Konawaena High School
Encyclopedia
Konawaena High School is a public school located in the community of Kealakekua, Kona District, Hawaii County, Hawaii
, United States
. Konawaena means "the center of the leeward side" in the Hawaiian Language
.
in Kona established its first 9th grade class. The school continued to establish 10th, 11th, and 12th grade classes as the years went on. The first graduating class was the Class of 1925. It was originally the only high school in the Kona District until Kealakehe High School
was built in 1997, and serves rural South Kona.
The campus originally consisted of the original buildings built in the 1910s and 1920s, many of which were replaced in the 1970s by the newer two story C, D, E, G, F, R, and S Buildings. In the late 1950s, the administration and library buildings were added. In the early 1960s, the upper campus was built along with a new cafeteria (A building). The upper campus was used as the elementary school, until the new elementary school opened down the street in 1999. In 1968, the shop buildings were added. In the 1970s, the newer two story four wing C, D, E, G and F buildings replaced the old three wing building. Around the same time, Julian Yates field was added along with the R and S buildings replacing old ones, and the new state of the art Ellison Onizuka
Gymnasium opened (N building). A year later, a new locker room and band room was built right above Julian Yates field (Q Building). The only two original buildings remaining on the campus today are the Ag building and one on the upper campus, now Konawaena Middle School.
Throughout the first 40 years, Konawaena operated on what is known as the "coffee schedule," where summer vacation was shifted to September through November to allow children to help with harvesting coffee cherries. The coffee schedule made it impossible for Kona to field a football team because potential players were picking coffee. Child labor laws contributed to the demise of the coffee schedule, which was ended in 1966.
Today Konawaena has successfully grown to encompass a middle school and an elementary school. The total school population is around 1,020 students. In 1995 it held the most students in the whole state, a total of 3,900 in the high school alone. Altogether, that same year there were about 5,000 on the campus grades K-12. The current principal is Shawn S. Suzuki, former band teacher and vice-principal. Suzuki replaced Dr. James Dumaguin who died in 2005. Konawaena High School's rival is Kealakehe High School
.
. The 1996 movie Race the Sun
, starring Halle Berry
, Steve Hogan and James Belushi
was loosely based on this story. Bill Woerner, the real-life teacher who led the team, later founded the charter school West Hawaii Explorations Academy.
.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Konawaena means "the center of the leeward side" in the Hawaiian Language
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
.
History
In 1921, a grammar schoolGrammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in Kona established its first 9th grade class. The school continued to establish 10th, 11th, and 12th grade classes as the years went on. The first graduating class was the Class of 1925. It was originally the only high school in the Kona District until Kealakehe High School
Kealakehe High School
Kealakehe High School is a public high school located in Kailua CDP, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. It has the largest geographic school attendance boundary in the state and covers a geographic district wide, encompassing the communities of Kailua-Kona, Holualoa, Waikoloa, and Puako...
was built in 1997, and serves rural South Kona.
The campus originally consisted of the original buildings built in the 1910s and 1920s, many of which were replaced in the 1970s by the newer two story C, D, E, G, F, R, and S Buildings. In the late 1950s, the administration and library buildings were added. In the early 1960s, the upper campus was built along with a new cafeteria (A building). The upper campus was used as the elementary school, until the new elementary school opened down the street in 1999. In 1968, the shop buildings were added. In the 1970s, the newer two story four wing C, D, E, G and F buildings replaced the old three wing building. Around the same time, Julian Yates field was added along with the R and S buildings replacing old ones, and the new state of the art Ellison Onizuka
Ellison Onizuka
was a Japanese American astronaut from Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii, who successfully flew into space with the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-51-C, before losing his life to the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger, where he was serving as Mission Specialist for mission STS-51-L...
Gymnasium opened (N building). A year later, a new locker room and band room was built right above Julian Yates field (Q Building). The only two original buildings remaining on the campus today are the Ag building and one on the upper campus, now Konawaena Middle School.
Throughout the first 40 years, Konawaena operated on what is known as the "coffee schedule," where summer vacation was shifted to September through November to allow children to help with harvesting coffee cherries. The coffee schedule made it impossible for Kona to field a football team because potential players were picking coffee. Child labor laws contributed to the demise of the coffee schedule, which was ended in 1966.
