship of more than a BILLION people.

For the first and only time in history, a special U.S. citizenship swearing-in ceremony was planned as part of the live TV broadcast. Specifically, the governors of all 50 states selected only two eligible persons each to become U.S. citizens in an unprecedented swearing-in ceremony on Ellis Island by the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Warren Burger.

Hawaii's governor selected me and Hue's mother as the Aloha state's two citizenship recipients in New York city. It was a time and series of events I will never forget.

But the most memorable encounter of my Aloha Liberty Foundation activities was an unexpected invitation I received to be part of a VIP airport red carpet receiving line of about 20 people to personally meet and greet President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy during a visit to Hawaii.

My meeting with U.S. President Ronald Reagan and wife,
Nancy Reagan, with the White House press corps in the background

A White House photographer took photos of each of us, which I later received with a salutation to me by name and signed by President Reagan.

At about the same time, I was contacted to be photographed with others for a front cover photo for a Newsweek Magazine story about Hawaii's Asian and Pacific Island cultural diversity.

"The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do." — Sarah Ban Breathnach

[NOTE: Reg's photos were also included in the book The Samoans, by Frederic Koehler Sutter]

The craftsman will share their talents visually and some will sell the items that catch your eye. What a perfect time to start your Christmas shopping, or buy a birthday or anniversary gift for friends or family members. Artisans and crafters will have a wide range of products for sale such as wood-turned bowls, beaded jewelry, photography, Hawaiian crafts, and other unique items.

A display of Arts and Crafts library books will tease you further to BE CREATIVE which is this year's Summer Reading Program theme.

Whether you are a crafter or someone looking to purchase some original work from our own community artisans, the Friends of the Library Kahuku look forward to seeing you on June 30.

If you would like to display your crafts or art work, please call Ann Niblock at 293-2714 or email MaryAnne Long at malong@hawaii.rr.com to reserve a space as early as possible as tables are limited.

Story and photos by Mike Foley

During the annual commencement ceremonies on May 28 in the BYU-Hawaii Cannon Activities Center, 232 Kahuku High and Intermediate School seniors graduated in the Class of 2009.

Despite on-and-off drizzling rain, thousands of family members, friends and neighbors filled the BYUH facility, joining government and community leaders, the chairman of the Hawaii State Board of Education, the Complex superintendent and school principals, faculty and staff to honor the graduates.

Senior Class President Kamalani Macy [pictured at right] introduced the program. Then members of the first Hawaiian Language Immersion Program graduating class opened the ceremonies with a traditional wehena chant, followed by the processional of graduates. The senior class officers — Macy; Taofi Sanft, vice president; Joren Plunkett, treasurer; and Ayesha Magalei, secretary — greet each one as he or she arrived on the stage.

After the grads were in place, the Kahuku High JROTC posted of the colors and Vocal Motion sang both the National Anthem and Hawaii Ponoi state anthem. Heyleen Molitikaand Nathan Fuluvakathen paid tribute to the parents and grandparents of their fellow graduates, and recognized all of the VIPS in attendance.

Over $1.56 million in scholarships

Next, school officials read the list of 50 Kahuku students, or a little over 20 percent of the graduating class, who earned more than $1.56 million in scholarships, with additional awards expected to continue coming in.

While many of the scholarship recipients have been known for months, school principal Donna Lindseypublicly announced the winners of the traditional Red Raider Awards — made possible by a $20,000 donation from the James and Abigail Campbell Family Foundation — for the first time that evening. The following seniors were surprised to hear their names:

• Valedictorian: Cody Kimball, Kiana Keng-Yu Lin, Holly Berlin, Christian Baltazar, Jonathan Lautaha, Aysia Tan, Lisa Ke'ilani Akoi, Rebecca Hurst, Kaisha Ho Ching, Dyland Ropert, Tialei Wesley, Andrina Ramosand Elliot Maua'i. Unlike some schools which only recognize one valedictorian, the Red Raiders recognize everyone who made a perfect grade point average — often surpassing 4.0 because these exceptional students have already earned AP or "advanced placement" college credit.
• Leadership: Kamalani Macy
• Service (over four years): Victoria Hafoka, student body president
• Activities: Joren Plunkett
• Scholar Athlete: Cody Kimball and Andrina Ramos
• I Dare You: Joshua Villanueva
• Outstanding Red Raider: Jonathan Lautaha and Minnie Whitford

Principal Lindsey also called out the following graduates who received the traditional Hamashige Endowment Foundation honors: Christian Baltazar, Brenden Joanou, Rebecca Hurst, Patricia Correa, Jonathan Lautaha, Nile Te'o, Nicholus Gouveiaand Eleni Toluta'u. The Hamashige family, who lived in the Kahuku area many years ago and all their children attended Kahuku, created the endowment in 1996 to identify and reward the meritorious achievement of over 100 graduating Kahuku seniors since then.

