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SUNDAY |
FEBRUARY 19, 2006 |
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Change Happens Foundation presents $100,000 to charter school by Lisa Huynh |
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Innovations Public Charter school in Kailua-Kona celebrated more than they expected at a Saturday event to honor volunteers and a new campus. By the end of the day the school received a surprise grant and gestures of political support from Gov. Linda Lingle and county council members. "This is truly community action in the works," Lingle said to the crowd. "We wanted Innovations to know how strongly we feel about the charter school movement because it is a well known fact that the Department of Education has not been conducive to this process." She said that it was not a coincidence that half of the state's charter schools are on the Big Island. She credited this fact to the island's distance from the DOE's central office, Big Island residents' "independent" and "creative" spirits and the Hawaiian culture niche filled by charters. Pilago said he agreed with Lingle's sentiments. "I am in favor of the DOE's decentralization," he said. "Our job within the council falls in line and is consistent with (charter school) ideas." The crowd repeatedly applauded the speeches of the elected officials. "They are saying what we are saying," said West Hawaii Explorations Academy Co-director Curtis Muraoka. "We are all aligned, so hopefully something happens." Midway into the program Douglas and Michael Troxel from the Change Happens Foundation surprised Innovations Director Barbara Woerner with a $100,000 grant. During the program, filled with Hawaiian prayer and student performances, Woerner told stories of how the school struggled through its early years. She was moved to tears as she introduced the key people in the school's evolution including landowner Len Welter, who donated a three-year lease for the school's current location. "It is the culmination of our desires and goals," said Welter, who originally planned to build a performing arts center at the site. "I'm very pleased with Innovations. A year ago there was nothing more than land and a house at the site. In spite of the trials and tribulations, (Innovations) is as it is." Every parent interviewed at the celebration expressed satisfaction and admiration for the school's staff. "They are so caring and committed to educating kids," said Nicole Vahai, parent of an Innovations student. "My daughter refuses to go to another school. Here, the teachers really care about learning and not just test scores." Edward Rouse, whose two children attend Innovations, said the school has helped his children become more extroverted. |
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Like their parents, Innovations students such as sixth-grader Alayna Ford gave much credit to the school's teachers. "Teachers work with you individually until you get it and explain things to you when you get something wrong," said Ford. "We learn more." Lingle said she made it a point to attend the ceremony because charter schools receive little support from legislators. "All of these charter schools work so hard to survive," she said. "I don't want them to just get by." Lingle said she is pushing for a lift on the charter school cap and the creation of a local education authority -- independent of the DOE -- to govern charter schools. "The Big Island should exercise some more influence in the Legislature," said Lingle. "If I was a representative from the Big Island I would make charter schools a priority because it is clearly important to the community." Lingle's visit to Innovations was part of a two-day trip to the Big Island. |
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