Island School Celebrates 39 Years Friday

Island School choir

This is the last year Island School gets to celebrate before hitting the Big Four-Oh. The Puhi-based school is celebrating its 39th anniversary at a special Birthday Assembly Friday at 8:30 a.m. in the Wilcox Gymnasium on the Island School Campus.

Song and dance, including traditional Hawaiian chant and dance performed by Nā Pua O Kamaile, the schoolʻs hula hālau, will commemorate this important date in Island Schoolʻs history. Head of School Shannon Graves will present opening remarks about the schoolʻs 1977 Kealia founding.

Following this brief ceremony, Island School students will perform community service as a ho‘okupu, or expression of gratitude, respect and aloha, for the residents of Kaua‘i.

Students will spend the day completing a range of service projects across the island including maintaining the grounds at the temples at Lāwaʻi International Center, working on beautification at Hanchett Ranch in Moloa‘a, clearing land and planting indigenous plants at Makanalani Farm, removing invasive species and planting native trees and shrubs at Makauwahi Caves in Māhā‘ulepū, picking up trash on the beach south of Kitchen’s, clearing invasive species at Niumalu with Mālama Huleʻia, and assisting the Coast Guard on a special project.

This annual tradition of service is Island School’s way of giving thanks to the greater Kaua‘i community for its continued aloha and support.

Island School began in 1977 when seven women realized their dream of creating an alternative to public school for families on Kauaʻi. Current enrollment is 390 students in pre-kindergarten to 12th grade and reflects Kaua‘i’s diverse population.

The morning ceremony is free and open to the public.

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