Valedictorians choose movie themes

The Kahuku High valedictorians chose themes from popular movies to make their remarks, drawing on such feature films as:

• The Joker in "Batman," who asked why are you so serious: In other words, take time to have fun.
• "Rocky": Our dreams can come true.
• "Johnny Lingo": Mahana turns out to be beautiful in the end.
• "Sandlot": This is just the beginning; the future is knocking at our door.
• …as well as the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "Jungle Book" and "Transformers."

Presentation of diplomas

The presentation of diplomas at Kahuku High graduation ceremonies always brings out lots of enthusiasm and recognition, as marked by loud cheers and blaring air horns, large picture posters, lots of shaka signs, parents and others jockeying for pictures, and some fancy footwork as the grads moved across the stage.

Strangely, as the audience quieted down, the seniors seemed to get more excited as Windward Complex Superintendent Lea Albert, who is also a former Kahuku High principal, accepted the recommendation to matriculate the students, uttering once again her classy line that they were "now and forever graduates of Kahuku High."

In offering the senior farewell remarks, class president Kamalani Macy noted, "Knowledge is of no value unless we put it into practice"; and at the end, she added, "Class of 2009, we made it. Congratulations."

Memories of graduations past

The Kahuku High 2009 commencement ceremonies also caused several fathers and even a grandfather in the audience to reflect on their own graduations in years past…and how they relate to the latest generation of grads.

For example, Harold Pukahiof Laie, Kahuku High Class of 1957, was there for the his grandson, Coleson Pukahi, who has accepted a football scholarship from Montana Western University. He recalled his own commencement was "okay for that time, but it wasn't as exciting as now days. We had 75 of us in the old Kahuku gym that the plantation used. We didn't have soft chairs, just benches; and, of course we had a program. In fact, I was honored by the Kahuku Plantation because of my work with the Future Farmers of America." After, he said, he went home for a small dinner with his family, "and we had a graduation dance."

After graduation, Pukahi had a 33-year career with the Army National Guard, and a second career directing the intramurals program at BYU-Hawaii for 15 years. He said though the number of his fellow Red Raider graduates "has dwindled to almost half," they hold reunions almost every year for the past 10-15 years."

"I'm still a proud Red Raider for life, and I'm glad today's graduations recognize everybody. Kahuku has always been strong in football, but we've also established a great academic program. My sons and now my grandson have benefited from the academics."

One of those sons, Roger Pukahi, also of Laie, graduated from Kahuku in 1981 and soon after joined the Hawaii Army National Guard where he is now a Lieutenant Colonel flying CH-47 Chinook helicopters."

He recalled their commencement ceremonies were held in the morning at the Polynesian Cultural Center. "It was a Saturday morning, and it was sunny, and after we had parties. We had 262 in our class."

"I think one of the best things about Kahuku High is the dynamic mix of cultures," he continued. "Everybody's really close, even now. We're still friends, even 20 and 30 years after."

The senior medley

Steve Hoag, father of new Kahuku graduate Jessica Hoag— who plans to enroll at BYU Provo, said that his own graduation from Kamehameha School in 1984 was held in the Blaisdell Center in Honolulu with, of course, "lots of leis at the end."

Hoag, who is Director of Administration and Assistant to the President at Hawaii Reserves, Inc. — as well as bishop of the Latter-day Saint Laie 2nd Ward — said that in addition to the strong athletic programs at Kahuku, "the academic programs are just outstanding. My daughter is better prepared for college than I was. When I went to BYU Provo I hadn't taken a single AP class, but she's taken five. Kahuku prepared her very well."

"If students and families apply themselves at Kahuku, all of the opportunities to excel are there. I know the teachers and parents also get very involved. That's what's unique about Kahuku. This is a close-knit community with a tradition of excellence in academics."

Don Ramos, the proud father of valedictorian graduate Andrina Ramos — who will attend Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, is another Red Raider alum and life-long Kahuku resident who has strong loyalty and feelings to the school, where he works in the library. He pointed out that Andrina followed in the footsteps of her older sister, Donna Ramos, who was also a valedictorian in the Class of 2004. Donna graduated from Pacific University is working on a master's degree at Chaminade University.

