The banners commemorating BIIF championships in football, soccer, cross country, swimming, track, volleyball, cover the North and South walls. What is more important, the school has opened itself to the community and the world. Students read to and amuse the children of Kawaihae, serve as nurses' aides at the North Hawaii Community Hospital, and form the backbone of the Red Cross Youth Group, recognized as the best in the nation. As such, sophomores train each year in first aid and return to help organize and administer the campus CPR training. Seniors donate to and organize the spring blood drive.
Academics continue to improve.
Students from HPA regularly top the island and state science fairs. The school turtle-tagging project continues to help preserve the green sea turtle and to provide student papers for the national and international colloquia. HPA now participates in national math contests, Internet discussions of literature, and town, state, and national art contests. I answered truthfully that it was excellent, but not as excellent as the school. The HPA choir sent 13 members to the All-State Festival, the most ever, according to Barbara Kopra, HPA choral director.