I'd like to thank everyone who made this year's gym decorations so wonderful, starting with the middle school faculty and parents who donated their greenery and arrangements for our use. Their bamboo mats were a wonderful aid in the adornment of the risers. To Kaky Purdy and Shirley Ann Fukumoto who brought the arrangement down from baccalaureate to the gym and then managed to attach the aisle ornaments before anyone else could see them do it, you know how important you both are to the happiness and well-being of the school.

Forty-six members of the Class of 2013 received certificates of completion at the Eighth Grade Transition Ceremony held this morning at Gates Performing Arts Center.  Kainan Miranda and Zoe Sims were the class speakers.  The following eighth graders were recognized with Character Traits Awards:

Courage-Bhillie Luciani
Loyalty-Emily Johnson
Justice-Zoe Zims
Respect-Du Hee Lee
Hope-Laruen Pries
Honesty-Yoon Jung (Claire) Rho
Love-Jah'nae Ayoso-Purdy
Overall-Eigoro Akai

Assistant Headmaster Shirley Ann Fukumoto and Headmaster Lindsay Barnes pause for a moment with Rev. Tony Litwinski and Rev. Jana Johnson after the year-end convocation held at at Davies Memorial Chapel on May 15. 

Rev. Jana Johnsen offered the invocation with opening remarks by Headmaster Lindsay Barnes.  The HPA Choir, under the direction of Dr. Madeline Schatz, performed Festival Sanctus.

Senior Nick Penny presented the convocation address, which focused on "generosity."  Departing faculty members were honored and Rev. Tony Litwinski offered the benediction.

Six students from Hawaii Preparatory Academy—five Middle School and one Upper School—volunteered their time to assist with Hawaiian green turtle health assessments and growth studies in Kapoho April 23-30. Under the direction of Marc Rice, director of the school’s Sea Turtle Research Program, and George Balazs, leader of the Marine Turtle Research Program, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, the students gathered data on 36 turtles, including 10 new turtles, which were tagged for future studies.

According to Rice, HPA students have been assisting with health assessments and research in partnership with NOAA since 2002. The school’s Collaborative Sea Turtle Research Program, in partnership with Balazs and NOAA, began in October 1987.

George Balazs, leader of the Marine Turtle Research Program, NOAA, uses a mototool to carefully etch an identification number on the carapace of a Hawaiian green turtle with assistance from HPA students.

George Balazs, leader of the Marine Turtle Research Program, NOAA, carefully measures the body depth of a Hawaiian green turtle with assistance from HPA Middle School students

For more information on HPA's Sea Turtle Research Program, click here.