Kahakai Elementary School marked 40 years of educating keiki during a celebration Friday in Kailua-Kona.
Kahakai Elementary School was built in 1982 and serves pupils from pre-K to grade 5 at the campus off Royal Poinciana Drive. The celebration also kicked off what will become an annual tradition of celebrating staff and student birthdays with one big bash.
“Instead of taking up important instructional time in the classroom, the school will offer a yearly celebration of birthdays for all. This is an equitable way to celebrate everyone, even those that have birthdays in the summer,” organizers of the event said in a statement.
Friday’s celebration treated staff and students to a picnic school lunch on the lawn, along with cupcakes, ice cream cups, goody bags and live entertainment by Honokaa High and Intermediate School Jazz Band. The event was sponsored by Kahakai Elementary, Kahakai PTSA and Aloha Map.
Geri Davidson, who has been teaching at Kahakai for 36 years, has seen the school evolve over the years.
“Today’s birthday bash was so emotional, thinking that I’ve been here for almost 40 years. There sure has been a lot of changes in 40 years! What keeps me teaching are the students, that it’s still fun, and the challenge of learning new things. Kahakai is the best place for all of these things,” Davidson said.
For more information on public school, visit kahakaischool.k12.hi.us.