Ramos said when he graduated in 1978 there were about 150 seniors, and they held commencement at the PCC. "It was daytime, nice and hot. To see my daughters graduate is a very happy moment for me."

Alfred Grace, Chief Operating Officer of the Polynesian Cultural Center, was also proud of his daughter, Weathirly Grace, who graduated that evening. "We thought she was going to go to Provo, but she's going to attend BYU-Hawaii and we can't get her out of the house," he joked.

He added that graduation from Tongariro High School in his native Turangi, New Zealand, was much different than the one for today's Kahuku seniors. "We didn't have graduations back then, although the kids got together and didn't go to school all the last week. Basically you passed the exams or you didn't. Those who passed went on to university, or you got into a non-academic line of work. Most students chose not to go on to university."

"It always seems that public schools struggle to provide some of the support services private schools have, but in this case Kahuku has done a really good job of trying to meet the needs of our students," Grace added. "I also think that the strength of the parent association is critical, and here at Kahuku we have a strong one."

• Jimmy Leonardi (Kahuku)
• Junior Primacio (Kahuku)
• John Elkington (Laie)
• Norman Kaluhiokalani (Laie)
• Kela Miller (Laie)
• Les Steward (Laie)
• Richard Fale (Hauula)
• Moana Kalua'ü (Hauula)
• Dotty Kelly-Paddock (Hauula)
• Creighton Mattoon (Punaluu)
• Dee Dee Letts (Kaaawa)

Neighborhood boards, which are geographically distributed throughout Oahu, are designed to advise City and County of Honolulu and other government units. Those without Internet access were encouraged to use computers at public libraries and were also given a phone number to call; however, City officials have reported only 6.5 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in this election.

Funaki, a 2002 graduate from Laie who was recently moved from quarterback to running back on the University of Hawaii football team, was a popular choice for the traditional speech: Baccalaureate addresses differ somewhat from other graduation speeches in that they're usually given on a Sunday and they often contain a religious message. In addition to his athletic skills, Funaki served a Spanish-speaking mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Dominican Republic after graduating from Kahuku.

"These past couple of years have been a different experience for me, but I'm definitely grateful for the roots I have here," said Funaki, who used the metaphor of a pearl forming when a living oyster tries to protect itself from foreign irritant. "Who would have thought that something so annoying could be the cause of something beautiful? Who would have thought something as annoying as having to wake up early and go to school and having to do homework assignments —and the stress of taking a test, and the anxiety of waiting for the results — would produce such useful results?"

For example, Funaki recalled he dreaded giving oral presentations, "yet such irritating things have shaped and molded each one of you into being the precious pearls that you already are. I want to commend each of you for your accomplishments, but this is not the end — just the ending of the beginning part of your life."

He recalled a "great philosopher," his former Kahuku football coach Siuaki Livai, told him, "There are three types of people in this world: Those that make things happen, those that watch things happen, and those that wonder what happened… Don't merely exist in this world. Live life to its full potential… Preparation plus opportunity equals success," Funaki said.

He also paraphrased a "wise turtle" who once upon a time advised a Panda bear that "yesterday is past, and tomorrow's the future, which is why today is a present."

Funaki, who received his bachelor's degree in psychology last December (but still has one more season of football eligibility as he starts graduate school at UH), told of following his father and namesake — BYU–Hawaii psychology professor Inoke Funaki — into that field of study.

One of the subject's appeals for him, he continued, is that it helps demonstrate the power of the mind. That, plus "hard work beats out talent when talent doesn't work hard."

"You've had wonderful teachers, principals, and staff," he added, encouraging the graduates to follow their examples. Whatever goals you have set for yourselves after graduation — whether it's to go to college or work, whatever career you desire to pursue — I promise that you can achieve it."

Later, Funaki said he felt "privileged to come back to the school and community. I love this community. This is where my roots are. To come back and share some of my words and experiences means a lot to me."

After Kahuku's Vocal Motion music group sang, Kahuku High Athletic Director Joe Whitford [pictured at right] responded on behalf of the school administration and faculty, praising Funaki as "a fantastic example."

Addressing the seniors, Whitford said, "We thank you for your efforts, and we look forward to your going out into the world and being great contributors and people." He also quoted a poem that "has helped me throughout my life":

It matters not if you try and fail,
and try and fail again.
It matters much if you try and fail,
and fail to try again.

"Some of you will be going on to university. Some of you will be choosing different careers in life. It's not going to be easy, but we all hope as a school and administration that you continue to try and succeed. We love you, and look forward to hearing about your successes and achievements."

— By Mike Foley