By Yiming Fu, Report for America corps member
“What should I tell the President that makes this place special?” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona asked, sitting on a chair in front of a 2nd-grade class at King Kamehameha III elementary school.
The 7 and 8 year olds are seated with their legs crossed on a rug in their temporary classroom; their old school burned down in the Lahaina fires last year. The students raise their hands to chime in.
“We’re really good at math and reading.”
“We’re from different places and we’re learning together.”
“We’re all family!”
Cardona visited King Kamehameha III elementary school and Lahainaluna High School on Friday and discussed education and student well-being post-fire. At King Kamehameha III, Cardona talked with district leaders and community activists about student support post-fire. At Lahainaluna, Cardona talked with students about improving their high school experiences.
King Kamehameha III stood on Front St. for more than 100 years before it burned in last August’s fires. The students relocated three times before settling in a temporary school of 30 modular classrooms, a library, playground and cafeteria near Kapalua airport. The temporary school can operate until 2029. About 1/3 of students come from families who lost homes in the fires.
The kids are back
“The kids love being in school,” Princess Nahi’ena’ena Elementary School Principal Greg Kanamori said. “As soon as we returned back to school in October, it felt normal, as crazy as it sounds.”
This is because educators create a loving and caring environment and the kids missed being together, Kanamori said. Princess Nahi’ena’ena is another elementary school in Lahaina. It narrowly missed being burned down in the fires.
While students have missed out on many months of learning, Kanamori said there are plans in place to catch them up and also address their emotional wellbeing.
“Human infrastructure”
Cardona also said he was concerned with faculty well-being. Kids have a faster healing timeline, he said, because they mainly need their routines. Faculty on the other hand are often bending over backwards to do everything for their kids.
Jenelle Peterson, an educator at Hawaii Technology Academy, started teaching six grade levels, working 16-hour days, 7 days a week after the fire. The greatest lesson she learned from teaching after the fires, she said, is being willing to break any rule and go to any length for her kids. It was tough at times, but remembering what it was all for made it better.
“I’d get out of bed and the kids would show up with smiles in their faces and hugs in their hearts. And that’s what it takes. Is knowing what truly matters,” Peterson said. “I was held up by every single parent that came to serve meals every day and give me hugs and say how are you doing today.”
Educators emphasized a need for more funding, especially for mental health resources. There are not a ton of certified mental health professionals on Maui. Cardona said he would connect schools with telehealth, look at ways to get more qualified mental health professionals into classrooms and brainstorm other creative solutions.
Student needs
Lahainaluna High School senior Karisa Bayudan participated at the high school round table with four of her classmates. Karisa is involved in student council and student government and is passionate about uplifting her community. She grew up in Lahaina and has Filipino immigrant parents. Her family lost their home in the fire and it was hard to focus on school.
“I wasn’t sure where I would be staying that year. It was not stable in my house for me to concentrate on school,” Karisa said.
The daughter of immigrants, Karisa has to translate insurance claims and building permits for her parents which takes time away from focusing on school. Many of her classmates are in the same boat — Lahaina’s population is 1/3 immigrants.
Many of Karisa’s classmates have moved to different states or a different part of the island since rebuilding is too expensive. Many others are on the brink of moving away, and conversations at home about moving away can be extremely stressful. Faculty are also leaving as enrollment drops.
Karisa said the community needs financial support, and she would like more financial supports for graduating seniors applying to college.
Lahainaluna High Principal Richard Carosso participates at the educators round table with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. Photo by Yiming Fu 
Cardona then hosted a second panel listening to educators and community activists like Maui Technology Academy educator Jenelle Peterson. Photo by Yiming Fu 
Posters in the temporary classrooms at King Kamehameha III school encourage students to be resilient through change. Photo by Yiming Fu 
Cardona asks the students how they’re doing, what makes them special and what they want the President to know. At the end of the visit he hands each 2nd-grader gold chocolate coins. Photo by Yiming Fu
Building better
At Lahainaluna High School, Cardona said he was impressed with how students came together. He said most high school students identify with what they do. But in Lahaina, the students identify with where they’re from.
Cardona also celebrated educators for their hard work. He both encouraged them to take breaks as much as possible and also to keep up their effort so Lahaina schools not only return to their baseline but instead become better than they were before.
“Bottle that passion, take care of yourselves, and systematize it,” Cardona said.
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