Technology to help improve the educational opportunities for Ni’ihau students will soon be making its way to Ni’ihau, a privatelyowned island located southwest of Kaua’i that is home to pureblooded Hawaiians.
U.S. House Rep. Ed Case, DNeighbor Islandsrural O’ahu, recently announced that U.S. Department of Agricultural Rural Development Agency officials have awarded a $150,000 grant to leaders in the Kaua’i County Office of Economic Development.
The funds will be used to help build a photovoltaicpower and batterystorage facility to provide power, 24 hours a day, for a refrigerator, freezer, lights, computers and printers at Ni’ihau School, Case said.
The funds are among $2.3 million in federal funds Case has secured for projects benefiting residents on Kaua’i, Ni’ihau, the Big Island and Moloka’i, he said.
All of the NeighborIsland counties and the rural areas of O’ahu are part of Case’s congressional district.
In April, Kaua’i County Council members approved a request from Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste’s administration to apply for, receive, and use the grant for the system.
Previously, Native Hawaiian students and residents of Ni’ihau could only use the school during daylight hours, due to the lack of overhead lights in the school building.
County officials reported that a 3,000watt generator had been available for use, but the machinery has been used only periodically.
The stored energy from the new system can be used for nighttime classes or activities that will help strengthen ties among island inhabitants on the island, which is owned by the Robinson Family, among the oldest pioneer families of Kaua’i.
County leaders earlier received $25,000 from officials in the same federal agency to design the new system.
The system would benefit 30 to 40 students at the school, which is geared for students from kindergarten to the 12th grade.
Not much thought was given to linking Ni’ihau to the electrical power system on Kaua’i due to the remoteness of Ni’ihau.
Once the new system is hooked up, state Department of Education officials are to take responsibility for the operation of the system and any liability connected with it, county officials have said.
Two state DOE teachers are assigned to the Ni’ihau School. Bill Arakaki, principal of Waimea High School, is also principal of Ni’ihau School, and visits the privatelyowned island and the school once or twice each school year.