Today Konawaena has successfully grown to encompass a middle school and an elementary school. The total school population is around 1,020 students. In 1995 it held the most students in the whole state, a total of 3,900 in the high school alone. Altogether, that same year there were about 5,000 on the campus grades K-12. The current principal is Shawn S. Suzuki, former band teacher and vice-principal. Suzuki replaced Dr. James Dumaguin who died in 2005. Konawaena High School's rival is Kealakehe High School
Kealakehe High School
Kealakehe High School is a public high school located in Kailua CDP, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. It has the largest geographic school attendance boundary in the state and covers a geographic district wide, encompassing the communities of Kailua-Kona, Holualoa, Waikoloa, and Puako...
.
Notable alumni
- Brian Keith AdamsBrian Adams (wrestler)Brian Keith Adams was an American professional wrestler. Adams gained fame in the 1990s while performing for the World Wrestling Federation , under the name Crush, and for World Championship Wrestling under his given name.Trained in Japan by Antonio Inoki, Adams was a two time WCW World Tag Team...
, professional wrestler - Koji AriyoshiKoji Ariyoshi' was a Nisei, Labor activist, and a Sergeant in the United States Army during the Second World War.-Early life:Ariyoshi was born in Hawaii in 1914 to Japanese immigrant parents. Ariyoshi grew up helping his family make a living on a small eight-acre coffee plantation. He attended Konawaena High...
, activist, publisher - Patrick Shane DorianShane DorianPatrick Shane Dorian , or "Shane", is an American surfer from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. He spent 11 years touring on the World Championship Tour surfing.-Early life:...
, professional surfer - Daniel LibreDaniel LibreDaniel Felix Libre is a indoor football running back for the Nebraska Danger of the Indoor Football League. He was signed by the Edmonton Eskimos as a free agent in 2010. He played college football for the University of Hawaii. The son of a military father, Libre's family moved all around the...
, professional football player - Lokelani McMichaelLokelani McMichaelLokelani McMichael is an American triathlete, surfer and model. In October 1995, she became the youngest female to finish the Hawaii Ironman. McMichael has been featured in GQ, Shape, Triathlete, Runner's World, Men's Health and several other magazines.Her parents have run a popular surf shop in...
professional triathlete - Ellison Shoji OnizukaEllison Onizukawas a Japanese American astronaut from Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii, who successfully flew into space with the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-51-C, before losing his life to the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger, where he was serving as Mission Specialist for mission STS-51-L...
NASA astronaut - Harold SakataHarold SakataToshiyuki "Harold" Sakata was a Japanese American professional wrestler and film actor most famous for his role as the villain "Oddjob" in the James Bond film Goldfinger.-Career:...
professional weightlifter - Mike Stewart professional bodyboarder
- Rodney J. T. YanoRodney J. T. YanoRodney Jamus Takahashi Yano was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.-Biography:...
, Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient
Solar Challenge
In 1990, a solar car team from Konawaena was the first high school team to complete the World Solar ChallengeWorld Solar Challenge
The World Solar Challenge is a solar-powered car race which covers through the Australian Outback, from Darwin to Adelaide.The race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations although some are fielded by high schools...
. The 1996 movie Race the Sun
Race the Sun
Race the Sun is a 1996 comedy-drama movie starring Halle Berry and James Belushi. The plot is loosely based on the true story of the Konawaena High School Solar Car Team, which finished 18th in the 1990 World Solar Challenge and first place among high school entries.-Plot:A new science teacher at...
, starring Halle Berry
Halle Berry
Halle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
, Steve Hogan and James Belushi
James Belushi
James Adam "Jim" Belushi is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is the younger brother of comic actor John Belushi.-Early life:Belushi was born in Chicago...
was loosely based on this story. Bill Woerner, the real-life teacher who led the team, later founded the charter school West Hawaii Explorations Academy.
In the media
Konawaena was the setting for the 1998 independent film Beyond ParadiseBeyond Paradise
Beyond Paradise is a 1998 American independent film directed by David L. Cunningham.-Plot:The film is a semi-autobiographical tale of Cunningham's years in Hawai'i. He leaves Los Angeles and moves with his mother to the Big Island and befriends three "locals", Ronnie, Zulu and Keao...
.