KSM celebrates homecoming 2016
Photo by Holly Honda
Seniors run through powder during the color run at Kamehameha Maui’s homecoming festivities, Sept. 23. This was one in a series of sprit-building activities planned by the student government throughout the week.
Students and staff of Kamehameha Schools Maui came together to celebrate homecoming week, Sept. 19-23.
The Associated Students of Kamehameha Schools Maui planned with the purpose of promoting school unity and developing school spirit throughout the week.
Senior class representative Joshua Chang said,”It took a lot of planning, and it was a huge risk in regards as to whether the students would overall enjoy themselves.”
To promote unity, students dressed up in each other’s class colors and participated together in various activities, while there was less emphasis on the class competition events than in years past.
On Monday, students wore gray in honor of the freshman class of 2020. At the end of the day, high school students and staff gathered in Ka’ulaheanuiokamoku Gymnasium for a pep rally to kick off homecoming week.
The rally was filled with cheers and performances by the junior varsity and varsity cheerleaders, as well as presentations of the fall sports by the teams’ captains.
On Tuesday, students honored the sophomore class of 2019 by wearing green. The kickball tournament kicked off during lunch, and the tournament would continue until Friday.
Then on Wednesday, students wore purple in honor of the junior class of 2018, and on Thursday, students wore red for the senior class of 2017.
The week ended with a color run, games and activities, more kickball, and a football game. Students ran around the campus in their white color run t-shirts while the teachers and staff threw colored corn starch on them. The students erupted into cheers when Mrs. Ashman, student activities coordinator, announced that Kamehameha Maui is the first school in the state to put on a color run.
Sophomore Kayden Choda-Kowalski shows his colors after the color run that capped Homecoming Week. The color run, the first to be held at any school in Hawaiʻi, was one of many spirit-building activities prior to the homecoming football game.
After the run, students rinsed off and the student government let loose with live entertainment, games and activities.
The entertainment consisted of a concert by senior Dayle “Kaulike” Pescaia and Polynesian dance performances by Kamehameha Maui alumni who now dance professionally. The alumni donated their talent and time in their own way of “homecoming.”
The games and activities included volleyball, washer horseshoes, a dunk tank, and other things to do. With everything going on, some students even enjoyed just relaxing on the edges with their friends.
“My favorite [day] was [Friday] because we had the color run and the rest of the day was just a chill day and we got to hang out with friends and enjoy ourselves,” freshman Liana Vasconcellos said.
The kickball tournament ended with the juniors and seniors fighting for first place. The seniors won and advanced to a teacher versus seniors match, which the seniors also won.
Sophomore Leeana Kanemitsu said, “I think the kickball tournament went well. It was really great to see all the classes come together to watch the games. I think it is a great idea to do it again next year [because] it’s different from everyday school life, and that makes it refreshing to experience.”
After school, various school clubs ran booths for the homecoming carnival. Everyone who came got free scrip, or homecoming kālā, that they used to participate in activities like making glittery art posters with the Drama Club, knocking down towers of bottles with the Allies for Equality Club, and getting personalized headbands with spirit words and phrases written on them in kanji by the Japanese Club.
Later, students sat in the cheer section and cheered with the cheerleaders and mascot to show their support for the football Warriors in their game against King Kekaulike’s Nā Aliʻi. During half-time, the classes marched in front of the crowd with floats and banners that they made.
The football team won the game with a score of 38-0, and the junior class won the overall spirit week.
Also, the sophomores and freshmen tied for second, and the seniors placed third.
Student body vice president, junior Hunter Worth said, “There was definitely a build to homecoming… I thought it ended great with the color run and the homecoming game. I think all the students had fun. I think we can build off this, which can lead to more spirit and fun in future events.”
Naomi Ashman • Sep 27, 2016 at 8:44 am
Nice recap of the day.