CELEBRATIONS HAPPENED WEEKS AGO
.. BUT NOT THE ONE AT PAHOA
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON
THE BIG ISLAND.
THEY HAD TO PUSH IT BACK BECAUSE
OF THE
LAVA .. BUT THEY FINALLY HELD IT
TODAY.
HOWARD DASHEFSKY WAS THERE ..
AND HOWARD .. IT MUST'VE BEEN
EMOTIONAL
..
HOWARD:
THANKS MARISA. THIS TOWN OF
PAHOA IS
TEETERING RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF
THIS ERUPTION.
IT'S JUST A COUPLE OF MILES AWAY
FROM WHERE
LAVA FLOWS ARE RAGING. BUT MANY
OF THE PEOPLE WHO WORK AND GO TO
SCHOOL IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE
DRAMATICALLY AFFECTED.
BUT TODAY MANY OF THOSE SAME
PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER AND SONG
AND DANCE AND
CELEBRATION.
Nat sound: song and dance
Its a celebration that was
supposed to happen one
week ago.
But like so many things in this
tight knit community ... the
Pahoa elementary school May day
dash: "These last few weeks you
couldn't have imagined what the
school would be going through,
what has it
been like for you? michelle
payne-arakaki / Pahoa
Elementary Principal: "It has
been challenging to say the
least. i think for me the worry
with employees, families,
making sure everyone is safe and
secure has been a really big
challlenge for us"
Principal Michelle Payne Arakaki
tells us 9 faculty and
staff members and close to a
quarter of students lived in
leilani estates and were forced
to evacuate And some Lost
their homes. Including Amber
students at this school.
We spoke to her the day she lost
her home nearly three
weeks ago. She returned to her
classroom only yesterday.
Amber Makuakane / Lost Home to
lava: "Definitely a joy
to be back. joy of celebration
with smiles and keiki. it's
just, really warms the heart"
"Our future is ahead of us, it
is bright and ... I know God has
greater plans for us and
whatever that may be, we will be
carrying on and moving forward"
Kahealani Walker / lost Home to
lava: "We are trying to keep
spirits up but it has been very
difficult. before we found out
house got taken, every day was a
Kahealani Walker also lost her
home to lava. But on this
day ... she looked to turn tears
of sadness ... into tears of joy
.. with her niece, who also
lived in the home...
even put into words?"
Dymend Morante Rodrigues / Pahoa
Elementary student: "it's just
sad for me cause that's the
childhood house
that I grew up in, with my
family. see that it's gone is ..
just sad."
Nat sound: song and dance
But despite all that was taken
away from them ... on this day
a community came together. To
share their love, and to
celebrate their culture and
community.
michelle payne-arakaki / Pahoa
Elementary Principal: "If
anybody knows pahoa and puna
we come together for betterment
of students and
families and community"
Aunty Kahealani: "So proud of
every student of pahoa
elementary to be here and just..
badly as they were they are here
to represent" Nat sound: End of
hula with music and then
applause
HOWARD:
I TELL YOU WAS ABSOLUTELY
WONDERFUL
ENJOYING AND CELEBRATING AND
RALLYING AROUND THESE
CHILDREN WHO ARE SO RESILIENT.
RECEIVE A HOLLER 12 THEM FOR
ALLOWING US
TO SHARE IN THEIR CELEBRATION,
MARISA WE
SEND IT BACK TO YOU.