Alakai O Kauai School, which opened this year, is thankful for continued support, said Kani “DrB” Blackwell.
Waimea Canyon Middle School, which used to be an elementary school, donated their old playground equipment to the new charter school.
“It all started with one of my past students that I taught 20 years ago, the wonderful kindergarten teacher, at Eleele Elementary School, Mrs. Annie Godsill, who contacted me and asked if our school would be interested in this donation,” Blackwell wrote.
They contacted Waimea Canyon Middle School and connected with Principal Melissa Speetjam. All Alakai needed was to move the structure from their campus to Kahili Mountain Park.
“That is when the Kauai Charity Walk’s grant of $5,000, came in handy for the cost of moving and restructuring the playground so it would be safe, was put to good use,” Blackwell wrote.
Another community helper for the school was the Walmart Foundation.
In December, Alakai School received a grant of $32,500 for technology. For the first two years of operation, Alakai School is short of funds for supplies, furniture, and other items that are often taken for granted after a school gets established, Blackwell said.
With the Walmart Foundation grant, Alakai School purchased iPads and computers.
“With no desks in a row, deviating from traditional schools, Alakai has round tables, couches, beanbag chairs and the floor,” Blackwell wrote. The learners do not have trouble finding a place they want to hunker down and learn with the new technology tools.”
