KAPA‘A — Libraries as we use them today will be totally different in about five or six years, said Kapa‘a High School principal Daniel Hamada, Tuesday. Hamada said the more than $10,000 the school received from American Savings Bank will
KAPA‘A — Libraries as we use them today will be totally different in about five or six years, said Kapa‘a High School principal Daniel Hamada, Tuesday.
Hamada said the more than $10,000 the school received from American Savings Bank will be utilized to bring the school into the 21st Century.
“The vision of the school is to get well into the 21st Century with technology where at least one room in each class can be interactive,” Hamada said. “Personally, I envision that in five or six years, why we use the library will no longer be the same because information is so readily available.”
Hamada accepted the award from Rich Wacker, president and Chief Executive Officer of American Savings Bank, and Kaulana Park, the bank’s Community Development Officer, Tuesday morning in the school’s library, which is shared with neighboring Kapa‘a Elementary School.
The $10,000 represented the Kaua‘i county’s prize for the ASB “Bank for Education” second campaign, which ran from Sept. 18 to Nov. 26.
Local residents were greeted at the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation football games by ASB Kaua‘i branch representatives who solicited new qualifying accounts with the account holders designating a school of choice for credit.
Each new qualifying account earned the school $25 from ASB, and in addition to the $10,000, Kapa‘a High School also received $1,750 based on the new account school designations.
Park said this is the second “Bank for Education” campaign offered. The first one was limited to O‘ahu.
But participants questioned “What about the Neighbor Islands?” and ASB listened, Park said, resulting in a $10,000 award for each of the four counties in Hawai‘i.
The Grand Prize of $100,000 was won by Waiana‘e Intermediate School, and Kapa‘a High School is the Kaua‘i county winner, Park said. To date, ASB has contributed $18,350 to schools around Kaua‘i through its “Bank for Education” program, Park said.
With the combined two “Bank for Education” campaigns, Park said ASB will award a total of $372,425 in prize awards to more than 300 Hawai‘i schools, each school determining how best to use the funds, including through the purchase of computers, teaching supplies, books, musical instruments, athletic equipment, and even funding field trips.
The ASB release states that Kapa‘a High School is planning to use the funds to place smart boards in classrooms throughout the school, enabling teachers to incorporate technology into their lesson plans.
“American Savings Bank is a strong supporter of education, and we are proud to support Hawai‘i schools with much-needed funds to provide our keiki with the tools they need to succeed,” Wacker said in an ASB release. “We were impressed and inspired by the high level of participation and positive response from schools, families, and the community. One of the good things about ‘Bank for Education’ is watching how it brings the community together for a single cause.”
Hamada said on March 1, the date results were announced, that it felt like Christmas because he could find matching funds to help the school’s vision become reality.
“This is a great start,” Hamada said. “We want to thank the community for its support. This demonstrates the truth in ‘It takes a village to educate a child,’ and Kaua‘i walks the talk.”
Hamada arranged with Kapa‘a High School teacher Catherine Paleka to have the Hawaiian class students present as greeters and spectators, taking time to address the students about the importance of giving back.
“One day you might be working for them, or any place else that have programs that give back to the community,” Hamada told the students. “We want you to be quality workers capable of problem solving and other skills so you can one day give back.”
Randall Francisco, president of the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce, representing Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., added that it’s all right to reach for the stars.
“One day, you, too, can become mayor, or president of a large company,” Francisco said. “You can do whatever you want to.”
Francisco said the presentation is a demonstration of the culture of giving.
“There is always partnerships,” Francisco said. “Continue your Warrior Pride because today is a day to be proud. You are a Warrior. Be green.”
